Dunoon Mooring Project information page

 Dunoon has an excellent waterfront location on the Firth of Clyde but currently lacks dedicated visitor moorings close to the town centre. As a result, vessels cruising the Clyde have limited opportunities to stop in Dunoon and spend time and money within the town.

The project will provide seven professionally installed visitor moorings in West Bay, giving visiting boat owners and their passengers convenient access to Dunoon’s shops, cafés, restaurants, attractions and other local businesses.

Importantly, the project is being privately funded through a combination of grants, sponsorship, fundraising and other external funding sources. No money is being taken from the public purse to establish the moorings.

Once operational, charges from daytime and overnight visitors are intended to make the facility financially self-sustaining, covering inspection, maintenance, insurance and other operating costs.

After these costs and appropriate maintenance reserves have been provided for, surplus income will be reinvested into Dunoon Community Council projects and a Community Grants Fund for local groups and organisations.

The aim is therefore not simply to install seven moorings, but to create a sustainable community asset that attracts visitors, supports local businesses and generates ongoing benefits for Dunoon.

 The West Bay is exposed primarily to southerly winds. However, the prevailing winds experienced in Dunoon are predominantly from the east or west, meaning that for much of the time West Bay remains relatively sheltered.

No coastal anchorage or visitor mooring location can be guaranteed to be 100% protected in every wind direction and weather condition. The suitability of any mooring will always depend upon the conditions at the time.

West Bay was chosen following consideration of both the marine environment and the purpose of the project. Its major advantage is its close proximity to Dunoon town centre, allowing visiting crews to come ashore and easily access local shops, cafés, restaurants, attractions and other businesses.

The proposed locations have been surveyed, and the moorings will be professionally designed and installed to appropriate specifications, taking account of vessel size, wind, tide, water depth and local conditions.

Ultimately, as with any mooring, the skipper of the vessel remains responsible for assessing the prevailing and forecast weather and sea conditions and deciding whether it is safe and appropriate to use the facility.

 You do not need to own a boat or have any interest in sailing to benefit from the Dunoon Moorings project.

The primary purpose of the moorings is to bring additional visitors directly into Dunoon. Visiting crews coming ashore are potential customers for our cafés, restaurants, pubs, shops, attractions, transport providers and other local businesses. This helps bring additional money into the local economy and supports the vitality of the town centre.

There is also a direct community benefit. Once the costs of operating, inspecting and maintaining the moorings have been met and an appropriate maintenance reserve has been established, surplus income will be reinvested into the community.

The current proposal is for 50% of the distributable surplus to support Dunoon Community Council projects, with the remaining 50% made available through a Community Grants Fund for local groups, clubs and organisations.

So, even if you never use a mooring yourself, the project is designed to support local businesses, increase visitor numbers and generate additional funding that can be reinvested directly into the Dunoon community.

 The final capital cost has not yet been confirmed. The current known cost of establishing the project is approximately £18,300, plus the cost of installing the specialist 50-tonne Mooring 7, for which a separate quotation is being obtained.

Importantly, the project is intended to be funded through grants, sponsorship, fundraising and other external funding sources rather than from the public purse.

Once operational, the seven moorings are forecast to generate approximately £30,668 per year in gross income under the Business Plan's central forecast. After operating costs, payment charges and contributions towards a major repairs and replacement reserve, the remaining surplus can be reinvested in the community.

The Business Plan estimates that approximately £108,390 could be available for community projects and grants during the first five years of operation.

There is also a wider economic benefit. At the central occupancy forecast, overnight visitors alone could generate approximately £127,800 of additional spending within Dunoon each year. This does not include expenditure from daytime visitors, meaning the overall benefit to the local economy could be higher.

 The previous moorings in West Bay were ultimately removed following a lack of maintenance, rather than simply because there was no demand for them. The new Dunoon Moorings project has therefore been designed very differently, with long-term maintenance and financial sustainability built into the plans from the outset.

All seven moorings will undergo professional inspections every six months, supported by regular inspections and monitoring in between. A dedicated maintenance reserve will also be established to ensure funds are available for major repairs and replacement when required.

The boating market has also changed considerably since the previous moorings operated. Recreational sailing and boating have become more accessible to a wider range of people, while the Firth of Clyde remains an established cruising destination attracting sailors from across the UK and overseas.

The new facility will also be actively promoted and will offer both daytime and overnight use, with simple QR-code and online payment facilities.

Most importantly, the financial model does not depend upon the moorings being constantly busy. The Business Plan estimates that approximately 11.4% overnight occupancy would cover routine annual operating costs, even without including any income from daytime visitors.

This is therefore not simply a reinstatement of the former West Bay moorings. It is a professionally managed, regularly inspected and financially planned visitor facility designed for the modern marine tourism market.

 The maximum stay on a Dunoon Moorings visitor mooring will be three consecutive nights. This helps ensure that the facility remains available to as many visiting vessels as possible and prevents the moorings from being used as permanent or long-term berths.

The moorings cannot be pre-booked. They will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, following advice received from established visitor mooring operators.

This keeps the system simple, allows sailors to make spontaneous decisions based on their cruising plans and weather conditions, and avoids the additional cost and administration associated with a booking system.

The arrangements will be kept under review once the moorings become operational. If future demand demonstrates that a reservation system would be beneficial, this could be considered at a later date.

 Visitors using the moorings will come ashore using their own tender or dinghy.

The initial plan is to install secure fixing points along the sea wall at West Bay beach. Visiting sailors will be able to bring their tenders ashore and secure them while they visit Dunoon, providing straightforward access to the town centre and local businesses.

A dedicated pontoon or dinghy dock is not included in the initial phase of the project. However, if the moorings prove successful and there is sufficient demand, one of the future developments being considered is a purpose-built dinghy dock to further improve shore access.

We are also exploring the possibility of providing secure shore-side lockers. These could allow visiting sailors to store items such as life jackets, waterproofs and sailing clothing rather than having to carry them around town.

The intention is to establish the moorings and essential shore facilities first, monitor how visitors use them, and then develop additional facilities where there is a demonstrated need.