Taking the boat to Scotland

[Ubergeekian]

Aye right. (In english) Ballox

Not wanting to sound contrary, but where's the error? The midgies at Bellanoch are fierce, as are those at Crinan (I once got 400 bites on each forearm there through leaving the hatch open), but they don't, in my experience, ever go more than 50yds offshore, and they have rarely troubled me during the day.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Weather is difficult , I agree with others that may - june (and also sept) can be very fine - we had a superb 2 weeks of stable weather with a good sailing breeze for the first 2 weeks of june 2009. .

I agree about May - June as the best months. When I was based at Crinan (for many years, going back this year) I always found October better than September.

 

[Searush]

I don't have a problem with lack of civilisation - I live in Staffordshire FFS.

Uber Geek, I would guess that most of the money was in Glasgow in the 30's. Just about the tail end of the Fifer's wasn't it?

 

[Ubergeekian]

Final final question, is there anything else I should know about?

The modern CCC Sailing Directions are very glossy, but they have woefully poor coverage - harbours, marinas and popular anchorages (Ardanamir, Puilladobhrain etc) and that's your lot. When they went to the modern A4 format they ditched many of the smaller plaaces from the hardback editions ("Stores: none. Water: at burn.") in the earlier ones.

A few have crept back in later additions, but nowhere near the full set. As a result, I strongly recommend that anyone wanting to get off the beaten track should use an old hardback copy. I use the 1936 edition myself, because it fits neatly o my shelf, but anythig up to the 197? (larger hardback) one has the full detail.

I keep a few of the older ones for sale (to people based in Scotland) or loan (to visitors). If you, or anyone else reading, would like one, send me a PM and I'll see what I can do.
Stocks vary according to what I find in secondhand and charity shops, but I always sell them on at cost to me - this is not a money making venture. I think I have two or three in at the moment.

Note: if you prefer going from popular place to popular place with aerial photographs t make sure that surprise and discovery never spoil your day, older editions aren't for you. Mind you, I'm not sure that the west coast of Scotland is for you either. Harumph.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Uber Geek, I would guess that most of the money was in Glasgow in the 30's. Just about the tail end of the Fifer's wasn't it?

From the mags, lots of designers and builders there. McGruers, Silvers, Fairlie and many more.

I'm looking as we speak at p447 of the October '36 YM: During Burnham Week this year the anchorage ... contained nearly 900 yachts - more than the total number in all Scotland and ireland. Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if more than 50% of those were on the Clyde then.

 

[agurney]

Aye right. (In english) Ballox

Ballox yersel, I've been sailing these waters for well over twenty years (including eight in the Crinan canal), and that's been my experience. Even in Skye and Tighnabruich they aren't a problem while on the water.

Alisdair

 

[Spyro]

If you do go for the Clyde, Prestwick Airport is 10 mins by taxi from Troon Marina or you can get a train from Outside the the airport right into Ardrossan Marina. If you are flying to Glasgow intl Kip or Largs marina are only about 1 hour by train.

 

[Quandary]

Ballox yersel, I've been sailing these waters for well over twenty years (including eight in the Crinan canal), and that's been my experience. Even in Skye and Tighnabruich they aren't a problem while on the water.

Alisdair

Aye right,
I bow to your experience, I am pleased to learn that all the midges have decided to congregate at Bellanoch, its a dank mildew growing sunless hole anyway, but fine for incomers, but pray tell me, when did half tide working start again?

 

[agurney]

Aye right,
I bow to your experience, I am pleased to learn that all the midges have decided to congregate at Bellanoch, its a dank mildew growing sunless hole anyway, but fine for incomers, but pray tell me, when did half tide working start again?

It hasn't, as far as I am aware, but if there's a prolonged dry spell in the spring (not unknown) and the locks are leaky (fairly common) then they'll introduce it. Understandable, but a nuisance.

 

[Quandary]

Ubergeekian
Please don't get me wrong, I support the policy that as many visitors as possible should be encouraged to stay in the Clyde, or if they do risk venturing beyond 'what passes for civilization' should use the marinas provided for them. I don't think it is fair though to pretend that our midges will not bother them. You need an awful lot of chain to escape them completely and many visitors never learn just to ignore them.
Living and sailing on the west coast I sometimes get carried away with enthusiasm for the area and start to promote it. It is not so much the annual visitors but the wealthy hordes who keep a big yacht up here for a year and sail it or just sleep in it for two weeks once a year that bother me. While they stayed in marinas it was OK but they are taking over the moorings now.

 

[Quandary]

It hasn't, as far as I am aware, but if there's a prolonged dry spell in the spring (not unknown) and the locks are leaky (fairly common) then they'll introduce it. Understandable, but a nuisance.

You should not use a forum to propagate misinformation.
The locks all leak worse than ever but since the water supply problem was sorted over ten years ago I can lie in my bed and listen to it flowing freely down over and through the gates in our lock every night, knowing there will be plenty there in the morning.
The canal is being very poorly maintained and has become very hard work but a complete failure is much more likely than half tide working. My information is based on my experience taking dozens of boats through every year, half tide working has not been used for many years. The reservoirs above Dunardry are extensive ( a good days walk to go right round them all) it did not rain here for two months last May-June (an exceptional event) and the water did not run out.

 

[Mudplugger]

Crinan!

Lack of water.....in 2009...you have to be joking!! ended up on the trip down going up & down in the lock into the basin for about 21/2hours...so much water coming over the top of the gates that the sluices couldn't clear it. I think they emptied the sea lock twice & the pound behind 3 times before 6 of us could get the gates open! As for Galadriel's request, nobody has mentioned the "Malts Cruise" 'cos if you try to get into Oban when that is on, everywhere is Full!. Craobh Haven was a superb alternative. Did not have any problems with midges thru June/September anywhere on the West Coast, probably due to the fact that they were all drowned. Did not Skye have 50 day's of consecutive rain? in '09
Barcaldine @ Loch Creran seem to be pretty competetive & caring.....2400miles over the 5 months, fantastic scenery, good company, but once N. of Tobermory / Mallaig getting stores not so easy.

 

[webcraft]

Questions, where would be a good place to leave her, considering I will need to fly back from Glasgow. Where would be a good secure place to leave her for a month or so that wont cost a fortune?

Balvicar Boatyard usually has swinging moorings available at £10 a night with a discount negotiable for a month. 12 miles from Oban, five buses a day into town. No website, tel. 01852-300557

- W

 

[Sans Bateau]

I'd practice spelling WHISKY for a start ........

Oh! bu99er!!! Do I have to be able to spell to be able to buy a drink in Scotland?!!

(Looks like I might have been practising my drinking rather than concentrating on the spelling!!)

 

[Lady Campanula]

.....the wealthy hordes who keep a big yacht up here for a year and sail it or just sleep in it for two weeks once a year that bother me.....

Absentee landlords again? We'll be hearing choruses of Imlach's 'The Seven Men of Knoydart' next....

( Inn joke! )

 

[Quandary]

Absentee landlords again? We'll be hearing choruses of Imlach's 'The Seven Men of Knoydart' next....

( Inn joke! )

Yes, if you are coming here you must bring plenty of that wealth with you and leave as much as possible of it behind, we need to redress the historical balance.

Inn, Knoydart, it makes me think of The Old Forge, bet the craic is good in there today.

 

[Searush]

Ubergeekian
(snip) I don't think it is fair though to pretend that our midges will not bother them. You need an awful lot of chain to escape them completely and many visitors never learn just to ignore them.
(snip)

It's a long time since I was up there, but I do remember that there wasn't much of a problem when sailing or anchored, but DO NOT go ashore without full personal netting protection, smoke guns, aerosols & swatters.

Oh & avoid the lochs on the Crinan. I remember the skies darkening as we dropped into the depths. I thought it was a thunder cloud, but it was much worse - it buzzed & whined as it enveloped us & blocked off the sun.

I was given a great bit of advice by a local that I shall pass on for all other sassenachs; NEVER, EVER, kill a midge.





















Millions of its relatives will come to the funeral.

 

[Ceejay]

Overkill

"DO NOT go ashore without full personal netting protection, smoke guns, aerosols & swatters. "

This is way over the top.
Midges can be an annoyance at times, but are by no means a daily occurrence.
The problems they cause are very dependent on temperature, humidity and wind strength. They are only really in evidence on calm days usually early morning and in the evening. The heat of the day sends them packing and anything above about 4 mph wind speed also.
Reading the scare mongering here, I wonder how I have survived as long as I have up here!
CJ

 

[Doghousekeeper]

As for Galadriel's request, nobody has mentioned the "Malts Cruise" 'cos if you try to get into Oban when that is on, everywhere is Full!

Sadly, no Classic Malts Cruise in 2010

 

[NorthUp]

"DO NOT go ashore without full personal netting protection, smoke guns, aerosols & swatters. "

This is way over the top.
Midges can be an annoyance at times,....................... I wonder how I have survived as long as I have up here!
CJ

You have never been to the Old Forge at Inverie then- midgies the size of starlings waiting outside in ambush. It was like Hitchcocks 'The Birds', but much much worse...we lost two crew one year- not even bones left.......

edit- and one of them had the Gaelic- didn't do him any good though....