Recommendations for Summer West Coast inshore (motor boating)

[jamiemac]

Looking for recommendations on a suitable craft and outboard for inshore day trips on sea on West Coast around Isle Skye.

Beach at holiday croft is inaccessible by vehicle (down a 300ft grassy steep slope), and is large ~20cm pebbles (no sand).

Typically a lee shore exposed to South Westerlies, placing a mooring is difficult.

Photo shows a couple of Pioneer plastic boats that our neighbour has which seem quite good (as they can be pulled up the beach) but ideally looking to for 7 or 8 person capacity.

A hand winch could work on the pebbles with a trailer maybe.

Would a rib work or do they not store well outside? (There is a good shed for storing outboards)




thanks

 

[ylop]

Rotomolded plastic boats like the Pioner are typically quite heavy. They are robust but dragging them across that beach will cause wear. Standard trailer *may* sink in the pebbles - but bigger tyres (and or more tyres) may be an option. Many RIBs are stored outside - obviously not as ideal as a warm dry shed, but at least in Scotland the UV exposure is less! Depending on size, an Aluminium hulled RIB might be the lightest option.

 

[jamiemac]

I would be interested to know if anyone else has pondered around this requirement, and indeed what they ended up doing..

 

[dunedin]

As you will be aware, the weather and waves on the West side of Skye can be rather “interesting”, so anywhere ”open to the SW” will need to be a good seaboat to be safe. Also, presumably could make landing back on a beach especially interesting. Things can change fast and a very exposed coast.
A RIB might be best when afloat- but personally no experience of using a heavy boat off a stony beach.
Is there nowhere nearby with a more sheltered option to lay a mooring?