Dunstaffnage marina nightmare

Trop Cher said:
There's actually plans to increase the pontoons further and include some sort of breakwater, all subject to funding.
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They have similar plans at Tobermory, extending the new Cruise ship pontoon out into the bay and then dogleg to the south thereby creating a breakwater to protect from north easterlies.
 
stevepick said:
Dunstaffnage has form I am afraid. We kept our boat there from 2007 till 2010. In september 2010 an intense Northerly storm caused damage to 26 boats, mooring warps were not checked, pontoon fingers were distorted and failed to keep boats apart. The whole marina moved 3 metres south as anchors dragged . Our boat was badly damaged, the marina management could not have been less interested in their failings. The outer "breakwater" (not sure this term is really appropriate) pontoon was promised for years and finally appeared last year. Its effectiveness has been shown to be limited, and I wont berth a boat there until the current (mis)management team are replaced by folk who understand what is required to run a marina. I avoid dustaffnage like the plague, it should be a fantastic marina, but fails on many levels. The self assessed 5 gold anchors award is a pitiful joke.
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I suffered in that same storm. Had to replace the pulpit, all fairleads, 2 cleats and about 5m of toerail. We got off lightly. More than one boat was noticed underwater, and several pontoon fingers had upturned, one with a boat attached. They had to cut a few metres out of the main gangway to make the whole thing fit again as everything had dragged. Haven't been back since, but have wondered what its like. Someone left and seemed to take a lot of the goodwill and common sense with him?
 
stevepick said:
Dunstaffnage has form I am afraid. We kept our boat there from 2007 till 2012. In september 2012 an intense Northerly storm caused damage to 26 boats, mooring warps were not checked, pontoon fingers were distorted and failed to keep boats apart. The whole marina moved 3 metres south as anchors dragged . Our boat was badly damaged, the marina management could not have been less interested in their failings. The outer "breakwater" (not sure this term is really appropriate) pontoon was promised for years and finally appeared last year. Its effectiveness has been shown to be limited, and I wont berth a boat there until the current (mis)management team are replaced by folk who understand what is required to run a marina. I avoid dustaffnage like the plague, it should be a fantastic marina, but fails on many levels. The self assessed 5 gold anchors award is a pitiful joke.
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I had thought the new floating breakwater might stop this sort of damage occurring in a Northerly, but it seems not.

FYI, a similar post and subsequent thread about damage to boats in Dunstaffnage appeared on BlueMoment in 2013. I was threatened with legal action unless I pulled the thread. It will be interesting to see if the marina owners - who are it seems uncommonly fond of threatening legal action - make similar threats against YBW.


- W
 
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I overwintered there in 2015/16. To be fair, the management strongly recommended that we come out of the water and insisted that the mast be down while on the hard. I took their advice. Recommissioning took place in late June with approximately 5 days of continuous rain. Worst of all I bumped into some bloke called Dylan Winter! Cheered me up but didn’t half do some damage to the wine stocks.
 
Few years back we visited Cowes Yacht Haven and had to move down the pontoons on all fours. We were going to stay the night but had lunch then went up to the Folly.
 
mainsail1 said:
In many years of sailing I have not had this problem in a Southern UK marina. If I had not been around this week my boat would probably have been damaged.

My boat has been in Scotland for just over a year now and this is the second bad event. Both of the marinas, the other was Tobermory, must know of the problem but have not taken any, or adequate steps to mitigate it. I suspect the new marina in Oban will be another example as it seems obvious that it should have some kind of 'hard' breakwater protection.
Rhu marina found out the hard way some years ago that floating wave screens are not the answer and now have a rock breakwater.
I would argue that if you are going to charge Marina prices you have to invest in a high level of wave protection.
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So you didn't read the big sign at the top of the Tobermory access bridge telling you about the swell conditions in certain wind directions?
 
wully1 said:
So you didn't read the big sign at the top of the Tobermory access bridge telling you about the swell conditions in certain wind directions?
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Yes, I did but what a meaningless cop out.
Next they will put up a notice saying be careful, the pontoons may come adrift at any time. If they offer a Marina it should be fit for purpose, no ifs or buts.
 
mainsail1 said:
Yes, I did but what a meaningless cop out.
Next they will put up a notice saying be careful, the pontoons may come adrift at any time. If they offer a Marina it should be fit for purpose, no ifs or buts.
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Just had a look on Tobermory's website. No where does it state it is a marina. They call it a pontoon. If the pontoon comes adrift, you may well have a claim.

Regards
Donald
 
mainsail1 said:
Yes, I did but what a meaningless cop out.
Next they will put up a notice saying be careful, the pontoons may come adrift at any time. If they offer a Marina it should be fit for purpose, no ifs or buts.
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I disagree about Tobermory. It is not a permanent berthing marina, but primarily a visitor berth facility.
There are all weather permanent marinas in Scotland, but if every visitor pontoon had to cater for every weather condition then many/most of the summer visitor pontoons would have to be removed and the facilities lost to all.
Agree Dunstaffnage should not have this issue, as claiming to be all year round, but for visitor pontoons the skipper should assess weather and make their own decisions
 
I find the current staff at Dunstaffnage thoroughly helpful.

There is one wind direction from which strong winds are a problem and you have to accept that. I do. I failed to set my warps up properly for one northeasterly gale and suffered minor damage - it was my fault. The staff worked hard and late to add warps and fenders to solve the problem and were extremely apologetic that they hadn't prevented all damage.

The pontoons were set up in Tobermory to allow people to stay alongside when conditions permit. They are not permanent berths. Having said that, I was alongside there on a day when 47 knot easterly gusts were being recorded, and was comfortable.

The pontoons in Oban are a great addition to the town and yachtsmen already love them. We'll learn over time how they are in different conditions. I hope that Dunstaffnage, Kerrera and the town pontoons work together to enable Oban to fulfill its unquestionable potential as marine hub.

I know it's against forum rules to be positive about these things, but I admire and welcome the initiatives on the west coast to create well maintained stop-over pontoons that are a boon to yachtsmen who exercise their judgement on suitable conditions for their use.
 
I suppose if one does not understand the difference between a visitors pontoon and a marina one is likely to be disappointed nearly everywhere on the west coast, so far no one has mentioned Mallaig where the pontoons are right at the back of the harbour, but you would not need to be a genius to work out the fetch from the North. Perhaps the West of Scotland is too windy, it is certainly too wet.
 
So, when i use a visitor's pontoon I will need to stay onboard as I have no way of telling if it will be safe for me to leave the boat unattended to go and spend lots of lovely money all over Mull. ...........Really?
 
mainsail1 said:
So, when i use a visitor's pontoon I will need to stay onboard as I have no way of telling if it will be safe for me to leave the boat unattended to go and spend lots of lovely money all over Mull. ...........Really?
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If you can't understand fetch then I guess so.

I have to admit that the shelter of a marina is quite a factor when I'm choosing a marina for overwintering but I form my own judgement.
 
mainsail1 said:
So, when i use a visitor's pontoon I will need to stay onboard as I have no way of telling if it will be safe for me to leave the boat unattended to go and spend lots of lovely money all over Mull. ...........Really?
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No, you check the weather forecast - and then the skipper decides if the current anchorage, mooring or pontoon is suitable for the expected conditions. Most times they will be. But many visitor facilities (the world over, including south of England) have occasional problem wind directions and strengths.
Clearly this doesn’t work for permanent berths, but is appropriate for visitor berths
 
mainsail1 said:
Earlier this week the swell running into Dunstaffnage marina made pontoon based yachts roll gunwhale to gunwhale. Masts crashed together. Our boat nearly mounted the pontoon and we had to move out. Wrong type of wind apparently (Northerly 20 knots).
I thought Marinas were places of safety and tranquillity. Not in Scotland!
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A quick summary of the western isles "Marinas"

Lochmaddy, good for the pub and ferry dodging in a hoolie

Kyleikin , good pubs nice locals, lots of fishing boats

Mallaig , lots of pubs, good connections (Train) quite pricey but diabolical in a northerly !

Tobermory, pubs, food, tourists, in a hoolie stay in the pub or anchor somewhere sensible (Drambuie) HM is a bit keen for your cash i prefer to get all my ropes on before coughing up !

Oban (new) Nice , shiney, no proper showers yet! as for protection, ok so far lets see whats left next spring!

Oban (kerrera) Nice spot BUT the water problems an er problem!

Dunstaffnage AS previously stated but don't complain or they will sue! as for the many anchor status!!!! So funny that!


Now for the avoidance of doubt I'm currently moored at Dochgarroch after surfing the length of Loch Ness at hull speed! whilst displaying my smallest hankie from the forestay. Tied up for the night rolling like a drunken sailor!!! But at least its not a proper Marina!......... John
 
Amulet said:
I find the current staff at Dunstaffnage thoroughly helpful.

There is one wind direction from which strong winds are a problem and you have to accept that. I do. I failed to set my warps up properly for one northeasterly gale and suffered minor damage - it was my fault. The staff worked hard and late to add warps and fenders to solve the problem and were extremely apologetic that they hadn't prevented all damage.

The pontoons were set up in Tobermory to allow people to stay alongside when conditions permit. They are not permanent berths. Having said that, I was alongside there on a day when 47 knot easterly gusts were being recorded, and was comfortable.

The pontoons in Oban are a great addition to the town and yachtsmen already love them. We'll learn over time how they are in different conditions. I hope that Dunstaffnage, Kerrera and the town pontoons work together to enable Oban to fulfill its unquestionable potential as marine hub.

I know it's against forum rules to be positive about these things, but I admire and welcome the initiatives on the west coast to create well maintained stop-over pontoons that are a boon to yachtsmen who exercise their judgement on suitable conditions for their use.
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+1 to all that- we've been very pleased with our first season in Dunstaffnage bay- we prefer to be on a mooring anyway in tobermory
 
Scomber said:
+1 to all that- we've been very pleased with our first season in Dunstaffnage bay- we prefer to be on a mooring anyway in tobermory
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Hate to be a doom monger, but don't say you weren't warned ! My view is that dunstaffnage has the cashflow to fix its problems properly , but doesn't, which makes it feel like a rip off from the outset. When a proper storm comes in your boat is at real risk.

Watch the staff turnover, its always a good indicator of the quality of the management.
 
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