Crinan Canal Opinion Survey

[penfold]

That's just bonkers.

In Ye Olde Days (the 90s) the sealocks were operational till 8.30pm in the summer. And it's not a 5.30 closedown now; it can be as early as 4pm - that's when they chained up Dunardry last time we transited. In the morning they locked two sets of boats up before finally allowing us down at 11am, which makes no sense at all.

 

[Quandary]

Current transit times from someone who does it most days.
The on line booking system invites you to turn up at 08-30 so most people do, but on school days (in fact all days) the bridge will not swing before 09-00. If you make the first locking with three other boats you are admitted to the basin, the inland locks are smaller so one boat usually has to wait while all the lock keepers assist the first three up through the 4 locks still designated as construction sites. Takes them around 90 mins to two hours, when they come back down to admit the next four, only two of which will fit in lock 2 with the boat already waiting. these three will clear lock 4 around mid-day. 40 mins, to Cairnbaan then 15 mins. per lock up if nothing is coming down, 2 hours for the two flights then an hour to Crinan. If a boat is you wait at the bridge. The first three boats will reach Crinan mid afternoon. the second three a couple of hours later, they may not get there in time to lock out, the rest are better staying overnight at Cairnbaan where there is a pub and shooting through in about 3-4 hours from there in the morning. It was faster years ago when your kids did the locks for you.

As someone who opts to take the passage round the Mull at least once a year I dispute that it is boring, great tides and winds that don't just blow up and down but can give a proper reach. A surfeit of interesting places to stop, Skipness, Carradale, Campbeltown, Sanda, ( Glenarm, Ballycastle , Rathlin) Port Ellen, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Craighouse, Gigha, Lussa etc. I have yet to fully explore all of them. You also have the option to take the Sound of Islay straight to Loch Tarbert or Colonsay then on to Iona.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Current transit times from someone who does it most days.
The on line booking system invites you to turn up at 08-30 so most people do, but on school days (in fact all days) the bridge will not swing before 09-00. If you make the first locking with three other boats you are admitted to the basin, the inland locks are smaller so one boat usually has to wait while all the lock keepers assist the first three up through the 4 locks still designated as construction sites. Takes them around 90 mins to two hours ....

Is this a temporary thing because of the construction-site-ness? Because otherwise what possible reason could there be for waiting for the first three boats to clear 4 before letting others into 2?

A couple of years ago we spent a day in the basin at Crinan, and I was amazed at how few boats came through. It was a nice day in the middle of summer when in Ye Ancient Times I'd have expected four boats to turn up every hour or so, but only four boats (two pairs) came through in the whole day.

 

[Quandary]

Yes it is temporary since the canal reopened 6 weeks ago, however if they recognize that the new lock 3 is dangerous to to the young, old and inexperienced, (danger of crushing or fractures) they may decide that it may have to continue indefinitely or until someone owns up to the error and decides they need to fix it. Pinning down mistakes in a quango like this can take a very long time, it has been examined this week by SCs head of operations, he will be a brave man if he lets the hoi polloi loose on it.
Part of the current problem is that they are still expecting assistance from the construction workers, for instance the sea lock sluices are lifted by strops tied to the jib of a digger. Lock 2, the sluices are automated but the gates are not so I expect they will now continue to operate those. Last year, depending on who was manning the sea lock,my normal expectation would be to clear Lock 4 by 10-00 and be on the Cairnbaan flight by 11-00.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Yes it is temporary since the canal reopened 6 weeks ago, however if they recognize that the new lock 3 is dangerous to to the young, old and inexperienced, (danger of crushing or fractures) they may decide that it may have to continue indefinitely or until someone owns up to the error and decides they need to fix it. Pinning down mistakes in a quango like this can take a very long time, it has been examined this week by SCs head of operations, he will be a brave man if he lets the hoi polloi loose on it.
Part of the current problem is that they are still expecting assistance from the construction workers, for instance the sea lock sluices are lifted by strops tied to the jib of a digger. Lock 2, the sluices are automated but the gates are not so I expect they will now continue to operate those. Last year, depending on who was manning the sea lock,my normal expectation would be to clear Lock 4 by 10-00 and be on the Cairnbaan flight by 11-00.

Thanks. Plans for this summer now stress words like "Peel" and "Kirkcudbright" rather more than "Mull" or "That Damned Ditch".

 

[Deleted member 36384]

... I dispute that it is boring ...

With the greatest respect, please don't dispute my view that it is boring. I respect that you think it is the best thing since sliced bread but I find the vista to be dull with no redeeming features; an experience to be gotten over with as fast as possible. The tides and winds are no more challenging than anywhere else with tides and winds. The destinations you mention are irrelevant to the dullness of the passage, being destinations, all of which are best served by a MOK passage rather than a canal transit. Going north of Luing and transiting through the canal, as a leisure sailor, I find it far more interesting, entertaining and stimulating than the bland MOK trip. Both my last 2 transits, single handed with pilot assistance were fast, relaxing experiences that were most enjoyable: scenery, wildlife, pleasant people, opportunity for good food and a boat that was clean, beyond the foam marks on the hull that just washed off with a sponge and soapy water, plus two fantastic marina destinations an hour, hour and half out the lock, never mind all the beautiful places to anchor at each end of the canal, if we want to include destinations as reasons for selecting a passage. If some people are to be believed a canal experience is worse than working at the coal face where dirt is concerned, takes days to transit, have their sensibilities assaulted by surly people and they have to sail, sprint for days more to get anywhere. Obviously current works are limiting but one hopes they will be completed soon and become a thing of the past.

If we are counting MOK transits, about 1 per fortnight, for 8 years, over 4 months per year + a few more in the following 21 years.

 

[Quandary]

You surely must have liked something about it once to have repeated it so frequently, but that does explain why you are so bored now.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

You surely must have liked something about it once to have repeated it so frequently, but that does explain why you are so bored now.

It was a job, sail training paid employment, and going through the canal was not an option, it was like a commute, slog down, round the MOK, slog onwards to somewhere. Later when I moved jobs some clients liked the canal and then later again when I only sailed for my own leisure, I looked forward to a Crinan transit as part of my leisure time, which I still do.

You know me, my cynicism is exaggerated, last time round the MOK was with my son and it was great, Ghigha to Lamlash, good music playing, his first time with me rounding the MOK, good craic, fine food, sunny blue sky, good sailing until the wind died.

 

[steve yates]

With the greatest respect, please don't dispute my view that it is boring. I respect that you think it is the best thing since sliced bread but I find the vista to be dull with no redeeming features; an experience to be gotten over with as fast as possible. The tides and winds are no more challenging than anywhere else with tides and winds. The destinations you mention are irrelevant to the dullness of the passage, being destinations, all of which are best served by a MOK passage rather than a canal transit. Going north of Luing and transiting through the canal, as a leisure sailor, I find it far more interesting, entertaining and stimulating than the bland MOK trip. Both my last 2 transits, single handed with pilot assistance were fast, relaxing experiences that were most enjoyable: scenery, wildlife, pleasant people, opportunity for good food and a boat that was clean, beyond the foam marks on the hull that just washed off with a sponge and soapy water, plus two fantastic marina destinations an hour, hour and half out the lock, never mind all the beautiful places to anchor at each end of the canal, if we want to include destinations as reasons for selecting a passage. If some people are to be believed a canal experience is worse than working at the coal face where dirt is concerned, takes days to transit, have their sensibilities assaulted by surly people and they have to sail, sprint for days more to get anywhere. Obviously current works are limiting but one hopes they will be completed soon and become a thing of the past.

If we are counting MOK transits, about 1 per fortnight, for 8 years, over 4 months per year + a few more in the following 21 years.

Apart from the [leasure of Quandrys company, I must admit I found the canal transit itself quite boring, and would take the mull option every time unless I happened to be at top of the firth of clyde anyway. Though it is useful for antifouling

 

[Deleted member 36384]

The canal will be one of those things that when it's shut for good, everyone will say they miss it and what a fine thing it was and how much they enjoyed using it. C'est la vie: old, decrepit, inefficient things and rose tinted glasses.

 

[Mark-1]

Deleted.

(Not as hilarious as it seemed when I wrote it!)

 

[ctva]

There has been a really good response to the survey so far. It closes on 21/6, so please if you have not completed it (5 mins), I would urge you to do so as it is all for our long term benefit.

Crinan Canal 2021 Availability

 

[ctva]

Deleted.

(Not as hilarious as it seemed when I wrote it!)

You should let us be the judge of that!!