Scotland jitters

[dom]

Everyone agrees that Western Scotland is a wonderful, invigorating and beautiful place to sail. But for me (Solent based) the 550m odd journey seems quite daunting; quite a big deal if I’m honest. On the other hand I’d skip across Biscay at the drop of a pin and a half decent forecast. My nervousness is even more perplexing in that I grew up sailing on the East Coast of Ireland and am well aware of the nasty washing-machine waves that kick up in a blow; they are far too rebellious to respect a nicely spaced ocean pattern. :ambivalence:

Anyhow I’m thinking about just doing the trip next summer; intended stops are Falmouth and Dublin. The return is against the prevailing winds, but in my job I can just as easily work from the boat within reason, so should also be no prob.

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Am I the only one?

 

[jdc]

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill tbh. We keep our boat in Falmouth over the winter but about 2 out of 3 years we spend the summer in NW Scotland or as a jumping off point for places further N.

The trip from Falmouth is fairly straight-forward: carry one tide past Land's end - the extended TSS is a bit of a pain if the wind is from ahead but otherwise easy enough - and then just trog north! We have stopped in Dublin (Dun Loaghaire or Howth), but try to get to Troon in one go. It's always about 70 hours to Troon, mainly because the wind seems always to be from ahead! From Troon it's no longer a delivery trip but a pleasure cruise. The only longish bit is Land's End to Tuskar (130 miles or so) so less than 24 hours. Forecasts are accurate enough over this time so you won't be caught out. Once E of Ireland it's easy navigation and mostly flat water. I do not advise going up the W cost of the UK, nor visiting the Isle of Man.

The difficult things are (1) the plethora of TSS: off Lands End, off Tuskar and off the Mull of Kintyre. Since tides are strong and we always seem to be tacking it's jolly hard to stay in the inshore zones or cross only at right-angles, and (2) the density of shipping out of Dublin.

 

[Minchsailor]

I did this trip in '13 with my new boat (Rustler 36). Helford - Wicklow - Howth - Carlingford Lough - Strangford Lough - Glenarm - Craighouse - Kilmelord - Oban. " days for the hike round Lands End, otherwise day sails. Could have done it faster if we wanted too. Crew change at Howth. Caught the early morning west going tide on leaving Helford, then everything seemed to go quite well.

You can always leave your boat in Scotland for the winter, then have a leisurely return the following year.

 

[jimi]

I did this a couple of years ago from Falmouth, we went straight from Falmouth to Dun Loaghaire in one go (36 hours) then day sail to Ardglass, then round to Belfast where I left the boat for a couple of weeks at Hamilton Dock.

I then went to Troon (quite a long day!) to pick up the family and we went from there to The Crinan Canal etc etc before going through the Caledonian and back down the east Coast.


The return, should be OK with the St Georges Channel and English Channel being wind on or aft the beam in the prevailing SW?

 

[dylanwinter]

I was worried about how we would get on going up the North sea in Harmony

450 miles - six days - five nights

loved every minute of it

you only go once around the wheel of life and to be a sailor in the UK and not experience Scotland

nuffink like it - I am planning on spending at least three seasosn up there

D

 

[Skylark]

I bought my new boat in 2013 from the Hamble and a took two week holiday to sail leisurely back to North Wales. Last year we took a two week holiday and got well into The Clyde via IoM and Northern Ireland.

The people, other sailors, the scenery, the waters, the marinas, harbours and anchorages are all fantastic. Proportionally more so the further north you travel.

We took delivery of our boat on a Saturday of a Bank Holiday weekend. With so many recreational boats within a relatively small piece of water, I struggle to understand how sailing The Solent gives pleasure to anyone.

Go for it! You will not be disappointed.

 

[LittleShip]

The people, would that be Little Ships crew and the whippetsother sailors, and mobosthe scenery, the waters, the marinas, harbours and anchorages are all fantastic. Proportionally more so the further north you travel.

So when you coming back ...... Be aware for anybody thinking of visiting the Clyde this year, it's rumoured that there will be a small North Wales Mob contingency there during the summer.:disgust:
Make sure the fun box has a substantial lock on it

Tom.

 

[awol]

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Am I the only one?

No, you are absolutely right to be put off. It's not just the journey, it's the misery you will have to endure when you get here. Much better to stay in the Solent, after all all those intelligent, highly skilled sailors can't be wrong! It's bad enough that a mob of sheep-shaggers are coming to the Clyde but do they know that the drink/drive/sail limit is now but a fraction of the southern one?

 

[dom]

Tks for all the advice; so in the new lingo I'll "trog north" and join the sheep shaggers' armada next year - mind I'll only see them until the final few miles as I'll be coming from Dublin.

It's sunny and warm here in London today and could almost think of setting off tomorrow, that is until I saw the F11 forecast for the Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point; love the "Sea State: very rough or high, becoming very high or phenomenal" bit! Still with a SW wind I suppose I'll be OK if I set my anchor north of Larne and then pay out enough line until I reach the Firth of Clyde

 

[FleurDeLys]

"Still with a SW wind I suppose I'll be OK if I set my anchor north of Larne and then pay out enough line until I reach the Firth of Clyde "

Loving your logic!

 

[wully1]

I wouldn't worry much about the TSS off the Mull, I've never seen a ship in it.

 

[mainsail1]

The thing that concerns me most about sailing to Scotland is that we are told by Scottish Politicians that a substantial proportion of Scots want to be rid of the English. So how safe are we in our boats when we cross the border?
Best to sail elsewhere methinks.

 

[jdc]

The thing that concerns me most about sailing to Scotland is that we are told by Scottish Politicians that a substantial proportion of Scots want to be rid of the English. So how safe are we in our boats when we cross the border?
Best to sail elsewhere methinks.

FFS! Bol&^£$. I've only ever been made welcome.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Am I the only one?

When do you intend to come back? I have trogged up and down the Oirish Sea & North Channel for many years. I have found that if you try to get back any later than mid-September there is quite a good chance that you will get stuck in Scotland while grim weather rattles up the North Channel, sometimes getting stuck in a rut of SW-erlies for over a week. I have had to abandon my boat in Stranraer for 2 weeks waiting for the grimness to disperse as the North Channel is a nasty place in a strong SW. September 2014 was an exception though - it was better than August.

 

[dylanwinter]

When do you intend to come back? I have trogged up and down the Oirish Sea & North Channel for many years. I have found that if you try to get back any later than mid-September there is quite a good chance that you will get stuck in Scotland while grim weather rattles up the North Channel, sometimes getting stuck in a rut of SW-erlies for over a week. I have had to abandon my boat in Stranraer for 2 weeks waiting for the grimness to disperse as the North Channel is a nasty place in a strong SW. September 2014 was an exception though - it was better than August.

all part of the adventure in my opinion

D

 

[JumbleDuck]

The thing that concerns me most about sailing to Scotland is that we are told by Scottish Politicians that a substantial proportion of Scots want to be rid of the English.

Rubbish, About half of us would rather not be in a political union with England, but that doesn't mean we have anything against "the English" at all. The only thing likely to diminish the friendliness of the reception you'll get is displaying that sort of attitude.

 

[JumbleDuck]

When do you intend to come back? I have trogged up and down the Oirish Sea & North Channel for many years. I have found that if you try to get back any later than mid-September there is quite a good chance that you will get stuck in Scotland while grim weather rattles up the North Channel, sometimes getting stuck in a rut of SW-erlies for over a week. I have had to abandon my boat in Stranraer for 2 weeks waiting for the grimness to disperse as the North Channel is a nasty place in a strong SW. September 2014 was an exception though - it was better than August.

My general experience - which I think echoes yours - on the West Coast has been that October is better than September

 

[snooks]

It's the bit from Lands End - Ireland that caused us woe on the way up, and then from Rathlin to Islay.
On the way up we day sailed Portsmouth, Swanage, Dartmouth, Fowey, Falmouth, Newlyn (waited a couple of days for a weather window to go north), Kilmore Quay, Arklow, Howth, Adrglass, Rathlin, Islay.
On the way back we did Largs, Howth, Falmouth, Dartmouth, Portsmouth

Pick the right weather window and tides and it's easy, pick the wrong ones and it's not.

Blog about our trip here: http://yachtpixie.blogspot.com

 

[[32511]]

I wouldn't bother sailing tomorrow- Met Office forecast for Ardnamurchan to Cape Wrath is storm 10 to hurricane 12; seas very high or phenomenal.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

all part of the adventure in my opinion

It is, but it can make a big mess of one's plans or holidays, especially for anxious Angles and soft Saxons, who might have a trip home of hundreds of miles.