THE CHANGING FACE OF MARINAS

The purchase of Jachthaven Biesbosch, previously called Drimmelen Marina and owned by the local municipality, was completed by Yacht Havens Group in early 2013. The marina group already owned eight award-winning locations in the UK, and Jachthaven Biesbosch was the Group’s first venture into Europe.

“We were attracted by the vast potential of the marina,” explains Yacht Havens Group managing director Dylan Kalis.

“It was a large marina, in a beautiful location next to the Biesbosch National Park, with plenty of scope for improvement. The Kalis family were part of Boskalis dredging company based out of Sliedrecht, a town just to the north of Drimmelen, so we have local roots in the area from previous generations. In fact, my father remembers his uncle keeping a sailing boat in the old Drimmelen harbour!”

Built in the 1960s, Jachthaven Biesbosch is located on the River Amer close to Dordrecht and Rotterdam. Originally, the marina had a little over 400 berths in one main basin. However, a second basin was built in the 1990s resulting in the Jachthaven becoming the largest inland marina in Europe at the time with more than 1,000 berths. A third basin was added in 2005 taking the total size to 1,500 berths.

The marina lies adjacent to the vast expanse of the Biesbosch National Park; a unique sailing area and Europe’s largest freshwater wetlands covering over 35sq/miles of rivers, lakes and waterways, popular for boaters, family holidays and rare flora and fauna.

Transformation works began immediately with the installation of a new on-water fuel station and visitor berthing quay within the first six months of the purchase in 2013, followed by a wave of shoreside investments. A children’s splash park and adventure playground followed, along with a new marina office with iconic red roof, new brokerage offices, washrooms, pontoons, Wi-Fi and a grocery store. But what came next was key…

“What we really needed was for local businesses to join us in the project and buy into our vision,” Dylan explains.

“We have been fortunate to find willing business owners and neighbours who saw the potential of the marina. They too invested and expanded their businesses and, subsequently, improved their offerings to customers to help build the marina as a year-round destination.”

Private investment came in a wide variety of forms; from the construction of new restaurants to a hotel, sailing school and supermarket. This was further complemented by a new Camper Park which opened in 2016 and subsequently extended in 2022 due to strong demand.

As popularity grew, so did the need to look at the entire site from a logistical standpoint. Roads were diverted and new roads built, car parks created, along with a vast new system of lighting and shoreside landscaping. Marina security improved with ANPR car parking and new fob access systems for berth holders.

Flexible seasonal contracts were introduced, a first for the Netherlands, allowing small boat owners to leave their boats on the pontoons for the summer season. Dutch boaters suddenly had the ability not to be tied to annual contracts, or to pay daily visitor rates. There was now a new option. Despite all the major infrastructure and business investment, one of Dylan Kalis’ proudest installations was a feature that is both novel and completely free to use. A hand-operated chain ferry was launched in 2017 connecting the east and west basins, to provide easy access to the marina office and splash park playground on the central land tongue.

“The ferry took some creative thinking and ingenuity, but it has been a huge success!” explains Dylan.

And it did not take long for the boaters and shoreside visitors to come. Marina visitors rose from a little over 1,000 in 2016 to almost 2,500 in 2022, with marina occupancy rising from 60 per cent to full capacity in 2022. Camper Park visitors grew from 600 in 2016, when the park first opened, to 2,600 in 2022.

“The area has become a secondary village next to the old Drimmelen village and harbour,” Dylan concludes. “We can see the need to manage the use of resources as well as taking steps to protect nature in the local area will be crucial.”

The past 10 years have seen Jachthaven Biesbosch transformed into a thriving marina destination, with plenty of amenities and activities for visitors to enjoy. Yacht Havens’ investment and commitment to the marina have played a significant role in this transformation and the marina is well positioned for continued growth and success in the coming years.

With over 400 Tonnes of chain in stock, as well as a huge selection of rope, shackles, swivels, buoys and other mooring products, BGD are able to help you with most of your mooring & anchoring requirements

Calibrated Chain suitable for Windlasses

*Test Certificate supplied with chain on request.

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SOLID ZINC is tested, stamped & certified. Certificates available on request.

MF Solid Zinc 6x18.5 DIN766 £4.25 per mtr

MF Solid Zinc 7x22 DIN766 £5.30 per mtr

MF Solid Zinc 8x24 DIN766 £7.70 per mtr

MF Solid Zinc 10x28 DIN766 £11.15 per m

MF Solid Zinc 10x30 ISO £10.85 per m

MF Solid Zinc 12x36 ISO £15.30 per m

MF Solid Zinc 13x36 DIN766 £16.80 per m

Tested, Stamped & Certificated, Hot Dip Galvanised, Calibrated Chain Suitable for use on windlasses

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316 Stainless Voyager Anchor (DeltaType)

2kg £69.20 5kg £144.00 10kg £240.00 16kg £384.00 20kg £480.00

Voyager Anchor (Delta Type)

POLYESTER 3 STRAND BLACK or NAVY

Railway

TITAN CC-HD Series Mooring Buoys 50mm

Centre for Rope or Steel Bar Available in Red, White or Yellow

CC-2HD / Diam 43cm / Buoyancy 31kg £39.90

CC-3HD / Diam 52cm / Buoyancy 59kg £59.90

CC-4HD / Diam 60cm / Buoyancy 110kg £79.90

A-HD Series Inflatable Buoys available from 25mm to 50mm diameter. Ideal for use as ground tackle. Please call for details

With Paul Antrobus

BY PAUL ANTROBUS