Pontoons - silly question from a sea marina berth holder?

[PEJ]

I hope this is not a stupid question.

Why don't river marinas have hinged and floating pontoons like sea marinas?

I know that 99% of the time the water level is plus or minus 4 inches but right now wouldn't you river boys rather have a floating pontoon like us sea chaps?

I guess the capital cost of floating pontoons is higher but not by that much is it? Would you rather pay a bit more and have floating pontoons or would it make no difference?

 

[boatone]

Why don't river marinas have hinged and floating pontoons like sea marinas?

The majority do.

 

[Richard Shead]

I hope this is not a stupid question.

Why don't river marinas have hinged and floating pontoons like sea marinas?

I know that 99% of the time the water level is plus or minus 4 inches but right now wouldn't you river boys rather have a floating pontoon like us sea chaps?

I guess the capital cost of floating pontoons is higher but not by that much is it? Would you rather pay a bit more and have floating pontoons or would it make no difference?

Most marinas do nowadays.

 

[Chris_d]

I think you answered your own question too expensive for what was once every 20 years, however most marinas do float but there a lot more boats
just tied to the banks.

 

[bradtarga34]

I wish our marina, Walton Marina, had them, would save me a lot of stress...

 

[boatone]

I wish our marina, Walton Marina, had them, would save me a lot of stress...

Ouch, I feel for you. Never occurred to me that they didn't!

 

[Cashbuyer]

And Harleyford doesn't ... Although it doesn't seem to be helping Penton Hook much.

 

[Richard Shead]

And Harleyford doesn't ... Although it doesn't seem to be helping Penton Hook much.

The duck pond used to!

 

[Chris_d]

I suppose the problem with marinas is that its hard to rig long lines that can account for the rise and fall, I'm on bankside mooring and have to check it
reguarly, but its only a problem on the way down when I have to keep checking it so that it doesn't sit on the bank.

 

[boatone]

And Harleyford doesn't ... Although it doesn't seem to be helping Penton Hook much.

As a berth holder at Penton I would say the floating pontoons are helping greatly. We may not be able to get to the boats easily at the moment because the bridge heads are underwater but we have no need to adjust lines.

 

[Blackfeather]

having only just arrived on the Thames (fab timing) I never thought to confirm that they were floating pontoons.

I wish I had.

 

[Richard Shead]

having only just arrived on the Thames (fab timing) I never thought to confirm that they were floating pontoons.

I wish I had.

They dont always work...

 

[boatone]

They dont always work...
View attachment 39835

That looks like Bates Marina at Chertsey and those what I call "bankside" fingers are fixed to the bank so only float up and down at the outer end. Not what I would call "proper" pontoons!

 

[Richard Shead]

That looks like Bates Marina at Chertsey and those what I call "bankside" fingers are fixed to the bank so only float up and down at the outer end. Not what I would call "proper" pontoons!

good spot!

Just had a pick in of a boat at old Windsor thats sadly sunk and floating bow up very fast down stream

 

[alfaman155]

As a berth holder at Penton I would say the floating pontoons are helping greatly. We may not be able to get to the boats easily at the moment because the bridge heads are underwater but we have no need to adjust lines.

According to a bloke I was chatting to near The Weir at Walton about an hour ago, they have completely closed PH Marina on H&S grounds.

 

[boatone]

According to a bloke I was chatting to near The Weir at Walton about an hour ago, they have completely closed PH Marina on H&S grounds.

See my post at lunchtime today re Penton Hook !!!

 

[Cashbuyer]

That looks like Bates Marina at Chertsey and those what I call "bankside" fingers are fixed to the bank so only float up and down at the outer end. Not what I would call "proper" pontoons!

All pontoons are fixed or linked to a point on the bank at some point otherwise they would float away. Even yours at Penton Hook... Your slightly pious and pompous comments about other marinas are not helpful to the majority of owners worrying about their boats.

 

[alfaman155]

See my post at lunchtime today re Penton Hook !!!

Yes I saw that after I posted! I would have made the 'announcement' sooner but it took the guy 90mins to drive from PH to Walton.

 

[boatone]

All pontoons are fixed or linked to a point on the bank at some point otherwise they would float away. Even yours at Penton Hook... Your slightly pious and pompous comments about other marinas are not helpful to the majority of owners worrying about their boats.

No intention to be "pious or pompous". My statement was fact. The pontoons at PH and many other marinas have a double hinged section at the bridge head so the whole pontoon stays floating level. We are unable to access the boats because the bridge heads are under water but the pontoons, and the boats themselves, are fine.