Weed growth poses safety concerns for boat owners

Weed growth at a marina on Lough Neagh is damaging boats and posing a health and safety threat, local sailors say.

The Lough Neagh Sailing Club says aquatic weeds have been affecting Kinnego Marina for the past five years, posing safety concerns for rescue groups and putting members’ boats out of action.

Lough Neagh Rescue Service says it has serious safety concerns for all lough users.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council acknowledges that the current weed cutting schedule must be intensified.

It says that over the last number of years, weed growth in the area has become more prolific.

The council says its efforts have been impacted by a series of mechanical failures affecting its weed cutting equipment.

It says funding has been secured for a new weed cutter for Kinnego Marina and other sites at Lough Neagh which will be in use from spring 2026 at no additional cost to ratepayers or berth holders.

Paul Watts is the Secretary of Lough Neagh Sailing Club and a berth holder – he says the weed growth is frustrating, as moving boats in and out has become “very difficult”.

“Zebra mussels coming in and filtering the water has allowed the weeds to grow up from the bottom,” he says.

“The water temperature going up also means that these weeds come earlier and come thicker.”

“Sailing boats typically have a deep keel underneath them – which means you need about five feet of water for them to flow. If there are two or three feet of weeds at the bottom – then that’s just going to stop the boat.

“The boat propellers also become foul very easily with the weed and it makes the engines overheat. We’ve had a few breakages when people have been struggling to get out of the weeds. “

Mr Watts also says for young sailors there are safety concerns.

“The boats are getting trapped in the weed which means that we have to send a rescue boat,” Mr Watts said.

“The problem with that is that the rescue boats themselves are becoming fouled-up with weed making rescues very difficult,” he said.

“It’s not that dangerous as the children just sit in the boats and wait for the rescue boat – but if you fell into those weeds, I imagine it would be very difficult to swim out of it,” he added.

“We have a rescue boat out for every six children in the water so if one of them becomes fouled up then it’s a risk for the other boats.”

In a statement Lough Neagh Rescue Service says the excessive weed growth has become a significant issue, and that the organisation has serious safety concerns for all users of the lough.

It says it is seeing a rise in incidents involving vessels experiencing engine failure or loss of propulsion after propellers and water intakes become fouled by the dense weeds – and that these incidents are particularly prevalent in and around the lough’s marinas and in connecting waterways, including the River Bann and Lough Beg.

It says beyond the risk to boating, the service believes the current situation poses a serious and direct risk to swimmers – and that the potential for a person, including children, to become entangled in the thick, submerged weeds is significant and presents a very real danger of drowning.

Lough Neagh Rescue Service says it would strongly advise against swimming in areas where this weed is present.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland says it is aware of the matter and is currently making enquiries and that it cannot comment on individual cases.

The sailing club recently held a meeting between berth holders and the council.

Eoin Tennyson MLA for Upper Bann was there and said Lough Neagh is the jewel in the crown for the local community.

“Clearly there have been huge issues – not just over recent summers with blue green algae but with basic maintenance in terms of weeds not being done,” he said.

“The big challenge with Lough Neagh is that there are an amalgamation of bodies with some semblance of responsibility – be that in terms of navigation – be that in terms of water quality – be that in terms of councils and the maintenance of local marinas – and often we see this game of pass the parcel between different agencies,” he said.

“This is basic maintenance – this is the bare minimum that these berth holders ought to be able to expect – and so we will be pressing the council very strongly to stop neglecting this area and give it the investment that it needs.”

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council says it is continuing to monitor the site and carry out essential repairs as required, while considering longer-term repair options at the site.

It said its officers are working on a number of proposals, to be brought to committee next month, to deliver substantial repairs to the jetties at Kinnego Marina to extend the lifespan of the marina.

In the meantime, it says, officers are continuing to work closely with Lough Neagh Sailing Club to manage the aquatic weeds under council responsibility.

Nicole McKelvie is the club welfare officer for Lough Neagh Sailing Club and says in general she feels there has been neglect when it comes to looking after the marina in the past number of years.

“You hear everybody talking about the algae bloom and we thought that was going to be the main issue to stop us from getting out sailing – but it’s actually the weed control here at the marina and things like the jetties collapsing.

“People can’t get berths.”