Marina locks and hanging baskets

wombat88

wombat88

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Is it just me? Am I getting more texts telling me that the marina lock is closed for 'unplanned or urgent maintenance'?

Seems to be a recurring theme.

I had no intention of going anywhere today but feel sorry for those who have travelled down here, planned trips, got crew organised etc etc.

I suspect there is a clause in the contract that absolves the management of any responsibility.

Or...and this is my pet theory...I wonder if the increase in hanging baskets, pretty planters and a profusion of geraniums has magically bunged up the locks workings.

Far be it for me to suggest that money would be better spent on maintaining the one thing that justifies the existence of a marina in working order rather than on admittedly attractive floral decoration.
 
Time for me to write a letter of complaint to my marina. There are no hanging baskets. Quelle horreur! All we have is a pond full of koi and wildfowl and many acres of land, only part of which is mown and the rest only enjoyed by wildlife that doesn't pay a penny for the use of it.
 
If you're referring to Chichester, I heard that a large vessel rammed in to it earlier in the week. It was closed on 23rd for about 4 hours, not sure if this was due to the ramming it received earlier. It was also out of action on 10th July, but last date before that was planned maintenance in February.

PS It was working fine yesterday
 
I expect there will be another closure at Port Solent pretty soon then after a funking great big Mobo decided to kamikazee the lock gate on Sunday.

Quite a bang........glad i held back and let him go first now.
 
Chichester Marina lock broken again today, closed for 24 hours they say...music in the loos much appreciated, car park reorganisations tolerable and hanging baskets looking lovely.
 
wombat88 said:
Chichester Marina lock broken again today, closed for 24 hours they say...music in the loos much appreciated, car park reorganisations tolerable and hanging baskets looking lovely.
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That must be a huge compensation for people who've travelled long distances and made arrangements with friends.

One problem on the much larger French canals was people using old tyres as fenders - if they fall or get knocked off they sink then jam the lock gates so are supposedly banned now - any nasty flotsam could probably jam Chichester Marinas' lock though the jostling gin palaces seem to do a good job knobbling it, I remember a big pile of mangled mobo pulpits in Chris Silverthornes' excellent stainless workshop.
 
Anyone know what's happened to the lock at Chichester today ? The text arrived at just before 1400. I would imagine there would be a lot of people locked out with nowhere to go. Glad I was in the Laser today :)
 
Benny257 said:
Anyone know what's happened to the lock at Chichester today ? The text arrived at just before 1400. I would imagine there would be a lot of people locked out with nowhere to go. Glad I was in the Laser today :)
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That text came late. There were quite a few angry bods about...spoke to some who were setting off to walk to the pub in Dell Quay as an alternative to sailing.
 
Little Grebe said:
Did that mean it wasn't open for free flow?

We were thinking of going there this weekend but perhaps fortunately went to Bembridge instead
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Free flow was predicted to start just after 1400 yesterday so you wouldn't have got in as the lock was broken by then. I'm assuming it's locked closed. I just wonder what's happened to all the daytrippers who spend the day at East Head or potter around the harbour. I imagine some visitors are locked in too.
 
I quote a recent email:

"As you may be aware, our lock was constructed in 1964, and whilst it has been carefully maintained, time has caught up with it and it now requires modernisation to ensure that it is efficient, reliable and fit for the future.

With this in mind, our maintenance team will shut the lock to carry out works for an estimated 8 - 12 weeks starting in January 2020. Aside from standard winter maintenance, the upgrade work will involve a £400,000 programme to include repairing the recent damage to the gates after a boat struck them; replacing the inner and outer gate bearings; rebuilding the lock’s gearbox and supporting steel work; rewiring the lock and installing a new lock control system.

Moreover, since we are working with 55 year old drawings and a structure which will require bespoke components to be fabricated, due to the lock having been engineered prior to the introduction of the metric system, the true extent of the work required and the time it will take, will only be clear when the works are underway and the parts of the lock currently concealed are visible.

We have chosen the winter period for the shutdown as most boats are either ashore at this time or not in use. However, if you regularly use your boat in the winter months we ask that you contact the Marina Reception to discuss potential berthing options.

We thank you in anticipation of your understanding and patience whilst we carry out these vital works and we apologise for any inconvenience the shutdown may cause."

It was all so smart in 1964, I remember, I was there...
 
I too received this email today and am not particularly happy about it. I do use my boat through the winter - just as much as I use it through the summer. I phoned the office to find out what the alternatives are and was offered berthing at any other Premier marina that isn't full. The only practical alternative for me is Brighton so I would have to move my boat some days / weeks before the shutdown to allow for suitable conditions. Likewise on the return to Chichester. So I could be 4 months out of Chichester. I'm going to get in touch with CMBHA, but if their offer of moving me to Brighton does not suit me I feel partial refund on my fees or a soliciotr's letter coming along.
 
There's a huge difference between sailing out of Chichester or Brighton especially in winter - does Brighton still have depth & dredging problems too ?

I knew a fishing boat skipper who told me ' forget Brighton as a port of refuge ' - the reflected waves from the breakwater are horrible, a Contessa 32 was wrecked trying to enter.

And there's nowhere interesting to daysail from Brighton.

Also a relatively dodgy area, I knew a couple of upmarket liveaboards there, the petite wife - heart of a lion - chased and caught a guy who'd just stabbed and killed a woman - you don't often get that at Chichester.

This is why I'd feel trapped under external control in a marina with a lock...
 
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I hope those who have already suffered inconvenience this year have had some form of apology?

I haven't read the contract but suspect that there is a clause in there to cover them for things like this. From memory the lock was closed for a couple of weeks a few years back with little fuss, but suspect that this is the result of years of putting off what will now turn out to be a huge expense...would it perhaps have anything to do with the rather quick departure of the previous manager? Something about taking it out on the messenger?

It will give the team plenty of time to replant the hanging baskets for the coming season.

Enough of that, I go too far, I hope they drain the marina. It would give me a chance to gather many years worth of screwdrivers, pliers, shackle pins, car keys and a Leica lens cap.
 
If you go down far enough I'm sure you could get prehistoric stuff, on the way down hopefully Saxon bits and pieces, King Canuts' signed diary and maybe the bell the Vikings stole from Bosham - though they say it keeps ringing which might be a pain :)
 
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