Mark Ainsworth - a man with a vision.

A man with a vision - 1963 Mark Ainsworth The first bridge - 1966

It was cold day in 1963 when Mr Mark Ainsworth, a passionate sailor and man with a vision, discovered the old gravel pits at Farndon, near Newark. Mr Ainsworth managed to purchase the 25 acre site which was owned by a local firm of architects in 1964. Thus began the creation of Farndon Marina. In 1966 a digger was brought in to cut through the river bank to create an access into the marina for pleasure boats on the River Trent. Mr Ainsworth and his family were the first through the cutting on their boat and home 'Galic Crusader', which today features in the marina's logo. In the first year, 8 boats were moored at the Marina. In the second year there were 25, this doubled in the third year. Success! More years of hard work saw the construction of a bridge and toilet blocks. Offices, a slipway and travel hoist (the first on the River Trent) were planned and built in the late 1970πs. There was just no stopping Mr Ainsworth. Today, Farndon Marina is still a family business run by Mr Ainsworth's son Paul with support from his family. Paul's careful planning, investment and modernisation programme has seen the upgrading and introduction of new facilities. Boat transport, a modern bridge and floating pontoons were installed in the early 1990's and there's more to come.