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Displaying items by tag: Whitehaven Marina

#whitehavemarina – Whitehaven Marina in Cumbria, operated by specialist consultancy Marina Projects, has announced an increase in annual berthing numbers for 2015.  "Spring is in the air" which is traditionally the time of year when the majority of boat owners renew their annual berthing contracts. Whitehaven Marina are happy to report that their policy of continual investment in the marina and delivering consistent, professional yet friendly customer service has been recognised by an increase in berthing demand.

One of the few UK marinas last year to invest in additional berths, Whitehaven is delighted that demand is increasing too. Tony Taylor, the Marina Supervisor comments "berth holders are coming from all points of the compass but in particular from the Lakes, the East Coast around Newcastle and even as far as North Wales. It would appear that people are looking for new and exciting cruising grounds and Whitehaven is a great place for that. Last year we had 20 visiting boats from Ireland. Whitehaven is also a great spot to stop off before hopping over to the Isle of Man too"

In 2014 140 new berths were constructed in the West Stand basin. These berths have been popular with annual berth holders and visitors alike, and have proven to be particularly useful for events such as the Whitehaven Festival and Three Peaks Race.

The facilities and services at Whitehaven Marina have been dramatically enhanced in the last six years since Marina Projects Ltd took over the management. The Marina is now considered to be one of the best in the region and this is backed up by the healthy berthing numbers.

"Customer service is very important to our offer" comments Simon Morgan, Marina Manager for Whitehaven Marina. "We do endeavour to "go the extra mile" as we fully understand that our customers have the choice of other berthing locations. We appreciate our customers time in the Marina is precious leisure time so everything has to be safe, clean and well organised with a friendly smiling face!"

These are some of the many reasons why in the last completed customer satisfaction survey 99% of customers said they would recommend Whitehaven Marina to a friend!

Whitehaven Marina has links with Bangor Marina in Northern Ireland and Malahide Marina near Dublin through the TransEurope Marina Scheme.

For general enquiries about berthing in the Marina please contact [email protected]

Published in Irish Marinas
Tagged under

Whitehaven Marina on the on the North West Coast of England and convenient for Irish boaters has completedits annual Sea Lock maintenance in readiness for the coming summer season. The lock gates, that have successfully protected the marina and the 400 boats inside from the awesome power of the Irish Sea after another year of heavy storms, have undergone a thorough structural inspection together with the maintenance of the hydraulics, electrical systems, seals, anodes and backup systems. This year the focus was to carry out repairs to the pontoons on either side of the lock that vessels secure to on entry or departure. Much of the work was carried out by the cheerful Whitehaven staff in very cold and wet conditions!

Mark Bowden, Operations Director of Marina Projects who operate Whitehaven Marina, commented "Like the massive sea walls which form the outer and inner harbours, the Sea Lock is a vital part of the infrastructure that protects the town from flooding; controls the water levels inside and provides a sheltered haven for the various types of vessels that use Whitehaven Marina".
The Sea Lock was constructed in 1998 at a cost of £6.7 million and formed the integral part of the regeneration of Whitehaven Harbour and town. Approximately 3400 vessels a year pass through the Sea Lock which is manned 24/7.

The Lock closure and its planned maintenance, has been timed to cause the least disruption to Whitehaven Marina users and this year, unlike in 2014, there was no requirement to fully drain the lock so the time that the Sea Lock was closed to traffic was reduced.

Whitehaven Marina is the most comprehensive marina on the North West Coast of England, with extensive facilities; friendly and professional staff and easy access to the cruising grounds of Scotland, the Isle of Man, Ireland and North Wales.

Published in Irish Marinas

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020