The Cuan Sound...tidal gate

Niander

Niander

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The Cuan Sound is a narrow channel between the islands of Seil and Luing near Oban
as i was waiting for the ferry today a small yacht came through against the tide
tide was doing maybe 4 knots against him he was doing 5 knots...so only 1 knot then!
outboard on the back screaming full power...then he had to put up the sails to help
as he got to a 5 knot part...he did make it in the end however
It gave me an interesting 15 mins
thought he would of aborted and waited for the tide to turn.
 
Been through many times with the tide on a yacht - wouldn't like to try it the other way.

Having said that, many years ago, I went through it against the tide E to W with some friends on windsurfers. Good wind from the East and we dodged from side to side on the back eddies and crossed the main stream several times in a "ferry glide". Got through no problem at all. Went on to complete the circuit of Luing with some interesting moments in the Sound of Luing before poking our noses into the Gulf of the Grey Dogs & then Corryvreckan. Landed on the S coast of Scarba for a closer look & then back via the S end of Luing. A memorable day.
 
I was going North with the tide a number of years ago only to have 5 Wayfarers pass me going South with small outboards running and sails up. The got through no problem at all. Tow they fared once they turned towards Seil sound I don't know.
 
rhumlady said:
I was going North with the tide a number of years ago only to have 5 Wayfarers pass me going South with small outboards running and sails up. The got through no problem at all. Tow they fared once they turned towards Seil sound I don't know.
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If I was in a Wayfarer I'd cut the corner and go through Ardinamir bay between Torsa and Luing.
 
davewarburton said:
Been through many times with the tide on a yacht - wouldn't like to try it the other way.

Having said that, many years ago, I went through it against the tide E to W with some friends on windsurfers. Good wind from the East and we dodged from side to side on the back eddies and crossed the main stream several times in a "ferry glide". Got through no problem at all. Went on to complete the circuit of Luing with some interesting moments in the Sound of Luing before poking our noses into the Gulf of the Grey Dogs & then Corryvreckan. Landed on the S coast of Scarba for a closer look & then back via the S end of Luing. A memorable day.
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I had some fun playing on the standing wave at the western end last year. Absolutey no intention of going through, but it was fun going up the shore in an eddy, ferry gliding across, then getting spat out to where we started. After a couple of times SWMBO reminded me how old I and the boat were, and suggested we grew up :(
 
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There is only a very brief period of slack water in Cuan and the tide times vary with wind direction, atmospheric pressure and from springs to neaps. As our mooring is only 15 minutes from Cuan we tend to sometimes cut it a bit fine - in both directions. We have occasionally gone through with a knot or so of tide against us, but at springs the stream can run at six knots or more within 30 minutes of slack water so you need to not be too far out.

- W
 
webcraft said:
.
There is only a very brief period of slack water in Cuan and the tide times vary with wind direction, atmospheric pressure and from springs to neaps. As our mooring is only 15 minutes from Cuan we tend to sometimes cut it a bit fine - in both directions. We have occasionally gone through with a knot or so of tide against us, but at springs the stream can run at six knots or more within 30 minutes of slack water so you need to not be too far out.

- W
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Balvicar methinks!

The rest of you can use this .. http://agurney.com/tides.pdf .. it's not perfect but it works for me.
 
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