Navigation lights have been installed to help night sailors on the winding channel of the UK’s Beaulieu River as part of ongoing investment in the services and facilities for mooring holders and visitors arriving at the Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour on the river.

The Beaulieu River is one of the few privately-owned rivers in the world which has ensured it has remained an unspoilt haven in the heart of the New Forest National Park, while keeping pace with modern demands. The popular boating destination is one of the most picturesque locations on the south coast, close to the sailing centres of Cowes, Lymington and Hamble.

Five buoys have each been fitted with flashing lights and lights have also been fitted to fixed beacons on the river channel.  These markers light the way between Gins, at the Solent end of the river, and Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour whilst additional lights have been added to markers that line the channel between Gins and the river’s mouth.

Beaulieu River Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: “These navigational lights are already proving to be a big help to visitors and mooring holders to find their way at night. By ensuring that vessels always keep to the main channel in the deepest, safest part of the river, the lights are helping to improve navigational safety. This is a huge boost to help those who are heading for the marina at the end of a long journey or making an early morning start.”

The new lights and buoys required for this project were supplied by Hydrosphere. Two red cylindrical buoys and three green conical buoys from the Mobilis FB800 range were supplied and these buoys are 800mm in diameter. They were fitted with the Arnite kits which protect the mooring ring from excessive wear and tear and the buoys are made from high density polyethylene.

The lights supplied as part of the package from Hydrosphere include both red and green lights of the VLB-2SS type. These feature an LED light that is powered from batteries which in turn are charged from solar panels attached to the sides of the battery housing. These lights are designed to have a range of 2 nautical miles. In addition two green lights of a similar type with a range of just 1 mile were supplied as part of the package.

The installation of the buoys and lights was carried out by the Beaulieu River maintenance staff using their mooring service vessel. These new navigational lights are the latest in a series of investments designed to improve and update services and facilities on the river whilst still preserving the natural charm and unique character of the river.

By Dag Pike