BOATYARD & MARINA NEWS 53
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Holidays Food & drink Boat review
Engine firm revs up for move to new premises
In their new base at Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina are Karen Sivewright, Mick Sivewright and Marzipan.
CHESHIRE Marine Equipment, based at Middlewich for many years at King’s Lock Boatyard, has now moved to new premises at Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina. Specialising in Vetus engines and equipment, the business is still owned and run by Mick Sivewright, his daughter Karen Sivewright and David McAllister providing the same, attention-to-detail, service as always. Mick said: “Moving to Aqueduct Marina has helped us to extend our business in the way that we wished. The excellent facilities and ease of access helped us to make the choice. Our change of name to Cheshire Marine Equipment reflects the move and development of our business plan.” Robert Parton, director of Aqueduct Marina said: “Having Cheshire Marine Equipment based here at our marina complements our business very well. We already have a chandlery and boat repair section along with our boat painting and DIY storage yard so Mick, Karen and David’s expertise makes
Boat trips in demand at Trinity Marina open day
Products & reviews What’s on Bits & Bobs
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New faces at inland marinas CASTLE Marinas Ltd has a new manager and assistant manager at its marinas at Wigrams Turn and Ventnor in the Warwickshire countryside near Rugby. New manager Lee Cooper-Blair and assistant manager Karen Hughes bring with them a wealth of business and customer relationship experience. As a teenager Lee worked for the Black Prince Fleet at Napton Marina then went on to study Engineering at University, followed by jobs with Massey Ferguson and Calor Gas where she met husband Dave. The affinity with canals continued as they live in the local village and regularly walk dog Phoebe on the towpaths, helping out with locks. Lee’s more recent career moved into the field of business consultancy and troubleshooting for small businesses. She came back into the marina environment 18 months ago providing some admin support in the Wigrams office parttime and jumped at the opportunity to go on to apply for the manager’s position. “It’s a case of ‘business consultant stops advising and starts doing,’ she commented. “I love the marinas, their positions are perfect as there are so many
cruising routes to take from both marinas. Plus having your car so close to your boat is an added bonus especially at Ventnor; it’s really not difficult to see why there are so many long term moorers at both marinas.” Assistant manager Karen made a life-changing decision four years ago, selling her house and moving with husband Frank and Jessie the dog to a 62ft semi-trad narrowboat, without even setting foot on a canal boat before! Mooring at Overwater Marina for the last four years – they are both ‘hooked’ and Karen’s role as assistant manager combines her love of canal and boats with her experience of office management, customer service and administration. She has previous experience in customer service and administration with Mars and the National Health Service. “I am so lucky that I have been able to find what I think is the perfect combination of hobby meets work,” she said. “Wigrams is a great place to be and work and Ventnor is the most beautiful setting in the Warwickshire countryside with access to so many fantastic waterway possibilities.”
Beware of bogus boat ads
By Harry Arnold
FOLLOWING the successful first 2013 Open Day at Hinckley’s Trinity Marina, this year’s event was somewhat disappointing in both layout, the number of attractions and apparent visitor attendance. Last year much use was made of the area of grass between the pub and the road and the adjacent Ashby Canal frontage, which made quite a busy spectacle; whereas public attractions this year – which appeared to be less anyway – were rather tucked away in the marina mooring area and the adjacent car park. The centre of attraction in the marina basin was the activities of the Hinckley & Bosworth Model Boat Club with a continuous display of radio controlled miniature scale ships and boats; everything from the Titanic (fortunately there were no icebergs), through battleships and tugs to high-speed power craft. Perhaps appropriate for a waterway event – and one of my favourites – was a model of Symington’s pioneer 1802 Forth & Clyde Canal steam-powered canal tug Charlotte Dundas, which probably performed more efficiently than the original: Certainly with less
Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina unrivalled locally for the comprehensive boat care service we can offer, bringing our aim to be a onestop-shop for all boat repairs and servicing to fruition.” The popular Bow Thruster Service Centre is also available, through the marina chandlery, where customers can bring their thruster motors and operating equipment for testing and repair. Designs of engine rooms with the correct calculations for propellers and engine size are continuing and include visits to boat builders and moorings. Recently, propulsion with hydraulics has become very popular. The design is important and can include bow thruster, stern thruster, winch and generator. Vetus has a massive range covering everything up to the size of a Dutch barge and all now available at Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina through Cheshire Marine Equipment. This move does not affect Kings Lock Chandlery, which continues to operate on the original site in Middlewich.
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Model of the1802 Forth & Clyde Canal steam-powered canal tug Charlotte Dundas built and controlled by a member of Hinckley & Bosworth Model Boat Club.
PHOTOS:WATERWAY IMAGES
wash which was one of its drawbacks. Public boat trips – again run by Ray Bowern and Dusty Miller – were in popular demand but due to boat turning problems took some time, although each party of 10 had their money’s worth. A pity that the basically good central site couldn’t be used as well as previously, especially as the sun shone, and it was one of the first events badged by the British Marina Federation in its 2014 ‘On The Water’ programme.
A WARNING has gone out to potential boat buyers to beware of fake adverts which have appeared recently on sales websites. Paul Lillie of Pilling’s Lock Marina told us: “Many of our own adverts have been copied very recently on websites like ‘FridayAd’, ‘Loot’, ‘Gumtree’ and ‘Preloved’ – there were even some on local Bristol and Huddersfield websites. “It is not the fault of these websites, the sheer scale of advertisers and email only contacts mean that it is almost impossible to stop this kind of activity. But what we can do is publicise the problem and it may deter the criminals involved.” He advises: “If the advert is fraudulent, it seems the boat in question is usually underpriced, for quick sale etc, to encourage potential viewers into sending a holding deposit to hold the vessel before viewing it.” One example is a boat currently advertised on the ‘Loot’ website which was sold from Pilling’s Lock in January 2014 for £14,000 – some £8900 more than the current asking price.
Boat buying tips:
● Always go and see a boat before handing over any money. ● Ask to see documentation – previous bill of sale, CRT licence data/correspondence with owner, BSSC, Mooring bills, boatyard bills… ● Ask owner for photo ID (passport or photo driving licence) and evidence of address details. ● Or buy via an approved Marine Broker/Boatyard/Marina.
The clay plug is removed to open up the entrance to the marina.
PHOTO SUPPLIED
New marina takes bookings THE new Bosworth Marina is taking shape alongside the Ashby Canal. A newly constructed towpath is now open and rises up and over the new bridge to give an impressive view of the marina. The clay plug has been removed and the new entrance to the marina is now fully visible. Roads and car parking spaces are being stoned up and services will be dug in shortly. Keller Construction is on schedule with the facilities building and the view across the marina from the first floor balcony is stunning. The cedar cladding for the exterior walls has been ordered and will be added soon. The internal walls for toilets, showers, laundry, Elsan disposal, reception and boaters’ lounge are now up. ● The marina is now taking provisional and firm bookings. Contact Helen Trivett telephone: 07775 688552 or email helen@bosworth-marina.co.uk www.bosworth-marina.co.uk
More room to moor at the Brayford Pool VISITING boats can now moor in the Brayford Pool, Lincoln, for the first time in many years, writes Les Heath. The Brayford Trust now has eight pontoon visitor moorings which can be booked in advance on 01522 521452. The mooring charges are £10 a day and electricity is available. A free Canal & River Trust visitor mooring near the entrance to the Brayford Pool has room for only two or three narrowboats. Canal trips were again very much in demand by visitors.
RIGHT: Lincoln’s Brayford Pool now has eight pontoon visitor moorings. PHOTO: LES HEATH