Craobh Haven Marina

[cdogg]

Rapidly losing heart about this summer and watching the rain bouncing off the boat yet again today, I turned my mind to next summer - yes I know I am getting a bit ahead of myself.

However, having enjoyed the Clyde as a base over many years, I am now wondering about a marina more convenient for the Western Isles. I.e. Mull, Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna etc. and the Outer Hebrides. Has anyone experienced a season based at Croabh Haven? Is it, for instance, a good base to cruise from for a season - what's it like in a blow for berthing and for access. Any notable bad/good points? I suppose the alternatives are: Ardfern, Kererra and Dunstaffanage.

Any comments to brighten up the day would be appreciated.
Thanks
cdogg

 

[West Coast]

Kilmeldford

Would also suggest Kilmeldford Yacht Haven, more based on a boatyard but with swinging moorings for hire and a pontoon berth for loading/offloading. I much prefer this to marinas as the cost is far lower, more security when I am away for longer periods. They have dinghy storage but will bring your boat to the pontoon for you ahead of your arrival if you ask them. Being a yard, they offer good support. There are showers and a laundry, bit more basic than a marina though. Water and fuel on the pontoon.

Is easily accessable by car, reasonable taxi ride from Oban if you have come north by train from Glasgow.

 

[ffiill]

Why not try a little further north-Arisaig Marine.Whilst there is not a Marina as such boats are summered so to speak on Arisaig Marine moorings in Arisaig Bay which is reasonably sheltered and wintered in yard.
If you stay down south the Caledonia night sleeper out of Euston drops you off five minutes walk from the village of Arisaig.
Yard has pretty good facilities including undercover shed;lift etc.and hard standing with electricity.
There is a tidal floating pontoon from which to fuel up etc. and boats are well looked after by yard.
Dont be put off by access with local knowledge only-rocks are quite obvious and marked by perches including the one which says "tourist coastal route"
Get a copy of the old Admiralty Chart 1860 vintage-still pretty good and available to download in part from National Library of Scotland/or a chart size copy for about £8.
Oh and its some of the most beautiful seascapes in th UK .
You are little more than an hour from Ardnamurchan point,the Small Isles,Skye and are well sited to time a run through Kylerea and into the Inner sound /Plockton etc.

 

[Cloven]

I wsa based at Dunstaffnge for many years but I also have a friend who is based at Croabh and we visited many times.

For me, there are two main problems with Croabh.

1. Access to facilities such as shopping etc. Oban is a fair drive away for any serious shopping although there is a small general store at Kilmelford. I can't comment on the onshore facilities (boatyard etc) at Croabh although I did not find the marina staff particularly friendly. However, maybe I was just unlucky.

2. Its location means that you have three "tidal gates" to consider whenever you are going away or returning - Cuan Sound & Sound of Luing heading North and Dorus Mor heading South. Assuming you are heading north then once clear of either Cuan or Luing then you have to consider the tidal streams in the Sound of Mull if heading for the outer isles.

Ardfern is certainly a nicer marina to be based in but again it suffers as Croabh. It is even further from Oban and you need to consider all three tidal gates if heading north. My limited view of the marina staff is that they are very helpful.

Dunstaffnage would be my first choice of those you mention. It is considerably nearer Oban - 5 mins or so by car and there is also a bus service. You still have the Sound of Mull to consider going North/West but we never found this a problem.

During the latter time we were at Dunstaffnage the marina was greatly improved (and enlraged). Whilst this was a great improvement in toilet/shower facilities etc, prices increased considerably and it is now as expensive, if not more so, than other West Coast marinas. I ceratinly got the feeling that they were trying to attract owners with larger boats (and larger wallets?)

Having said that, the marina staff led by Tim were great, particularly on the technical side. No complaints there.

Kerrea was in the process of being enlarged/developed when we were about so I have no idea what is is like now. It is certainly near Oban but you need to cross the bay each time you want to visit. I believe they run a water taxi but I could be wrong about that.

Hope this helps and I'm sure others will be along soon with more info.

Dave

 

[asteven221]

Re Kerrera. Yes they do run a free water taxi all day and it takes about 10 mins to get from Kerrera to Oban centre. Can't remember the time of the first service of the day and the last however. No doubt someone will soon be along to confirm.

Re Craobh. I heard that their fuel prices are shockingly high. Personally I like it as a marine and always found it fine. Likewise Ardfern, but contrary to what someone else said I found Dunstaffanage to be a bit unwelcoming frankly. Others I know have said the same, but maybe it's beter now as this was a couple of years ago. It's a nice marina and location though.

 

[cdogg]

I wsa based at Dunstaffnge for many years but I also have a friend who is based at Croabh and we visited many times.

For me, there are two main problems with Croabh.

1. Access to facilities such as shopping etc. Oban is a fair drive away for any serious shopping although there is a small general store at Kilmelford. I can't comment on the onshore facilities (boatyard etc) at Croabh although I did not find the marina staff particularly friendly. However, maybe I was just unlucky.

2. Its location means that you have three "tidal gates" to consider whenever you are going away or returning - Cuan Sound & Sound of Luing heading North and Dorus Mor heading South. Assuming you are heading north then once clear of either Cuan or Luing then you have to consider the tidal streams in the Sound of Mull if heading for the outer isles.

Ardfern is certainly a nicer marina to be based in but again it suffers as Croabh. It is even further from Oban and you need to consider all three tidal gates if heading north. My limited view of the marina staff is that they are very helpful.

Dunstaffnage would be my first choice of those you mention. It is considerably nearer Oban - 5 mins or so by car and there is also a bus service. You still have the Sound of Mull to consider going North/West but we never found this a problem.

During the latter time we were at Dunstaffnage the marina was greatly improved (and enlraged). Whilst this was a great improvement in toilet/shower facilities etc, prices increased considerably and it is now as expensive, if not more so, than other West Coast marinas. I ceratinly got the feeling that they were trying to attract owners with larger boats (and larger wallets?)

Having said that, the marina staff led by Tim were great, particularly on the technical side. No complaints there.

Kerrea was in the process of being enlarged/developed when we were about so I have no idea what is is like now. It is certainly near Oban but you need to cross the bay each time you want to visit. I believe they run a water taxi but I could be wrong about that.

Hope this helps and I'm sure others will be along soon with more info.

Dave

Dave,
Dunstaffnage quote on their web pages "Strong currents exist in the bay due to the effect of tidal flow in Loch Etive. The prevailing current follows the shores of the Bay in an anti-clockwise direction." Did you find this a problem? Did you need to factor this into your departures and arrivals?

cdogg

 

[Quandary]

My tuppence worth as someone who keeps their boat in the Crinan Canal for convenience and because it is less than half the price of the marinas, ( at Crinan in summer and at the Clyde end when the nights get longer). I visit these marinas frequently as my wife insists on us spending a proportion of our nights alongside a pontoon and we were in two of them since the weekend.
Ardfern - well run, good boatyard and fully equipped and staffed workshop, best chandlery in Scotland, lively village with summer activities, real pub, interesting day trips, Corrievreckan etc. on site parking. Downsides - some slightly awkward berths if you are a long keeler, pricey, (going for the big boat market), 4 hours (ie one tide) further from the Small Isles though we can get from Ardfern to Tobermory in six hours on a spring tide.
Croabh - similar to Ardfern with shop, pub,boatyard, chandlery though all not quite the same standard and in a rather artificial environment, Cuan Sound is a tidal gate at springs.
Kerrera - convenient location as you can get up the sound of Mull in all tides, weathers and conditions with only a short stretch of stronger adverse tide at Lismore-Duart, island atmosphere, large but basic boatyard and winter storage. Very good free ferry over to Oban. Dodgy water supplies and the place is not that well run these days, outdoor type catering with limited menu and bar. Very busy in summer, completely full on Monday night with boats rafting and visitors tieing up in reserved berths ( the staff all clear off on the 5 pm. ferry) If commuting by car you need to find somewhere to leave it in Oban.
Dunstaffnage- my least favoured though it is a bit more welcoming than it was, you can overcome a lot of its deficiencies if you have a car to get to Oban.
Other suggestions are the moorings at places like Linnhe Marine at Dallens Bay, Barcaldine or even Crinan. Many Clyde boats come up there for the summer every year and return for winter storage at Ardrossan etc.

If the OP had been out West around the Isles this summer, the weather in July has been great with abundant sunshine though the winds were on the light side, it was only May, June and now August which have been rubbish.

 

[Cloven]

Dave,
Dunstaffnage quote on their web pages "Strong currents exist in the bay due to the effect of tidal flow in Loch Etive. The prevailing current follows the shores of the Bay in an anti-clockwise direction." Did you find this a problem? Did you need to factor this into your departures and arrivals?

cdogg

Never had a problem with the current but I suppose like anything, you just get used to it. It certainly did not affect when you departed or arrived. The current runs fore & aft of most of the finger pontoons so you allow for this when berthing depending on whether the tide is with you or against you. Obviously the strength of the flow depends on the state of the tide and also whether it is springs or neaps. I understand that some of the pontoons added when the marina expanded to the south side can be pretty shallow at low water. They were doing a lot of dredging a few years ago so maybe this has been resolved

The major consideration on departing or arriving is if heading north west when you have to allow for the tidal situation in the Sound of Mull. The tide can flow very strongly between the south end of Lismore and Lady Rock and again at the southern end of the Sound of Mull between Craignure and Loch Aline. If heading south it is less of a problem as you can keep inshore of Kerrea and avoid most of any adverse tide.

It can get a bit wild on some of the more exposed pontoons if there is a strong northerly wind blowing. However, the outer pontoons are concrete and so break the force of the swell. We were always on an inner pontoon so had no problems.

When we were first based there they would not allow winter berthing on the pontoons and all boats had to be removed or lifted out in the winter. When they upgraded the marina they allowed some winter berthing but that winter several boats sunk or were damaged on the pontoons in a storm. From what I remember, in every case is was a failure of the boats deck fittings/mooring lines rather than a failure of the pontoons. Not sure what the situation is now.

 

[agurney]

Rapidly losing heart about this summer and watching the rain bouncing off the boat yet again today, I turned my mind to next summer - yes I know I am getting a bit ahead of myself.

However, having enjoyed the Clyde as a base over many years, I am now wondering about a marina more convenient for the Western Isles. I.e. Mull, Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna etc. and the Outer Hebrides. Has anyone experienced a season based at Croabh Haven? Is it, for instance, a good base to cruise from for a season - what's it like in a blow for berthing and for access. Any notable bad/good points? I suppose the alternatives are: Ardfern, Kererra and Dunstaffanage.

Any comments to brighten up the day would be appreciated.
Thanks
cdogg

I've been there for the last dozen seasons or so, having given up on the canal, and Kip/Fairlie before that.

Very friendly and helpful staff.

Great in a blow, and no ill effects from the big storm that went through a few weeks ago (one of the pontoons was damaged, but not as badly clobbered as the boats in Loch Melfort).

Very sheltered sailing in the vicinity, and easy acces to the southern Hebrides, i.e. Jura to Mull.

If you want a base for Rhum, Eigg, Skye etc. you'd be better north of Ardnamurchan, somewhere like Arisaig.

 

[MM5AHO]

We have "summered" in Dunstaffnage the past few years, but have used Croabh also some years.
Both have good points, but these are somewhat dependent on your circumstances.
Getting the boat there in early summer, means Dunstaffnage has an advantage being close to Oban and the train back to Central Scotland. Also shops in Oban, and easier drive from say Glasgow.
Croabh is good but more isolated. If you're driving by car every time Croabh is good too.

Not tried Lismore, but pontoons look OK. No idea of facilities.

 

[rhumlady]

One good thing about Kerrera is that Oban is just 10 minutes away by ferry for shopping etc. Another is that Oban is 10 minutes away by ferry therefore making quite a peaceful place to keep the boat. I haven't been up there since the new people took over but spent several years there when Jon & Millie ran Oban Yatchs. In winter we used the boat as a caravan getting away from the kids as much as we could. The point about not having tidal gates is a good one as weekends in Tobermory were common while there.
I spent a number of years in Craobh again using the boat both summer and winter although we kept her in the water over winter when there. I was up by car last yaer and was very impressed with the new office and toilet facilities. We will be going back thats for sure. As far as tides are concerned there is no problem going south but you are at the mercy of the tides giong north.

 

[agurney]

One good thing about Kerrera is that Oban is just 10 minutes away by ferry for shopping etc. Another is that Oban is 10 minutes away by ferry therefore making quite a peaceful place to keep the boat. I haven't been up there since the new people took over but spent several years there when Jon & Millie ran Oban Yatchs. In winter we used the boat as a caravan getting away from the kids as much as we could. The point about not having tidal gates is a good one as weekends in Tobermory were common while there.
I spent a number of years in Craobh again using the boat both summer and winter although we kept her in the water over winter when there. I was up by car last yaer and was very impressed with the new office and toilet facilities. We will be going back thats for sure. As far as tides are concerned there is no problem going south but you are at the mercy of the tides giong north.

Heading south is still a 'problem', you won't get south of Corryvreckan against the flood in the Sound of Jura without a lot of effort.

But why see the tides and tidal gates as a problem? You know where they are, when they'll turn, and the benefit you can get from them, so with a little planning you can use them to your advantage.

 

[dunedin]

Dunstaffnage .......

It can get a bit wild on some of the more exposed pontoons if there is a strong northerly wind blowing. However, the outer pontoons are concrete and so break the force of the swell. We were always on an inner pontoon so had no problems.

From the pictures, it looked like some serious waves going through the pontoons at Dunstaffnage when we had the Force 10+ in May of this year. Suspect Craobh would have been much more sheltered then - albeit not a common event.

 

[agurney]

From the pictures, it looked like some serious waves going through the pontoons at Dunstaffnage when we had the Force 10+ in May of this year. Suspect Craobh would have been much more sheltered then - albeit not a common event.

Despite the shelter, a section of E pontoon was wrecked, I don't know what happened to the boats that were there, if any. The marina staff had obviously been around tying up loose rigging, judging by the amount of extra rope that appeared.

 

[cdogg]

Thanks everyone for your advice and opinions. As in most things there are no simple definitive answers, it all comes down to weighing up the pros and cons as they apply to the individual.

Setting aside swinging moorings (not for me) and/or the need to use a ferry (no convenient car parking), albeit free, I think it has come down to Craobh (annual contract) or Dunstaffnage (summer and somewhere else for winter afloat). As far as tidal gates at Craobh are concerned, it is just something else to consider each time you sail. I remember the storm damage at Dunstaffnage and it is a consideration!

Either way, it was good to hear your opinions.
Thanks
cdogg

 

[pagoda]

Heading south is still a 'problem', you won't get south of Corryvreckan against the flood in the Sound of Jura without a lot of effort.

But why see the tides and tidal gates as a problem? You know where they are, when they'll turn, and the benefit you can get from them, so with a little planning you can use them to your advantage.

Anybody sailing outwith the Clyde needs to realise that tides need to be accounted for.(DS revision?)
It ain't rocket science... you might need the occasional early start - or rather late finish, but they are there to be taken advantage of
We've been at Kilmelford almost 2 seasons and found no real issues. Cuan is interesting rather than scary. For longer passages, provided there is enough wind - you can tolerate a bit of foul tide - or stay away from the coast ?
The biggest difference is maybe the open-ness to Atlantic swell anywhere outside Jura. Not a big deal - but different.
Pontoons are OK, but not really necessary- we had almost 3 weeks recently without them, had to carry water and diesel here & there- again no real problem. Don't be tied to the big marina idea thing?

Graeme

 

[rhumlady]

As far as parking is concerned at Oban It has never been a problem for us. The car park up at the swimming pool is free but we used to park along the esplanade in front of the YHA or around that area. We have left the car for three weeks with no problem. Drop the stuff at the North pier then one parks the car and walks back. If arriving after 18:00 on a Friday for the weekend then we used to park on the North pier and pay for the Saturday. Sunday was free and you were allowed to pay for 8 hours which unlike most places stopped at 18:00 and started again the next day.

 

[island163]

We've spent the last couple of years based at Ardfern and have been very happy with the service we get there. It's also in a very pretty location. Boat ashore over winter and on a pontoon in the summer. The people at Ardfern are all very friendly, there is a good village shop in Ardfern and the Ardfern chandlery is excellent. You do have to time your passages North to allow for the tidal gates but we've not found it a problem. Both Croabh and Ardfern are much easier to use if you have a car. It's a 30 minute taxi from Oban if come up by train.

If you were looking further North it might be worth having a look at the new pontoons in Mallaig which should be installed by now.

 

[DaveS]

Craobh

Chipping into this discussion a bit late, but just to add my 2p worth...

I've been based at Craobh now for about 15 years. Previously I spent a few years at Ardfern, on a swinging mooring, but on the waiting list for a pontoon - a list I never reached the top of. I suspect that actually they did not want my then 22 foot boat occupying a pontoon. I've considered Dunstaffnage, which is in many ways a better location, and in my case would also reduce my road travel time by about 40 minutes each way. However, Dunstaffnage is significantly more exposed and the reality is that boats are damaged there some if not most years. (Did someone mention sinkings?)

No location is perfect, but for what I want to do Craobh suits me fine.