Sailing in Scottish Islands

My advice would be to get a set of electronic charts for a laptop, plus Antares Charts and Clyde Cruising pilot books and sit down with Google Maps ( or Earth ) and the charts and have a look at the obvious sheltered spots. Use Google Street map and the photos you can see online.
Then do an internet search on places that might interest you and read the pilot books. It's amazing what you can find out.
I'd then sit down with the charts and a simple navigation program and workout a route, being realistic about transit speeds and times and decide how you much time you want to spend sailing and exploring on shore. My initial rule of thumb was to plan to spend a minimum of a day exploring on shore, but this need to be adaptive, you may get stuck somewhere for a day or two with bad weather.
Tidal steams can be strong at the obvious tidal gates, elsewhere they tend to be in the 1 knot 'ish range, well worth having with you but not a disaster if you have to stem it for a while.
The tidal range is quiet variable, from 1m or less around Gigha to 4m 'ish further north
There's a lot of sheltered water to sail in and a few exposed bits which need extra care and planning, for example, rounding the Mull of Kintyre, the bit between Easdale Island Island and Fladda, or round Ardnamurchan Point.
Generally most places are quiet, but the obvious honey pots eg ,Oban and Tobemory get very busy, once you get north of Sky it much quieter.
I hope this helps, and isn't too obvious. but it the method I use when planning a trip to places I haven't been before.
 
Read as much as you can in advance, to get a feel for the place. The CCC directions are essential, their companion Cruising Scotland is very good as a first appetizer, and if you want a more extensive background, The Scottish Isles by Hamish Haswell Smith is a must.[/QUOTE]

Agree with Westhinder, as above. Haswell Smith's book is an amazing piece of work and well worth having. Clyde Cruising Club pilots are excellent. Don't forget midge repellent for when you go ashore and give me a shout if you plan to visit Arisaig.
Chris
 
Magical sailing ground, extend it to the outer hebrides and the nw of Scotland and you are in heaven. Don't make any plans at all, just have the charts and pilot books of the whole est and north of scotland. When you get there, just follow the wind, plan each day according to the forecast, the area is so varied and has so much to explore its no hardship at all to retrace your steps and look into different islands or inlets, if the wind shifts against you, rather than trying to force preconceived plans and ideas into reality.
 
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steve yates said:
Magical sailing ground, extend it to the outer hebrides and the nw of Scotland and you are in heaven. Don't make any plans at all, just have the charts and pilot books of the whole est and north of scotland. When you get there, just follow the wind, plan each day according to the forecast, the area is so varied and has so much to explore its no hardship at all to retrace your steps and look into different islands or inlets, if the wind shifts against you, rather than trying to force preconceived plans and ideas into reality.
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Despite what I said above, I agree with you entirely, lick your finger hold it up and off you go. But it is winter, the OP can put a plan together, bound to be more fun than the election as long as he regards it as an aspiration with a load of choices, when he comes back the second time he, like the rest of us can set off where the weather tells him.
 
jusw said:
In intend spending much of next summer sailing the "Inner Hebrides"

Its not an area I know, so could forumites suggest "must see" areas so I can plan a sensible worthwhile itinery ?

(any parts to be avoided would also help,

Thanks Jusw
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The raised beaches on the west side of Jura are well worth a visit. There are not many geological features where the UK has the best example in the world, but Jura's raised beaches is one of them.
 
jusw said:
In intend spending much of next summer sailing the "Inner Hebrides"

Its not an area I know, so could forumites suggest "must see" areas so I can plan a sensible worthwhile itinery ?

(any parts to be avoided would also help,

Thanks Jusw
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Absolutely plenty of choice. Go where the wind and tide will let you. Leave nothing but smiles and take away good memories. It is not so easy to do if you have a tight time schedule as you need to accept you might get weather bound for a few days here and there. That's part of the magic. If the weather was reliable it would be heaving with boats all the time. Sometimes May/June is lovely, sometimes it's decidedly not! July and August get called summer elsewhere but frequently are something else around here! If you can cope with 15C heatwaves you'll be fine!
 
steve yates said:
Magical sailing ground, extend it to the outer hebrides and the nw of Scotland and you are in heaven. Don't make any plans at all, just have the charts and pilot books of the whole est and north of scotland. When you get there, just follow the wind, plan each day according to the forecast, the area is so varied and has so much to explore its no hardship at all to retrace your steps and look into different islands or inlets, if the wind shifts against you, rather than trying to force preconceived plans and ideas into reality.
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That is exactly what I did. I had a good idea of what might be interesting places but left the itinerary for when I got there and could judge what was going to be possible given the weather. Had a wonderful time, knowing full well that what I had to give a miss was enough for several more trips
 
Don’t underestimate the value of Antares Charts. Particularly if you install them in an iPad so you can use them like you would a chart plotter. They are enormously more detailed than standard charts like navionics and if you like anchoring and exploring little coves, they are an absolute must!
 
claymore said:
Its a terrible area - rain, midgies, ticks, slugs, webcraft, expensive beer and whisky. Summer is Gaelic for monsoon season - are you sure?
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You missed out the plethora of unmarked rocks, quite often named after those who were stranded on them. :biggrin-new:
Then, of course, there are the natives. These posts have included invitations from some to visit their fiefdoms. A review of "The Wicker Man" film may explain why!
 
Ian_Edwards said:
My advice would be to get a set of electronic charts for a laptop, plus Antares Charts and Clyde Cruising pilot books and sit down with Google Maps ( or Earth ) and the charts and have a look at the obvious sheltered spots. Use Google Street map and the photos you can see online.
Then do an internet search on places that might interest you and read the pilot books. It's amazing what you can find out.
I'd then sit down with the charts and a simple navigation program and workout a route ,,,,
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I'm with you, right up till the last bit. Scottish weather is so unpredictable that planning a route in advance is often impractical. I'd get a rough idea of places to go, take information with me and then wander around, never trying to think more than a day or two ahead and enjoying the serendipity. Or at least that's how I do it.
 
northcave said:
Don’t underestimate the value of Antares Charts. Particularly if you install them in an iPad so you can use them like you would a chart plotter. They are enormously more detailed than standard charts like navionics and if you like anchoring and exploring little coves, they are an absolute must!
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To be fair, many of us were using these small anchorages long, long before Antares cames along, so they aren't really a must.
 
JumbleDuck said:
To be fair, many of us were using these small anchorages long, long before Antares cames along, so they aren't really a must.
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+1. I'm not knocking the charts, or the fantastic effort that Bob has put in. They fairly show up the UKHO who are still issuing charts, parts of which are based on original surveys carried out in the 1840s.
 
The Imray charts are adequate for a first time visit - along with the CCC's pilot books. Don't rely too much on electronic charts at big magnification - they are based on old surveys with a dubious datum (although Antares are spot on). Mk1 eyeball is quite good.

Midges are only a problem on the shore; and IME have not been so troublesome the last couple of years.

There is plenty to see for a novice to the arae, but I would especially recommend the Small Isles - south of Skye (Canna/Muck/Eigg/Rum). Its one my favourite areas - magnificent view of the Cullins and the mainland mountains E of Mallaig. From Tobermory, head for Coll, then Canna is an easy sail (26M), which takes you well clear of the tides of Ardnurmurchan. Try to visit the lochs on the west coast of Skye, or even the Outer Hebrides - Eriskay is only 30M away.

Try to be self sufficient - stock-up as and when possible; huge Tescos in Oban, smallish Coop in Tobermory, otherwise village stores. Fresh water may not be alongside - be economical and have a jerrycan. Diesel in many places N of Tobermory is from fishermans' pumps which require a key (which you won't have), so fill the tank at Oban or Tobermory (and that is before we get into the question of the possible availability of white diesel - but let's not go there...).
 
There's a useful, large Co-op near the pontoon at Kyle of Lochalsh.

Diesel is also available at Arisaig (but not cheap).

Derek
 
Minchsailor said:
......so fill the tank at Oban or Tobermory (and that is before we get into the question of the possible availability of white diesel - but let's not go there...).
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At Tobermory, unless filling with a large quantity of diesel, get your cans filled with white at the garage. White benefits from the island subsidy which red doesn't attract.
 
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