Where to keep a boat in the Oban area

[[32511]]

Webby: where were you from originally, may we ask?
As a retiree to Argyll, who does not want to change the status quo, I have been made most welcome.
However, incomers to Mull must outnumber the locals; whether this affects relations I dunno, but I've never met any aggro..

 

[webcraft]

Webby: where were you from originally, may we ask?
As a retiree to Argyll, who does not want to change the status quo, I have been made most welcome.
However, incomers to Mull must outnumber the locals; whether this affects relations I dunno, but I've never met any aggro..

We spent 30+ years in Aberdeenshire before we moved to Argyll, the last seven running a village shop. We too have been made very welcome because we do not seek to change the place or make it over. The likes of Bat21 however make local peoples' blood boil. Sadly he is not alone.

- W

 

[Bat21]

. The likes of Bat21 however make local peoples' blood boil. Sadly he is not alone.

- W

Sorry, I am unable to claim the accolade for stiring things up amongs the natives of Argyll and, havn't observed any boiling blood, other than your own ire which tends to follow you from Fora to fora. Funny that!

 

[webcraft]

.

Bat21 has not made any friends yet

- W

 

[Amulet]

Fer Christ's sake - open your coolant seacock before posting.

I asked an innocent wee question and you geezers are blowing yer heid gaskets.

One of the nicest things is to meet people who are where they are because they damned well want to be there - no matter where they started.

I have enjoyed everywhere I've lived. Try going on the tube in London and spotting the ones who want to be there. Give me midgies before that any day!

 

[macberran]

Fer Christ's sake - open your coolant seacock before posting.

I asked an innocent wee question and you geezers are blowing yer heid gaskets.

One of the nicest things is to meet people who are where they are because they damned well want to be there - no matter where they started.

I have enjoyed everywhere I've lived. Try going on the tube in London and spotting the ones who want to be there. Give me midgies before that any day!

Brilliant, haw, haw.....pure magic.

 

[macberran]

What 'largest employers' are you talking about pray tell? The largest employer is the Council. I would suggest that you have no idea what you are talking about. I am afraid you are an all too typical Argyll retiree who wants to change everything so it is the same as wherever it is you came from. You appear to delight in presenting yourself as a caricature of the sort of person Argyll really doesn't need.

Why don't you go back wherever you came from if you find Argylleachs so contemptible? I hear Bournemouth is very nice.

- W

Well said, .......right on.

 

[webcraft]

Fer Christ's sake - open your coolant seacock before posting.

To whom are you adressing this very seamanlike suggestion? Or is it just a general observation?

Hope to see Amulet in these waters next year.

- W

 

[LittleShip]

Wow.........

Erm ! Can I bring Little Ship back sometime

Tom

Whose heritage is Scottish

 

[LittleShip]

I can recommend Linnhe Marine, north of Oban. Not a marina, but swinging moorings, a service pontoon and the inimitable Paul. http://www.linnhemarina.co.uk/

Ah yes Linnie marine.....

He called me on the radio when we were passing through to let me know about the marks through the channel. I was very impressed Pity i didnt have time to stay for a while but time and tides ect !

Tom

 

[Amulet]

To whom are you adressing this very seamanlike suggestion? Or is it just a general observation?


- W

In particular to the several respondents to my innocent post who seemed to get a riding-turn in their knicker-elastic over the forum banter.

However, I'd regard it as good advice to all hot-headed forumites.

 

[island163]

Although a bit south of Oban we have been very happy with our decision to moor our boat in Ardfern. We like the village and the boatyard is very helpful too. They seem to be very busy pretty much all the time which I think is a good sign. I think they are full for this winter but worth a look I'd say http://www.ardfernyacht.co.uk/

 

[Quandary]

Argyll Shortlist.

To attempt to respond to the OPs question about relocating home and boat, this is exactly what we did a few years ago so I will recount my experience. Our criteria; - we wanted to join a community and have a shop and pub with walking distance, I wanted to have the boat within cycling distance particularly when laid up in winter and I wanted easy access to the west coast. ( I also wanted a 'project' such as a site or house that needed work)
We looked at the following locations,
Campbeltown, some very cheap high quality property but that is because it is a long way from everywhere, it feels a bit depressed.
Tarbert, nothing we liked for sale but a nice village for a yachty, strong native community in winter.
Tighnabruich, nice cottages but so many are second homes that it is a desert in winter.
Tayvallich, there was a cottage but a waiting list for moorings and it is miles down Loch Sween before you can go anywhere, feels introverted.
Ardfern, very high property prices ( by Argyll standards) put us off.
Crinan, tiny village, claustrophobic with pretentious hotel and little else.
Oban, lots of choice of reasonably priced property but few moorings and we preferred a village.
Fortwilliam, no, just too depressing.
Ardrishaig, scruffy village but well located, we bought a house overlooking a lock on the Crinan Canal which gives us continuous entertainment, the boat sits at Crinan in summer, in Ardrishaig early spring and autumn and ashore at Cairnbaan in winter,( 20 mins. on the bike)
However if I was doing it again I would be attracted to Ardfern if I could still get a private mooring between the islands west of the village, it has a decent pub, a good shop, a newish community centre and the indications of good cohesive community spirit, it is almost entirely incomers but they seem to get along. It also has the best chandlery and boatyard in Scotland and has rapid access to the islands of the west. The only downside is that you pay for this in the property prices but the these are as good a way as any to judge a place. We did not look at many of the villages west of Oban, considered Loch Aline but it was just too hard to get to. Villages with a surviving local community will have a football and a shinty team and pitches for them.
Hope this helps address your question.

 

[Amulet]

Thanks Quandary- that's very useful.

.... I also wanted a 'project' such as a site or house that needed work.

What! working on a house when you've got a boat you could be working on - that's not my plan.

Campbeltown ... way from everywhere..

I want my kids to be able to visit without a major expedition.

Ardfern, very high property prices

Now this is a hard one for this forum - Ardfern is too yachty for my liking.

Oban, lots of choice of reasonably priced property but few moorings and we preferred a village

Probably our preferred choice.

Fort William, no, just too depressing.

Agreed - my hometown!

We have a small boat, and my experience is that most marinas are struggling to accommodate big big ones not little ones.

 

[macberran]

Hello to all first post so please nae abuse yet. We used to keep a small boat at Balvicar several years ago, might be worth a sniff.

 

[macberran]

How about Balvicar, used too keep a small boat there years back when we lived in the area. Small but helpfull and friendly with shop and pub close by. Bye no means an Ardfern, Kilmelford but maybe worth a look.

 

[cdogg]

Wow.........

Erm ! Can I bring Little Ship back sometime

Tom

Whose heritage is Scottish

Hi Tom,
You were certainly welcome in MY Scotland and will be welcome back any time.
I have travelled a lot and lived on the other side of the world and have found there are good and bad folks in all parts.
Clarke
Portavadie
A true Scotsman (except when it comes to wearing nothing under my kilt)

 

[ffiill]

I can recommend Linnhe Marine, north of Oban. Not a marina, but swinging moorings, a service pontoon and the inimitable Paul. http://www.linnhemarina.co.uk/

Yes I kept my boat out on a swinging mooring there winter 2007-lovely place andgreat for getting right tides to round Ardnamurchan!

 

[penfold]

Utter balderdash, these retirees in the main, have above average disposable income, second home owners would also contribute to the area’s economy if the locals would provide the opportunity for them to spend their hard earned. The largest employers pay salaries well in excess of those available in the South East. The Argyll mentality seems to be, to be unreliable, provide mediocre service, take no pride in doing anything but, to expect above average payment for doing so!

Bwahahahaha! What are you smoking and can I have some? The only large employers I can think of in Argyll are the cooncil and the MoD, and the average salaries offered by them will be somewhat below that in the home counties.