liveaboard wintering in scotland

baggypipes

baggypipes

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hi
we are planning our cruise to scotland has anyone any ideas/suggestions for good 'not too expensive' places to winter onboard west coast of scotland.
yes we know it will be cold windy, wet...................... 36' ketch twin keel draught 1.5m
many thanks
 
How about the western end of the Caledonian Canal? When we did the canal it seemed that there were a number of permanently moored boats at the top of the Banavie flight of locks. Easy access to the sea but a pretty protected mooring. Not sure about costs but there's a good website here http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-rivers/caledonian-canal
 
baggypipes said:
hi
we are planning our cruise to scotland has anyone any ideas/suggestions for good 'not too expensive' places to winter onboard west coast of scotland.
yes we know it will be cold windy, wet...................... 36' ketch twin keel draught 1.5m
many thanks
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Hmm. You do know, don't you, that the west coast of Scotland is 234nm long as the crow flies (Mull of Galloway to Cape Wrath) and at least four times that when you include the wrinkly bits?

So ... tell us more. Marina, alongside or mooring? City, town, village or countryside? Good transport links or in the sticks? Civilised south or hairy haggis-eating north?

In the deep south I'd warmly recommend Kirkcudbright and suggest Kingholm Quay, just outside Dumfries, if you don't mind drying. Port Bannatyne on the Clyde is £20/foot for the winter. The Crinan Canal is a pleasant place to winter, though with Boat Safety Scheme hoops to jump through since I last did it.
 
Ubergeekian said:
In the deep south I'd warmly recommend Kirkcudbright and suggest Kingholm Quay, just outside Dumfries, if you don't mind drying. Port Bannatyne on the Clyde is £20/foot for the winter. The Crinan Canal is a pleasant place to winter, though with Boat Safety Scheme hoops to jump through since I last did it.
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Might be worth checking the rules however the Lowland Canals didn t used to require BSS for wintering in the sea basins so might be worth the OP looking at Bowling on the Clyde Might enjoy seeing the flower pots and bicycles .
 
Ubergeekian said:
Hmm. You do know, don't you, that the west coast of Scotland is 234nm long as the crow flies (Mull of Galloway to Cape Wrath) and at least four times that when you include the wrinkly bits?

So ... tell us more. Marina, alongside or mooring? City, town, village or countryside? Good transport links or in the sticks? Civilised south or hairy haggis-eating north?

In the deep south I'd warmly recommend Kirkcudbright and suggest Kingholm Quay, just outside Dumfries, if you don't mind drying. Port Bannatyne on the Clyde is £20/foot for the winter. The Crinan Canal is a pleasant place to winter, though with Boat Safety Scheme hoops to jump through since I last did it.
Click to expand...

I think you have hit the proverbial nail on the head, the OP fisrt need to decide what environment he seeks before deciding where to go. Outside the Clyde much of the West Coast is remote from what many might consider civilisation, though some may suggest Bowling is equally remote from civilisation.
 
A point on the need for a BSS certificate. According to the Scottish Waterways website:
"The Boat must comply with the Boat Safety Scheme requirements and have a Boat Safety Certificate within 28 days of its arrival on the Scottish Waterways system. Alternatively you may present a correctly completed declaration of conformity with the EEC Recreational Craft Directive."

If your boat is new enough to comply with the RCD, you get a bye from the BSS. Knew there was a point to the RCD - now I know what it is.
 
baggypipes said:
hi
we are planning our cruise to scotland has anyone any ideas/suggestions for good 'not too expensive' places to winter onboard west coast of scotland.
yes we know it will be cold windy, wet...................... 36' ketch twin keel draught 1.5m
many thanks
Click to expand...

Last winter we left our boat in the water in Troon. The marina is sheltered, it's a short walk to the local supermarket and the town centre. It's not that far from the train and the delights of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Troon not too expensive, friendly people at the marina. Oh and it's a short distance to lots of great golf courses.

This winter we are a little bit further north at Ardfern in Loch Craignish. Lovely place and again very friendly helpful people. It's a long way from anywhere big though so it could be a long winter without some sort of transport to get you to Oban or Glasgow.
 
wintering in scotland

hi guys n gals many thanks for the replies
oops sorry i was rather vague as to where we want to be, at the moment as we are planning we don't have anywhere definate in mind. we just cruise & tend to try to locate possible winter moorings, we had considered the canals, seems moorings may be few. thanks for the suggestions.
 
Hello

So far we have wintered in Seaport Marina inverness for two years very cheap but a bit like being in jail with a boat, the BWs boat safety stuff would put me off, having already done it.
Kip marina last year, excellent, staff facilities, transport to Glasgow, more expensive than most, safe.
This year Dunstaffnage, excellent so far, great facilities, very good wifi, staff that own and use boats, good bus service in and out of oban (couple of miles away). and i think at the moment about 4 livaboard boats here for the winter.
Its probebly the most exposed on the west coast but the staff put us and the others in the best part of the marina, with lots of space and plenty of cleats. :)
 
If you want to keep your mooring costs down, have you considered Arisaig (near Mallaig, Skye, Rhum, Eigg, Muck)? It’s got a railway station, a pub and a restaurant and Spar shop and post office. The moorings are all swinging moorings and there is a landing pontoon for dinghies. The owners of Arisaig Marine are delightful and helpful. http://www.arisaig.co.uk/ . They have engineers and can supply most parts.
Arisaig is at the heart of the best sailing in the UK, and is accessible at all but the lowest tides at syzygy. Arisaig is probably the best value in Scotland.
Don’t expect shore power, but if you have diesel heating and wind generation you will be quite safe in the sheltered sea loch. If you need pontoons and plug-ins go elsewhere…
 
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