Is the proposed Oban Marina a good idea?

[webcraft]

Sorry Webby, I have to say you are totally out of line - again, jumping to conclusions. Blue Mischief at no point even hinted he "dumped" in marina berths - he merely pointed out other peoples perspective on the matter and hence he has nothing to defend.

Cliff,

The 'yachties **** in the water' argument has been brought up time and time again in connection with this proposal by folk with an irrational fear of yachties , with the suggestion that we are all vile creatures who like nothing more than to foul our own nests. To see a fellow yachtsman using it as an argument irritates the hell out of me, particularly when it is presented with no comment.

It is particularly annoying that this 'study' was done by canoiests, as part of the function of the new pontoons is to facilitate the launching of canoes and other small craft, in addition to the use of the pontoons as an arrival point for cuise liner launches and a departure point for tourist trip boats. The pontoons in Tobermory serve all these functions admirably.

- W

 

[kyleview]

Semantics. The Oban development will be virtually identical.

- W

Seems a little empty to me unlike Tobermory. Why does the artists impression only show pontoons without boats - a wee bit unrealistic I think as a representation of the view.

 

[fireball]

I've been to Oban a few times - but always by road and always in the winter ... one day I may make it there by boat ...

Webby - I asked earlier in the thread but I think it got overlooked ...

Do you know what the thoughts are about whats going to happen during storms?
Reason I ask is that I recall looking at the Oban webcams during a particularly nasty storm to see the front being lashed with wind/waves ...
Obviously there visiting craft are unlikely to be there - but what about the infrastructure? I would think such a storm would destroy any marina there - unless it had adequate protection - or will it be dismantled during the off season?

 

[Quandary]

Cliff,

The 'yachties **** in the water' argument has been brought up time and time again in connection with this proposal by folk with an irrational fear of yachties , with the suggestion that we are all vile creatures who like nothing more than to foul our own nests. To see a fellow yachtsman using it as an argument irritates the hell out of me, particularly when it is presented with no comment.

It is particularly annoying that this 'study' was done by canoiests, as part of the function of the new pontoons is to facilitate the launching of canoes and other small craft, in addition to the use of the pontoons as an arrival point for cuise liner launches and a departure point for tourist trip boats. The pontoons in Tobermory serve all these functions admirably.

- W

It is a valid argument, whether you like it or not; before my boat goes to its summer berth at Crinan it spends a few weeks in the basin at Ardrishaig with about half a dozen other visiting boats in transit plus one liveaboard, when I move it on there is brown greasy sewage scum right around the waterline which needs a brush and detergent to shift, BW said the scum floating on the water could not be sh** and sent samples to SEPA who confirmed it was. (I do know I should not be using Flash either) There is a shower and toilet about 50 yards away at the sealock to which all boat owners are given keys, the lock keeper who maintains it confirms it is very rarely used. When I stayed in a marina it was the same, many owners and crew just could not be bothered with the walk to the loo even when it was dry.
I suspect that this type of antisocial behaviour may be more common than you think, of course no one is going to admit to it, is it not time we all cleaned up our act?

 

[fireball]

I suppose if quite a few think "well - just this once" ... it soon adds up.

 

[webcraft]

I suspect that this type of antisocial behaviour may be more common than you think, of course no one is going to admit to it, is it not time we all cleaned up our act?

Yes, it is. Ideally boats seen using the heads in a marina where there are facilities ashore should simply be put on a banned list and barred from using that facility again.

Having said that, Tobermory is poor in that it shuts the building the toilets are in at 9pm.

- W

 

[webcraft]

I've been to Oban a few times - but always by road and always in the winter ... one day I may make it there by boat ...

Webby - I asked earlier in the thread but I think it got overlooked ...

Do you know what the thoughts are about whats going to happen during storms?

There is going to be a floating concrete breakwater. That notwithstanding, I would not leave my boat unattended for an extended period on a pontoon in that situation over Winter. Not sure it will be any worse in storms than Dunstaffange can be though.

- W

 

[webcraft]

Seems a little empty to me unlike Tobermory. Why does the artists impression only show pontoons without boats - a wee bit unrealistic I think as a representation of the view.

It's designed - like all such artists impressions - to give the best possible / most benign impression. That is the nature of these things. I posted the pics primarily to show the similarities between Tobermory and the proposed development in terms of pontoon space and lack of shoreside construction. I'm sure you can fill in the gaps . . .

- W

 

[snooks]

Sorry Webby, I have to say you are totally out of line - again, jumping to conclusions. Blue Mischief at no point even hinted he "dumped" in marina berths - he merely pointed out other peoples perspective on the matter and hence he has nothing to defend.

+1

The fact remains that people without holding tanks do poo in marinas, and if one person is seen doing it, it's easy for us all to be tarred with the same brush even when the majority do go about their business perfectly respectably.

Blue M was just pointing out how it looks from the other side of the fence, no where did they state they did it, approve of it or think they can get away with it, you jumped to this erroneous conclusion all by yourself.

 

[snooks]

Having said that, Tobermory is poor in that it shuts the building the toilets are in at 9pm.

- W

When they are open, they costs money to use them.

 

[uxb]

Cliff,


It is particularly annoying that this 'study' was done by canoiests, admirably.

- W

I think you'll find they are 'Kayakers'.... Unless they are in open boats in which case they are indeed 'canoiests '

Anyway, the only ones who launch from there are punters from the shop just round the corner - and the competitors in the Round Kerrera race...

I think the transit marina is a good idea although I doubt I'd use it- certainly not for an overnight stop - it would be too noisy and rolly.. Floating breakwaters are not much use at stopping waves and the marina will be gone after the first good storm if they don't protect it properly.

 

[Quandary]

Yes, it is. Ideally boats seen using the heads in a marina where there are facilities ashore should simply be put on a banned list and barred from using that facility again.

Having said that, Tobermory is poor in that it shuts the building the toilets are in at 9pm.

- W

Hardly realistic, but then you are notable for your remarkable optimism, I wonder how you think that it should be policed, the facilities at Oban are more likely to be targets for vandals than those at Tobermory and in addition will be a bit further away. The 24 hr. changing key code idea is fine where there are robust dedicated facilities close by, but will Oban provide those?

 

[awol]

When they are open, they costs money to use them.

Not if you pay for a mooring or berth. The showers though would be better for half the time and half the money.

 

[webcraft]

Hardly realistic, but then you are notable for your remarkable optimism, I wonder how you think that it should be policed, the facilities at Oban are more likely to be targets for vandals than those at Tobermory and in addition will be a bit further away. The 24 hr. changing key code idea is fine where there are robust dedicated facilities close by, but will Oban provide those?

I don't know the answers to all these questions but I'm assuming none of the problems are insurmountable.

I don't think my optimism is that remarkable - it is just that on here it looks a bit shiny against the almost universal backdrop of doom-mongering and naysaying.

- W

 

[Quandary]

I don't know the answers to all these questions but I'm assuming none of the problems are insurmountable.

I don't think my optimism is that remarkable - it is just that on here it looks a bit shiny against the almost universal backdrop of doom-mongering and naysaying.

- W

Of course its remarkable, and I aspire to share it.

Wind turbines (except on Siel) will provide our electricity needs?
Scotland will do better with independence?
Yachties will not sh** in their boat heads in a marina?
Forumites are open to reasoned argument?

I am sure there must be more.

 

[webcraft]

Of course its remarkable, and I aspire to share it.

Wind turbines (except on Siel) will provide our electricity needs?
Scotland will do better with independence?
Yachties will not sh** in their boat heads in a marina?
Forumites are open to reasoned argument?

I am sure there must be more.

I am not opposed to turbines on Seil, though I was when the project was first announced. Having fallen briefly into the NIMBY trap I have decided I am more of a MIMBY.

I agree that voting 'yes' for independence is an act of optimism. That to me increases the act's attractiveness rather than diminishing it.

If I have ever thought that forumites were open to reasoned argumeent I apologise. That was just plain stupid.

- W

 

[Morven]

If I get the whole point of this development then it is a TRANSIT marina, not a port of refuge and not a long stay permanent mooring marina. Just a place for a quick stop to provision and change crew. If I was organising the charging structure I would load it to penalise longer stays to encourage a good turnover of boats.

 

[CFarr]

I have read all the posts in this and Webby's thread and whilst I agree with supporting a transit marina in Oban I do understand Quandary's concerns and am therefore in a bit of a dilemma.

However, I do think Scotland is missing a trick here.
I am currently involved in organising a charity sailing event to circumnavigate Scotland and the Shetlands using the Caledonian Canal.

Oban is an obvious and ideal start/end point with it's hotels, road and rail links for TV, journo's, supporters and the like but with no shore-side facilities it is really a non-starter.

But, where else on the West Coast do we go?
Fort William is en-route but frankly makes Oban look like paradise.
Mallaig is just too far and so is Inverness.

The only places that can offer what is required are situated on the Clyde so, looks like Largs will be the favourite and win again, even though it isn't on the planned route.

It does seem ludicrous that the most easily accessible place on the entire coast doesn't have a shoreside marina.

 

[webcraft]

It does seem ludicrous that the most easily accessible place on the entire coast doesn't have a shoreside marina.

Exactly. But for thirty years a constant stream of objections and negativity very much along the lines of that shown on this thread has prevented anything happening. Let's build it and deal with problems as they arise - it has been talked nearly to death.

- W

 

[Morven]

There are plenty of Marinas near Oban (Dunstafnage to the North and Kerrera to the West, with Ardfern and Croabh just to the South). The problem mainly is construction costs, with sharp dropoffs and unpleasant winter storms a constant given there is a need for permanent rock breakwaters and for a marina that will only see use basicaly May to September the economics just do not work out.