Portavadie

E

earlybird

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 Aug 2004
Messages
3,942
Location
Cumbria; U.K.
Visit site
Has anyone information on recent developments at Portavadie (Loch Fyne)? I know ther has been talk for some time now, but I was told last week that marina-type pontoon berthng is now available for visitors, with shore facilities being built. If so, this might make a quieter alternative to E. Tarbert, esp. at weekends
 
Portavadie now has a number (200,I am told) of berths and is taking bookings for winter storage. A hotel and leisure center are under construction and should be ready in the near future? So maybe by next season it will be completely up and running and prove an alternative to Tarbert.
Jim
 
We stayed overnight on Saturday.

For those that don't know - this is a man-made lagoon. It is deep. Very deep.
The entrance is narrow probably only 10 metres max between two barnacle encrusted walls. There is also a cill, which at a guess has only 4 metres at high tide. Maybe more.

£1.60 / metre introductory offer. You can stay for the day free.

Beautiful pontoons. Built for today's larger sized yachts/Mobos with plenty turning room to get in/out. We watched a training school boat use them for that particular purpose.

Each berth has its own electrical supply (metered) and the is a water hose for every two berths.

Substantial and plenty cleats per berth.

Maybe subject to a bit of swell near the entrance in a nw'ly.

The Marina was playing host to BAE Systems who had chartered nine boats and were having a BBQ and bit of a fling. Apart from those nine there were two other visiting yachts apart from ourselves in the marina (maybe five or six permanent yachts). There was space for about 230 other yachts so it felt very surreal.

The facilities ashore - although Portakabins - were surprisingly modern, clean and more than adequate for the number of Marina users. Mens shower room was spotless and well kitted out. Reports of the Ladies was similar. There was a laundry room.

We were shown the plans of the development which should be in place by this time next year. They look fantastic, with what looks like the best of everything.

Don't get me wrong - this place will not be cheap as chips. I suspect that the focus will be on attracting sailors from the South - a bit like what Ardfern and Dunstaffanage have done so well. Judging from the prices I have seen for this winters haul out it aint cheap.

Visit while you can afford it.

This place will not be a competitor to Tarbert. Different kettle of fish altogether.

No diesel - reason for us going in in the first place - Doh!

Oh. Yes - that is a picture of us leaving a mooring off Tighnabruaich that they have used on the website....

church.jpg


Donald

Donald
 
Hi Donald, didn't realise that was you who swooshed past us off Inchmarnock until you were ahead and I could see the name on the transom. Like the sail number! Bill - Sahona
P.S. I was hoping for some competition for the Tarbert bunch as the prices are diabastrical for what is essentially a raft-up, but it seems not, alas.
 
Bill

Did you see the photos? QE2 thread on Scuttlebut. PM me your email and I'll fire the rest off to you.
Donald
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top