New Hoist Facility for Amble Boat Co.

This is the biggest news in our eleven year history!

We are delighted to announce, after a number of years in the planning, the opening of a new lift out facility at the boat yard.

Our first official lift was on Friday 18th March when we lifted yacht Shantyman, owned by our friend Norman Brason, into the water.

The former Challenge Business yacht 'Aviva' in which rising star yachtswoman Dee Caffari, became the first woman to sail single handed non stop around the world against prevailing wind and currents has found a new home at Royal Quays Marina in North Shields.

Polar Bear was bought by Newcastle based businessmen, father and son, Phil and Mark Richardson when she came onto the market following the demise of the Chay Blyth's Challenge Business.

Now renamed 'Polar Bear' and sporting a striking new livery the yacht which has already circumnavigated the globe three times is set for still more adventures. Now operated by the Polar Front, she is due to take on a new role offering high latitude adventure sailing and expedition charter, along with offshore and ocean training and some corporate charter work in the north east.

The original boatyard yard dates back to the 1870's becoming known as J and J Harrisons Boatbuilders.  Harrisons established an enviable reputation for wooden boatbuilding, in particular the construction of the traditional North East Coble.

One hundred and thirty years of tradition had become out dated and with modern methods and equipment available it was time for change.

The traditional slipways have gracefully made way for a purpose built dock with a 'state of the art' 50 tonnes capacity self powered boat lift. The lift accommodates vessels up to

LOA 22.0m

Beam 6.0m

Draft 3.30m (MHWS)

The new boat lift will be the largest of it's type operating in the North East Region, infact we believe between Buckie, Scotland and Ipswich.

In conjunction with the construction of the dock a new quay wall has been built around the seaboard boundries of the boatyard with extensive back filling to provide an increased storage and repair yard.  A new pontoon/walkway compliments the docking facility as an area for boats to moor prior to or after lifting.

A second phase of developement will commence in the summer

of 1005 and will include a new workshop and boat parking system.

New dock under construction February 05

Building the hoist March 05

Progress on our new quay wall March 05

Our thanks and big acknowledgments must go to Alf March and Patrick Parsons who are the 'sterling' consulting engineers on this successful project.  Thanks and acknowledgement also for a great job on site to Bay Civil Engineering as contractors on site.

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