One of the most beautiful and largest lakes in Europe enjoys huge popularity with water sports enthusiasts, as the all-year-round season is perfect for sailing regattas, rowing competitions, all-electric UIM E1 powerboat races and just thrilling motorboat rides
Most of the yachting events take place in the Italian territory, which is not surprising, as about 80% of Lake Maggiore is in Italy (in the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy) and boast great infrastructure.
However, the 20% of the Lake belonging to Switzerland are equally picturesque, and the recently built marina, Port of Gambarogno (or Porto Gambarogno), is set to attract more tourists there.
It is located on the lake’s eastern bank, in the canton of Ticino, where there had been no construction and no protected port facilities earlier due to challenging natural conditions.
In 2016, the municipality of Gambarogno started work on the project, committing 19 million Swiss Francs (approximately $24 million USD) to it.
The project proved to be really challenging. Steep rocks, water depths of up to 100 m right near the breakwater line, seasonal level changes of up to six metres added more constraints and excluded most of the standard construction methods. A decision was made to create a suspended artificial lakebed system. Submerged steel lattice structures were fixed to the natural lakebed using micropiles with vertical piles inserted into its three-dimensional structures for mooring the jetties. Access from land is provided by a 24-metre aluminium gangway with a wooden deck.
Moreover, the marina is sheltered by floating breakwaters built from reinforced concrete caissons: 44 modules, each weighing around 80 tonnes were built on land and then assembled on water. All the floating elements of the construction are connected with hinged arms and can adjust to changing lake-levels without manual handling.
Port of Gambarogno is meant for 280 yachts ranging from 8 to 20 metres in length. It comprises 440 m of floating three-metre pontoons, a central pier of 96 m and 137 mooring fingers installed on floating structures supplied by Ingemar.
Among the onshore facilities that are currently finalized and will be completed by early 2027 there are parking areas, service and accommodation buildings, a public promenade with stairs, ramps and walkways. A large part of the coastline has already been revitalized, and the construction of Port of Gambarogno can open the way for other harbours and marinas to be built in shallow, rocky areas, which have previously been almost inaccessible for yachts.
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