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2016 November December Marina World

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The magazine for the marina industry

FUEL DOCKS At Birkenhead

FUEL DOCKS At Birkenhead Point Marina in Sydney, the operators invested in a large, very heavy fuel dock and run a useful kiosk on the site. Practical, commercial and social The growing popularity of power boats over sail has been evident for a long time and has led to the increased importance of fuel logistics. Long gone are the days when a few jerry cans or a 44 gallon drum in the back of the van would transfer enough fuel for a quick fishing trip. John Hogan considers the options for floating fuel docks and gives recent examples built by Superior Jetties. As boats have increased in size, more horsepower is required to propel them at acceptable speeds. Today, many boaters will require 500 to 1,000 litres or more when refuelling, and waterside facilities need to be able to provide this service simply and quickly at any time of the day or night. Increasing numbers of marinas are therefore providing floating fuel docks. The simplest and most economical option is an in-ground tank, similar to that used by a vehicle service station. A cantilevered arm holds the fuel pipe that hangs over a revetment wall, allowing for fuel to be transferred. In this way, the electronics for the on/off switch are on the dock but little else. Examples of this in eastern Australia are at Southport Yacht Club and Iluka ferry terminal where deep water close to shore is essential. If the marina needs to relocate the dock to a more serviceable area for ease of use or for water depth, all of the facilities need to be relocated to the water with the exception of the tanks. Marina developers and operators need to anticipate future needs and build in adequate conduits to allow for fuel, water, electricity and communications. The two most common methods are either open trenches with a heavy cover plate, or cast-in fixed PVC conduits that allow each service to be in an isolated sealed delivery tube. There are pros and cons for the open top unit. It is easier to access and is easier to install but the downside is that all services are in the same trench and, as the top deck has more concrete, it is top heavy thus raising the centre of gravity. The trench is also more open to the elements so water rats and other vermin can consider this as a home. For these reasons, a PVC conduit for each service is a better solution. For the Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Superior designed and manufactured a 30m x 2.5m (98ft x 8ft) five sided concrete pontoon, using its Super Elite system. The new fuel dock gives members and visitors round the clock access to high quality fuel at a central location. The optimum solution is for a carefully planned design to provide individual PVC conduits in 50, 90 or 150mm (2, 3.5 or 6in) diameters for each service. The tubes can be stacked into the mould or pontoon flotation unit during manufacture and the concrete pour then makes them an integral part of each unit. Where the All you see are fuel pumps with on/off switches on the docks at Southport Yacht Club in Queensland. 56 www.marinaworld.com - November/December 2016

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