Marina News

Discover the latest updates on marinas, sailing, waterside homes, lifestyle and harbour developments with Amy McPherson

Flagships of the Year

Earlier this year, National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK) appointed four vessels to act as its Flagships of the Year for 2026 and ‘fly the flag’ for maritime heritage. The quartet comprises a 1906 spritsail barge named Hydrogen at Maldon Quay in Essex; a 1936 narrowboat named Redshank in Bristol; Sea Scamp in Southampton, a 1936 German-built racing yacht which was brought to the UK as part of war reparations; and The Golden Hinde, a full-size reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s famous Elizabethan galleon, which has been moored at London’s St Mary Overie Dock since 1996. Each of the flagships is celebrating a special anniversary, just as NHS-UK is marking its own 20th anniversary this year (nationalhistoricships.org.uk).

Experimental Pontoon in Falmouth

Falmouth Harbour, on the Cornish coast, is trialling the world’s first all-concrete marina pontoon float, in a first step towards removing all Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) floats from its leisure and commercial operations. EPS can fragment into microplastics, which are harmful to marine life. Designed and built by the team at ScaffFloat in neighbouring Penryn, the Reef Float’s buoyant core is made using ultra-low-density waterproof concrete instead of EPS foam. This core is then cast inside a high-strength engineered concrete skin, which won’t harm the marine environment should it break apart (falmouthharbour.co.uk).

Premier Marinas expands Dartmouth Portfolio

Premier Marinas has acquired the Dart Marina Group, comprising Dart Marina, the Dart Marina Hotel and the Dartmouth Higher Ferry. This expansion creates flexibility and choice for Premier’s existing customers when cruising across its south coast locations – and, with the company’s existing Noss on Dart Marina, brings together two Dartmouth sites which were once associated with the historic Philip & Son shipyard, reflecting a shared maritime heritage on the River Dart (premiermarinas.com).

Explore North Wales by Sea

Honda Marine has partnered with RibRide Adventure Tours to operate responsible boat trips on the north Wales coast. At the heart of RibRide’s latest fleet addition is the Explorer 2, powered by twin Honda BF350 V8 engines. Renowned for their impressive fuel efficiency and quiet operation, the engines help to minimise the environmental impact on this precious coastal environment, ensuring its spectacular waters remain as breathtaking for future visitors as they are today (honda.co.uk/marine).

Oysters to the Rescue for Solent Ecosystem

Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays has introduced 2,200 European flat oysters to the Solent, in partnership with The Final Straw Foundation – this forms part of an environmental initiative to revitalise the local marine ecosystem. The oysters filter the water, removing harmful excess nutrients and fine sediment, which significantly improves water clarity and, in turn, creates better conditions for marine plants and wildlife to grow and thrive. The project will be monitored through regular water-quality checks and oyster-growth assessments, in order to understand its long-term impact (gunwharf-quays.com).

Dream of Buying your Perfect Boat?

Boating specialist Val Wyatt has new Corsiva and Interboat stocks available for those wishing to fulfil their dream of owning a boat. With an excellent reputation for quality and personalised experience, its business model places the customer’s individual circumstances and desires at the forefront, and provides outstanding advice on boat sales tailored to the needs of each client. ‘We genuinely want what’s best for the people or families buying a boat from us,’ says broker Jack Holliday.

With its excellent service and expert knowledge of the boating community, the company caters for those who are new to boating, alongside experienced customers who want to upgrade, encouraging open discussion about what the prospective buyer is seeking and all the brokerage options available. Val Wyatt also provides mooring, storage and servicing for boat owners (valwyattmarine.co.uk).

Tom Cunliffe to lead Navigation Masterclass

This November, esteemed sailor, author, historian and seamanship expert Tom Cunliffe will lead a new short course at the Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis – a Traditional Navigation masterclass equipping sailors with the skills and confidence to find safe passage at sea without any electronic assistance. During the five-day course, participants will learn how to use the time-honoured systems of position fixing, course shaping and tidal effects to enable them to reach a safe haven if their electronics fail (boatbuildingacademy.com).

New Ferry Connects Devon and Cornwall

Plymouth Boat Trips launched its Waterlink Ferry service between Plymouth and South-East Cornwall earlier this year, seamlessly connecting three of the region’s iconic waterfront destinations – the Barbican, Royal William Yard and Saltash, with an easy onward connection to Mount Edgcumbe Country Park via the historic Cremyll Ferry.

The service will run a full daily summer timetable until 30 September, after which it will continue with a slightly reduced service until 3 October (plymouthboattrips.co.uk).

Weymouth and Portland Marinas join Premier Network

Weymouth and Portland Marinas are now part of the Premier Marinas South Coast network, further extending the reach of the company’s full-service marina group along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. The two marinas provide direct access to excellent cruising waters, from sheltered harbour sailing to open Channel passages. The move marks the latest step in the company’s strategy to integrate its recently acquired Boatfolk sites, creating a broader cruising network for berth holders to explore through the Premier Advantage scheme, which offers rewards and benefits (premiermarinas.com).

Imray Releases Updated Guide to Orkney and Shetland

Leading marine publisher FB Imray has released a third edition of the Clyde Cruising Club’s respectedOrkney and Shetland Including North & Northeast Scotland: Sailing Directions and Anchorages. This comprehensive guide provides clear and authoritative pilotage for cruising yachts navigating the Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and the key Scottish mainland harbours between Cape Wrath and Inverness. It also includes information on tidal streams to remote anchorages, navigational advice and insights into the landscapes, wildlife and maritime heritage of the regions (imray.com).