Skeffles
Member
Has anyone tried any sailing in the Beauly Firth and Beauly river up from Inverness? I have a draft of just over 4ft, is that too restrictive for any river sailing does anybody know?
Beauly Firth
- Thread starter Skeffles
- Start date
wallacebob
Well-Known Member
KTL, Dylan Winter, is a good guide to this type of sailing. I would think the Firth would be easily achievable with care and planning, but river will need local knowledge. Depends of the type of boat too: swing keel, twin, fin, etc. Look at "visit my harbour" and Google Earth ?
ProDave
Well-Known Member
Yes you can get a little way up the Beauly, Dylan Winter did it, described on this thread http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...ff-signs-on-the-Beauly&highlight=beauly+firth
Skeffles
Member
Thank you to both responders, it has been helpful. The linked past forum discussion particularly so, as the big loops and that island were of specific interest to me. Thanks.
arawa
Well-Known Member
I have done it about 8 times drawing 1m without touching bottom. The best guide to the channels is actually the OS maps.
My technique was to slowly follow the (southern) channel on a rising tide but not so much tide that I could not see the channel edges. There is a bar at the start of the river and you can paddle across at low tide unless the river is in good flow. At the start of the river it is deeper on the southern side. Watch out for trees washed down at the river mouth; there were several last time I was there.
Once over the bar there is plenty of depth in the river to reach Beauly but be aware there are power lines that cross the river. I used to overnight in the river in the stretch before the island. Very peaceful and lots of wildlife. The tide in the river rises and falls VERY quickly.
I used to leave about an hour before high tide and follow my gps track from the trip in because, of course, the channel will not be visible.
Rereading the above I think I might have been too blasé. I have been to Beauly in 4 different boats (2 yachts, a motor cruiser and a creel boat). But all were bilge or lift keel. With the knowledge I have now I do not think I would try it with a fin keel (others might well be braver!).
Also, I should have said that each time I went up it was a big tide otherwise the bar is impassable.
My technique was to slowly follow the (southern) channel on a rising tide but not so much tide that I could not see the channel edges. There is a bar at the start of the river and you can paddle across at low tide unless the river is in good flow. At the start of the river it is deeper on the southern side. Watch out for trees washed down at the river mouth; there were several last time I was there.
Once over the bar there is plenty of depth in the river to reach Beauly but be aware there are power lines that cross the river. I used to overnight in the river in the stretch before the island. Very peaceful and lots of wildlife. The tide in the river rises and falls VERY quickly.
I used to leave about an hour before high tide and follow my gps track from the trip in because, of course, the channel will not be visible.
Rereading the above I think I might have been too blasé. I have been to Beauly in 4 different boats (2 yachts, a motor cruiser and a creel boat). But all were bilge or lift keel. With the knowledge I have now I do not think I would try it with a fin keel (others might well be braver!).
Also, I should have said that each time I went up it was a big tide otherwise the bar is impassable.
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jamie N
Well-Known Member
I've sailed the Firth a few times. In a Folkboat it's a beautiful sail in wonderful surroundings, but gave a feeling of having 'gotten away with it', once back by Inverness. Not having an OS map, I used Google Earth in preference to my chart; something of a confession perhaps!
ProDave
Well-Known Member
It's handy that the most recent Google Earth images show the firth at low tide so you can see the channels and course of the river. But I wonder how much that channel wanders?
Impaler
Well-Known Member
Have any of you been into Loch Fleet? It looks like a good spot to dry out and twitch.
jamie N
Well-Known Member
I'd not be able to get under the bridge I think, but Dornoch's a nice place to sink a few! Oh, and the BEST chocolate shop in a hundred miles!
ProDave
Well-Known Member
You don't need to go under the bridge to get into Loch Fleet but you have to go under a power line, about 20 metres I think someone said. Most of the loch dries, but there is space close to the entrance that you might remain afloat.
arawa
Well-Known Member
I have been in once (bilge keel 1m) at high tide after a recce from the shore but not stayed and did not go past the pier. Deep water to anchor in the little bay to the north before the pier as you enter but looks like it might be a shingle bottom so not sure about the holding. Shallows very quickly if you continue in and then dries almost completely.
I would not like to try entering or leaving in any form of brisk onshore wind. And it is a long walk to Jamie’s chocolate shop!
I would not like to try entering or leaving in any form of brisk onshore wind. And it is a long walk to Jamie’s chocolate shop!
jamie N
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected, thanks Dave.
NorthRising
Well-Known Member
I've been in and out once. Approached from Portmahmack direction and found the deepest point over the bar to be as charted (given the age of the data and scale of chart that was interesting, had an app on phone). Once inside it was reliance on shore based reconnaissance and screen grabs from Google Earth for pilotage. Keep close to north shore once inside. I did contemplate anchoring/ drying out close west or the pier at Littleferry opposite the girnal; the tide there is significant and I chickened out, turned around and returned to Portmahomack. There may be anchorage across toward the south side opposite the girnal, but there are mussel banks in the middle which sufficient height of tide would be needed to cross. The inner part is probably not navigable, and the whole thing is highly protected Conservation site so act with prudence.
NorthRising
Well-Known Member
Stakkr, what is your airdraft?
jamie N
Well-Known Member
ProDave
Well-Known Member
She'd be around about 11m; it's somewhat dependent on the wine locker of course!
My chart shows the Dornoch bridge as having 10 metre clearance. Presumably that is at HAT.
So mid tide you should be okay. You might want to heel a bit to be sure, and load up that locker.
jamie N
Well-Known Member
OK Dave!! :encouragement:
