Winter in Scotland

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cloud7

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Afternoon all , looking at winter on hard in Scotland , any advice on following much appreciated:
Largs
Ardrossan
Troon
Thank - you
 
There are lots of options including the expensive ones you mention. All with good transport links and facilities.

How secure, as all are accessible by Joe public but do have staff on site. If you want secure inside storage there is James Watt Dock, Fairlie Quay and Sandpoint (where I use).

You also have Rhu, Port Banatyne, Rosneath and Inverkip to chose from all varying in cost, on site services and facilities. Again depends on your needs.

As I said I use Sandpoint in Dumbarton, rough and ready but fantastic helpful staff and always accommodating. As secure as the rest but cheaper as it is not 'yachty'.
 
All have secure storage and all have excellent rail connections. For road connections Largs is probably the best but not much in it between Troon and Ardrossan. There is also Kip Marina and James Watt dock, again secure storage and better transport connections.

All have services on site. James Watt has indoor storage if you need that, and at Fairly Quay, which is run my Kip Marina, there is also a very large indoor storage area. Fairly Quay is also a excellent facility to over winter on the hard.

If I had to rank by security: Fairly Quay, then Kip, Largs equal second, James Watt, Troon then Ardrossan, but there really is not much in it to be honest. Weather security, then indoors is best and the rest are just as exposed such that a secure cradle is always preferred. I have sat out F10 in Largs on timber with with mast down.

Largs and Kip have good water and electricity supply from experience and all the services on tap that you may need. However, services are not an issue as all the marinas are close enough that trades can travel easily.

Out of your list I would select Largs.
 
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I've used Ardrossan. Good points are:-
i) Use of a steel cradle is part of the lift-out deal, leave mast up if you wish.
ii) Train to Glasgow 100 yds. from yard.
iii) Super staff, boat movement at no extra cost.
iv) Asda 2 mins. walk away.
 
I've been inside at Ardrossan.

No only is it much kinder on the boat, but if you're going to travel up a long way to do winter or spring work, then being inside ensures that your time at the boat will be predictably productive.

The outside at Ardrossan is bleak and exposed to say the least.
But all the positives are as listed above.
 
earlybird said:
I've used Ardrossan. Good points are:-
i) Use of a steel cradle is part of the lift-out deal, leave mast up if you wish.
ii) Train to Glasgow 100 yds. from yard.
iii) Super staff, boat movement at no extra cost.
iv) Asda 2 mins. walk away.
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+1 for Ardrossan. In addition to the points above, found the winter packages to be cheaper than Troon or Largs. No chandlery there now however (neither at Troon I believe?). I have wintered at Ardrossan for 14 years now, very good service.

My new (to me) boat was wintered on the hard at Fairlie - the costs there were higher, for not dissimilar set up and amenities.
 
We used Ardrossan for several winters before leaving UK. It was always a lot cheaper than Largs or Kip and easier to get to by car (or train). Asda was great when living on board. We also used to get free power in the yard as long as it was only for a short spell and not left on. Plenty of water points around for washing the boat and loos/showers didn't involve a huge walk. I also remember getting free use of a pontoon for up to a week before lifting and again after launch. That was a great help getting sails up/down etc. in the water. Ardrossan used to do a special all in package each winter, don't know if it still applies.
 
I use the yard at Port Bannatyne marina for wintering. £80 per metre plus £60 cradle hire. Secure in as much as the whole of Bute is pretty secure, the only crime there being young men speeding along Rothesay prom in whatever they have instead of Ford Capris these days and public drunkenness on Friday nights. And a murder, recently, but that was really quite shockingly exceptional.

There is also the Bute Slip Dock company at Ardmaleish, which I think is a bit cheaper than Port Bannatyne.

The downside of both is not being able to get on or off the island between 8pm and 7am. That's possibly less of an issue for someone travelling a long way for extended work sessions than for someone who would like to be able to visit frequently for an hour or two.
 
Ardmaleish is possibly the cheapest option of all of them. I wintered there a few years ago and it was pretty basic but acceptable.
 
Mataji said:
Relaunch in March could be a problem if you need to antifoul first. It will probably be both very cold and very wet.
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It's a hit or a miss with that one. I've antifouled and relaunched in March but it can't be relied on. Cost at Ardrossan is a big plus for me. As said the cradle is free so mast can be left up. If you want your mast up at Largs you need to rent a cradle if you don't they put you on props but you have to pay for mast removal. The lift out is more expensive at Largs as is the standing so it all adds up. The new boatyard at Ardrossan looks excellent with brand new tarmac surface so nice and clean with plenty water and electricity. It's fenced off with security gate and cameras.
 
earlybird said:
I've used Ardrossan. Good points are:-
i) Use of a steel cradle is part of the lift-out deal, leave mast up if you wish.
ii) Train to Glasgow 100 yds. from yard.
iii) Super staff, boat movement at no extra cost.
iv) Asda 2 mins. walk away.
Click to expand...

+1 on the hard outside facing the water
no issues over the winter , mast up
staff , great, good transport links by train and road I make the journey from North Glasgow in 45 mins,
water and electricity all good ,
not to pretentious like some of the more expensive marinas
 
Go further north. I wintered in Lochinver. Fly to Inverness, bus to Ullapool and kept an old car in the car park there. Lovely drive each and every time. Bit windy, wet and sometimes the hatch would freeze shut. Happy memories.
 
Have a look at Rothesay dock Clydebank. It's cheap, sheltered, secure and right next to a station.
 
cloud7 said:
Afternoon all , looking at winter on hard in Scotland , any advice on following much appreciated:
Largs
Ardrossan
Troon
Thank - you
Click to expand...

We stayed last winter in Troon. Lifted out September, back in May.
Accessible by rail and road. Pretty much the same price as elsewhere.

Clarify the electricity charges before you decide.

Shame the chandler has gone though.

Security seemed good.

Do take care about which way the boat is placed relative to the wind! Suffered s lot of damage with water being driven in through the companion way. Because the boat was stern to the prevailing wind.
 
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