Oban Marina

I don't know when you were last in Campbeltown but Calum is certainly nothing like you describe above. Stop over one day, you might be pleasantly surprised...

Have not visited since the new pontoons went in, but bringing my boat back from Ireland in a couple of weeks so I may stop in if if I come that side of the Mull and need a few hours sleep.
 
I think the difference might be that the Campbeltown pontoons are not council run, Calum is a pleasure to deal with.

I think that Councils (except perhaps A&B of course) run their harbours better than independent Harbour Authorities, certainly Loch Inver is ten times more welcoming than Ullapool, Highland Council try very hard to accommodate yachts in their harbours as does the Western Isles Council, they will sell you multi stay tickets for Kylakin, Gairloch, Loch Inver, Kinlochbervie and apply common sense flexibility to their use, they are very helpful when you need diesel too or if you want a printout of the weather map. It is one of the reasons we keep going back up the Inner Sound.
 
Is ullapool particularly difficult? Might avoid it if it is.

No, it is massively improved recently, there are visitors moorings and dinghy pontoon now, the staff may even have changed as well, Just be careful not to pick up a winter mooring no matter how abandoned it looks even in mid summer. give it a try and report back?

There is a lovely all tide pontoon near by at Isle Martin, used to be used by the warden when they had one there, top RSPB spec. with long bridge and room for two yachts each side. The island is now managed by a local trust. I used to go there every time the harbour master chased us out of Ullapool. It used to have a 'No Dogs' notice but when I went to enquire about letting ours on to the beach for a pee, the warden confessed she had two.
 
Perhaps I should mention that the price list I posted covers the Oban North Pier as well as other Argyll cooncil piers. There is also the South Pier with its CMAL dragon lady who will try and extract £4.80+VAT for up to 4 hours, that is if you can find a space among the fishing boats.

So what would be the situation at Oban if you were to anchor (looking on Google there seems to be plenty of opportunity to do so) just SW of the harbour and dinghy ashore for an hour or so....? A cruise around Scotland is one of my options this summer so I'd be interested to know if this is typical of the arrangements up there.
 
So what would be the situation at Oban if you were to anchor (looking on Google there seems to be plenty of opportunity to do so) just SW of the harbour and dinghy ashore for an hour or so....? A cruise around Scotland is one of my options this summer so I'd be interested to know if this is typical of the arrangements up there.

Absolutely nothing to stop you. Indeed up until a few years ago, that was the normal procedure everywhere, and in most places around Scotland, still is. Welcome.
 
So what would be the situation at Oban if you were to anchor (looking on Google there seems to be plenty of opportunity to do so) just SW of the harbour and dinghy ashore for an hour or so....? A cruise around Scotland is one of my options this summer so I'd be interested to know if this is typical of the arrangements up there.

It is not common for small yachts to use the piers. You are at liberty (until they eventually get a statutory harbour authority) to anchor wherever you like but there are not many obvious choices. The easiest way is to pick up one of the Cardingmill Bay visitor moorings http://www.obanbayberthing.co.uk/facilities/visitor-moorings/ and leave your dinghy on the pontoon. Dropping crew off on the pontoon is of course possible but leaving your boat there unattended is not.
This year we are promised a new transit pontoons between the north and south piers. It looks like this time it may actually happen so watch this space.
 
Just another good wishes to the new owners from a berth-holder who has stayed with Oban Marina. They are friendly, they seem to have sensible priorities, and an appreciation that it will take time, energy and money to bring the marina back to the thriving place it was. I hope they do well.
 
Have not visited since the new pontoons went in, but bringing my boat back from Ireland in a couple of weeks so I may stop in if if I come that side of the Mull and need a few hours sleep.

We had a pleasant stay there last summer. The town is a bit of a dump but hey, you're from Ardrishaig. Good Indian restaurant on the front, nice wee traditional cafë up the main drag on the left.
 
This year we are promised a new transit pontoons between the north and south piers. It looks like this time it may actually happen so watch this space.
Not quite; the new "transit marina" will be on the north side of the North Pier. The pontoons are under construction at Dunstaffnage and completion is rumoured for August (2017?).
Derek
 
Not quite; the new "transit marina" will be on the north side of the North Pier. The pontoons are under construction at Dunstaffnage and completion is rumoured for August (2017?).
Derek

In any sort of a NWly, the north side of the North Pier is a good place not to be.
 
So what would be the situation at Oban if you were to anchor (looking on Google there seems to be plenty of opportunity to do so) just SW of the harbour and dinghy ashore for an hour or so....? A cruise around Scotland is one of my options this summer so I'd be interested to know if this is typical of the arrangements up there.
On a cruise around Scotland you can find hundreds of beautiful and good anchorages. Oban is not one of them. Pick up a visitors mooring or use the marina.
 
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