Best route for a charter week sailing cruise to Islay?

The OP expressed the desire to get to Islay. Getting there from outside of the MoK would normally be a simpler job than from the Clyde.
The sounds of Luing and Jura are very straightforward - planning the tides is very straightforward and I think the notion of getting an inexperienced skipper to plan to arrive at the Mull, especially if returning to the Clyde, at the right time to avoid the bumps and in favourable weather is just an avoidable stress.
 
claymore said:
The OP expressed the desire to get to Islay. Getting there from outside of the MoK would normally be a simpler job than from the Clyde.
The sounds of Luing and Jura are very straightforward - planning the tides is very straightforward and I think the notion of getting an inexperienced skipper to plan to arrive at the Mull, especially if returning to the Clyde, at the right time to avoid the bumps and in favourable weather is just an avoidable stress.
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If only some altruistic do-gooder would publish a definitive guide of tide times for the bouncy bits! Mind you, the southerners would probably sue the author if the sea wasn't mill-pond calm at the recommended times.
 
awol said:
That goes for the original but I cannae thole the Superstition, not that I wouldn't accept a bottle if you're giving.
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We did the tour and the sampling one fine morning, we took a deep breath of the Angels Share an proceeded tae get steamboats. Bought the Son in Law a bottle of the 10 year old for Christmas tae note the duration of his weddedness tae the daughter but then just didnae have the heart tae pairt wi it.
 
awol said:
If only some altruistic do-gooder would publish a definitive guide of tide times for the bouncy bits! Mind you, the southerners would probably sue the author if the sea wasn't mill-pond calm at the recommended times.
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Webchrist did wance gie me a *******ing aboot the definitive thing.
 
awol said:
If only some altruistic do-gooder would publish a definitive guide of tide times for the bouncy bits! Mind you, the southerners would probably sue the author if the sea wasn't mill-pond calm at the recommended times.
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Em. Has Alisdair not already done it?
Tides
The following are links to PDF pages of Oban tides......with a variety of corrections, in particular for tidal gates around the Sound of Jura.
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http://www.agurney.com/oban-tides
 
wully1 said:
Please accept my heartfelt apologies. ( I should really know better since half my family come from Creetown and a distant relative worked in Bladnoch distillery)
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'sOK, I'm an incomer myself. Mind you, if you thing Wigtownshire vs Stewarty is bad, you should hear what the Rhins folk and the Machars folk say about each other ...
 
Pickletillum said:
Hi, wonder if I can ask for help at this early stage. Am newish sailor, just getting my DaySkip and want to start planning a sailing trip to Islay for 4-6 people over a week for next year. So many Qs at this stage but what is the best place to charter from that will not give too punishing a schedule for a bunch of amateurs who want to enjoy the journey as much as getting there and also perhaps a couple days sailing round Islay? i.e stops for lunch and stop sailing by tea time and be tucked up with a glass in hand early evening. I've had a fair bit of rough weather sailing so the sun doesn't need to shine all day, but don't want to be rained out either. Is Easter, or October a mistake? should we stick to early July? Any suggestions of a route with stops would be great.
Thanks
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These guys are ok:
http://www.skyeyachts.co.uk/

As for stops the whole area is amazing you'd be hard pushed to find a duff anchorage, a five minute flick through the Pilot Guide will identify more than you could do in a lifetime, let alone a summer.

For a starter a short hop from Islay is the MacCormaig Islands outside the Entrance to Loch Sween is a bit special if you can get it to yourself which in Spring you've got a good chance of doing.

Enjoy.
 
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This is all very interesting to me as a relative novice who has wanted to sail to Islay for the last couple of years. I have a friend who lives there and can expect a good welcome. Now I have a boat based at Troon I would def be starting from the Clyde! In theory if there were enough hours of daylight (?) I might be tempted to try it in one day but I imagine that's probably wishful thinking and would probably have to aim for a stopover at Campbeltown or Sanda (yikes! I have never anchored overnight and would prob be up all night checking it's not dragging). Would be aiming for Port Ellen.
 
I'm not sure I would disagree about "a bit special" - they certainly offer a few "opportunities", not all of them pleasant.

mcCormaig_zps860c8bf6.jpg
 
robertt said:
This is all very interesting to me as a relative novice who has wanted to sail to Islay for the last couple of years. I have a friend who lives there and can expect a good welcome. Now I have a boat based at Troon I would def be starting from the Clyde! In theory if there were enough hours of daylight (?) I might be tempted to try it in one day but I imagine that's probably wishful thinking and would probably have to aim for a stopover at Campbeltown or Sanda (yikes! I have never anchored overnight and would prob be up all night checking it's not dragging). Would be aiming for Port Ellen.
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I've easily done Gigha to Troon in a day- mind you the 18 knots SOG round the Mull helped a fair bit.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Biggest, nastiest and most numerous clegs (stop snickering, this isn't The Lounge) I have ever been chewed by.
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Don't complain about clegs until you've spent a summer bashing across Scottish moorland tryong to study geology. You get hot and sweaty, which attracts clegs like no-ones business. At le5asy on a boat you cam get away from the horrors!
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Don't complain about clegs until you've spent a summer bashing across Scottish moorland tryong to study geology. You get hot and sweaty, which attracts clegs like no-ones business. At le5asy on a boat you cam get away from the horrors!
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You forgot to pack your Avon Skin so soft. Even the midges north of the border aren't fussed on the stuff! :o
 
Some night sailing on the cards.....

robertt said:
wanted to sail to Islay for the last couple of years. I have a friend who lives there
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So have I ... and a friends daughter lives there .... :)

Why not sail in company / enlist some reliable crew & have a few hours night sailing (magic time) .... definitely bring your 'gee-tar' ... with stowage space for more .... & it could turn-out to be an excellent few days! ..... :D

I was at Campbeltown recently (working) .... & wouldn't choose to go there if I could avoid it .... :disgust:

IThoughtThereWasMoreToIt_1_zps695be581.jpg
 
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awol said:
I think you are getting confused, young Ken. I believe Aquaplane is referring to the quaint englander institution of them all, and no just the banks, stopping work for a Spring Bank holiday which for some reason is referred to as Whitsun despite the two being separated by 2 weeks this year and both remote from oor Whitsunday enshrined in law by oor ain parliament as 15th May, even if it's no a Sunday. Naught to do with whisky/whiskey or that other Islay export - hideously expensive gin.
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I have been out at a fiftieth birthday bash so am slightly behind the curve but now I am really confused. This thread started as being about going to Islay but now we seem to be talking about Whitsundays which as any fule kno are on the Far Side of the World. I can recommend Tongue Bay and Nara Inlet, and indeed Stonehaven in the Whitsundays was the setting for my only sighting of a Green Flash.
 
For the sake of balance, Campbeltown is the home of witty, knowledgeable and good-looking sailors, some of whose fine craft can be seen in OGITDs photo.
 
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