Bidders asked to revise proposals

THE requirement to provide a viable financial return for a semi-state company has led Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company to seek revised financial proposals from shortlisted bidders for the proposed 680-berth marina because none of the original tenders reached the company's "financial expectations", The Irish Times has learned.

A berthing rate of £160 per metre for each boat on the marina was disclosed as the likely cost by one of the bidders, the Dun Laoghaire Combined Clubs, which released information of its bid immediately after the deadline for bids closed on February 5th.

Since then all bidders have remained tight-lipped over the process that will produce a recommendation for a preferred bidder to build and manage the marina at the Harbour Company's board meeting next Tuesday (March 2nd).

Harbour company chief executive Michael Hanahoe said yesterday that the company had not expressed a view on what would be an appropriate market rate for berth rentals and said the bidding process was confidential.

Revised proposals have been requested that would give a better financial return so that the Harbour Company - responsible for the construction of the required breakwater at an approximate cost of £12 million - would not be seen to be subsidising marina users to any large extent, and providing a viable return for the commitment made by the Harbour Company in building a breakwater.

The estimated cost of building a marina of this scale is between £4 and £5 million.

Harbour consultants Mouchel McCullough of Surrey, England, who analysed the four proposals on behalf of the company, have also told bidders that berth rentals should be set at what the market can take.

Marina costs at north Dublin's Malahide Marina are in the region of £200 per metre. In the heavily populated south coast of England boat owners can expect to pay as much as £400 per metre.

The Irish Sailing Association's (ISA) secretary general, Paddy Boyd, said yesterday: "Under the Harbours Act the company is obliged to conduct business in a cost-effective manner and any charges imposed must be reasonable. It is accepted that a fair return is necessary to ensure the viability of the project; however, the promoters should not see the provision of a marina as an opportunity to charge boat owners excessively."

For a typical 30-foot motor boat or sailing cruiser berthing costs could be in the region of £1,500 to £2,000 over a 12-month period, compared with approximately £500 for a swinging mooring over a sixmonth term, plus the cost of storage ashore in winter months.

The four shortlisted bidders are: The Dun Laoghaire Combined Clubs, Safeport Marina, BJ Marine and Marina Marketing and Management.

Regardless of any cost differentials between berths and existing moorings, there is little doubt that the marina will increase the boat stock and bring 12-month boating and safer berths to what has traditionally been Ireland's largest marine leisure centre.

Meanwhile, in Dublin City centre, berthing for pleasure boat owners becomes a reality in early April when 25 berths for pleasure craft become available on the river Liffey at the newly developed Dublin Docklands Moorings close to the Matt Talbot bridge. The initiative by the Docklands Authority to bring water sport activity to the area, spawned by last years visit of the Tall Ships, will initially have capacity for 25 berths growing to an anticipated 50 berths next season.

In addition to providing pontoons, electricity and fresh water, security fencing, guards and closed circuit television have been installed to underpin the new facility that is located directly in front of the financial services centre, a mere three-minute walk from O'Connell Street.

Berthing charges are to be kept in line with marina charges in Malahide, Howth and Waterford city marina and will offer special day rates for what could be a new breed of city commuter that arrives by boat.

Central to the success of the plan is the commitment by the port authority to lifting the Eastlink bridge three times a day during working days of the boating season.

Boat Show '99, the biggest boat show staged in Ireland, starts on St Patrick's Day at the RDS where the major features will be the new Irish-developed Zzap high-performance youth dinghy, the Marine Institute's Leisure World Pavilion and the ISA's Cruising Symposium.

Already over 125 exhibitors - representing a 20 per cent increase on the previous best two years ago - are confirmed and will display a wide range of marine-based products, services and activities over five days until Sunday, March 21st. The Marine Institute's Marine Leisure World Pavilion is the focal point of the show and visitors will be invited to explore, discover and experience the large number of leisure opportunities that Irish waters provide.

Included in the pavilion will be exhibits of sail training, charter holidays, marinas, and the whole range of watersport activities and sea adventure holidays. New technologies and new commercial marine leisure opportunities will also be highlighted.

It will be surrounded by a display of new yachts, powerboats, dinghies, windsurfers, engines, clothing and specialist equipment.

The new high performance Zzap dinghy, developed and built in Ireland especially for youths, will make its debut at the show. Marketed by David Harte and Garrett Connolly of Mizen Marine, it will be built by O'Sullivan Marine in Tralee and has attracted interest from a number of international builders as well.

The IDRA 14 Class is introducing a new initiative at the show by offering a boat for free to the person who can persuade the Class that they will sail it regularly either in Dun Laoghaire, Clontarf or Sutton.

The ISA's Cruising Symposium will run on three days of the show and includes talks and presentations on safety, sail trim, GMDSS communication, the Asgard Project, and how to get afloat. It will also feature a major seminar on Marine Leisure Development as well as cruising yarns by Tom Cunliffe, W. M. Nixon and round the world cruisers Gearoid and Orla Flanagan.