Walcon wins contract to extend Rhu Marina

by Matt Johnson on 18 Aug 2010 Walcon Marine has signed a £1.4m contract to extend the marina at Rhu on the west coast of Scotland. Owned by The Crown Estate and operated by Quay Marinas, the project will involve the addition of 58 new berths, the replacement of an existing floating breakwater, and the installation of a new wave attenuating pontoon.

Situated in a stunning location near the mouth of Gare Loch, which in turn opens out into the Firth of Clyde, the marina is relatively exposed to the south and west. To ensure that yachts in the marina have a calm and protected environment Walcon Marine will remove and dispose of the existing floating breakwater on the southern side and replace it with a new 180m all-concrete structure manufactured in Sweden by partner SF Marinas and delivered by sea direct to the site. At the same time a 150m wave attenuating pontoon based on Walcon's heavy duty Waliflote pontoon system will be installed on the western boundary. Together the two sets of pontoons will provide first class protection to the boats within the marina.

The new marina pontoons will be built using the high strength Walcon System 21, featuring a galvanised steel frame and hardwood decking, and will provide additional berthing for vessels between 12 and 15 metres in length. All the piling work will be undertaken by Walcon's own demountable rig and when completed the marina will be capable of holding up to 240 yachts. Work is planned to start in the autumn of this year for completion in time for the start of the 2011 season, and the marina will remain open throughout.

'We're very pleased to be working with The Crown Estate once again,' said Clive Kemp, Commercial Director of Walcon Marine, 'and together with Quay Marinas we're confident that we can ensure that Rhu marina has the infrastructure it needs to remain one of the leading yachting centres on Scotland's west coast for years to come.'

Founded in 1963, Walcon Marine is the market leader in the design, construction and installation of marinas, yacht harbours and berthing facilities around the world. As probably the longest established and most experienced company in its field, Walcon Marine is a global organisation with manufacturing facilities in the UK, Australia and Dubai. Its pontoons are now installed in over 30 different countries on five continents, and recent projects include the marina built at Portland on the south coast for England for the 2012 Olympics.
www.walconmarine.com