THE rehabilitation of Watchet Marina and restoration of its essential infrastructure is expected to be completed before April, 2026, in time for the start of next year’s sailing season.

New owners Western Marinas said the company had been working hard since taking over last autumn and attracted ‘significant investment’ from its stakeholders.

One of the main achievements so far was to reactivate the marina gate, which had been buried in silt and inoperable for several years, but has now been uncovered and made operational.

A spokesperson said: “Since its reactivation, we have been working closely with external experts to assess the maintenance and upgrades required to ensure long-term reliability.

“With the guidance of James Burnell, from P&D Marine Services, and our in-house team, we now have a comprehensive action plan for the restoration and future-proofing of the gate.

“A key component of this plan is the replacement of the pillar crane adjacent to the gate, critical for the placement of ‘stop logs’ within the gateway.

“This placement of ‘stop logs’ allows scheduled maintenance on the marina gate and hydraulic system.

“These bespoke parts require careful planning and precise installation.

“Until the crane is fully operational, we will not be able to retain water in the marina around the clock.

“We are also upgrading the hydraulic and electrical systems that control the gate.

“These improvements will not only enhance reliability but also provide crucial back-up options in the event of system failures.”

The spokesperson said a majority of the marina had now been dredged to its target depth or deeper when the gate was closed.

A few remaining areas were still to be fully dredged once the gate works were finished in order to support the current deeper draft vessels.

A routine maintenance dredging schedule had been introduced this month to manage incoming silt and maintain required depths.

The company’s dredger Innovation is based in Watchet and will return regularly between external dredging projects.

Work on the full electrical and water supply refit of the pontoons will begin as the major dredging works come to an end, while an enhancement of the hard-standing area has already been started to maximise its use and six customer vessels have been successfully lifted out for pre-season maintenance, which previously was not possible.

The berth holders’ car park is also to have new fencing and a fob-access barrier installed to improve security and access control.

The spokesperson said: “These upgrades represent a significant financial commitment by our investors and underscore our dedication to transforming Watchet Marina into a first-class boating destination.

“We are proud of the progress made so far and excited about what is still to come.”

Western Marinas said other key achievements to date included: