Best place in West Scotland/England or East Ireland for leaving boat over winter

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Leif-J

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This may be a bit premature I know, but we plan to do Shetland, Hebrides, Scottish West coast and maybe Ireland during the summer.
As we expect it to take more than one season we may wish to leave the boat over the winter somewhere, have some bottom work done on it meanwhile and get back to it again next spring.
Any recommendation for good places in terms of fair price, good access and reasonable prices for yard work are most welcome.
 
Leif-J said:
This may be a bit premature I know, but we plan to do Shetland, Hebrides, Scottish West coast and maybe Ireland during the summer.
As we expect it to take more than one season we may wish to leave the boat over the winter somewhere, have some bottom work done on it meanwhile and get back to it again next spring.
Any recommendation for good places in terms of fair price, good access and reasonable prices for yard work are most welcome.
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Port Bannatyne on the island of Bute on the Clyde. Easy to get to (hourly ferries), helpful people and very high quality work. I had the bottom of my long keel repaired the year before last (the boat had spent many years on drying moorings) and they have just replaced a few feet of teak capping rail for me. Both jobs done beautifully and economically.
 
Ardfern has a good reputation, I don't think access will be the easiest of the options though.

Sandpoint is cheap and easy to get to by car but public transport from the airport could be a pain. This is a storage/working yard more than a marina.

Kip is accessible and has all the facilities. Lifts and storage may be cheaper at Fairlie Quay but access isn't as easy.

Other options are available. I can't comment on Irish yards.
 
Second vote for Sandpoint, rough and ready but great staff and a good range of boat trades within a few miles. They also have inside storage and at good prices as it is not a posh yachty marina.

Further north, Kerrara is good with access via Oban.
 
James Watt Dock Marina in Greenock has plenty of hard standing, lifting facilities and has a winter storage rate. Much easier of access than other options, being within 20 minutes drive of Glasgow Airport and with a railway station a few minutes walk away.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Port Bannatyne on the island of Bute on the Clyde. Easy to get to (hourly ferries), helpful people and very high quality work. I had the bottom of my long keel repaired the year before last (the boat had spent many years on drying moorings) and they have just replaced a few feet of teak capping rail for me. Both jobs done beautifully and economically.
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+1

just had my boat re engined there and their marina is very protected
 
Bangor in Northern Ireland. Relatively expensive compared to other places in NI but good value compared to mainland UK, but good transport links if you're flying in. Choice of staying in the water or hauling out. Belfast Harbour itself (Abercorn Basin) is also supposed to be good, but I've not been there yet.

South of the border prices tend to be a bit unreasonable.

Peel on the IoM seems pretty cheap for long term berthing.
 
flat1 said:
Troon.
We did West Coast, Orkney, Shetlands, Fair Isle, Inverness, Caledonian Canal and back to Troon last year.
Excellent marina. Good value. Easy access from England by air / rail etc.

http://yacht-albatross.blogspot.co.uk/
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I'd go for Troon also. Reasonable prices , good shelter and excellent on site service providers plus it's close to Prestwick if you're flying in from somewhere that connects. Rail links to Glasgow are a short walk away.
 
flat1 said:
Troon.
We did West Coast, Orkney, Shetlands, Fair Isle, Inverness, Caledonian Canal and back to Troon last year.
Excellent marina. Good value. Easy access from England by air / rail etc.

http://yacht-albatross.blogspot.co.uk/
Click to expand...

I had an unscheduled months stop in Troon after my P bracket was sheared off and prop shaft bent. Repairs and other general maintenance were carried out to a high standard and on time and marina staff were very helpful.
 
Port Bannatyne is good there is a very good boat builder on site their. However one of the cheapest places is at DRB Marine on the Gare Loch just round the corner from Port Bannatyne. Good facilities and is next door to Silver Marine engineers.
 
Leif-J said:
This may be a bit premature I know, but we plan to do Shetland, Hebrides, Scottish West coast and maybe Ireland during the summer.
As we expect it to take more than one season we may wish to leave the boat over the winter somewhere, have some bottom work done on it meanwhile and get back to it again next spring.
Any recommendation for good places in terms of fair price, good access and reasonable prices for yard work are most welcome.
Click to expand...

Kenny Graham Boatyard Whiterock Strangford Lough.
 
Stromness Marina, Orkney. Have left my boat afloat every year since it opened without problem. I remove my sails as am away for the winter but most there don't bother. Also reasonable price for a six month berth. If you drive up during the winter leave the car at Scrabster and come across as a foot pasenger on the ferry, it berths close to the marina.
 
Tarbert Loch Fyne is not only very sheltered, but also about the cheapest, (£141.86/m for 6months - summer pontoon rate, not sure what the winter rate is) and you can enjoy a trip through the Crinan Canal in the spring.
Otherwise Ardfern - (£122/m was last winters pontoon rate)
Plenty of room in either over winter.
Ian

I forgot to mention Portavadie, £102/m winter rate. Good facilities, friendly staff but not as easy to reach by car. (Calmac ferry from Tarbert)

http://www.portavadiemarina.com
http://www.tarbertharbour.co.uk/prices
http://www.ardfernyacht.co.uk/tariff.asp
 
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Most of the marinas mentioned have good facilities and are friendly, personally I would recommend Clyde Marina in Ardrossan as have had good experiences there. But I suspect the key will be easy access for you, coming from a distance? In which case, the Clyde marinas mentioned, eg Kip, Largs, Troon and Ardrossan are all good contenders given proximity to airports (Glasgow and Prestwick) and rail links, especially Ardrossan and Troon.
 
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