The Construction of Lots Ait Bridge

In September of 2011 we embarked on the construction of a pedestrain footbridge for Hither Green Developments, spanning fifty two meters, the bridge was then placed in January 2012. Here is a short stop motion video of the installation:

Oyster Wharf

Oyster Pier is now complete and ready for boats to start mooring up!

These signs can now be made at MSO since our purchase of an HD plazma cam!

 

New All Weather Dry Dock

Both of our dry docks features movable trestles on which vessels are supported when out of the water. This means one trestle at a time can be reduced in height until it no longer is supporting the vessel. It is then moved along to a new position and then raised to its former height.

So no untreated stripes are left on the bottom of our customers boats.

This feature is also essential when plating bottoms.

Slipper Launch

We have developed an elegant 8 metre boat which will be available in steel or aluminium, based on the style of a slipper launch and will be available to order with various propulsion options. We are currently experimenting with a variable ratio hydraulic drive with a steerable nosel. A conventional fixed shaft drive with diesel engine or electric propulsion will be available.

See the gallery for some photos of the launch.

Environmental & Conservation

At the boatyard we try to be as light on our environment as we can. Choosing and encouraging customers to use ethical products from renewable sources. We rarely use bitumous paint as it comes off in water and only protects a hull for about a year, plus it makes marine molluscs infertile.

We recycle most materials including all metals and plastic. A biomass heater fueled on waste from our joinery workshop is used to heat some workshops and the office. A thermal store & heat exchanger is being uninstalled to the Humbug Barge instead of using a diesel boiler. All our refurbished workshops are insulated to a high standard to reduce our heating fuel costs in the long run and our impact on the environment.

We are in talks with BW to get an Archimedes Screw installed into the weir between the boatyards in order to generate some clean electricity. We also hope to invest in some solar panels in the near future.

We have a small wooded area with is left to wild life, a kingfisher is sighted regularly as well as many other birds. Wrens & Robins have nest in the main boatyard as well and we have a family of foxes.

Bees are now kept in part of the yard for conservation and the Brentford Boatyards honey tastes good. We also use bee products in the joinery workshop and we make our own soap, hand creams and candles. Hopefully this year we will produce some boatyard mead from the honey too.

We also build Bat & bird boxes, duck nesting platforms and reed beds.