Oban to Falmouth

[Tintin]

I've probably got to get a new (to me) 43ft yacht from Oban to Falmouth in September.

Never done that run to or from Scotland.

Plan is to do it in one go with 3 experienced friends crewing.

Any pointers on pilot books, the tidal gates etc... most welcome.

 

[grandpaboat]

I have done the Irish Sea a few times to and from the Clyde, taking different routes. Reeds and tidal stream atlases for Scotland west coast and Irish Sea and a full set of Charts.
Heading South time the tides for the Sound of Jura and North Channel. Port Patrick is a good stop off but needs to be entered near HW.
Either head for the IOM then across to Anglesey (If you are not in a rush a trip through the Menia straights is fun, NW Venturers Pilot is Good) Fishgaurd, Milford Haven before crossing the Bristol Channel round to Newlyn. Or down the Irish Coast to Rosslair possibly across to Scilly. There are strong tides around the Islands and coasts which all need planning to avoid pushing foul tides.
Of course doing it all none stop means its difficult to wait for fair tides.

 

[Minchsailor]

I've done the opposite trip using the Irsh coast, with a long haul Falmouth - Wicklow. Play the tides in the Irish Sea and you can get about 10 hours of favourable tides.

 

[scruff]

I've probably got to get a new (to me) 43ft yacht from Oban to Falmouth in September.

Never done that run to or from Scotland.

Plan is to do it in one go with 3 experienced friends crewing.

Any pointers on pilot books, the tidal gates etc... most welcome.

Have you sailied the west coast at all? If not, perhaps consider having a season up here before taking her South...?

 

[Stooriefit]

Maybe once you've got there you will be asking why would you want to go from Oban to Falmouth..............

 

[AngusMcDoon]

You can't plan too far ahead for tides much with a trip of that length in one go apart from getting into the Sound of Jura from Oban, as it depends on progress on the day, but they will dominate your trip. The first 500 miles is one massive tide gate.

The North Channel will be miserable, because it always is. You can't escape the tide, it runs strongly all the way across. If it's against you it's probably worth waiting a bit until it's in your favour, round Islay, Rathlin or somewhere on which ever side of the Rhins of Galloway is sheltered.

Both the IoM & RoI are still not welcoming visitors & I don't see that changing soon, so ports of refuge will be a bit few & far between from Galloway to Holyhead. Down the middle I suppose. It's strongly tidal everywhere round here.

Then you've got all the Holyhead/Bardsey tide kerfuffle. Again waiting out a foul tide somewhere around Anglesey or Lleyn may be useful.

Cardigan Bay is long & bleak but not too tidal away from land but the Aberporth range may push you miles out. The Smalls or Ramsey/Jack sounds are another tidal inconvenience. Milford Haven is excellent shelter if needed but that size boat you will need to interact with the port radio if you enter.

Lundy probably not wanting visitors either. There's little shelter there & the tidal range is mahoosive, so it's straight on to Lands End - more tidal shenanigans.

After that the sarf coast lot can take over the description.

Did I mention there might be some tides?

 

[cherod]

Excellent summary Mr Doon ??

 

[Tintin]

Thanks all,

Will be getting the boat back to Falmouth for a refit for an arctic excursion so I'll get the chance to explore the West Coast when I start that trip.

 

[[2574]]

We did Falmouth to the Clyde recently. As others have said, it’s difficult/impossible to get all the tides right. We started off with favourable around the Lizard and after that pretty much ignored the tides. Turned right at Longships, next stop Troon. Left Monday evening arrived Troon Thursday morning. Take a good book and arrange to be off-watch when the tide is foul. Worked for me.

 

[Goldie]

We did Falmouth to the Clyde recently. As others have said, it’s difficult/impossible to get all the tides right. We started off with favourable around the Lizard and after that pretty much ignored the tides. Turned right at Longships, next stop Troon. Left Monday evening arrived Troon Thursday morning. Take a good book and arrange to be off-watch when the tide is foul. Worked for me.

Agreed. I last did it the other direction, Troon to Falmouth. 70 hrs on 36ft LOA (27ft LWL).

 

[Quandary]

When I sold our Finngulf 33 the new owner moved it from Ardfern to Salcombe so quite a similar trip, he hada friend with him plus a local yachty here who has a sideline helping with deliveries, it was done non stop in something like 3 days, can not remember the exact timing, my friend who accompanied them said it was pretty painless. I had the impression they went straight down the middle. The tides are strongest at the start of the trip in The Sound of Jura and the North Channel so it is worth working out the timing for the strongest bits of those.

 

[Tintin]

When I sold our Finngulf 33 the new owner moved it from Ardfern to Salcombe so quite a similar trip, he hada friend with him plus a local yachty here who has a sideline helping with deliveries, it was done non stop in something like 3 days, can not remember the exact timing, my friend who accompanied them said it was pretty painless. I had the impression they went straight down the middle. The tides are strongest at the start of the trip in The Sound of Jura and the North Channel so it is worth working out the timing for the strongest bits of those.

TBH am falling on the side of just plugging away, and accepting that whatever routing or timing we will be punching the tide somewhere.

 

[[2574]]

TBH am falling on the side of just plugging away, and accepting that whatever routing or timing we will be punching the tide somewhere.

Try not to punch the Sound of Jura, you’ll be going backwards......

 

[duncan99210]

Done Falmouth to the Menai and vice versa. Going north we poised at Falmouth for the gate round Lands End and then pushed straight across the Bristol Channel and then managed to time things nicely to catch the flood tide at Caernarfon Bar. Good weather and a moderate SW wind made that an easy trip.
Coming south we hit contrary winds as we tried to cross the Bristol Channel so diverted to Milford Haven wheee we waited for the winds to sort themselves out, then headed south across the Channel before making ground to the west. We loitered off St Ives for a bit before catching the tide round Lands End and so into Falmouth.

 

[Quandary]

There are places to stop for an for ot two without losing any time , a mooring buoy at Gigha for instance.
Leaving Oban, the first two hours to Easdale are not strong so leave around two hours before HW, then the ebb south through the Sound of Luing (up to 5 knots of assist and smooth water), on to to Gigha on the Jura side, from there to near the Mull is not strong so possibly take a break, then on the ebb aim to be at the Mull of Kintyre light at LW (Greenock or Dover) Note that there is almost 6 hours difference between HW Oban and Greenock or Belfast, You then swish down the N Channel with a couple of knots under you toward the Copelands on the flood, when the ebb starts try to close the Irish Coast for some (slight) relief. Copeland sound tides are not as strong as outside. This replicates our annual journey home to Belfast Lough from West Highland Week.

 

[Nigelb]

For several years we kept our boat in Dunstaffnage for the summer and on the hard at Fleetwood over the winter, before bringing the boat down to the Solent. I love Peel and the IoM but our preferred route was down the Irish Coast, skip over to Tresco and then into the Helford River. I have never done this trip as a single leg only over multiple days but the Irish Coast will give you lots of ports of refuge and options for waiting out a foul tide. I do remember one year getting stuck in a tidal gate off Fair Head (going North) trying to get into Ballycastle, not my finest hour, so perhaps give that one a wide berth! I really miss the NW coast the Hebrides is a fantastic cruising ground are you sure you want to move her to the South Coast!

 

[wully1]

Ireland is currently closed to visitors....

Nothern Ireland is still open though.

 

[zoidberg]

Having trundled along that route more than a few times, both ways, I list/annotate the 'all-weather havens' I know I can get into, then do a 'Line Fitting' exercise down the chart, ensuring where practicable that one or other is within 2-3 hours sail/motoring as I go past.

I prefer to follow the Islay-Jura side of The Sound, and the Irish side of the Irish Sea inside the banks, for better progress can be made in a typically western blow where the land is to weather and the seas are easier.

Should the forecast be fair, I'll head south from inside Tuskar Rock, shaping a course for the Seven Stones-Round Island area - knowing I can get into shelter in the Scillies day or night - then bending round past Lan'zen/Newlyn towards The Lizard as the weather and fatigue factors suggest.

Should the forecast not be fair, I'd consider continuing down along the Irish coast, with plenty weather havens/bolt holes every few miles until it is judged OK to head off SE towards the Fair Isles of Scilly.....

It's been my experience that a few days weatherbound in an Irish haven is no hardship. The magic word is 'Murphy's'.....


Edit: And don't get your 'courtesy ensigns' mixed up coming down along the Irish Coast.....

 

[Fascadale]

Done that trip more than a few times both ways, seldom a pleasure

43 ft boat, four experienced crew.........wait for a half decent forecast with little from the south then go for it

About 450 nms, so well less than 4 days. But as others have said the tides will break your heart

 

[Slowboat35]

Edit: And don't get your 'courtesy ensigns' mixed up coming down along the Irish Coast.....

How could you do that ? There's only one to be used so the worst you could do is merely forget to show it!