Lochranza Pontoons Open.

[Booby Trapper]

Only to be used for dropping off or leaving a dinghy, Don't see what the point is apart from perhaps not getting your feet wet. Shame if they sit empty all night and can't be used.
Who is going to enforce the £50 pound surcharge?

[Windfinder]

I can't imagine a few 30minute stays boosting the local economy much so hard to imagine why the people who funded it bothered.

Maybe the restrictions will be quietly ignored?

[sahona]

Having done the tidal thing with a heavy RIB over at the castle, I must say it could be useful to us. It's difficult intgerating the tides and the free bus to Brodick, so we can now go there happily and not have palpitations
on our return... So as long as the wind's not in the west-to-north....

[Arghiro]

Wot a miserable shower you are! Here is a community doing its best to welcome Yotties & you are grumbling!

Lochranza is a lovely anchorage, why do you want to sit on the blinkin' pontoons? But pontoons for dinghy access is usefull, don't knock it.

Tho' I must admit that, unless I had wimmin on board, I'd probably still just use the beach!

[Daveanmucker]

That looks like a seriously good job, Lochranza has never been the easiest place t leave your dinghy for any length of time. We shouldn't winge about it but welcome it, it shows that the village welcomes us.

[Windfinder]

Wot a miserable shower you are! Here is a community doing its best to welcome Yotties & you are grumbling!

I'm not grumbling. I'm just curious.

If the good people of Loch Ranza had spent a fortune on a plastic statue of a cabbage in order to attract visitors I'd wonder why.

Instead the good people of Loch Ranza have invested in a Pontoon that effectively can't be used, and I'm equally curious.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have built it, merely wondering why they did!

I can imagine there are people wouldn't go somewhere unless there's a pontoon to tie up to (the south coast is full of them) but I can't imagine that there are people who won't go somewhere unless there's a dinghy pontoon.

Having said all that assuming they aren't fools you'd have to assume they felt there was a need so perhaps they did hear a lot of people saying they'd visit more if there was a pontoon for the dinghies?

[sahona]

Of course it can be used - in conjunction with one of the many (5 of them free) moorings and your anchor. They have obviously realised the difficulty some of us senoir sailers have lugging a rib and o/b back down to the wet stuff over the rocks. For info, it's nicer on a mooring/anchor than it is on a pontoon sometimes, try it.

[Telo]

It was from a link in Booby Trapper's earlier thread that we learnt that "studies show that the development will cost in the region of £158,000, which includes consultancy fees, planning permissions and maintenance of the pontoon."

For what it is, the figure of £158,000 seems extraordinary, and I do not believe that visiting leisure boats would meet the target 30 per cent of the project costs being borne by private sector income. That may be possible if cruise ships and/or the seaplane services disgorged passengers and paid appropriate landing fees. Which would be a worthy enough objective imho. I hope they get a warmer welcome from the Loch Ranza Hotel's staff and clientele than has been observed in recent years.

Incidentally, as the bulk of the cash raised has probably come from the three bodies listed at at the bottom of the notice (above), you'd think they'd at least get all the names right.

[Booby Trapper]

Shard
Times change http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/ ... /0#1907079

[Telo]

Times change

I'm pleased about that. It needed improvement. West coast pubs are generally pretty friendly, but the place stuck out like a sore thumb as being grubby, unfriendly, and with a foul-mouthed "local" clientele who were deliberately and openly hostile to visiting boats.

I assume there has been a change of ownership and/or management. If it really has improved, then it deserves to do well.

[Arghiro]

£158K Blimee! Must be gold plated to prevent corrosion

Methinks at least 2/3rds of that has gone in consultant/ design fees. I reckon a local club could have done it for £30-50K, even allowing for transport costs to Arran.

However, I do think it's a good idea and don't see why someone would NEED to tie up to it with their main boat unless it was to save blowing up & launching the flubber, and they have thought of that by allowing stops of an hour or two. Excellent if shopping (if any shops still there!) or for a short break to stretch you legs, visit the castle or have a few beers at the pub. Question is, who is going to add some enterprising venture, selling ice cream, chandlery essentials, or whatever, to encourage yotties to call?

I prefer to anchor off, the views are better, it is quieter & I hate the bumping you get at pontoon berths on open water.

[Windfinder]

Of course it can be used

For thirty minutes! I can't eat and drink in thirty minutes! Few people can.

For info, it's nicer on a mooring/anchor than it is on a pontoon.

I'd agree. Which is why I'm unsure why they'd invest in a pontoon!

All I can think is that they feel that slightly improved dinghy access will make the place much more attractive.

I doubt that, but you have to assume they know what they're doing.

[Windfinder]

They have obviously realised the difficulty some of us senoir sailers have lugging a rib and o/b back down to the wet stuff over the rocks.

Maybe that's it.

[Nick]

.

you have to assume they know what they're doing

[sahona]

Of course it can be used

For thirty minutes! I can't eat and drink in thirty minutes! Few people can.

I meant for the dinghy. I can't imagine a reason for the 'mother-ship' coming in other than to drop/pickup crew, as there's nothing to plug in to.....