Riviera People
owners ashore as needed. There is also a Shore Team including two specialist shipwrights. Dave says, “Professional shipwrights are needed as they have an in-depth knowledge of where the strong points on the yachts are located when attaching the lifting straps.” Then there is the Crane Banksman (Dave) who gives the order to lift when the boat is securely held. A 120-tonne crane is hired in for the occasion; the sight of a yacht swinging high across the car park is an exciting one for onlookers and a crowd often gathers. Of course, the footpath needs to be controlled so the shore team includes those responsible for preventing walkers straying across the lift site when lifting is in progress. Once the boats are on dry land, they can be jet washed and are then safely positioned in Oxen Cove with barriers are erected around them. There is CCTV in the car park to help keep them secure. Dave is quick to point out that the Harbour Authority costs the local taxpayer nothing at all as The Harbour Estate is entirely self-funding. The costs for the Big Lift are quite high but the fees charged make the service cost-neutral and further useful funds are provided from fees for the winter storage. Other income is collected from Fish Tolls (for boats landing), leases, rents and licences plus harbour dues. Now, in early spring, Dave is already planning the April englishrivieramagazine.co.uk
‘Big Lift’ when boats are refloated and taken back to their private moorings. The intended dates for this are notified in December and January although owners do not have to be present when their boat is returned to the water. Many owners do attend though and there is usually a great flurry of activity around the boats a week or two before the lift, as many owners remember that they still need to clean, antifoul and maintain their yachts before the sailing season starts. The week before the lift-in, Dave’s team checks that all the swinging moorings in the harbour are secure. The chain to the seabed and the mooring ring is the responsibility of the Harbour Authority and everything above this is the boat owner’s responsibility. Once moorings are checked, the lift-in can begin. Dave explains, “The critical time is when the boat is first lifted; getting the balance right is absolutely vital.” Once the yacht is settled in the cradle, there is the opportunity for owners to quickly antifoul any parts of the yacht that were inaccessible when they were propped. The boats are then lifted high over the harbour wall and lowered safely back into the water where they are towed (or driven if the owner is present) back to their own moorings. Many of the owners who use the swinging moorings are based in Brixham but they can come from as far afield as Somerset, Gloucester and Birmingham. Dave tells me, February/March 2016
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