Nothing is new – Fairey had a Dry Boat park, now all the fashion, in 1961. And it was for 26′ sailing boats!
In 1961 they provided a boat park for all Fairey cruisers at the head of the Hamble Spit and a tractor with a special hydraulic arm which could put a fully rigged boat afloat in five minutes. Facilities at the boat park included fresh water, fuel, car parking, cloakrooms, repairs and maintenance, all within the security of enclosed premises, and all resembling, at much less cost, the yacht marina of today. These facilities remained in use until about 1977.
From the 1962 Bulletin:
During the past year more and more Atalanta owners have made use of the Fairey Boat Park at Ramble. The shortage of moorings on the Hamble, or for that matter along the whole of the South Coast, is so acute that Fairey’s new concept in the mooring of a boat has proved increasingly popular. Not only does it solve this mooring problem but the immediately available facilities, fresh water and fuel, car park and cloakroom, repairs and maintenance, together with the security of being on enclosed premises, allows more time for sheer pleasureable sailing. Fairey’s service of arranging for the rapid and economical transport of Atalanta’s across the Continent to the French and Italian Rivieras has also been utilised by a growing number of owners who have found it to be a simple and safe way of getting to the sun.
