Am I too inexperienced to take my boat round mull of kintyre ?

[QBhoy]

It is quite narrow. About 10 years ago, I cam up it in zero, REALLY ZERO, vis and had to zig zag using the depth sounder. Nervy or what!!

You’ve just proved my point with this statement.
The bottom changes there frequently and as some including yourself have mentioned, there is a specific way in (unmarked). I was airing on the side of caution, presuming the fella isn’t used to it.
Your statement and others being caught out certainly within 3 hours of the tide every year...makes me stick with my statement of within a couple of hours !

 

[ctva]

You’ve just proved my point with this statement.
The bottom changes there frequently and as some including yourself have mentioned, there is a specific way in (unmarked). I was airing on the side of caution, presuming the fella isn’t used to it.
Your statement and others being caught out certainly within 3 hours of the tide every year...makes me stick with my statement of within a couple of hours !

No one has been caught out 3hrs either side of HW. I wasn’t caught out when there was zero vis. The channel was good enough to zig zag up without touching or going less than 0.5m as I could not see either the cardinal or the Rock for the stretch. How is that proving your point?

As to the channel changing, the last survey was 1974 for the channel of the Leven and 1880 for the surrounds. When I used it the other week, it was still bang on. Please let me know if myself, the Admiralty and the guys at Sandpoint are wrong.

 

[QBhoy]

No one has been caught out 3hrs either side of HW. I wasn’t caught out when there was zero vis. The channel was good enough to zig zag up without touching or going less than 0.5m as I could not see either the cardinal or the Rock for the stretch. How is that proving your point?

As to the channel changing, the last survey was 1974 for the channel of the Leven and 1880 for the surrounds. When I used it the other week, it was still bang on. Please let me know if myself, the Admiralty and the guys at Sandpoint are wrong.

Ok. To be fair. I maybe picked you up wrong. I thought you meant zero water.
But being a local and having been in and out there loads. I wouldn’t advise anyone not familiar with it to come in or out...out with a couple of hours of the tide.
On being stuck. Last October there was a sailing boat grounded (small one) for most of the day within 3/4hours of three tide. Granted, he was too far away from the castle on approach.
I might add that you’ll likely know that pat has been reclaiming land on the point there for some time. This will obviously have an effect on things.
Would you honestly advise someone to come in 4 hours before or after the tide, in October, and not being familiar with the place ?
Not sure I would. Local guys don’t usually chance near to that with shaft drive and keel

 

[Crinan12]

We are keeping our eye on this weekends forecast
Winds are from the north and light at the moment
It's neap tides and the times work out not too bad for getting to the lighthouse (6am ish)
Might make it yet. If it doesn't work out we will just do the canal.
Thanks

 

[Robert Wilson]

Good luck to you both, and your craft.
I hope all falls into place for you.
It's sounding hopeful.
I shall be with you in spirit and admire your adventurous aspirations.

Keep us all up to date.

 

[Crinan12]

Thanks - 6am should have said 9am by the way - so not a ridiculously early start from gigha either.

 

[A1Sailor]

Next Sunday-Monday 20th/21st does look promising - light northerly winds, no rain and sunshine.:encouragement:
https://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/gigha

Hope you've remembered your shorts and have a pushpit mounted BBQ.

 

[Crinan12]

Despite having a decent weather window we have taken the canal. There was even northerly winds which i understand to be ideal. But we didn't fancy it in the end, just wimped out I suppose, which is fine. Maybe next year.
On our way back to sandpoint. Thanks for all the help.

 

[dunedin]

Despite having a decent weather window we have taken the canal. There was even northerly winds which i understand to be ideal. But we didn't fancy it in the end, just wimped out I suppose, which is fine. Maybe next year.
On our way back to sandpoint. Thanks for all the help.

Good decision skipper. Delivery objective achieved, boat and crew in good shape. No "wimp" about it. Lots of opportunities to do the Mull in future (whereas if took a chance on it and scared your crew then there might not have been a next time

 

[Rocksteadee]

Experience is what you get just after you needed it

 

[Robert Wilson]

Experience is what you get just after you needed it

+1
Very very true - and it's not always a good experience

Glad all safely completed, and the OP is now no doubt itching to do the MoK next season - far better than spending the winter thinking about selling the boat......

 

[A1Sailor]

Good decision skipper. Delivery objective achieved, boat and crew in good shape. No "wimp" about it. Lots of opportunities to do the Mull in future (whereas if took a chance on it and scared your crew then there might not have been a next time

+1

+1
Very very true - and it's not always a good experience

Glad all safely completed, and the OP is now no doubt itching to do the MoK next season - far better than spending the winter thinking about selling the boat......

Since his boat is now east of Kintyre he can now plan a trip round from east to west - which would be my recommendation for a MoK virgin. Upper Clyde to Lamlash, perhaps Campbeltown although it seems an awfully long detour, then round to Gigha - with the option of a planned or unplanned stop-off at Sanda.

I feel another thread imminent!

 

[Spyro]

+1



Since his boat is now east of Kintyre he can now plan a trip round from east to west - which would be my recommendation for a MoK virgin. Upper Clyde to Lamlash, perhaps Campbeltown although it seems an awfully long detour, then round to Gigha - with the option of a planned or unplanned stop-off at Sanda.

I feel another thread imminent!

definitely the way to go for a first time. You don’t have a long slog to get there if you leave from Campbeltown or Sanda and hence not as far if decide to turn back.

 

[awol]

definitely the way to go for a first time. You don’t have a long slog to get there if you leave from Campbeltown or Sandra and hence not as far if decide to turn back.

Who is this Sandra of whom you write. Is she some siren luring unwary mariners onto rocks? Perhaps explains PS Waverley's excursion onto the hard some time ago in that area

 

[A1Sailor]

Who is this Sandra of whom you write. Is she some siren luring unwary mariners onto rocks? Perhaps explains PS Waverley's excursion onto the hard some time ago in that area

I too am confused. Shirley shum mishtake. Unless of course Sandra is the OP's sailing companion.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Despite having a decent weather window we have taken the canal. There was even northerly winds which i understand to be ideal. But we didn't fancy it in the end, just wimped out I suppose, which is fine. Maybe next year.
On our way back to sandpoint. Thanks for all the help.

To adapt an old flying sailing, it's much better to be in the canal wishing you were going round the Mull than to be going round the Mull wishing you were in the canal.

Playing it safe is ALWAYS an honourable decision. Have a great winter.

 

[Spyro]

Who is this Sandra of whom you write. Is she some siren luring unwary mariners onto rocks? Perhaps explains PS Waverley's excursion onto the hard some time ago in that area

Haha, auto complete again, sorted now

 

[nova_castria]

Hi folks
Advice please
We have a mooring in Crinan and we can keep our boat in the boatyard for the winter but I'm keen to get it back near Glasgow (sandpoint marina) because the boatyard fees are half that of Crinan and we have jobs to do this winter so access easier.

We only have 2 summers sailing experience and I am wondering if we should not make this trip. Obviously we would only contemplate it in very fair weather and we would plan the passage properly. But do people think even then it's a bit much for new sailors and best not tackled until we have more experience?
The furthest we've ever been is gigha for an overnight trip.
I would be concerned that we would go in a favourable forecast but the weather would not be as expected and it might be a bit of a nightmare - my observation from sailing about the sound of jura that it's often way windier than what the various apps say.
It's a seamaster 925 by the way.

Thanks v much
Douglas
P.s another boater at Crinan suggested leaving boat on our mooring for the winter- it would save a lot of money and it would be great to use the boat a bit over the winter- but i would be worried something would happen.

 

[nova_castria]

Took my Sea Master 925 round the Mull on many occasions , never an issue. At the time had 2/3 years experience.

 

[seaangler23]

Go for it been round the mull about 6 times in the past couple years, I don’t know what all the talk is about it’s been beautiful every time ? in all honesty you won’t learn unless you push yourself just be prepared and have the boat ready as every trip should start