West coast of Scotland - is it cruising friendly?

[slawosz]

Hi,
I recently took a closer look to west coast of Scotland and I wonder if it is friendly to cruising? Looks like it should be well sheltered by Islay, Inner and Outer Hebrides from the Atlantic waves, but is it so? Is weather there friendly for crusing in smaller yacht (say up to 30 feet), or its still rough place? I am not planning to go there anytime soon, just want to know where I should place it in my sailing TODO list.

 

[NormanS]

The West Coast probably has some of the best cruising ground of anywhere. However, the weather can at times be challenging. This is offset by the fantastic number of safe and sheltered anchorages. Quite a few of the busier places now have visitor's moorings, and even pontoons, but be aware that many of these are not sheltered in all wind directions. Your 30 footer will be fine.

 

[Cardinal]

Hi,
I recently took a closer look to west coast of Scotland and I wonder if it is friendly to cruising? Looks like it should be well sheltered by Islay, Inner and Outer Hebrides from the Atlantic waves, but is it so? Is weather there friendly for crusing in smaller yacht (say up to 30 feet), or its still rough place? I am not planning to go there anytime soon, just want to know where I should place it in my sailing TODO list.

Don’t tell anyone else, but it is the dog’s danglies and should be right at the top of that list of yours.

 

[Minchsailor]

Friendly? The natives can be bit hairy.

 

[[3889]]

IF the weather is good it is a fine cruising ground. More realistically, only a fool or a masochist would head that way from south of 52 degrees N when the whole of Normandy and Brittany awaits in the other direction, not to mention S & W Ireland to the right
.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

It has more than its fair share of constrictions and fast rate of tide which can cause problems with wave height and period, but all can be managed taking care to follow the pilot guides. Outside Islay / Mull can be very rough and dangerous as can the wee bit of water to the East of Mull. Going out of the Sound of Mull, northwards can be a challenge as calms water hits a big swell from the south, same for the waters of the Minch.

It is very easy to ruin your day on the West Coast of Scotland and it is still remote, with longer distances, longer response times, despite the proliferation of good mobile signals for data and voice, which makes it appear just a FB page away.

 

[NormanS]

It has more than its fair share of constrictions and fast rate of tide which can cause problems with wave height and period, but all can be managed taking care to follow the pilot guides. Outside Islay / Mull can be very rough and dangerous as can the wee bit of water to the East of Mull. Going out of the Sound of Mull, northwards can be a challenge as calms water hits a big swell from the south, same for the waters of the Minch.

It is very easy to ruin your day on the West Coast of Scotland and it is still remote, with longer distances, longer response times, despite the proliferation of good mobile signals for data and voice, which makes it appear just a FB page away.

We're doomed, 'a tell ye, we're a' doomed!

 

[Quandary]

I have been sailing on the West Coast of Scotland and the N. Channel to N.I. for 45 years in a variety of boats between 24 and 38 feet. I tend to be careful about weather now but in earlier times when working sometimes delay was not an option. We have been in plenty of scrapes but in all that time I can only recall being scared once. It was back in the early days when my children were small and my fear was more for them than myself, we needed to get back to Carrickfergus in N. I. and the size of the waves off the Mull Of Kintyre made me put my family below and close the hatches, with more experience now I would hope to cope better. The important thing is that in summer we have a variable climate, gales are rare and usually do not last long so the way to enjoy it is to move when the weather is right, it can be horrendous in winter though but most people lay their boats up then. The chains of islands and long deep lochs usually mean that there are few days that you can not get somewhere, though it is foolish to presume that being in the lee of high cliffs or mountains mean that you are in shelter.

 

[Poignard]

Midges apart, the West coast of Scotland is cruiser friendly, and outstandingly beautiful.

 

[Kelpie]

Apart from a brief foray to the decidedly similar NW coast of Ireland, all of my sailing has been on the west coast of Scotland.
I would roughly divide it into three areas- the Clyde estuary, Kintyre to Ardnamurchan, and everything north of that.
I've barely sailed in the Clyde but it seems very civilised, lots of boats, marinas, good shelter. Marinas start to get thin on the ground as you head further north, but there are almost unlimited sheltered anchorages.
Whilst facilities (harbours, pontoons, engineers, public transport connections etc) become sparse, there isn't really anything to worry about as you are never more than a few miles from a good anchorage. So it suits people who are quite self sufficient.

The best thing you can have on your side, though, is ample time. The weather can be fickle at any time of year and it can be pretty unpleasant to have to motorsail against a choppy headwind to get back down the Minch, for example. Much better to wait a few days and do it when the weather is more cooperative (which btw tends to May into June).

My home cruising ground of Skye and northwards takes some beating. We plan to sail away into the sunset in a couple of years time, and one of my biggest fears is that nowhere else will be as good as home

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

Stunning scenery, lots of great cruising, go for it! 30' no problem, there are plenty of lovely days in summer, I agree with all the positive comments above.
One thing to be aware of, men of the local tribes wear oddly patterned skirts, with hairy codpieces, and carry daggers. Despite this terrifying appearance, they usually offer a warm welcome to visitors.

 

[Quandary]

Stunning scenery, lots of great cruising, go for it! 30' no problem, there are plenty of lovely days in summer, I agree with all the positive comments above.
One thing to be aware of, men of the local tribes wear oddly patterned skirts, with hairy codpieces, and carry daggers. Despite this terrifying appearance, they usually offer a warm welcome to visitors.

And there is a compulsory uniform for visitors, calf length Dubarry boots, (no imitations) faded pink shorts, then a lifejacket over a massive breathable Musto jacket (size XXl) with a 'gilet jaune' coloured hood, zipped up tight around your paunch, sunnies are optional and rarely needed but if worn they must be Oakleys. Dress like that and we will know you have come up north on a death defying adventure and treat you with proper respect when we meet you in the shop or pub.
There is also the language 'Yooffa yat, wat yat yoooffa'? Answer truthfully and without hesitatation and all will be well.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Never, ever, listen to an Irishman living in Scotland, it always ends in ridiculousness.

 

[claymore]

Its a dreadful place and you should do your level best to stay away. It rains all the time - every day - and then there are the midgies. The food is terrible and there is the most dreadful drink which is a kind of brown colour and tastes of burnt tyres. The natives are really unfriendly and....need I go on?
Best stick to the swatchways or whatever the place is called.

 

[mm42]

It’s wonderful. I spent a very happy season working on a small cruise ship out of Oban sailing to the small isles, inner Hebrides, outer Hebrides, Skye, St Kilda and the Shiants.

The scenery is amazing, there is no shortage of interesting anchorages, the majority with astounding sunsets and sunrises, there are so many interesting places to go ashore and a very warm welcome when you do.

 

[shaunksb]

IF the weather is good it is a fine cruising ground.
.

That’s a very big if...

______________________

 

[JumbleDuck]

I recently took a closer look to west coast of Scotland and I wonder if it is friendly to cruising?

You're getting lots of positive responses from the faithful (a bit like asking the Easter Sunday crowds in St Peter's Square if they like the Pope) so I'll give some negatives as well ...

• The weather is frequently bad and regularly dreadful, even in summer.
• Autumn starts on the 1st August,
• When the weather is bad you can easily find yourself stuck in the arse end of nowhere for days, sheltered but bored
• Particularly in overcast weather or worse. it all looks the same. Once you've seen one pine wood with a belt of brown rock below you've seen 'em all.
• Many formerly pleasant anchorages are beset with moorings and pontoons as the locals attempt to make a quick buck out of the passing gentry.
• Stores can be hard to get. Happy Shopper stuff loses its appeal after a bit.
• Midgies make most places within 50yds of the shore (either way) unpleasant in the evenings and many places intolerable.

All of which said, I've been sailing the West Coast in my own boats since 1988 and I am still here. I do crave a trip to warm sunshine, deciduous trees, crowded anchorages, designer sunglasses and espadrilles. Maybe one day ...

 

[NormanS]

You're getting lots of positive responses from the faithful (a bit like asking the Easter Sunday crowds in St Peter's Square if they like the Pope) so I'll give some negatives as well ...

• The weather is frequently bad and regularly dreadful, even in summer.
• Autumn starts on the 1st August,
• When the weather is bad you can easily find yourself stuck in the arse end of nowhere for days, sheltered but bored
• Particularly in overcast weather or worse. it all looks the same. Once you've seen one pine wood with a belt of brown rock below you've seen 'em all.
• Many formerly pleasant anchorages are beset with moorings and pontoons as the locals attempt to make a quick buck out of the passing gentry.
• Stores can be hard to get. Happy Shopper stuff loses its appeal after a bit.
• Midgies make most places within 50yds of the shore (either way) unpleasant in the evenings and many places intolerable.

All of which said, I've been sailing the West Coast in my own boats since 1988 and I am still here. I do crave a trip to warm sunshine, deciduous trees, crowded anchorages, designer sunglasses and espadrilles. Maybe one day ...

You forgot to say that if you go further north and west, there aren't even any trees.

 

[BobnLesley]

...Going out of the Sound of Mull, northwards can be a challenge as calms water hits a big swell from the south, same for the waters of the Minch...

As relative novice sailors it was in the Little Minch that we learnt the real meaning of 'wind over tide'.

As noted what you need most to enjoy the west coast is TIME. We spent our first summer of livaboarding up there and that was in a 27' yacht; we really enjoyed it despite the weather but have often commented since that we'd probably enjoy it even more now having learnt not to rush things in the interim.

 

[JumbleDuck]

As noted what you need most to enjoy the west coast is TIME. We spent our first summer of livaboarding up there and that was in a 27' yacht; we really enjoyed it despite the weather but have often commented since that we'd probably enjoy it even more now having learnt not to rush things in the interim.

And - restating your point a bit - for those who don't have infinite time, I think the trick is not to have a plan, or too much of a plan. A couple of years ago I was determined to get round Skye, so we hared north up the Sound of Mull, got round Ardnamurchan and then spent a soggy, miserable week skulking around Arisaig, Loch Moidart and Eigg before cutting our losses and heading south again in a weather window. It would have been much more sensible to play on a smaller further south - better weather, less frustrating, no feeling of a failed project.

The following year we were at Linnhe Marine in rotten drizzle with no let up forecast, so we belted south on the spur of the moment and got sunburned in Bangor instead. That was much more satisfying.