BLUEMOMENT

(from the Oban Times)

Pontoons to pour millions into Oban

An 80-berth pontoon development will pour £3 million into Oban's economy every year, it was claimed this week.

The pontoon is to be created under the ethos 'facilities for all' - whatever that means. It is to be run by a board of directors consisting of representatives from the fishing industry, CalMac, yachting groups, other harbour 'stakeholders' (whoever thay may be) and four members of the public. Anyone else see this as a recipe for paralysis???

Alleged pontoon to be between the N. and Railway piers, and is to provide a 'car park on water for private yacts' and a 'floating concrete breakwater 26m long, two metres deep and two and a half metres wide for pleasure craft and fishing boats'

It all sounds like a recipe for a half-assed disaster to me, and of course the fishermen are already saying it is in the wrong place . . .

What does the team think?

Not sure what to make of all this. I can see three arguments in favour of the proposal;

• 1 A town the size of Oban should be more easily accessible for visiting boats; and,
  2 It will provide a secure stopover for skippers and crews who lack any imagination or spirit of adventure;
  3 It may make a small contribution to the local economy.

On the other hand, there can be quite a chop coming in from the west, there's the ferry wash to consider, and of course, it would irrevocably change the character of the harbour and the bay.

Given that similar vested interests in Oban were complicit in the destruction of one of the West Highland's finest Victorian railway stations, I think, on balance, I'd rather keep the bay the way it is, thank you very much.

.
I have nothing against it in principle, but this 'plan' has cock-up and stupidity written all over it. Half-arsed, done on the cheap and run by people who know nothing about it.

Changing the character of a place is not necessarily a bad thing - new waterfronts can be spectacularly successfull and a proper new yacht harbour on the North side of the bay could be a real asset. However, leaving it to a committee of local worthies or (even worse) the numpties at Gargle and Boot Council is not going to work. Look at the airport fiasco for gawds sake.

It needs a proper major breakwater project - not 80m of floating concrete - plus a sensible amount of money invested, proper architectural input and good management. Zero out of 4 just isn't good enough.

Nick wrote:However, leaving it to a committee of local worthies or (even worse) the numpties at Gargle and Boot Council is not going to work. Look at the airport fiasco for gawds sake.

You seem to to be making out a strong case for non-elected developers and other such Thatcherite types in dark suits and red braces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaKkuJVy ... re=related

Can't see where they get the £3M from. Each berth would have to generate £200 for every day of a six month season. I realise that most yachties are significantly better off than I but this must assume that they will all be buying their winter storage, new engines and new sails in the area and even at that..

Nick wrote:The pontoon is to be created under the ethos 'facilities for all' - whatever that means.

I hope for their sake that the 'toons are wide enough for this activity ..



hoo dae youse post a pic oan thush thing??? arrr ... ah see noo ...

You seem to to be making out a strong case for non-elected developers and other such Thatcherite types in dark suits and red braces.

At least they would probably think to include toilets . . .

I see from the image that I was performing the Raytheon approved method of getting one's paddlewheel to work which involves careful jiggling with a deckbrush. I never realised what a pert little bottom I have and thank the ageing scroat Para for bringing this to my attention.

claymore wrote:... getting one's paddlewheel to work ...

hmm .. so that's whit ye ca's it ...

whit's missing on ra kerrera pontoon (why pit mair pontoons at oban when thur's plenty there? spend a fraction orra webcam's millions oan a less grumpy ferry boat, wid dae) is the swan yat on ither side wi a mandy-look-alike oan it. ahm nivver soorpreesed by yer scandalous activities tae impress ony wimmen frae ra CCC.

I just discovered they have a website about the plans, http://www.obanbaymarine.org.uk . But I suppose you dedicated surfers will have known that for ages.
It says on their website that they are taking over the Oban Bay visitor moorings. It's not before time; I don't think they have been maintained for at least 2 years. I'm less impressed that they plan to move them all to the anchoring area at Cardingmill Bay. Not that I often try to anchor in Oban Bay but it will be still more difficult now.

Derek