Hidey hole for Katie L - Firth of Forth

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

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www.keepturningleft.co.uk
I am planning on leaving the Humber in August and heading for the Firth of Forth

I am on the lookout for a hidey hole for Katie L for a couple of months - mid september/October/mid novemberr where I can keep Katie L and use it as a place from which to explore the area

she draws 15 inches, takes the ground, is 22 foot long, I can drop the mast to get under bridges

my dream place is somehere like Winteringham with a bog and a drying pontoon but I will take anything I can get

 
Dunbar might suit you. Nice litle fishing port, very sheltered. Harbour is silting up, but your shallow draft and ability to take the ground should be OK. Dog-leg entrance is a bit scary the first time, but once you know it, easy and quite deep. Basically, follow leading marks in through the rocks unil the second set of leading marks in the harbour itself opens up.

You won't find much mud in the Firth of Forth!
 
been looking up stream

seems to be plenty around

yum yum

D

thanks for the suggestion - I shall make enquiries




just looked on GE

great place for a visit

but maybe not for two months - would like something further upstream
 
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On the River Carron at Grangemouth? Click the link below and the pontoons should be visible in the middle of the map - lots of mud there!
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=gr...ear=Grangemouth,+Falkirk,+United+Kingdom&z=16
Somewhat industrial...
Further up the River Carron, immediately west of the M9 is the current entrance to the Forth & Clyde Canal. PM me if you want some info on the canal transit.
See http://www.fyca.org.uk/members.htm for other ideas.

EDIT:
The Falkirk Wheel is part way along the F&C Canal at the junction of it and the Union Canal - http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/ Some folk go into the F&C and back out, simply for a shot on the wheel! :p
 
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A1Sailor said:
On the River Carron at Grangemouth? Click the link below and the pontoons should be visible in the middle of the map - lots of mud there!
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=gr...ear=Grangemouth,+Falkirk,+United+Kingdom&z=16
Somewhat industrial...
Further up the River Carron, immediately west of the M9 is the current entrance to the Forth & Clyde Canal. PM me if you want some info on the canal transit.
See http://www.fyca.org.uk/members.htm for other ideas.

EDIT:
The Falkirk Wheel is part way along the F&C Canal at the junction of it and the Union Canal - http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/ Some folk go into the F&C and back out, simply for a shot on the wheel! :p
Click to expand...



and you'd get a great view of these taking shape: http://www.thehelix.co.uk/discover-helix/the-kelpies/
 
You'll find the Forth a bit different from what you are used to. There aren't many places with all round shelter - certainly not with bogs. If you want mud, there's acres of it upstream - and filthy smelly stuff it is, too. Down near the entrance the bottom tends to be quite hard - and there is usually some waves that result in crunching thumps as you dry out - North Berwick is an example. Anstruther is a lovely place with plenty of mud and is the cheapest full marina in the PBO annual survey, although the chipper is a bit overrated in my view.
I would agree Dysart is worth looking at. Also, Aberdour - probably the prettiest village on the Forth and it does seem to be possible to get moorings there.
Above the bridges there are a number of drying harbours with boats (Limekilnes, Charlestown) but I'm not sure about facilities. On the South side of the Forth there are thriving boat clubs at Blackness (Blackness Boat Club) and Grangepans (Upper Forth Sailing Club) with reasonably sheltered drying out moorings.
You will notice that I haven't referred to Port Edgar. All the mud you could desire there but in theory it's an all tide marina. Edinburgh Council are giving it up and as a result haven't spent any money for years. However, they still charge through the roof! I wouldn't recommend it
I'll be interested to see where you end up. I have spent most of my life sailing on the Scottish West Coast and Brittany and have just returned to the Forth with a bilge keeler, berthed at Port Edgar. I have slowly been exploring the little harbours but haven't yet found anywhere suitable for my long term.
 
chrisclin said:
You'll find the Forth a bit different from what you are used to. There aren't many places with all round shelter - certainly not with bogs. If you want mud, there's acres of it upstream - and filthy smelly stuff it is, too. Down near the entrance the bottom tends to be quite hard - and there is usually some waves that result in crunching thumps as you dry out - North Berwick is an example. Anstruther is a lovely place with plenty of mud and is the cheapest full marina in the PBO annual survey, although the chipper is a bit overrated in my view.
I would agree Dysart is worth looking at. Also, Aberdour - probably the prettiest village on the Forth and it does seem to be possible to get moorings there.
Above the bridges there are a number of drying harbours with boats (Limekilnes, Charlestown) but I'm not sure about facilities. On the South side of the Forth there are thriving boat clubs at Blackness (Blackness Boat Club) and Grangepans (Upper Forth Sailing Club) with reasonably sheltered drying out moorings.
You will notice that I haven't referred to Port Edgar. All the mud you could desire there but in theory it's an all tide marina. Edinburgh Council are giving it up and as a result haven't spent any money for years. However, they still charge through the roof! I wouldn't recommend it
I'll be interested to see where you end up. I have spent most of my life sailing on the Scottish West Coast and Brittany and have just returned to the Forth with a bilge keeler, berthed at Port Edgar. I have slowly been exploring the little harbours but haven't yet found anywhere suitable for my long term.
Click to expand...

anstruther looks like my cup of tea
 
EdBeynon said:
Are you heading straight for the Forth and missing out everywhere in between?
Click to expand...

I have six weeks to get there

so cannot hang around too much

running out of money

so after that I reckon I have enough in the coffers for a two week autumn stay in the firth

going to bring the boat home after November and give her some TLC while I save up for the next bit - whenever that happens
 
Dalgety Bay?

I had friends who lived at Dalgety Bay. Often saw bilgekeelers drying out for periods behind the tiny stone pier on a sandy bit. There is also a sailing club there with a substantial slip and a boat park.

Photos at sailing club website:

http://dbscweb.wordpress.com/
 
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Does this mean the whole 'exploring every creek' etc. mission statement is thrown out of the window as you will be whizzing past the Wear, Tees and Tyne? Scarborough, Whitby, Hartlepool, Seaham, Sunderland, Blyth, Amble, Seaton Sluice, Boulmer, Craster, The Farnes, Lindisfarne, Berwick? Some of those will have to be dropped with this new burst of speed?

dylanwinter said:
I have six weeks to get there

so cannot hang around too much

running out of money

so after that I reckon I have enough in the coffers for a two week autumn stay in the firth

going to bring the boat home after November and give her some TLC while I save up for the next bit - whenever that happens
Click to expand...
 
IIRC, somewhere on the North side is a harbour that's been abandoned - at least by the harbour master. It still has walls, sea water now and then, and a lot of mud, but there's nobody collecting the fees. I read about it in the Imray North and East Scotland pilot book, which is on the boat, but some google earth digging ought to help you find it. Or maybe it rings a bell for someone? You might need to befriend a local to keep an eye on your boat.
 
you got it

EdBeynon said:
Does this mean the whole 'exploring every creek' etc. mission statement is thrown out of the window as you will be whizzing past the Wear, Tees and Tyne? Scarborough, Whitby, Hartlepool, Seaham, Sunderland, Blyth, Amble, Seaton Sluice, Boulmer, Craster, The Farnes, Lindisfarne, Berwick? Some of those will have to be dropped with this new burst of speed?
Click to expand...

D
 
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