Oban's planned new transit marina

Sneaky Pete

Sneaky Pete

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Formation of a multi use/short stay transit marina, plus diesel berth, manager’s office, provision for small day boars/ribs and limited use for over winter. Planning permission has been granted, good news another marina due on the west coast.
I hope this is a wakeup call to the owner of the marina on Kerrera, we stayed there over 8 day period in June and although the restaurant has been greatly improved and is very nice the standard of the services provided elsewhere has gone down the proverbial toilet, broken, out of service get the picture not good enough. Time to spend some money on the place.
 
Just a minor point, but not all boats have diesels, and most tenders have petrol outboards.

Another handy facility is a print out of the weather forecast, as - rather shockingly - some of us plebs don't have laptops & wifi !

I hope the days of yotties tolerating marinas with broken planks and loos are gone, people expect a reasonable standard nowadays, not " Vo ist ze electricity ?! ", cold showers and water pump buttons which need more nudging than a reluctant SWMBO.

I was at a tidal marina last week, when I asked the berthing master for a forecast the reply was " We'll put it up at mid-day, as no-one can get out yet "; maybe, but if a force 12 is on the way I'd like to know for planning purposes, like selling the boat and buying train tickets ! :rolleyes:
 
Oban Marina

Having visited twice this year I too was of the opinion that standards were on the way down. Numerous services were not up to the expected level. Pleasant
and helpfull staff and the new owner reportedly has plans for improvement. A wander round the place with a bag of tools and wee fittings would be a start.
 
afterpegassus said:
"good news another marina due on the west coast"

a matter of opinion surely, and certainly not mine.
Click to expand...

It's hardly spoiling a remote anchorage, and a step-ashore facility in Oban is long overdue.

I'm much more concerned about the proposed moorings in Canna, which will obstruct one of the best and most strategically placed anchorages on the West Coast.

- W
 
Thank you Webmeister, I had not made the connection between the Creator and Sailing.
To place Canna as he did is nothing less than a strategic masterstroke, as you rightly point out - wonder what he sailed...
 
Lack of joined up thinking

webcraft said:
It's hardly spoiling a remote anchorage, and a step-ashore facility in Oban is long overdue.

I'm much more concerned about the proposed moorings in Canna, which will obstruct one of the best and most strategically placed anchorages on the West Coast.

- W
Click to expand...

But won't those boats in transit at Oban want somewhere to transit to?
 
I believe the owner of the marina at Kerrera owns the caravan and camping site across the water, maybe he is trying to bring the marina down to the same standard as the camp site.

As said most of the maintenance problems are not big expenditure jobs it’s just minor problems becoming bigger ones because no one cares too much.
 
If you are on Scotland's spectacular West Coast try Arisaig. Arisaig Marine /Marina is a MOST welcoming facility. Nice people, nice cafe, showers, shop. Diesel available during opening hours.
Arisaig in general is a very worthwhile harbour. Good Spar shop, post office, hotels, etc. Helpful "mechanics". Cnoc na Faire Hotel and EXCELLENT restaurant not many minutes walk away at "Back of Keppoch". Well worth a visit - but DO make sure you can get in and out of that FEARFUL channel. Nearly 3 nm of rocks, sand-banks, twists and narrows.
I've just done it for the first time in a F4/5 northerly, solo-sailing my Javelin30 with "Lawrence" Yatchman's Pilot as my guide. GULP!!!
My bro-in-law (Westerly Corsair) was already in and suggested I aim for his masthead light once I was past the FIFTH port-hand perch. There must have been sixty plus yachts moored/anchored - and he wanted me to look for one wee light amongst a veritable forest of masts???!! Still, we had a good laugh about it once safely in.
 
It is a well known fact in these parts that Mr Lawrence pens his descriptions with a view to reducing the number of craft attempting to enter any decent anchorage
 
I called in at Oban marina ast year and to be honest I felt I was very welcome by the staff.

Yes the facilities were not as good as some of the other marinas around but were much better than some I could mention.

That said competition is always good

Tom
 
afterpegassus said:
"good news another marina due on the west coast"

a matter of opinion surely, and certainly not mine.
Click to expand...

As Webby says, any development in Oban is welcome and will not spoil an anchorage. Anchoring in Oban has always been somewhat of a lottery. All the bits with reasonable depths are full of moorings and if you can find a spot, you are more likely to hook onto a big clump of kelp than get a secure grip of the bottom. As far as I am concerned, the only reason to visit Oban is to re-stock on vittles, so I can tolerate the dodgy holding for a short time, but people cruising from further afield may want a secure berth so that they can explore with peace of mind that their boat is not drifting around in the path of the ferries.

Even I would really like a walk-ashore facility on the mainland side. There used to be one (near the lifeboat station) but it was removed for pier developments. We got a berth at Kerrera in June and the free ferry to Oban is great. When you can get on it. Having sold the old (large) boat that they used to use, the replacement(s) only carry a maximum of 12 people and with a queue of day trippers forming on the Oban side, it was always a bit of a worry to trudge back from the shops with bags of chilled food steadily heating up and wonder if we would get on the ferry. And that was in the "quiet" time away from the main season.
 
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