Large yacht hub at Gosport Marina

In recent weeks Gosport Marina and its specialist boatyard Endeavour Quay have been called upon to host a high volume of large private yachts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yachts that would normally journey from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean each spring have instead sailed to the Solent to spend the summer in UK waters. The uncertainty surrounding foreign travel and regulations in France and Spain at the height of the lockdown have caused many British registered vessels to make way to home waters.

Gosport Marina is ideally suited to accommodate large vessels up to 40m LOA – with all states of tide access, large berths with 3 phase 63amp power and the facilities of Endeavour Quay next door with its 180 ton capacity travel hoist and full service boatyard.

At the end of May the yard was called upon to lift out a 34m performance sloop named LIARA for mechanical service work and minor composite repairs carried out by onsite specialists, Vortec Marine. The all blue yacht was built by Baltic Yachts of Finland as a multi-role superyacht for global cruising and racing. Delivered to her owner in 2019 she was due to start a world tour in 2020, but this was cut short when COVID-19 hit.

Endeavour Quay’s yard Manager, Tim Newell says: “We are pleased to be able to accommodate so many large yachts here.   Normally we would be servicing one or two big boats at this time of year, we currently have five to look after. Premier Marinas recent investment in additional large capacity pontoons is really bearing fruit. The services of the travel hoist are now in high demand for the months ahead, which in the context of the massive “pause” that was put on our industry in March and April, gives me great confidence for the remainder of the year”.