AYC NEW FACILITY BLOCK BUILDING NOW UNDERWAY 

At long last we will be making a start to our new toilet, shower and laundry facilities block this week.

With this in mind we now have a temporary Portakabin providing toilet and shower facilities located next to the workshop for staff and customers to use. Unfortunately during the demolition of the old facilities block and building of the new block we will be unable to offer laundry facilities due to space restrictions.

The old block has now been cleared out and locked and it will be fenced off this week in order for the demolition of parts of the old building to take place and to allow the footings to be dug out for the extension. This will also mean that car parking in front of the chandlery area will be very limited to allow space for skips and building equipment etc.

We apologise for the disruption over the next few winter and early spring months while the works take place and thank you all for your patience and understanding while the build is underway.

However, we do look forward to bringing you all a much improved more modern facility at Ardfern for the summer 2022 season.

Andrew and Joanna Ashton.

ASSISTANT WORKSHOP MANAGER - JOB OPPORTUNITY

 

Ardfern Yacht Centre - Now Recruiting

ASSISTANT WORKSHOP MANAGER

Due to internal promotion, we are now seeking to employ a new Assistant Workshop Manager.

 

The successful applicant should be familiar with the basics of boating and will assist the Workshop Manager in continuing to provide the high level of service currently offered to customers in our busy boat maintenance and repair workshop.   Previous workshop or engineering experience would be an advantage, but not essential as training can be given.

 

Competitive salary dependent on experience.

 

For further information including an application form, please contact Andrew Ashton by email at andrew@ardfernyacht.co.uk

 

Closing Date 6^th September 2021.

A BUSY SUMMER AT ARDFERN & A CHANGE IN THE WORKSHOP THIS AUTUMN

A BUSY SUMMER AT ARDFERN & A CHANGE IN THE WORKSHOP MANAGEMENT FROM THIS AUTUMN  

A busy summer's evening on the pontoons

It has certainly been a busy time for all at Ardfern and it has been great to see so many customers able to fully utilise and enjoy their boats over the last few months of mostly nice summer weather here in Argyll.

As we now head towards the autumn we would like to remind those customers who would like to stay with us for the winter months and have yet to confirm their winter booking, to please do so as soon as possible as spaces are filling up ashore and in the water on both berths and moorings. If you haven’t already done so please contact Fraser with your winter requirements at fraser@ardfernyacht.co.uk or visit our website to fill in a winter booking form at www.ardfernyacht.co.uk

This autumn will also see a change to the workshop management with Bob Fleck taking a well-deserved retirement from the end of December after 12 years with the company. Bob will continue full time in his role as workshop manager until the end of September, when we are very pleased to announce that James Hoad will step up from his assistant workshop manager position to become workshop manager from 1st October.

In order to ensure as smooth a transition as possible, Bob will be staying with the company on a three-day week basis from October until the end of December to assist James in his new role this winter. Bob will also continue to oversee any existing workshop jobs he is dealing with, while James will oversee all new jobs as required by customers from this autumn.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Bob very much for all his hard work and assistance at Ardfern over the last 12 years, and we wish him well as he returns to his own marine surveying business, ‘Melfort Marine Surveys’. Meanwhile, we very much welcome and look forward to working with James in his new role at Ardfern.

At the same time we will now be looking to recruit a new assistant workshop manager to assist James going forward.

As we return to more normality with the Scottish Government ending ‘level zero’ covid-19 requirements on 9th August, which removes almost all of the remaining anti-Covid measures, we will be pleased to welcome customers back up to the workshop office. However, to avoid any congestion in the workshop office we ask customers to continue to enquire about workshop jobs in the chandlery building in the first instance, just to establish if James or Bob are not already busy with another customer.

With face coverings still a legal requirement in indoor public places in Scotland, including shops, we remind customers to continue to wear masks when entering the workshop office, chandlery building and facilities block.

We wish you all a good end to the 2021 boating season and hope you have a few more enjoyable weeks out on the water before autumn arrives.

Andrew and Joanna Ashton and all the team at Ardfern.

James Hoad will replace Bob Fleck as Workshop Manager

JOIN OUR TEAM

Riggers Stepping Masts

Yacht Rigger / Trainee Yacht Rigger

Ardfern Yacht Centre, is one of the leading yacht marinas on the West Coast of Scotland, and is the only west coast marina and boatyard to offer a full inhouse workshop service alongside its comprehensively stocked chandlery and fully serviced pontoons and swinging moorings. 

We now have an exciting opportunity for a Yacht Rigger / Trainee Yacht Rigger to join our team.

We are recruiting a Yacht Rigger / Trainee Yacht Rigger, as part of our rigging and slip team, the role involves:

- Stepping and unstepping of masts.

- Renewal of standing and running rigging, swaging, and splicing.

- Assembly, commissioning, and servicing of all rigging hardware.

- Moving boats around the marina.

- Assisting with slipping and lifting operations.

A yacht rigger will have a background in sailing with a proven experience of yacht rigging and handling, along with a passion for and knowledge of a variety of boats. The position will involve working outside all year round and working at height.

A trainee rigger should have some experience in boat handling, with an interest in sailing, and must be able to demonstrate some technical ability.   

Training in use of machinery and equipment will be provided.

For more information and an application form please email andrew@ardfernyacht.co.uk or telephone 01872 500247

A winch stripped for servicing

 OYSTER HOISTER SPONSORSHIP HELPING TO RESTORE NATIVE BEDS IN LOCH CRAIGNISH

Oyster Hoister at Ardfern Yacht Centre

The project to restore the native oyster beds in Loch Craignish, undertaken by our local community charity Seawilding, is powering ahead, and receiving much favourable attention. 

The plan is to restore 1 million native oysters to the Loch, where they were once prevalent, in order to filter and clean the water, sequester carbon and replace lost biodiversity. So far, community volunteers have introduced 60,000 native oysters to local restoration sites, and another 100,000 are growing in a floating nursery at the top of the lagoon for release in 2021. 

This is community-led marine habitat restoration at its best!

Here at Ardfern Yacht Centre we are suspending “oyster hoisters” beneath the pontoons. Each hoister contains up to 100 juvenile native oysters which are cleaning the water and releasing spat into the water column adding to the efforts to restore local stocks. Meanwhile, once COVID
restrictions allow, pupils from 5 local primary schools will monitor them monthly, conducting “citizen science” and collecting important data.

You can be a part of this exciting community initiative, by sponsoring an oyster hoister. The sponsorship pays for the cost of the cage, the oysters and the ongoing school’s monitoring programme. The more sponsorship, the more hoisters! So far, we have 18 sponsored, with approx. 1000 oysters under the pontoons. So, if you don’t have a holding tank and would like to do your bit to help restore the health of the loch, please consider sponsoring. 

The cost of sponsorship is £130 for the first year and a service charge of £60 annually (should you wish to continue). Each hoister will carry a label with your name.   Seawilding have erected an information board next to the pier shed with more information and the names of all sponsors.

To find out more, contact info@seawilding.org and visit the website: www.seawilding.org

Inspecting and sorting Oysters

Return to boating on 26th April

A WELCOME RETURN TO 2021 BOATING CONFIRMED FROM THIS MONDAY 

Bending on sails ready for boat owners

We look forward to welcoming all our permanent customers and visiting yachts back to Ardfern from Monday 26th April onwards, as restrictions from lockdown in Scotland continue to be gradually eased. 

With this week’s confirmation from the Scottish Government that non-essential travel can recommence across all of the UK from Monday, along with the reopening of tourist accommodation and non-essential shops in Scotland, customers will at last be able to return to their vessels and stay on board overnight once again as a single household. 

The chandlery and offices will be fully open from Monday, while the facilities block will also be available on a restricted occupancy basis.

If you would like any chandlery items putting aside for when you arrive, please contact the chandlery on 01852 500247 or email office@ardfernyacht.co.uk 

We remind all those visiting Ardfern in the next few weeks and months to continue to observe the 2-metre social distancing guidelines especially while in the chandlery, facilities block and on the pontoons. In addition face masks should be worn when anywhere indoors on the site and customers should wash or sanitise hands before entering buildings or using shared equipment such as trolleys or courtesy dinghies as per Government guidelines.

With the forecast next week looking (mostly) promising we know how much many of you will appreciate being aboard your boats once again. We thank you for your patience over the last few months and wish all our customers an enjoyable sailing season ahead. 

Andrew and Joanna Ashton and all the team at Ardfern.

TRAVEL BAN TO BE LIFTED WITHIN SCOTLAND

ARDFERN CHANDLERY NOW AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR ENQUIRIES & COLLECTIONS

Yachts ready for the season

WITH the travel ban across Scotland set to be lifted earlier than expected on this coming Friday 16th April, the chandlery and offices will now be fully staffed at weekends once again. 

The latest welcome announcement from the Scottish Government has made it clear that people will be able to travel across Scotland as long as they do not stay overnight. 

We are also pleased to say that restrictions on travel to and from Scotland with other parts of the UK, are also now expected to be lifted from Monday 26th April. At that time overnight stays on boats are expected to be permitted for all customers from single households. 

As the chandlery cannot fully reopen until ‘non essential retail’ is permitted to resume in Scotland on 26th April, we will continue to offer our ‘click and collect’ service for all items.

 If you would like cleaning products, antifouling, anodes, engine spares or any other chandlery items putting aside for collection now or for reserving for you when you arrive, please contact the chandlery on 01852 500247 or email office@ardfernyacht.co.uk 

 Office and chandlery opening times for collections, along with gas and diesel services on Saturday and Sunday will be from 9am to 5pm, while week day opening times remain as 8.30am to 5pm. 

We look forward to welcoming you back to your boats and to the beautiful waters of Argyll very soon. 

 Andrew and Joanna Ashton and all the team at Ardfern

A WELCOME RETURN TO SPRING 2021 BOATING IN SCOTLAND FROM 26TH APRIL

 

North West Marine replacing the ground Chain on 'B' Trot this week

ALL being well customers will be permitted to stay on their boats from Monday 26th April following this week’s announcement on ‘the route out of lockdown’ from the Scottish Government. 

That is when the current travel restrictions within Scotland, are expected to be lifted, and single households will be permitted to stay away from home.   

The announcement also stated that ‘restrictions on journeys between Scotland and the other parts of the UK could also be lifted, if not on 26th April, then as soon as possible thereafter.’

At the same time Scottish Canals have confirmed that both the Crinan and Caledonian Canals are expected to open sometime between 26th April and 1st May at the latest, depending on completion of on-going works.

With retail outlets in Scotland also permitted to reopen from this date, we also aim to fully open the chandlery at this time. However, for the moment we will continue to offer our ‘click and collect’ service for essential items and from 5th April any item will be available for local collection. If you would like cleaning products, antifouling, anodes, engine spares or other chandlery items putting aside for collection now or for reserving for you from 26th April onwards, please contact the chandlery on 01852 500247 from Monday to Friday or email office@ardfernyacht.co.uk .

The ‘stay-at-home’ requirements will be lifted in Scotland on the 2nd April, allowing local customers to come and work on their boats as well as to continue to go boating as a form of exercise. At this point, while our showers must remain shut, we will reopen the customer toilets during working hours. 

As per the latest update from RYA Scotland, it has been confirmed by the Scottish Government that customers are allowed to travel outside their local authority area to their boats for essential maintenance purposes, in line with guidance for owners of second homes in Scotland. However, essential maintenance is defined as ‘only work, which if not undertaken would cause failure or become an imminent safety issue’. In addition boat owners are advised by the RYA, that they should not stay longer than the length of time required to check the boat and undertake the essential maintenance.

Rather than setting out an exhaustive list of every reasonable problem, the RYA added that ‘it must be left to individuals to make a judgement as to whether a purpose is essential or not’ and further stressed that ‘this is for essential maintenance only and not for cosmetic improvements or general spring preparatory work,’ which can be undertaken from 26th April onwards.

If you have any concerns about your vessel with us please do not hesitate to contact the workshop to get us to complete safety checks on board for you, including checking bilges, batteries, seacocks or anodes etc. The workshop team can be contacted by phoning Bob or James on 01852 500247 or by emailing workshop@ardfernyacht.co.uk 

We very much look forward to being able to welcome you all back to Ardfern as normality gradually resumes and you can once again enjoy all the late spring and summer sailing season has to offer in Argyll.  

Andrew and Joanna Ashton and all the team at Ardfern.

AYC EARLY SPRING 21 CUSTOMER UPDATE - 1st March 2021

Early morning mist surrounds a Discovery 55 on the slip this morning at Ardfern

SPRING IS IN THE AIR AT LAST - BUT PLEASE BE PATIENT FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER

WITH spring now notably and thankfully in the air this week at Ardfern we are pleased to report that the spring work on boats is now well underway.

In the boatyard the workshop team are busy antifouling, polishing and completing engine recommissioning jobs, along with launching vessels and continuing with our winter work schedule in the shed.

As a non-essential retail business the chandlery remains closed for the time being in line with Scottish Government regulations. However, for local Argyll-based customers we continue to offer a click and collect service for essential items from 8.30am to 5pm from Monday to Friday. 

Unfortunately, the facilities block must also remain closed to customers, while ‘shared facilities’ are not permitted under the current Covid-19 guidelines at this time.

While we are all desperate to get back out onto the water in our boats as soon as possible we kindly ask all of our customers to continue to be patient by continuing to adhere to the current Scottish lockdown restrictions, in order to help with minimising the spread of the virus and to help keep our staff, yourselves and our local community as safe as possible. The latest guidance regarding ‘boating during lockdown’ from RYA Scotland is available at RYA SCOTLAND while the Scottish Government Covid-19 guidelines can be found at GOV.SCOT-COVID-19

If you are concerned that you have not been to your vessel for some time, please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything you would like checking on board such as bilges, batteries, etc and we will be happy to assist you. We can also forward internal or external photographs or videos of your boat if requested.

We sincerely hope that with the UK-wide vaccination programme and the NHS doing such amazing work, that it will not be too much longer before we see restrictions gradually being eased in Scotland and we can all once again return to boating.

For the moment we eagerly await the next announcement by the Scottish Government regarding further details on the ‘roadmap out of lockdown’ that is due in mid-March, and we will be updating you all once dates for lifting lockdown restrictions in Scotland are confirmed, and, when we can hopefully once again welcome you all back to Ardfern to enjoy your boats and the forthcoming sailing season.

Andrew and Joanna Ashton and all the team at Ardfern.

 Lockdown Opening Times

During the current lockdown, to comply with the latest Government regulations, only pre-booked and pre-paid collections of gas and other essential items will be available. Time slots will be allocated for collections between 8:30am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Collection slots will not be available at the weekend.

The workshop will continue to operate Monday to Friday, and we will continue to make the usual checks of boats ashore and afloat throughout the week and over the weekends.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if there is anything that you require checking on your vessel.