Hayling Island’s Sparkes Marina has completed the first phase of its £600,000 maintenance project.

The first part of the project involved a full dredge of the marina, removing 6,000m” of silt and ensuring full tidal access to all berths, and carrying out the first stage of a programme to replace all pontoons and piles.

Marina manager Carl Jermaine said: ‘Within just three weeks we removed all the pontoons and relocated boats before the barge arrived to dredge the entire marina in less than four weeks.

‘The dredging programme could not have been completed this quickly without the co-operation of our berth holders. I hope that both they and visitors to the marina enjoy these latest improvements.’
 
At the end of each season marina owner and operator MDL begins its annual dredge planning with hydrographic surveys undertaken before starting dredging works.

The company carries out a rolling dredge programme, which enables individual sectors of its marinas to be dredged on an annual basis, or larger sections if required.

Since acquiring Sparkes Marina in 2007, MDL has carried out many improvement works which includes reinforcing the grounds of the storage parks, putting safety railings around the perimeter of the marina, a refurbishment of the marina office as well as the fuel pumps, and is committed to further enhancements.

MDL’s other marinas have also recently benefitted from revamps, including a refit of the office and reception area at Brixham and a £200,000 project on pontoon mooring piles at Torquay.