Advice: places to leave a boat near Oban, June 2021

[Ceejay]

I was at Kerrera for a number of years and the restrictions around the ferry timetable and capacity is more of a bugbear than you may think. Ok for occasional use, but not so good for resident berth/mooring holders.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Ardentrive? It's 77 miles from Oban to Colintraive ...

Yes. That's the one. Memory failure.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

My advice is to phone about and book as places are full. Taxi services are available and affordable if booked, using some of the more distant marinas. I reiterate, book. Marinas are using private berths for visitors where the berth holder is away.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Just remembered a discussion with a mooring renter from Craobh Watersports Welcome to Craobh Haven Watersports - Craobh Haven Watersports The owner has just laid new moorings, so could very well have one available for short term rent. They have lots of stuff for hire, so I am sure could store your dinghy for you, nice cafe as well.

Also Kilmelford Yacht Haven is a km north of Craobh and I understand has deepwater moorings available and onsite storage for tenders WWW.kilmelfordyachthaven.co.uk

Sure neither has the convenience of Kerrera but a taxi soon addresses that inconvenience with a reasonable chance of having availability.

Good luck.

 

[Ceejay]

Looking from Oban, the Kerrera Marina has never looked close to capacity since the pontoons opened in Oban town centre. I would guess that there is plenty of space there.

 

[penfold]

I have only been to the marina on Kerrara twice- in 2012 & 2014 & the second time I felt that it was even more disgusting than the first visit. One public toilet with a door falling off the hinges. No showers, water etc. Launch broken so difficulty getting to mainland, Staff walked out when I went to the bar, so no snacks or drinks available.Problems with electric supply & uncomfortable mooring due to weather.

Other than surge in heavy weather(inevitable without a breakwater which would cost millions) I don't recognise this characterisation; I stayed twice in 2017 during WHW, the lavvies were fine, showers available, as was water, the oban shuttle ran to time and did double trips if there was demand and the bar/restaurant coped pretty well with a capacity crowd.

 

[Minchsailor]

We were warned when I left my boat there that the bus was then refusing to stop at the yacht haven entrance and would only pick up or set down in the middleof the village. I tried but failed to get confirmation either way from West Coast Motors. I suspect a single grumpy driver.

Lunchtime bus today is happy to drop me off (with a weeks worth of shopping) at the entrance.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Sure neither has the convenience of Kerrera but a taxi soon addresses that inconvenience with a reasonable chance of having availability.

Last time I was there a taxi to Oban cost me £40 (discounted because the driver's wife works there) and the taxi back was £50. Bus is a rather more economical option, but during the hols this (northbound) is your lot:

 

[JumbleDuck]

Lunchtime bus today is happy to drop me off (with a weeks worth of shopping) at the entrance.

Thanks. Probably just one grumpy driver. The rural buses down here in the SW are supposed to stop anywhere safe, but some drivers take a very narrow few of "safe". Most are fine.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Normal ferry runs are free if you have a boat there.

I was wrong. It's now 1 credit per trip and credits costs £2.50 for one, £15 for ten or £25 for eighteen. Also ...

and a very restricted service. Tomorrow ferries leave Kerrera at 8.25, 11.30, 14.00 and 18.00 only.

 

[dunedin]

I was wrong. It's now 1 credit per trip and credits costs £2.50 for one, £15 for ten or £25 for eighteen. ...

and a very restricted service. Tomorrow ferries leave Kerrera at 8.25, 11.30, 14.00 and 18.00 only.

To be fair, at the same time that they started charging berths customers to use the ferry, they fixed/reduced the berthing fee that previously included the free ferry.
I think some boatloads of 6 guys were nipping back and forward repeatedly to the pubs etc, whereas some boats had fewer crew and/or hardly used the ferry. With Covid passenger limits it seems fair to price per ferry passenger, and unbundle from the mooring fee.

The bigger issue is the very restricted number of runs, but I am told they have a new ferry driver trained and ready to start soon

 

[dunedin]

Looking from Oban, the Kerrera Marina has never looked close to capacity since the pontoons opened in Oban town centre. I would guess that there is plenty of space there.

Yes the Oban Transit Marina hugely dented the Kerrera business revenues, methinks.

But I am told that the visitor capacity is down by 30 berths, with the first pontoon much shorter than last year (you can see the new berth layout on their website). Seems odd to remove existing pontoons, as that hardly saves any overheads / running costs yet removed revenue opportunities, but it ain’t my business.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

... Seems odd to remove existing pontoons, as that hardly saves any overheads / running costs yet removed revenue opportunities, but it ain’t my business.

It may be repair costs or availability o materials to make repairs. Craobh were saying that the replacement costs this year for some long over due pontoon work, as a result of wear and wind damage has been very expensive. Craobh has a similar system, anchored pontoons and not pile secured. Just a guess.