Mull of Kintyre

Lots of different advice. All of it good and correct - in the right circumstances. I have been both ways round the Mull on several occasions, both with crew and alone in boats of 26 and 28 feet. I have always had a splendid sail, but I have never gone west about with ANY west in the wind nor east with any east in the wind.
You can never be sure of the weather forecast, nor of the sea state, especially if there has been much wind in previous days. I have been caught out further up the west coast when wind and sea were not as expected, and remember thinking that I was glad I wasn't coming round the Mull that day.
 
It may be a F4 or even a F5 but you will find the wind accelerates appreciably round the headland and this is true for quite a bit offshore. You might find it as much as F8 at times.
I'm not particularly keen on the Crinan but it's there to provide a safe passage. In this instance I would take it.

Regards
Donald
 
When we went round last year it seemed to be taking ages to get from Campbeltown to Sanda sound. We aimed to get there when the tide went fair so were plugging the tide all the way to Deas Point. If you leave from Sanda having got there on the previous fair tide it seems much easier. That strategy depends on having decent weather to anchor at Sanda though.
 
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Hi lots of good info for rounding the mull ,surely spring & neaps must have big effect on sea state given the amount of water heading in /out of Irish sea ranging between 7- 10 mtrs , also there are a couple of references to Pladda has anyone info on inside passage.
 
Did it once, at high tide, in a 19ft boat that drew 18 ins with keel u. Wasn't my boat and I don't think I'll be doing it again.
 
Homer Simpson's Lovechild said:
Wouldn't recommend going inshore of Pladda in anything drawing much more than a Zodiac !
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In the old days when the Scottish Series was called the Tomatin Trophy, it included a race from Campbeltown to Tarbert, Arran to be left to port, Pladda not mentioned that year, I did not feel comfortable about it but we were racing and the rest of the fleet followed the lead boat through. They also used the Arranman Barrels as a turning mark the day before on the way to C'town, more than one boat spent the night waiting for the tide to come back.
 
Spyro said:
I've never seen any drying rocks at low tide so there probably is a way through at certain times of the tide. I don't think is worthwhile trying it.
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Picked my way through using mk.1 eyeball last summer just off low tide in a motorboat drawing around 3 feet. Was clear water and I got through ok with a lot of weaving and a few backtracks. Seems to be lines or dykes of rock extending out from Kildonan. Have also rowed the dink round the whole island at lowish water and it's very very shallow at the North end.
 
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I'm on Easdale at the moment. It looks like a nice day, but it's quite windy and the couple of yachts which have just headed out of Cuan, past here and north-ish were having a good fast trip, to put it mildly.
 
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