Scotland West Coast Charter Choice

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alla_breve

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Morning all,

Situation is this:
2 on board, 1 week charter in mid June, 35-37 ft, like some peace and nature, and occasional town, not chartered in Scotland before, but have my own boat in N Wales so used to tides and rain! Not excessive daily distances (<30ishNm?).

Choice is:
Out from Oban, round Mull

OR out from Largs , and Firth of Clyde/Arran.

Any advice appreciated,
Thanks,
Tim
 
I would suggest you see what is available. Many of the companies are booked up as chartering in Croatia/Greece is not possible.
 
You can easily find plenty to do on the Clyde for a week
the Kyles Arran etc
round Mull more weather and tide constraints perhaps
either should be good
 
Argyll Yacht Charter are in between, at Ardfern. I haven't chartered from them but I've had dealings with the owner after an accident regarding one of his boats. He couldn't have been more of a gentleman. He covered all my costs and offered helped with my transport difficulties. And the yard did an excellent repair job. If I ever need to charter up that way again I would definitely (not 'H') go through them.

Sorry, misread your post. Oban and around Mull, or up to the Small Isles is just beautiful. The Clyde is fab too, only just not quite so fab :)
 
alla_breve said:
Morning all,

Situation is this:
2 on board, 1 week charter in mid June, 35-37 ft, like some peace and nature, and occasional town, not chartered in Scotland before, but have my own boat in N Wales so used to tides and rain! Not excessive daily distances (<30ishNm?).

Choice is:
Out from Oban, round Mull

OR out from Largs , and Firth of Clyde/Arran.

Any advice appreciated,
Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...

Tim, For a first time, hassle free sailing that meets all your requirements it has to be the Clyde, hands down. Great day sails, remoteness, peace, nature and easy access to small towns. A great circular route from Largs, Kyles of Bute, Loch Fyne, down to Campbell Town up to Arran and back is easy and also flexible. Round Mull in a week is perfectly do able but much more exposed and less towns by far. In the FOC if you want a meal ashore or hills to walk, not difficult to do etc.

48 years experience of both areas.
 
If you are into wildlife the round Mull route is best, though the resident Orcas are on holiday in Cornwall just now, the puffins on Lunga will stil be ashore in June. Iona is another option on that route as of course is Staffa, be wary anchoring off Iona as the tides in the sound are strong but the Bull hole and Tinkers hole are close by for overnighting. Go round clockwise so that if the weather deteriorates you have a sheltered route back down the Sound of Mull. However if you prefer to sail all day rather than explore ashore there are too many attractive places to stop at on this route. Ardalanish has the choice of complete shelter in an enclosed quarry like bay or an open sandy beach if it is calm, Ulva sound has pontoons and spectacular sunsets, Gometra has sheltered anchorages, Staffa has a cave, Lunga has posing puffins, Tobermory has pontoons some restaurants and a skilled silversmith, Salen in Loch Sunart has pontoons as has Loch Aline. I have not mentioned the half of it.
I would not accept that the Mull route is exposed, Sound of Mull, Loch Sunart, Loch Aline and down to Oban are doable in almost any weather. If the forecast is strong westerlies you will be going past Lismore and Loch Linnhe as an alternative.
I support the recommendation for Argyll Yacht Charters at Ardfern.
 
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Now that Isle of Skye Yachts have virtually closed down there are very few chartering options N of Adnurmurchan.

Quite a few from the Oban area, in addition to Ardfern try those based at Dunstaffanage. A circuit of Mull is easily doable in a week, and not so exposed as some make out. Even, say, Coll to Canna is nor far, and from there it is an easy sail to Eriskay or Lochboisdale in the Outer Hebrides is you want to go exploring.

Before I had my own boat in the area we chartered from Ardfern (in 1992, a Benny 36) and managed to get to Castlebay in a week.
 
alla_breve said:
Choice is:
Out from Oban, round Mull

OR out from Largs , and Firth of Clyde/Arran.
Click to expand...

The Clyde is nice enough, but it's not a patch on the hairy bits on the other side of Kintyre. Travelling to Scotland and sailing on the Clyde would be like going to the Sistine Chapel to study the radiators.

That said, don't bet, plan or worry too much about getting round Mull. The weather might well preclude that, and even if it doesn't we regularly see yachts hurtling past all sorts of interesting places as they complete the Oban - Tobermory - Tinker's Hole - Puilladobhran milk run. Go where the weather takes you, stop whenever somewhere takes your fancy and relax.
 
scottie said:
You can easily find plenty to do on the Clyde for a week
the Kyles Arran etc
round Mull more weather and tide constraints perhaps
either should be good
Click to expand...

Oban / Mull is slightly prettier, though the Clyde also has spectacular scenery and loads of anchorages.
But Oban (and particularly Ardfern) has some very strong tidal gates - check the tides for your dates, as a 5 am start on the first morning may put off the crew.
Largs / Clyde is more relaxing tide wise, as can pretty much ignore them and depart when suits.
 
I'd suggest that it also depends on your, and your crew's, experience. The Clyde is very easy, with lots of places to hide should the weather turn, and plenty of places to visit (Ardentinny, Carrick Castle, Millport, Rothesay, Tighnabruaich, Tarbert, Otter Ferry, Lamlash, Lochranza, Carradale, Campbeltown). There are also plenty of remote anchorages, where you can have peace and quiet too - so I think Mr Duck is being a little unfair of his description of the Clyde. That said, I know what he means. If you have the experience, the other side of Kintyre offers much more, but you won't do justice to it in a week - a lifetime is needed.

Also, if opting for an Oban start, consider going North at Ardnamurchan and heading for Canna or Isleornsay in the Sound of Sleat.
 
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mattonthesea said:
Argyll Yacht Charter are in between, at Ardfern. I haven't chartered from them but I've had dealings with the owner after an accident regarding one of his boats. He couldn't have been more of a gentleman. He covered all my costs and offered helped with my transport difficulties. And the yard did an excellent repair job. If I ever need to charter up that way again I would definitely (not 'H') go through them.

Sorry, misread your post. Oban and around Mull, or up to the Small Isles is just beautiful. The Clyde is fab too, only just not quite so fab :)
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+1 for Tony Bennet and his charter yachts at Ardfern. (its a great cruising base with fantastic scenery and sheltered waters all around)
One of his charter boats snagged my anchor a few years ago as it left it's berth. Tony came around to check on the damage. His boat suffered a mangled stanchion but no damage to me.

I'm fairly sure he will bring a boat to another location for you (within reason). E.g Dunstaffnage (Oban)
 
JumbleDuck said:
The Clyde is nice enough, but it's not a patch on the hairy bits on the other side of Kintyre. Travelling to Scotland and sailing on the Clyde would be like going to the Sistine Chapel to study the radiators.
Click to expand...

Great metaphor, probably the best for quite a while, keep them coming.
 
adwuk said:
I'd suggest that it also depends on your, and your crew's, experience. The Clyde is very easy, with lots of places to hide should the weather turn, and plenty of places to visit (Ardentinny, Carrick Castle, Millport, Rothesay, Tighnabruaich, Tarbert, Otter Ferry, Lamlash, Lochranza, Carradale, Campbeltown). There are also plenty of remote anchorages, where you can have peace and quiet too - so I think Mr Duck is being a little unfair of his description of the Clyde.
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Perhaps a little exaggerated ... and my boat has been based on the Clyde for ten years. However, I do think that someone travelling all the way from far-off Wales (mae dreigiau yma) might as well drive an hour or two further for the full west-coast experience.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Perhaps a little exaggerated ... and my boat has been based on the Clyde for ten years. However, I do think that someone travelling all the way from far-off Wales (mae dreigiau yma) might as well drive an hour or two further for the full west-coast experience.
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Worth the extra journey miles for the scenery and the excitement of the Corryvreckan and Dorus Mhor, little sea traffic and plenty of anchorages.
 
JumbleDuck said:
The Clyde is nice enough, but it's not a patch on the hairy bits on the other side of Kintyre. Travelling to Scotland and sailing on the Clyde would be like going to the Sistine Chapel to study the radiators.

That said, don't bet, plan or worry too much about getting round Mull. The weather might well preclude that, and even if it doesn't we regularly see yachts hurtling past all sorts of interesting places as they complete the Oban - Tobermory - Tinker's Hole - Puilladobhran milk run. Go where the weather takes you, stop whenever somewhere takes your fancy and relax.
Click to expand...
Great advice!
 
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