North Sea Sailing

[GarethKavanagh03]

Hi /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I am thinking of sailing up the North-east coast from Hull to Inverness, with a possible diversion through the Forth & Clyde Canal to the West Coast and completing the transit from west to east via the Caledonian Canal.

Any comments or suggestions welcome!

 

[Rowana]

What type of boat ? Yacht ? Mobo ?

If you've a yacht, the mast will have to come down to go through Forth & Clyde. There is also a draft restriction, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. Check with Scottish waterways.

I would suggest that north of the Forth, head for Arbroath. It now has a gate and pontoons. You could stop in Stonehaven, but it dries. Next stop is Peterhead, then round into the Moray Firth. There are some nice places along this coast - Whitehills, Lossiemouth Etc. A few other drying places as well.

Depends on your boat, and what you're looking for.

 

[snowleopard]

I've done the trip 5 times in the last 5 years but have sadly never had the spare time to take in the sights. I would still like to anchor at Holy Island. A few tips-

If you use the Forth & Clyde canal, hire a couple of guys to ride shotgun through Glasgow. Maryhill can get pretty rough, the kids take advantage of the fact that you can't get back at them!

There are some pretty long hops between harbours so watch the weather.

Avoid Port Edgar. Peterhead is a comfortable place to wait for a change of wind in the Moray Firth though a bit of a hike to the shops.

 

[GarethKavanagh03]

[ QUOTE ]
What type of boat ? Yacht ? Mobo ?

If you've a yacht, the mast will have to come down to go through Forth & Clyde. There is also a draft restriction, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. Check with Scottish waterways.

I would suggest that north of the Forth, head for Arbroath. It now has a gate and pontoons. You could stop in Stonehaven, but it dries. Next stop is Peterhead, then round into the Moray Firth. There are some nice places along this coast - Whitehills, Lossiemouth Etc. A few other drying places as well.

Depends on your boat, and what you're looking for.

[/ QUOTE ]

We have a 30ft sloop which draws 1.6m - would this be an inhibiting factor in the Forth & Clyde? Would the Caledonian offer a better alternative? Where do you sail from and have you made the trip?

 

[GarethKavanagh03]

[ QUOTE ]
I've done the trip 5 times in the last 5 years but have sadly never had the spare time to take in the sights. I would still like to anchor at Holy Island. A few tips-

If you use the Forth & Clyde canal, hire a couple of guys to ride shotgun through Glasgow. Maryhill can get pretty rough, the kids take advantage of the fact that you can't get back at them!

There are some pretty long hops between harbours so watch the weather.

Avoid Port Edgar. Peterhead is a comfortable place to wait for a change of wind in the Moray Firth though a bit of a hike to the shops.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you made the trip from Liskeard!!!?? If so - good on you! What passage did you make?

 

[Rowana]

have a look here -

http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/

Max depth is 1.83 mtrs, so you'd probably squeese through - just !

Air draft is 3mtrs, so you have to factor in the cost of lowering / raising the mast at either end.

Personally, I'd come up the east coast, but then I live round this area and know it quite well.

If you want to send me a PM with your contact details, we can have a chat if you want.

 

[snowleopard]

Chichester-Inverness & return Sept-Dec 2000
Chichester-Plymouth via Caledonian May 2001
Falmouth-Chichester via Caledonian Aug-Nov 2002
Inverness-Porsmouth Aug 2003

E coast ports visited- Ramsgate, Burnham, Grimsby, Bridlington, Peterhead, Burghead. So as you can see, always in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere!

 

[webcraft]

Re: You could stop in Stonehaven, but it dries.

Lots of yachts come into Stonehaven in the season - there's usually a berth or two available in the outer harbour against the wall (which doesn't dry- plenty of depth). Not comfortable if there's much swell coming into the harbour, though.

Excellent beer in the Marine Hotel.

- Nick

 

[Thistle]

Heard a recent report of boats touching the bottom at a bit less than this.

Maryhill has been known to be a problem but if you plan to be there early the troublemakers are still in bed (ie before about midday!) I'm told that BW staff are still accompanying all vessels as there are no waiting pontoons at the main lock flights. This makes life easy (and at no extra cost): you drive in through the already open gate, throw your lines to the guys, wait while they do the work, retrieve your lines and then drive out at the other end.

Best advice is have a chat on the phone with the very helpful staff at the Grangemouth sea lock.

 

[Das_Boot]

Avoid Hartlepool at night the clubs and bars are full of immigrants. It is also a labour stronghold. so if you vote for the stoopid party (con) you wont be liked. I think the same thing applies to anywhere north of Kings Lynne.

 

[bono4president]

[ QUOTE ]
Avoid Hartlepool at night the clubs and bars are full of immigrants. It is also a labour stronghold. so if you vote for the stoopid party (con) you wont be liked. I think the same thing applies to anywhere north of Kings Lynne.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can confirm this to be total nonesense!

I would STRONGLY recomend you visit Hartlepool as you will find it a warm and welcoming town with an absolutely brilliant marina and great nightlife.

 

[gandy]

[ QUOTE ]
Avoid Hartlepool at night the clubs and bars are full of immigrants. It is also a labour stronghold. so if you vote for the stoopid party (con) you wont be liked. I think the same thing applies to anywhere north of Kings Lynne.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hartlepool seems friendly enough whenever I've been in town there. Nobody's ever asked me who I vote for. Some places don't take Scots banknotes, though.

Tony S

 

[Das_Boot]

''''I can confirm this to be total nonesense!''''

We only have your word for it.

If we dissect your reply the first inaccuracy we come across is Warm.
I think you are trying to lure unsuspecting sailors into your lair whereupon you will give them a good kicking.

 

[snowleopard]

Plenty of parts of the UK claim to offer a great welcome but there's often a sting in the tail. I was once in a bar in Sunderland where they were calling me a poncey southerner. I said "I'm not a southerner, I was born in Lancashire". BIG mistake.

You'll probably know the song "Well keep a welcome in the hillsides...". Sounds great until you hear the last line: "...when you come back home to Wales.

When it comes down to it, you'll always find someone who doesn't like people from more than a mile away (sometimes less, there's no love lost between East & West Looe!). One person may find a port welcoming where the next guy may feel lucky to escape with his life.

 

[Das_Boot]

Hartlepool elected the local football team mascot (monkey) as its Mayor. Need I say more. He is standing again and I bet he wins. Although his campaign is based mainly around bananas he says he is not a single issue politician.

 

[Stemar]

[ QUOTE ]
Hartlepool elected the local football team mascot (monkey) as its Mayor. Need I say more. He is standing again and I bet he wins. Although his campaign is based mainly around bananas he says he is not a single issue politician.

[/ QUOTE ]Can we vote him in for PM? He can't do a worse job than the present encumbrance - oops, I mean incumbant.

Or do I? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Das_Boot]

Better vote for the stoopid party (conservative) or even stoopider party UKIP. At least with the monkey you can have a laugh.