Since the lockdown was eased on 13 May, Trafalgar Drystack has achieved a record number of boat launches, as private boaters have flocked back to the water.
With an average 50 launches a day, since outdoor activities were resumed, the Drystack’s expert team handled 100 boat launch requests and retrievals, on Monday 25 May, one of the hottest Spring Bank Holidays for many years.
Colin Richardson, General Manager of Trafalgar Drystack explains, “We’ve managed to achieve a 3 hour window, from receiving the customer’s boat launch request to actual launch time, even with the social distancing, additional boat hygiene and cleansing measures we’ve put in place. This means our customers can go boating the same day, without needing to give 24 hours notice. To handle 100 launches in a day, with this additional workload, is a fantastic achievement by our dedicated Drystack team.”
Trafalgar Drystack use three huge Wiggins forklifts to launch their customers boats in an almost entirely mechanised process, lifting them from the vast, indoor boat racks and lowering them into the water, all ready to go. Additional cleansing measures are in place when the boats need fuelling and after tying them up, ready for their owners to arrive.
All customers have been issued with clear arrival guidelines, together with current advice from the RYA, local harbour safety guidelines and refresher videos about safe boating.
Colin explains, “With three of these giant boat lifts readily available, we always keep one in reserve, which guarantees that customers boats can always be launched in the event of any mechanical issues. By being able to launch continuously, this avoids any backlog, and is greatly helping us reduce any risk that customers are kept hanging around together. They can go straight from their car to their boat on the pontoon at their appointed arrival time, and maintain a physical, social distance at all times.”
