Installation of a purpose built rowing pontoon facility at Cambois Rowing Club to significantly improve year-round access to the River Wansbeck and provide a safe stable platform so that the river can be used in the widest range of conditions.
| Client | Cambois Rowing Club and Northumberland County Council |
| Date | August 2024 |
| Where | Cambois Rowing Club, Black Close Bank, Ashington NE63 8TF |
This project at Cambois Rowing Club, led in collaboration with project leader Alan Fairholm along with Neil Dawson, and Robert Delap from Northumberland County Council, was a remarkable success due to strong teamwork, careful planning, and an innovative approach to design and funding. The team worked closely with the rowing club to ensure that the design and budget met the club’s specific needs,
Cambois RC did a superb job of seeking out much needed additional funding for the final amounts required to complete the project in full, as designed, before we could get the final go ahead.
The commitment by the team at the rowing club to get the project over the line was impressive. We had some options to pair back the project to reduce budget, however the club were determined that they wanted the full system that was designed specifically to their needs.
Once we had the green light, our team swung into action to install this superb 30m long, 2.4m wide Rowing Pontoon, with a specific three-gangway design to provide safe access for all, even when carrying an 18m Rowing 8.
The gangways are designed specifically so that a team of three can safely carry boats to the water’s edge without having to turn or cut corners. The gangways also have side protection so that the safe and secure platform is completely accessible for all.
Our innovative system uses the access gangways as structural support for the pontoon, and secures it safely to the riverbank without the need for expensive and complex piling or anchoring systems in the water.
As well as improving daily access to the water, the new pontoon system allows the club to host large events with greatly improved efficiency, and means that the river can be used safely in a wider variety of conditions. The new pontoon will benefit the Cambois Rowing Club, as well as the local Community, including Sea Scouts.
The team at Inland & Coastal have been fantastic throughout the project to install the new pontoon, right from the very first contact. They worked closely with me in both the design and installation phases, and it’s fair to say that without their support the project simply would not have happened. The result is that we now have a pontoon that has transformed the access to the Wansbeck for all river users no matter their age and ability.
