Berths in South Western Scotland

[angie]

Went looking for a berth on Scottish West coat this year. Ouch they're expensive !! Anyone recommend anywhere. We need a pontoon berth

[petecooper]

Does the Clyde count as South West? If so I can recommend Kip marina - I keep my boat there and am very happy with it.

[searush]

Used to have a harbour wall berth in Rothesay that was very good value. May have changed now tho' & you needed to deal with iron wall ladders when the tide was out. Also need a ferry trip from Wemys Bay on the mainland.

[petecooper]

At the moment they are redeveloping the inner harbour at Rothesay, so I suspect when it's all done it will cost more. The Wemyss Bay to Rothesay ferry is a 10 minute walk from my house!

[contessa26]

Hi Angie!
Your subject line had: "...South Western Scotland" in it? That's an interesting part of the country. Probably defined by the locals as the coast south of Ayr down to Stranraer, and along the northern Solway shore?
Pontoon berths in this area? Not many, I doubt. Girvan? Kirkcudbright? Don't know!

The West Coast of Scotland? Ah! I don't know anything about that either! You probably know this website already - but it's fun to search through... (as I'm useless with computers, the link probably won't work! Sorry)

marinas.com/browse/marina/GB/SC/1

Happy sailing!

[petecooper]

Girvan has pontoon berths, but not many. In my pilot it also says that the entrance is one of the trickiest on the West Coast! It seemed OK to me, but a strong crosswind might make it 'interesting'

[biscuit]

searush said:

Used to have a harbour wall berth in Rothesay that was very good value. May have changed now tho' & you needed to deal with iron wall ladders when the tide was out. Also need a ferry trip from Wemys Bay on the mainland.

Ah those ladders - especially the really bent bits with a few rungs missing ....

Not to mention the liquid consumption aboard the Lalarge & Calshot Salar when buying dressed crab .....

Reminiscing a bit now ....

[contessa26]

Ah - "reminiscing a bit..." ? - Yes, I vaguely remember securing alongside at Rothesay harbour... Rather similar to East Loch Tarbert of old - ie you used to either choose the bright lights of the quay and the fun-fairs, or dragging about the anchorage all night...

Actually we poked our nose into Rothesay this year for a minute, and there looked like a lot of alteration going on to the harbour, probably for the ferry pier?

Girvan? Yes, been in there a few times in the past. In an onshore breeze you get breakers in the entrance; and as you say, a crosswind could take you over the reef just outside the entrance if I remember correctly. No bother in a RIB with twin 200hp o/b's; or if you're a local professional fisherman. All good fun as an amateur in an old 'tore-out' 18 foot gaffer with a trickey Seagull.

[angie]

Thanks for suggestions - guess more investigations are in order (any excuse to go back really - I love it up there!) roll on better weather !