Clyde - James Watt dock

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We're thinking of drifting up to Scotland this coming summer. Does anybody know of James Watt dock on the Clyde and if so can you offer any opinions/views as a cruising base and also leaving the boat there for the winter?

TIA

Rob
 
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Good plan. West coast of Scotland is one of the best cruising areas in the world. The Clyde is a good place to overwinter and there are lots of good marinas in the area, rates range from £75 per metre to about £105. Largs is one of the more expensive but has just been acclaimed as UK's best. I don't know anything specific about James Watt (although I believe it gets full over winter due to it's proximity to Glasgow), but I don't see it as being preferable to Kip or Largs. The drive up here is worth it ( the M6 is quiet after Preston), and I'd certainly prefer Kip or Largs. Both are better for winter sailing as James Watt is further up the Firth. Winter sailing is a bonus of keeping the boat in the water up here. Saw 3 boats out yesterday, no wind today but tomorrow looks good, temperature over 10 degrees.
If you do make the trip, go up the west coast before coming back to the Clyde for the winter. You may never want to take the boat back south again.
 
Very helpful, thanks. James Watt seemed ideal because of access from Glasgow airport thence on the train to Cartsdyke station which is within easy walking distance of the marina. I haven't been to visit the site though; does anyone know of its grimness factor?
 
Robih said:
Very helpful, thanks. James Watt seemed ideal because of access from Glasgow airport thence on the train to Cartsdyke station which is within easy walking distance of the marina. I haven't been to visit the site though; does anyone know of its grimness factor?
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InverKip Station is pretty close to the marina IIRC. Largs is a bit further I think.

Glasgow Airport doesn't have its own station, so you have to get a bus to Gilmour Street From there you can get to Kip or Largs as well as Gourock/Greenock. Curiously although all three are relatively close by road - they are on three separate lines, but Gilmour Street is on all three lines.

Not sure where you are flying in from. If Prestwick is an option Troon should probably be on your shortlist too.

If not then always worth looking at trains - less check in phaff and bagagae claim etc, and no bus required - just change at Glasgow Central (if Change at Queen Street its maybe 1/4mile walk to Central)

Not been to James Watt for a long time. That part of 'town' had a bit of a spruce up a few years back.
 
Stay in the south where it is warm and dry and the natives are friendly. Up here it is cold, wet and the "Wicker Man" is a tourist information film. Add to that a surfeit of sgeirs (rocks that appear at low tide), boghas (rocks that stay hidden except sometimes at low water springs), tides that conspire against you, winds that never follow the CG forecasts and can be contrary for weeks on end no matter where you head, and natives who mostly voted "Remain". Then there are the clegs and midges that can turn a normally sane human into a slobbering idiot.

As for JWD. It is very popular despite the trip down river before you can sail unlike the quick exit of the rest of the Clyde marinas. Not a lot of free space - all berths were occupied in September and there are very few empty just now but you can ask. Bit of a scend at high water but otherwise well sheltered with working water/power/toilets/showers and a wee walk to the nearest café. The staff are fastidious in checking lines for those afloat and cradles for those ashore - masts can remain up.
 
Robih said:
I haven't been to visit the site though; does anyone know of its grimness factor?
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I have never visited the marina, so it may well be lovely behind those sensibly high walls. Outside is all the charm of a 40mph dual carriageway, crossing which gives easy access to some of the most deprived and roughest housing in Europe. If you can walk from the station to the marina in under 5 minutes you might easy have a 50:50 chance of making it safely. In daylight, obviously.

This picture from the Greenock Telegraph shows how nice it looks on a good day.

4824218.jpg


Can you tell I don't like the outskirts of Greenock much

I hear nothing but good things of the marina and staff, so if you don't mind being a couple of hours further from the lower Clyde (Rothesay, Millport, Kyles) than the marinas further south it would probably make a good base, but I wouldn't go with much hopes of the neighbourhood. You're near Loch Long and Loch Goil, both of which are nice places to go.

Disinterested plug: my neighbouring marina (my mooring is just outside and I overwinter in the yard) at Port Bannatyne is really nice, a bit cheaper as it's on an island, and very secure.
 
"If you can walk from the station to the marina in under 5 minutes you might easy have a 50:50 chance of making it safely. In daylight, obviously"

Hmmm. Useful feedback, thank you. The contrary evidence is that all of the cars in that picture still seem to have their hub caps/wheels - which s a real positive!
 
We've been at both James Watt Dock Marina and Kip.

Advantages of JWD:
Good pontoons, friendly and helpful staff, cheaper, good community feel, easier access from most places (20 mins nearer than Kip if coming through Glasgow), a good sheltered dock. 5 minutes motor up river to a great sailing area, just enough time to get the fenders in and get organised. 5 mins walk from Cartsdyke station. If you find you want to get out to the lower Clyde it can be a bit of a trek back up every trip, but the sail itself is lovely. I always enjoy it. Easy access from the airport - maybe 20 - 25 minutes.
Disadvantages of JWD:
Surrounding area lacks amenities (apart from McDonald's), and is charmless, but it's only 5 mins to town and supermarkets though.

Advantages of Kip:
Chandlery, decent marine services, Sainsbury's local in Kip, beach, cafe / restaurant, better access if you want the lower Clyde every trip.
Disadvantages:
Takes longer to get to, more expensive, it's a little anonymous.

Certainly no probs leaving a boat over winter in either marina, either in or out of the water, they get well looked after and there's plenty of decent short winter exploratory sails to be done if you want it.
 
My boat is on the hard at JWD at the mo... Should be going in the water Feb / March all going well. There are plenty of boats in the water there right now. The staff are spot on. Security appears to be good. It's probably not the most picturesque marina, but for me it has a certain post industrial charm about it... the old sugar sheds, rail tracks along the quayside, etc...
1nm motor out to No. 1 buoy before you'll be sailing, so factor that in. Hop and a skip to the Gareloch, Loch Long and Holy Loch, but you'd have a bit further to trek for Bute, The Cumbraes and so on.
There are usually some commercial boats in the dock or across at the dry dock, which always piques my interest; a couple of Calmac ferries at present have just come out of the dry dock, and the Hebridean Princess cruise ship is tied up across the way too.

Greenock and Port Glasgow are both well served for supermarkets and good transport links to the city, however as has been mentioned, far from being up-market.

That dual carriageway is 30mph at that point by the way ;)
 
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Have you considered Ardrossan (Clyde marina)? They do good rates for winter storage. so much so the yard is bursting at the seams this year. The harbour train from paisley Gilmour street (nearest Glasgow airport) goes right to the marina yard gate. Staff are excellent. There's a chandlery onsite they don't stock a lot but are the same company as the chandlers at Largs so will get you anything you need. Not as far up the Clyde as JWD so a bit closer if you plan on going out west via the Mull or you can do Northern Ireland in a long day sail if you get the tides right.
 
Robih said:
"If you can walk from the station to the marina in under 5 minutes you might easy have a 50:50 chance of making it safely. In daylight, obviously"

Hmmm. Useful feedback, thank you. The contrary evidence is that all of the cars in that picture still seem to have their hub caps/wheels - which s a real positive!
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Greenock's bad, but it's not Liverpool.
 
We were at Kip for 3 years and would go back there if we were to return to the Clyde (but we are heading south)
We made (just a few) good friends in the marina and the level of service was good to excellent with few disappointments.
The rail station is an easy stroll and there is a Sainsbury's convenience store in easy walking distance (max 10 minutes from the far pontoons). In some respects Largs is better but no walking access to station or shop.
Both Largs and Kip have decent eating options on site/nearby - not sure if there is anything other than McDonalds and a modern themed pub near JWD??
JWD not in a salubrious area and must be a trek when sailing down the Clyde to the best sailing area - so for me no good if using as a regular weekend base, but for fewer but longer trips then it is less of an issue and it is less costly.
There are certainly lots of destination options for a long weekend in the area, but I would say more from Kip and Largs, and that would be the main deciding factor for me.
That said I have friends who were in JWD and who liked the place.
 
I am in Kip at the moment and am very happy with the place

excellent communications, nice chandlery, places to eat, cost effective.

The staff are all lovely people

The marina web is not good but the dongle gets 4G

The Clyde is a jolly good place for sailing - so many marinas and anchorages within a days run.

Not that warm at this time of year though of course.

D
 
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How often do you intend coming up over the winter? I ask because we have kept our boat at Campbeltown for the last couple of winter very successfully BUT it is a long drive past the mainland marinas - 3 hours on from Glasgow. The 926 will bring you out if you have half a day to spare but will not take dogs (caused a slight problem last November trying to leave but resolved thanks to very helpful locals!!!). Ferry runs from Ardrossan during the summer which makes access easy then.

Boat stays in the water so available for use during the not infrequent weather windows with great access to all points North, South and West. Superb range of whisky on non sailing days. Relatively small set up with great personal service and very safe and secure - only real 'problem' is anything with East in it which is unusual. Good facilities ashore but no lift out or storage ashore and very limited options for chandlery (although you can get anything sent - if couriers will venture this far into the wilderness...). Ardshiel Hotel will happily put you up if weather really bad (and have nearly 2000 Malts to sample so stays are not arduous). Tesco's and Co-Op in town so you will not go hungry or normal restaurants and carry-outs.

You won't believe the prices if I tell you so look them up for yourself. Suffice to say it compensates for my petrol and time!!!

All I need to do is another couple of reviews and I will get my Argyll and Bute Tourism Board Badge!!!
 
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