Dave,
Not sure quite what your question is driving at, but have stayed on moorings at Gigha, Coll and Tobermory in the last year, with no problems. Displacement a mere 4.5 tonnes. Have you reason to doubt them?
LJS,
These moorings have been down for about 20 years. I heard a rumour a while back that they had been 'abandonned' from a maintenance point of view.
Cheers, Dave
My understanding is that the formely HIDB moorings, latterly HIE (highlands and Islands Enterprise) were abandoned by the HIE, but adoption by local authorities was encouraged. Some, I know, have been serviced - we saw this taking place in Arinagour (Coll) in'99, and I believe the Tobermory buoys have been "adopted" by the harbour. As for the others, it would pay to seek local advice. Shame, it was a laudable attempt to attract passing trade.
There are still some of the former HIDB moorings at Craignure and also at Salen (probably elsewhere too). But they haven't been maintained as far as I kmow in a _very_ long time. Still, they can be handy for a lunch stop if you don't mind fighting through the weed to get at the shackle...
The Harbour Association have really got their act together over the past year or two and the moorings have funded obvious developments and improvements.
The pontoon is great for tying the dinghy up to, the bins are nearby and you can go alongside and get water.
I felt a bit galled at first by the speed at which they came out and grabbed my tenner but I think that the improvements do justify the cost.
Interestingly when all the boats are in for West Highland Week if you pick up a private mooring no-one really bothers but when there are Harbour Association moorings free at other times and you go on a private one, they come over with all sorts of imaginative stories about the owners not wanting you on there and generally chip away at your resolve until you move onto one of theirs!
Have you actually been on the moorings at Craignure?
I couldn't see any on Saturday when we sailed past on the way to Tobermory, whereabouts are they?
The WHISCA list is excellent, but they also recommend looking at the BlueMoment list, which I try to keep updated as reports come in. It has a few entries that are not on their list. Any updates or corrections are always welcome.
... the next bloke in a dinghy who asks for a tenor will get a few verses of an appropriate aria. They will recognise the fine singing voice as an enhancement to the amenities of the area ......
Yes, but now you mention it, not since last season. They are/were at the north end of the bay. It's quite exposed to the south and east; and you can/could set your chronometer by the ferry arriving at the pier.
I'm more confident about Salen; visited those only 3 weeks ago. But not recommended for serious use owing to obvious neglect.