Scottish marina invests in boatyard operation

Scottish marina Largs Yacht Haven has invested in its boatyard operation by buying a new 75-ton hoist.

The marina on the Firth of Clyde has taken delivery of the Wise boat hoist to replace the hoist that has been at the site for over 30 years. The new hoist will work alongside the existing 70-ton hoist.

“With our brand-new hoist comes brand new technology,” says Largs Yacht Haven manager Dave Hewitt. “It will allow our boatyard operators to move around the hoist while manoeuvring rather than operating from a fixed location on the machine. It really is like the difference between driving an old Land Rover and a Tesla.”

Increased capacity wasn’t the only driver for the marina team – safety and new features were also key.

“Working with Wise, we were able to specify the exact features we wanted ensuring we are able to offer far more than purely the increased weight,” says Hewitt. “For example, our new hoist comes with greatly improved LED lighting to make emergency night-time lifts much safer. The hoist is operated via remote control making it safer for our boatyard team, and we have automatic monitoring sensors that feedback real-time data to the manufacturers.”

The new arrival follows similar investments across Yacht Havens Group. The marina group, which owns and operates nine marinas across the UK and the Netherlands, has invested heavily in new boatyard equipment this winter. In addition to the new hoist at Largs Yacht Haven, Lymington Yacht Haven has also taken delivery of a new 60-ton hoist, while Yacht Haven Quay Plymouth has purchased a new Wiggins Marina Bull Dry Stack forklift.