Floating Pontoons in use at CMC Pensarn Harbour

The CMC Pensarn Harbour is an educational charity which promotes the personal development of young people and adults through outdoor education, adventure and fun! They are an established provider of challenging residential, multi-activity and adventure training courses for groups of all ages and abilities.

The centre set in the midst of the stunning Snowdonia National Park, between the mountains and the coast, situated on a sheltered tidal estuary at the mouth of the River Artro, providing an excellent venue for water sports right on the doorstep.

Their aim is to meet the needs of individuals through carefully planned courses, providing adventure that is accessible to all. Courses are designed to encourage each person to face new challenges and adventures in an environment that offers support and encouragement with the aim to build confidence, self esteem and ability, in a culture that is physically, mentally and spiritually secure.

Activities vary from rock climbing and mountaineering to kayaking and canoeing, with the most recent addition of sailing. This has been made possible due to the addition of a pontoon in 2005.

Originally the centre had access to the water by a choice of 2 points. The first is a half slipway, only available when the tide is in at the right height. The second was a set of 4 foot wide concrete step which took you right down into the water at the low tide. However because these where submerged with the tide, they were slippery and great care was needed. This caused a problem for access to the water for many groups to the centre who include those with physical disabilities and difficulty with co-ordination or communication. It was essential to provide a stable, secure platform from which these people could be made to feel comfortable and safe, enabling staff to assist individuals to access and egress the water without risk to themselves or the client. This would need to float up and down with the tide with enough space for a group of up to 12 persons to stand safely.

Another factor determining the requirement of a pontoon was the desire to run sailing at the centre. CMC is ideally located for this activity with a large, sheltered lagoon and access to the sea.

The first section to be installed was a system of pontoons linked by aluminium gangways from a fixed top stage, to allow for the full 4 metre tidal range. This includes a docking system to stabilise smaller boats and a floating ramp to allow for access to the water at all times even when the tide is out. All this with not a single step!

The second pontoon to be installed was a 4 foot wide 35 foot long platform, positioned along the harbour wall, this again rises and falls with tide on steel I-beams attached to the wall. This allows for Dinghy’s to come along side with easy access again at whatever position the tide is at. Boats can also be moored and left here between sessions, likewise the power boats (used for safety purposes and RYA courses) are allowed safe and appropriate access.

These pontoons are easily assembled with an interlocking system and were assembled by CMC’s own staff – the result being great pontoons and a corporate team challenge thrown in.

The centre now has a fleet of 6 Laser Fun Boats, 2 Dart 16s, 3 Toppers, 1 Avon Searider and 2 Rigiflex 360 power boats. The culmination of the all this is that the centre is now a recognised RYA training centre. It has the ability to cater for groups of all abilities allowing easy and safe access to the water for all. The installation of the pontoons has made all the difference to every waterborne activity. It looks professional; it is incredibly stable and has stood up to the rigours of the sometime raging weather experienced at Pensarn Harbour from time to time. They are robust enough to take the river in spate and take the ground at low water. It would now be hard to imagine life at the CMC Pensarn Harbour without the pontoon.

CMC would like to thank all those who raised funds and contributed their time to successfully completing this ambitious project.