A key project to re-design the joints of the Trinity Landing pontoons to overcome long-standing problems has been successfully completed and the facility reinstated in time for the main summer season in Cowes.
Trinity Landing has become a major harbour facility since CHC installed it back in 2006, providing an excellent berthing location for special vessels such as sail training vessels, superyachts, visiting VIP vessels, and also a dedicated landing facility for cruise ships to tender their passengers ashore. However, the Landing has had problems with the designed joints between the pontoons since its installation, which were compounded by the exposed position in the harbour. CHC, after extensive discussions with the build contractors, agreed to repairs and refurbishment of Trinity Landing, changing the joints from fixed to flexible and also taking the opportunity to apply new paint coatings.
This project was undertaken at CHC’s Kingston Wharf site in East Cowes where appropriate facilities could be provided for the local contractors carrying out the specialist work of modifying the connecting joints, as well as for the general maintenance and painting that was fitted in alongside the fabrication. The Kingston Marine Services (KMS) team has worked closely with their Boatyard team over the last six months on the challenging task of removing and storing the Trinity Landing pontoons in the boatyard site and assisting the sub-contractors with the repair and refurbishment works.
Docking Solutions, who designed and built the pontoons as a contractor to Mackley Construction, sub-contracted the modification of the steel floats and fabrication of the new joint connection holders to a Cowes based steel fabrication company, DMR Engineering, with the work being carefully coordinated by Mackley Construction.
Barney Sollars, Marine Services Manager at KMS said: “DMR have performed exceptionally in terms of running to programme, noise, dust and nuisance amelioration and tolerating working alongside the sand blasting and painting that had to be phased into the overall schedule to allow us to make the target of the Round the Island Race.
“The coordination of all parties on site and the various contractors were managed alongside JT Mackley and inconvenience to Kingston Marine Boatyard (KMB) was kept to a minimum. To date, negative feedback from the yard has been negligible and we are very grateful to all our KMB customers who have tolerated inconvenience, noise and lack of our usual availability in the yard this spring.”
Cowes Harbour Master, Capt. Stuart McIntosh said: “My Commissioners and I apologise for any inconvenience to harbour users that has resulted from the delay in reinstalling Trinity Landing, but trust we have now achieved a long term solution for the pontoon joints, which will enable this important harbour resource to continue to provide a valuable landing and eventing facility for the harbour for many years to come.” He added: “It is, we believe, a testament to our acquisition and investment in the Kingston site that these types of projects can now be delivered in Cowes Harbour and by Island-based companies.”
Reinstallation of the pontoons has been managed by CHC, but once again the knowledge, experience and assistance from JT Mackley and Docking Solutions has been invaluable.
(19th June: CHC has now completed the decking, re-installation of a water supply and electricity points to the pontoons, and the Trinity Landing pontoons are now open for use.)
CHC would particularly like to thank: Roger Sargeant (Technical Director, JT Mackley), Steve Martin (Project Manager JT Mackley), Docking Solutions, Rob Townson (DMR Project Manager), DMR site manager Ian and his team, Ed Hosford, paint supplier and sprayer, Adam Groves of AGF and Steve his ‘blaster’, the KMB yard team for looking after the lay-up but also having to deal with customers at the coal face, and the KMS team for a safe, successful reinstallation.
