Positioned in Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, best known for playing a host to the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, has recently constructed a new hardstand area and installed new staging pontoons, adjacent to their crane. These are destined for vessels waiting to be loaded in and out of the Bay.

The Club hired world marina builder, Bellingham Marine to design and construct the new pontoons. The company has a long history with the club. “The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with Bellingham Marine for over 20 years, beginning with the design, replacement and installation of our 214 berth floating marina in 1999, and more recently with the extension and reconfiguration of the marina as part of stage one and two of a six stage redevelopment master plan”, said Mark Woolf, Chief Executive Officer of the CYCA.

The new pontoons skirt the existing wharf structure and follow along the new hardstand providing the club with over 99 meters of new moorage space in the club’s “pond”.  The Pond is an open area at the front of the club which is used to accommodate short term berthing requirements for members and visitors.  The new pontoons can accommodate up to 10 Etchells sailing boats with capacity to moor yachts up to 10 meters in length.

Composite I-beams were used to connect the pontoons to the hardstand area. Steel components would typically be used for this type of application; however, the Club wanted to use a material that would have a longer service life.  “The composite beams were lightweight, durable and easy to work with,” remarked Gary Charlwood, Manager of Project Development for Bellingham Marine Australia. “They proved to be a success.”

The entire project was under a tight timeline, as the club’s was very anxious to have the project completed and have all material, personnel, and equipment off site at least one week before the 26th of December – the opening day of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. “Everything was completed on time and the Club is very happy with the new facility,” said Charlwood.

Bellingham Marine also manufactured and supplied six heavy duty stainless steel ladders, which were fitted to the new hardstand.