Mooring fields

dunedin

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My dinghy stays in the garage. Even when I went round Uk I never took a dinghy. Too much hassle.
But you consequently you probably missed most of the places many others think are the best. We have our dinghy on davits as used so often. Last year in Orkney anchored 5 times in one day, each time at a different island and went ashore by dinghy. None had a harbour or pontoon.

PS Did you go round the UK (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) or parts of southern Britain ? NW of the Caledonian Canal is where dinghy is of most use.
 

johnalison

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Daydream believer

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In a previous thread he argues vociferously that NW of the Caledonian Canal is of no interest and therefore does not exist in his mind.
It is not so much a case of no interest as more unsuitable for a SH sailor who cannot sit on anchor. I do not like the idea of being stuck in a rocky anchorage at night when the wind changes. Struggling to pull an anchor up at night whilst dragging to the shore, then having to find somewhere else to go does not excite me. To be honest I do not feel it is a good plan for a SH sailor in the first place anyway. That being said many do it & fair play.
What does the NW coast have different anyway? Once you have seen one rocky crag you have seen an awful lot. Even if you stick a bit of snow on the top for the chocolate box pic . Having spent a long time living in the border country, as a child & adult, I have walked more than my fair share of miles in the hills. So trudging through heather & rabbit droppings, no longer holds much excitement either.
 

Clancy Moped

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In Mahon on Menorca they have a similar system, without the fingers just a pontoon in the centre
We've been on Clementina island in Mahon, it seemed a bit odd at the time. The port authority put you on one of the three at the time depending on your nationality. It reminded of us of It's a Knock Out with Eddie Waring.
 

johnalison

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It is not so much a case of no interest as more unsuitable for a SH sailor who cannot sit on anchor. I do not like the idea of being stuck in a rocky anchorage at night when the wind changes. Struggling to pull an anchor up at night whilst dragging to the shore, then having to find somewhere else to go does not excite me. To be honest I do not feel it is a good plan for a SH sailor in the first place anyway. That being said many do it & fair play.
What does the NW coast have different anyway? Once you have seen one rocky crag you have seen an awful lot. Even if you stick a bit of snow on the top for the chocolate box pic . Having spent a long time living in the border country, as a child & adult, I have walked more than my fair share of miles in the hills. So trudging through heather & rabbit droppings, no longer holds much excitement either.
That raises the very driftological question of what makes good cruising ground. I see people extolling the virtues of places that by virtue of climate, hazards and lack of habitation make them destinations I would dream of visiting. For what it’s worth, a prime requirement for me is that the area should have interesting places to visit when I go ashore. I like a bit of rocky scenery, as in the West Country or Sweden, but am equally happy on the sandy shores of the Southern Baltic with lots to see ashore.
 

zoidberg

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I like a bit of rocky scenery, as in the West Country or Sweden, but am equally happy on the sandy shores of the Southern Baltic with lots to see ashore.
Lots of pretty girls soaking up the rays. Easier on the eye than miles of planted pine trees.
 

ianat182

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About ten yachts moored to a large buoy when I visited Cherbourg immediately after the hurricane in the 80's when the marina was partially broken
Each yacht used a fender at the bow and between yachts. It was easy to extract by going astern, and those without tenders shared with others.
I remember also some rallies at Osborne Bay that " daisy petal " moored to do similar .
 
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