Sunday evening at Swansea

MarkJohnson12345

MarkJohnson12345

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Joined
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Location
Swansea Wales UK
www.markjohnsonafloat.org.uk
Been sailing here for 15 years or so, so should be used to the Sunday evening traffic getting through the lock in Swansea.

Last nigth was the as usual, 90 minutes plus to get through.

Have to say everyone was very well behaved, the lock keeper was scrupulously fair and precise in the Q.

Have to wonder how visitors make out, they probably are not aware of the 'logging' in as you come in between the piers. If the don't they will be cheated out of their rightful place.

Ought there to be more mooring buoys, or should there be another lock built??

I guess we are very lucky to have the facilities we have, but can't help wonering on how to improve the Sunday nigth Jam.

Mj
 
There is another lock being built on the eastern side of the lock approach but it will link into the King's dock where new pontoon morrings will be laid. Probably a different operator of that side rather than the council. I understand it will be a commercial marine operator. The diggers have been hard at it for some 6 months now digging the new access lock. I believe it is about a year away from completion and is part of the new SA1 re-development.

You can see the master plan at the follwing link that clearly shows the new lock and marina layout.

SA1 Development Master Plan
 
It would be great to have another lock on the Tawe to ease the congestion, but something tells me that the economics don't stack up. I haven't got a clue how much another lock would cost to build, but I think the lock fees to cover the investment would be substantial, and then we would all be moaning about it.

Having come back from a weekend in Cardiff, I didn't think that the locking in and out process was any quicker at Cardiff than at Swansea, even with 3 locks in operation, and the locks at Cardiff seemed smaller somehow. It would be interesting to compare the capacity of the locks at Cardiff with Swansea.
 
[ QUOTE ]
.........................., the lock keeper was scrupulously fair and precise in the Q.

Have to wonder how visitors make out, they probably are not aware of the 'logging' in as you come in between the piers. If the don't they will be cheated out of their rightful place.



[/ QUOTE ]

Can you expand on this. Last time I went into Swansea, the lock keepers were giving priority to fishing boats and there was no order as such. Weak to the wall.

Whats this about logging in?
 
A working procedure has emerged between boats and the lock keeper.

When entering the harbour, between the two piers, boats contact the Tawe lockkeeper on ch18, and just say 'yactht X, entering the river' or similar.

The lock keeper will then add you to the incoming list of boats, and then will call you up to enter the lock in order.

Yes big and heavy boats get priority when the lock opens, as they need a bit of room, and I would rather tie up against them rather than have them tie up to me.

Point is that there is a orderly queue rather than a fight for a lock space.

Some take advantage by radioing when out in the bay, but I believe there is a CCTV thast the lock keeper can check the boat is in the river.

As you have said, this procedure may not be known by visitors to Swansea. These visitors might twig idf they listen to ch18, but must get an extremely bad view of Swansea if they don't get their place in the large queue.

When the tide is low, the problem is worse, as there is so little room for boats to manouvre.

Again have to say we are lucky to have the facilities we have, but Swansea is in danger of being b*****d by its own success!!

Maybe we should contact Reeds and ask them to mention the above procedure.

Regards
Mj
 
Err, did you read my post, a new lock is being built, not being discussed, actually being built right now, although will be to a new marina.
 
Yes, I read your post, but the new lock will not give access to the Tawe, so will do nothing to relieve the pressure on the existing lock which is used by boats berthed at the Yacht Club or the Marina. There will still be queues in the river on a Saturday and Sunday summer evening.
 
Well I think you'll find lots of boats will move out of the exisitng marina as the king's dock offers far better protection from the weather and it will have better facilities rather than the crummy ones are present so the lock into the Tawe won't be under so much pressure and those boaters won't have to que to get into the tawe, it will be a big selling point for any marina operator taking on that development.
 
I think you'll find that WAG is paying for the lock as part of the SA1 regen scheme. The marina operator will of course have to be competitive, however I would pay more to moor there and have easy access to the sea and have better sheltered facilities than use the council run marina which is a bit of a dump IMHO and not at all pleasant place to be in a blow added to the insane crowding in the tawe lock. I agree that there might not be many boaters using this marina but that is kind of the appeal.
 
Don't want to continue to bang on about it, but another two hour wait last night to get back into Swansea.

Boaters were beginning to get impatient when the lock keeper called in the big boats first.

There has to a solution. No idea what it is.

Another lock would be ideal, at least another two or three. But I doubt it will be afforded by any of us.

Could the existing lock be enlarged lengthways???

Mj
 
Yes it was so bad on Sunday night that I decided to anchor out for the night and come in on Monday morning.

In the event I had a nice little sail on Monday morning too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I hear that many of the regulars are fed up with the weekend queues and one is considering moving down to Milford Haven.

Hats off to the lock keepers though for keeping order so well.

I can't really see a solution as another lock into the Tawe is highly unlikely.
 
Booze boats and birds eh...

And time to stay out ober a Sunday night. Did you get wet in all that rain?

Not bad :-))

I did consider Milford or Lawrenny. Lovely spots, but driving down there in summer traffic soon put things in perspective.

I shall just have to fit wings and turn the outboard upside down, and jump the queue that way.. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mj
 
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