North East Scotland

gandy

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Hi,
We're planning to get a small sailing cruiser, maybe 22'-25' for weekend sailing, and occasional longer trips. Before we get down to finding a boat, we need to decide where we're going to keep it. We're based in Aberdeenshire, and would welcome suggestions about the pros and cons of the various options:

East Coast - various options including Stonehaven, Peterhead, Arbroath. These would be closest, but probably limit us to day trips. Not much (any?) shelter along the coast. Some mooring quite cheap.

Tay - not sure whether there are any suitable harbours/marinas for yachting use

Forth - Port Edgar? Further away, more varied local sailing area, can't get them to tell me how much a mooring costs.

Moray Firth - nice area, again not sure how to go about finding a berth

Any suggestions, or feedback/correction of my notes would be welcome.

Tony S

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Aja

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Go west, young man. The drive is worth it. I'm originally from Muchalls and my parents drove to Tighnabruaich. Not easy in the early sixties - a lot easier now. Indeed I would recommend anywhere in the Oban area.

Regards

Donald

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Gordonmc

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www.sailscotland.co.uk is a good starting off point for finding about moorings and pontoon berths around the coast, although I don't have much reason to believe it is updated regulalrly. As I say, a starting off point.
The problem with the East coast are the vast distances between places of refuge/interest plus exposure to the North Sea. I was at Arbroath on Wednesday and watched a Westerly fight what looked to me like a huge surge to get out the the basin. A shame because the small marina looks the part.
Mr. Beaton's suggestion of the West Coast is sound, depending on where in Aberdeenshire you live. Its a big county. If you are in Aberdeen or North of same, the Moray Firth presents some options. As well as Caley in Inverness and Lossiemouth, both established yachting centres there is a (relatively) new marina at Whitehills and one planned for Banff. McDuff, Fraserburgh, Peterhead etc are still working fishing ports and may not be suitable for your needs.

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mikewilkes

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As Donald infered why not consider a trailer sailer. That way you can go over the west or up the moray coast quite easily.
The roads - well except the A96 of course - are considerably better than they were in the '60s.
Anyway it would give the caravan people something to bitch about having to follow a boat!!!

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Rowana

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Where about in Aberdeenshire are you? I'm in Oldmeldrum.

South of Aberdeen, there isn't much. Stonehaven dries out mostly, Arbroath has new pontoons and lock gates, so you'll be restricted to when they are open. Port Edgar hasn't much to recomend it, apart from the fact that it is next door to the motorway. Keep clear of the Tay, as there is no good harbours, and it can be a bu**er to get out of in easterlies. Peterhead is ok, but to get anywhere good, you have to go round the corner into the Moray Firth.

Which brings me to Whitehills - http://www.lossiecc.co.uk/. One of these would be where I would go as there are some nice places along this coast, and if you are a bit more adventurous, then you can go across to Lybster and on to Orkney if you wish. It's also handy for the Canal through to the west coast as well.

Talking of the west, I know of a couple of guys from this part of the world who keep their boats in the Oban area, but although it is a fantastic sailing place, you will be faced with a 4hour (or thereabouts), drive at each end of your sail. Not exactly conducive to an evenings sail if the mood takes you.

I'll snd you a PM with my phone number if you want to have a chat.

Jim

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orion21

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Hi Tony
I would also say that moray firth would be your best bet. Lossie looks a great place to leave a boat and a great sailing area.

cheers Geordie.

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snowleopard

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Port Edgar

not surprised they won't give you a price. you wouldn't want to hear it! showers cold & stink like a sewer. top of my 'don't go back' list.

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Romeo

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All depends where you are in Aberdeenshire. There is no point in travelling a long way to get to Arbroath, Peterhead or Port Edgar. There is something to be said for keeping the boat as close to your home as possible. There is nothing better than getting out after work in the long summer evenings: feels like a weekend in the middle of the week when you can sail in light till 11pm. Plenty of people on the east coast keep their boats on the west but one of my good friends is bringing his back at the moment as he is sick of the travel adn kicking his heals on those long summer evenings. AS said before a trailer sailer may give you the best of both worlds. Alternatively there are always crewing/ charter possibilities if you want to go west for a wee while.

The Moray firth is a lovely and underused sailing area. Seems to me to be a bit like conrwall except without the crowds of tourists and floating cars. Plenty of tidal harbours with space, although you may want to be reasonably near by to check on the boat when there is a big north easterly. My advice therefore is to move house to Portsoy.

Robbie

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gandy

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Thanks for the info already. There's load to consider.

I reckon the gates at Arbroath are more restrictive than a drying basin. As far as I can tell, they are always closed between 19:45 and 7:15, then open around 3hrs either side of HW. The harbour office was shut when I was there, nobody around to discuss.

Peterhead is low priced for a marina (or so I understand) at £70.50 per metre per year. All tide access. You need VHF, 'cos you need to call each time you come in or out - is that normal for marinas/harbours?

Stonehaven is my nearest, and it's dead cheap - around £80 for six months. But I understand there's a huge waiting list. Otherwise that might make sense for the first season while we're getting used to the boat - but it would be day trips only, as would Arbroath or Peterhead.

So the Tay gets a thumbs down, as does Port Edgar.

Several people have suggested West Coast, but I hate the idea of a 4+ hour drive each way.

Thanks again, Tony S

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gandy

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Re: Port Edgar

I liked Port Edgar when I visited by road, but I've not sailed there. I used the bogs but not the showers, and we ate in the greasy spoon. I asked for details but all they sent was info on their training courses.

Do I take it that their prices are high? How much, do you know?

Does anyone have anything good to say about the place.

I thought that the Forth looked a nice place to sail, and there's the advantage of a local club PEYC and chandlery and service places on site.

Tony S

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Kantara

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Re: Port Edgar

Before making my final decision to buy my boat in Ipswich, I rang to check prices at Port Edgar for the rest of the year and for subsequant years. They got all my details and then rang back with a price. I gulped - and went ahead with my purchase. The following week, I went in to Port Edgar to confirm my booking.
"What booking?"
"I rang you last week"
"Yes, I remember"
"Well, that booking"
"Sorry, we haven't any space this year"
"Why didn't you tell me that last week?"
"I thought you were just checking prices"
Ever felt let down? I felt like a pilot who had taken off and then been told he'd left his wheels behind. The nearest place I could find was Peterhead! The boat is now on the West Coast.
Incidentally, Peterhead does have a very fine marina but there aren't a lot of places to sail to - and Rattray Head is a killer in any sort of wind against tide situation.
I would recommend the West Coast myself.

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cindersailor

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Re: Port Edgar

I am based at Port Edgar. Prices are high for the East coast but cheap compared to the west coast and a real bargain compared to The Solent! About £900 for a 22 footer 6 months in the water and 6 in the yard. There are also a few drying moorings within the harbour which are cheaper. They have quite a few sheds where boats can be stored undercover which is useful. I would certainly agree that for a visitor it is not the most attractive place. It is council owned and run and needs some serious investment. Many of the buildings are the originals from when it was a destroyer base in the 1st world war! However, the pontoons are fine, have power and water and most importantly, full tide access which means that you can get more sailing done. There is also a very active sailing school. There are periodic stories about the whole place being sold to a developer but nothing ever happens. The Yacht club (www.peyc.org.uk) is large and active and based in the old officers mess (not as grand as it sounds), although plans for a new club house are fairly well advanced.

The Forth is a good day-sailing area with a few islands to add interest, but almost all the harbours dry so a bilge keel is an advantage if you want to cruise locally unless you are happy leaning against a wall.

You might want to consider Anstruther which would be easier for you to get to. There is a very active club (www.anstruthersailingclub.org.uk) and they have drying pontoons and plans for more, although there is no doubt a waiting list for these.

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Romeo

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While you are thinking about things get your name down on the waiting list for Stonehaven. Its not really day trips only there are plenty of places you could go for an overnight and back the next day with the right weather forecast. The coast from St Andrews to Peterhead is within a one day sail. For a there and back in a day there are pleasant enough places to go: Catterline, Gourdon, Johnshaven, etc/. Ther nearer the boat is to you, the more sailing you will do and the more like minded people you will get to know and see on a regular basis.

If you cant get in have you considered something like a drasombe kept on a trailer down there? In many ways better for day sailing than a small boat with a cabin. Much more room where you need it. All IMHO.

Is Peterhead not Europes busiest fishing port and also a base for supply vessels etc. I suspect you are required to call on VHF because of the large number of shipping movements in and out of the bay. The good thing about Peterhead is that it is the only place between the Forth and the Moray Firth that you can get into for shelter whatever the wind and tide are doing.


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starboard

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Forget the east coast....bad enough in a 70ft fishing boat...You cant beat the west coast but if the long drive puts you off the next best thing is theMoray firth. As already advised good marina's now at Whitehills, Lossie etc and more scope for short passages, my wife comes from the small fishing village of Portmahomach between the Moray and Dornoch firth, this is a quaint place and a nice day sail from most of the Moray coast anchorages....as for Port Edgar on the Forth.....to me it seems the arsehole of the world....a cold and bitter hole!!!!!

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Ohdrat

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Re: Moray Firth

Totally agree plus there's an OK small harbour at Avoch mostly drying but some deep water berths alongside the old wall too..

Inverness Harbour have a yacht haven that is accessible at all tides (mouth of the river Ness).. Fortrose (Chanonry Sailing Club) have anchorages and a wall to come alongside.. excellent anchorage off Cromarty too

Plus Portmahomack has the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.the-oystercatcher.co.uk/>Oystercatcher</A> excellent nosh..

Lybster is an excellent half way house between Moray Firth and Orkneys which are splendid cruising.. lots of old harbours complete with showers and v beautiful...

And if you want to spend a few weeks on the West Coast you can get thro the Caledonian Canal in a couple of days..

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