Where is the Salthill Raft?

ErnieBert

I went for a wee dip in Salthill today for the first time this year and was shocked to see there is no Raft at Blackrock. Is this City Council cutbacks or Health & Safety goner nuts?


What's the story, people?

T2daK

ErnieBert wrote: »

I went for a wee dip in Salthill today for the first time this year and was shocked to see there is no Raft at Blackrock. Is this City Council cutbacks or Health & Safety goner nuts?


What's the story, people?

It causes more trouble than good and council is open to being sued because it is clearly unsafe. Its not gone nuts its a serious health hazard, and believe me I am one to take risks

FlashD

3 questions for you T2dak.

What trouble did it cause?

How is it clearly unsafe?

What's the health hazard?

Rafts been out every Summer for as long as I can remember and I never heard of any accident with it.

Anyone know how many Summers it's been out?

Columc

It has been out for the last 12+ years, I remember it being out every summer I would go there

3fullback

OP - You were a day too early just put the raft out this morning!

ErnieBert

3fullback wrote: »

OP - You were a day too early just put the raft out this morning!

I saw it as I cycled passed in the lashing rain this evening.

FlashD

Hooray, the rafts out, another WIN for the common people.

Coucil can go stuff their health and safety!

Fuinseog

FlashD wrote: »

3 questions for you T2dak.

What trouble did it cause?

How is it clearly unsafe?

What's the health hazard?

Rafts been out every Summer for as long as I can remember and I never heard of any accident with it.

Anyone know how many Summers it's been out?

easy to slip on and break something

BTW is Silver Strand not good enough for a raft?

bildo

Fuinseog wrote: »

easy to slip on and break something

What unlike, rocks, or er, millions of other wet things we manage to come into contact regularly without mishap?

Fuinseog

bildo wrote: »

What unlike, rocks, or er, millions of other wet things we manage to come into contact regularly without mishap?

I have been swimming all my life at Blackrock and the council does try to eliminate slippy green plants from the concrete for fear of slipping.
I myself slipped and broke my teeth on the raft a number of years ago and no I did not look for compo. at the time there was more wood than rubber on the surface and was easy to slip if you stood up and walked around it.

buzz11

I was on the raft last w'end and thought it was unsafe. Its made of plastic modular sections which have gaps between them which open/close with the movement of the water. Its quite easy to get fingers/toes caught in these gaps which then close and a painful squeeze results. The old wooden one was much better as it was solid. The sides of this raft have raw plastic edges which make getting up on very difficult, not everyone uses the ladder. Try it out and you'll see what I mean, you won't see this from the shore.

Unfortunately, it would be unrealistic to point this out to the dictators at city council because they would just remove it "on safety" grounds instead of actually improving it (at modest cost). So the average citizen must put up with the dangers and be glad of the facility, like just one shower on the slip.
Its maddening when you think about it...:mad:

joeKel73

buzz11 wrote: »

So the average citizen must put up with the dangers and be glad of the facility, like just one shower on the slip.
Its maddening when you think about it...:mad:

Yeah we should be glad of the facility, it's completely free for us to use. If you consider it dangerous, avoid. If not, enjoy.

JohnCleary

If you think the raft is unsafe, don't use it. Don't ruin the fun for the rest of us

Fuinseog

JohnCleary wrote: »

If you think the raft is unsafe, don't use it. Don't ruin the fun for the rest of us

we live in a compensation culture so the council has to watch their ass. I notice its of plastic these days.

DRakE

Fuinseog wrote: »

we live in a compensation culture so the council has to watch their ass. I notice its of plastic these days.

you broke your teeth

Fuinseog

DRakE wrote: »

you broke your teeth

I did and it was far from funny at the time.

beeintheknow

Fuinseog wrote: »

I did and it was far from funny at the time.

Well I would have laughed then and I'm laughing now :cool:

Fuinseog

beeintheknow wrote: »

Well I would have laughed then and I'm laughing now :cool:

whatever. sure maybe you will drown one of these days and I will be able to watch it from the shore. Its mighty craic altogether to see someone else have a an accident.

McTigs

buzz11 wrote: »

like just one shower on the slip.
Its maddening when you think about it...:mad:

I can honestly say in all my years swimming at blackrock i have never once had to que for that shower. One is quite enough.

Fuinseog

McTigs wrote: »

I can honestly say in all my years swimming at blackrock i have never once had to que for that shower. One is quite enough.

hear hear. very few even use that one. I see they have built a new ladder at the spliway so you do not have to walk over the rocks.

Fuinseog

McTigs wrote: »

I can honestly say in all my years swimming at blackrock i have never once had to que for that shower. One is quite enough.

hear hear. very few even use that one. I see they have built a new ladder at the slipway so you do not have to walk over the rocks.

buzz11

I see the raft has been removed already, it seems to have been taken out for the Bay swim but still hasn't been put back.
So it went out on 15th July and removed around 26th Aug (approx) About 6 weeks.

I guess it was getting in the way of the school book run...

martin6651

It broke its mooring the day before the bay swim, got washed up on the rocks and was damaged so they took it away.

nuac

That raft, or an earlier timber version, has been there since at least 1956.

It's a good idea. Hope it won't be discontinued on health and safety grounds

Paddyfield

BUMP (from last year)

Where is the raft this year?

biko

It wasn't put out until mid July last year so could be a while yet.

Fuinseog

Paddyfield wrote: »

BUMP (from last year)

Where is the raft this year?

maybe they are waiting for summer for start i.e fine weather.

buzz11

Still no raft but lifeguards have started now....so anyone who plans to need rescue should do it now.;)

Fuinseog

buzz11 wrote: »

Still no raft but lifeguards have started now....so anyone who plans to need rescue should do it now.;)

maybe they are waiting for the summer to start?

buzz11

Raft is out....enjoy little people, local government has delivered at last


its being installed later and later each year;
3-aug-12
15-jul-11
13-jul-10

BhoscaCapall

Fuinseog wrote: »

whatever. sure maybe you will drown one of these days and I will be able to watch it from the shore. Its mighty craic altogether to see someone else have a an accident.

No need for the sarcasm, watching other people have accidents can be a great laugh when done right.

antoobrien

buzz11 wrote: »

Raft is out....enjoy little people, local government has delivered at last


its being installed later and later each year;
3-aug-12
15-jul-11
13-jul-10

This is a new raft as the old one has sadly succumbed to wear and tear. From this week's sentinel:

The raft in Salthill which appears every summer at Blackrock was put out on Friday – following a delay.

The raft which is much loved by the people of Galway during the summer months seemed to be missing; however this was due to the fact that a new raft was being constructed following wear and tear to the old one.

The new raft was meant to be put out on Wednesday but due to strong winds, had to be postponed until today.

JohnCleary

UGh, fair enough, the old old one was made of timber (The red one) and had lived it's life

But then they replaced it with green Versadock pallets - these are plastic things that stick together and last yearssssss. Unless it got lost/damaged in transit, no way it needed replacing

The council are stinging btw, the new raft is WAY smaller than the old one. I'm guessing this was due to finances, as you can build the things as big or small as you want, you just screw plastic floating blocks together.

Either way, great to see it out. It also now has a boarding ladder, which I think takes away from the fun :pac:

Fuinseog

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

No need for the sarcasm, watching other people have accidents can be a great laugh when done right.

it takes you a year to respond

beeintheknow

Fuinseog wrote: »

it takes you a year to respond

Have you not drowned yet??

joeKel73

JohnCleary wrote: »

But then they replaced it with green Versadock pallets - these are plastic things that stick together and last yearssssss. Unless it got lost/damaged in transit, no way it needed replacing

Could be because of this;

martin6651 wrote: »

It broke its mooring the day before the bay swim, got washed up on the rocks and was damaged so they took it away.

buzz11

buzz11

Raft has been taken away

Its been out for 6 weeks. It should really be out for three times that.

Maybe next year...

Seaneh

Yeah, I reckon it should be out from late april until about now.

buzz11

Raft removed last Monday 26th Aug, not sure why its been taken away so early.

Perhaps the logic is that its only for kids and now that they are going back to school..blah blah.

Hold on, did I just put logic and galway city council in the same sentence ?

Redhairedguy

buzz11 wrote: »

Raft removed last Monday 26th Aug, not sure why its been taken away so early.

Arse pops... Was considering a little snámh tomorrow afternoon, and I always like having an auld mosey on the raft.

buzz11

Has anyone seen lifeguards on duty yet in Salthill?

The place is packed with swimmers, especially blackrock but there doesn't seem to be any lifeguards working yet this summer.

biko

Is the raft out?

martin6651

No raft yet, the life guards have been on duty. They are on weekends only for June and full time Jul/Aug.

Cheshire Cat

buzz11 wrote: »

Has anyone seen lifeguards on duty yet in Salthill?

The place is packed with swimmers, especially blackrock but there doesn't seem to be any lifeguards working yet this summer.

In June lifeguards are on duty at weekends only. They are on every day in July and August.
The County Council is responsible for hiring and rostering lifeguards, just in case you are wondering where to complain.

nuac

that raft is part of Galway. Remember using the earlier version in the fifties.

With modern compo culture the Council have to be careful. Insurers rule

ErnieBert

BUMP:

Where is the raft this year?

It'll soon be Christmas.

ErnieBert

Seriously, where's the raft this year?

Eeden

Jeez! Seems like if it's not out by now, it's not happening. Races almost over, and tomorrow's August! It's a pity, when the weather's been reasonable this year.

snubbleste

So, did anyone request the Council to explain the scéal with the raft?

Long Gone

That raft is a part of Salthill's heritage - I remember swimming out to it in the early seventies when it was a wooden structure lashed onto (and over) about 10 barrels.