2017 Nov Dec Marina World

TALKING SHOP
Scottish marina
moves to new phase
In February this year, a partnership between Peel Holdings and Riverside
Inverclyde handed over the operation of James Watt Dock Marina (JWD) to
Marina Projects. Armed with a very long lease and extensive experience in
designing, developing and managing marina and boatyard complexes, the
company is ready to take this historic dock into a new phase of development.
Carol Fulford visited JWD to ask Jeff Houlgrave of Marina Projects and JWD
marina manager Graeme Galbraith to talk shop.
Located on the Firth of Clyde – the
largest and deepest body of coastal
water in the British Isles – JWD is one
of a handful of prime marina sites within
the 16 or so marinas and anchorages
available on the favoured east shore.
“Largs Yacht Haven, Kip Marina, JWD,
Rhu Marina and Troon Yacht Haven are
probably the prime sites, with Largs
as number one on the Clyde,” explains
Graeme Galbraith. “But all the marinas
and yards are busy, including Fairlie
Quay, just south of Largs, which is well
known as the main undercover storage
facility on the river.”
Although there are nigh on 40
anchorage facilities on the estuary,
the east shore offers the best road,
rail and air transport links to and from
Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. JWD,
in Greenock, is just a 15 minute drive
to Glasgow Airport and, since opening
in July 2011, has become an ideal stop
over for boats heading by sea to the
city and for vessels transiting the Forth
& Clyde Canal. The location is also
home ground to seasoned local sailors
who have long appreciated its stunning
scenery, safe waters, numerous islands
and small towns.
Changing places
The River Clyde brought prosperity
to Glasgow, and successive efforts
in the late 1700s and beyond were
actually made to deepen it to enable
large vessels carrying prime cargoes
such as tobacco and sugar to safely
travel upstream. By the early twentieth
century, Clyde shipbuilding was playing
a vital role in the city’s economy but
during the 1960s terminal decline
kicked in and only a few yards now
remain. The merchants who imported
raw cane sugar to the sugar sheds at
James Watt Dock lasted a little longer
but the sheds fell into disuse in the
1980s and the dock became one of the
many derelict brownfield sites in the
area which are now being regenerated
for recreational, residential and
business purposes.
The lease awarded to Marina
Projects at JWD covers a total area of
approximately 14ha (34.6 acres) and
includes the marina docks, a generous
car park, a boatyard, and land and
water space in the adjacent Great
Harbour. Boats moor at alongside
floating pontoons secured each side of
two parallel basins divided by a wide
Most berths at James Watt Docks are
currently in two parallel basins divided by
a wide fixed dock.
fixed dock. Temporary offices, berth
holder showers and toilets, and laundry
facilities are located in portacabins
installed waterside in the historic sugar
sheds. Marina Projects currently has
use of the remaining extensive shed
space for boat storage but the landlord
has longer term plans to restore the
entire structure for a probable mix of
residential, retail, restaurant and office
space. The result could prove to be an
exceptional on-site facility for marina
users.
Marina Projects has already
implemented expansion, adding ten
of 40 new berths in July at dockside
space just beyond the sugar sheds and
the boatyard. All ten are now occupied.
The original pontoon system, installed
in five phases from 2011 onwards, was
manufactured by Varis Engineering,
which is now owned by Invernessbased
Gael Force Marinas & Pontoons.
“We wanted a uniform look for the
marina so, although Gael Force has
modified the Varis designs since taking
over the business, they worked with
us to create a system that is a close
fit,” Galbraith confirms. “We were very
impressed with the way they worked
with us and cannot speak highly
enough of their work.”
Jeff Houlgrave (left) and Graeme Galbraith
(right) with office administrator Pauline
Daisley.
The new floating pontoons, like the
‘older’ system, are GRP decked and
comprise 2 x 10m (33ft), 2 x 12m (39ft)
and 1 x 6m (20ft) fingers. A further
15 x 10m (33ft) fingers are due to be
installed this month (November) to
provide the extra 30 berths, at least
50% of which are already reserved.
Rolec Beliza dockside pedestals are
installed throughout.
Moving assets
JWD is being driven to an extent by
its increasingly successful boatyard
and this success will doubtless build
www.marinaworld.com - November/December 2017 21