ICOYC News

Maintenance and Enhancements for the Sandringham Yacht Club Marina

In 2022 the Sandringham Yacht Club (SYC) Marina celebrated its 29th birthday, and she continues to underpin the overall performance of the Club. Here is an update on the key elements related to this wonderful floating asset that houses upwards of 360 vessels.

SYC have 360 marina berths – 250 of which are currently in the rental pool, and 110 licensed to Members. In August 2023, 75 pens will come off their long-term licences and will enter the rental pool. This is a key moment for the Club, as at that point, 90% of marina berths will be in the rental pool.

The performance of SYC is inextricably linked to the occupancy of the marina, including the occupancy ratio of yachts to powerboats. Equally important is how active SYC marina tenants are in Club life. Currently, overall occupancy is maximized at 100%, with a ratio of 70% yachts to 30% power boats. Though occupancy is high, the Club always strives to find room for incoming boats that are keen to participate in core on-water activities. Moving forward as SYC offers a wide range of events, the Club will encourage all tenants to participate to some degree in club activities as participation is the key to a vibrant club.

Maintenance is another key area of focus for the marina, and SYC continue to invest heavily in this regard. In September 2021 the refurbishment of row B West concluded, marking the completion of a major phase of enhancements. The walkway, as well as all 26 pontoons on that arm, received new timbers, cleats, thru rods, knee brackets and more. The annual program thereafter will see a similar scope of work on row C West, and enhancements to the finger pontoons on D East in mid-2022, all finger pontoons to be addressed on E and F rows in mid-2023, and the work completed in mid-2024 with A West and its pontoons.

Other maintenance works include various pontoon replacements on D West. The pedestal replacement program has continued to advance and recent improvements to the marina entrance (new sliding doors, fuel kiosk, fuel jetty handrails, re-treaded on gangways) have been enhanced with the Ken King Centre refurbishment. In addition to the marina itself, staged maintenance works continue on the wavescreen. SYC also intend on completing a service pedestal upgrade, a changeover to LED lights and upgrades to all fire hose reels by mid-2024.

Other important related work includes the refurbishment to the breakwater to the west.

Seabed depths are a further consideration, and in early 2021 a hydrographic survey was completed. The results of the survey are viewable on the SYC website, as is the suggested pathway for those exiting/entering the marina from the western side. SYC are in talks with Parks Victoria about the siltation build-up in this vicinity as well as the non-operational navigational marker.

The SYC marina continues to be the Club’s crown jewel. The Club expresses deep gratitude to those who had the vision to see the marina’s development come to fruition in the early 1990s.