So where are we all lifting out this year?

[DaveS]

Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth but so far there have been several statements and no opinions. Why have you chosen Barcaldine, Ardfern or Craobh over the competition?

My options are anywhere within 25 miles or so of Dallens Bay excluding Dunstaffnage lbb. Ideally I would like the cheapest, most easily accessible yard (for all those jobs I'm probably not going to do over the winter) and the highest score in the friendliness and feelgood stakes.

Ah, you wanted reasons...

Well, I suppose laziness really, since I'm already at Craobh for the summer. In fact I've not much choice this winter since the yard is due to fix / replace a broken bit of boat which happened (somehow) during launching.

The yard at Craobh isn't too bad for shelter. They use props, not cradles, but claim never to have one fallen over yet. Masts come down - no discussion. Pub & showers are OK, chandler's is so-so, but the good one at Ardfern is a short drive.

[Greyfisherman]

Very good - would you run to paying for awee Hurley - theres a feeling we need tae get him out of his comfort zone....

Your obvious pecuniary concern for a good friend and his well being does you credit.

However whilst I may appear as a Yorkshire man of my acquaintance calls me "a southern effete wealthy yachtie" - sailing with him over the years, being brought up in Glasgow in the 50's and spending a lot of my working life with Aberdonians - I feel I would lose the respect of both him and my erstwhile colleague's, plus be a dagger through the heart of my dear Pater who often said "never a lender or borrower be"

So unfortunately, and it grieves me as I understand your kind offer is made to improve both your friends and my own feeling of well being - I have to decline your kind offer of helping your friend.

You on the other hand and we know size (in the yachting world) is a direct measure of a mans wealth - have a much bigger one than me (probably about 15/20%) and I'm sure your friend would feel it much more appropriate and keenly appreciate your helping him rather than some stranger.

Now - if it had been Liz.

My best wishes.

[claymore]

Hmm - well, thats one of the more reasoned responses I've been treated to.
Tell me about your friend Peter.....

[Fingal]

We tried for a place at Creran Marine on the basis of a recommendation from friends but they were full. MRC at Barcaldine are slightly more expensive but not excessively so. I think price and shelter (leaving the mast up) were the key considerations, alongside not having to move the boat far from her mooring. This winter's refit will be fairly limited in scope, but for a future year we are thinking about putting her somewhere nearer home (Edinburgh) so maybe James Watt?

[Silkie]

Thanks for all the input gentlemen. Silkie is now on an MRC mooring at Barcaldine after a short motor round in the sunshine yesterday and using the excellent free wifi which makes a nice change after Dunstaffnage. My first time through the interesting entrance but fortunately didn't meet any of the larger denizens of what must be the most industrialised loch on the west coast.

No chandlery although Alba is only a few miles away and no pub although the Creagan Inn is close by but it did work out to be the cheapest option for Silkie. Not perhaps the friendliest yard on first impressions but it's early days yet and catering for yachts is clearly only a small part of the business. Love the plastic pontoon!

[marisca]

We tried for a place at Creran Marine on the basis of a recommendation from friends but they were full. MRC at Barcaldine are slightly more expensive but not excessively so. I think price and shelter (leaving the mast up) were the key considerations, alongside not having to move the boat far from her mooring. This winter's refit will be fairly limited in scope, but for a future year we are thinking about putting her somewhere nearer home (Edinburgh) so maybe James Watt?

James Watt Dock is reportedly full to the gunwales this year with no spare space on the hard or in the sheds. They started importuning me as to my intentions back about June so I wouldn't leave your decision making for 2014/15 too late.
One upside of JWD is, of course, that it ain't Port Edgar, an accolade it shares with everywhere else that isn't that rotting dump. However, PE will be under new management next year and things can only improve so perhaps you could consider a wee (warn the RNLI first!) autumn cruise back there. I can assure you that an early April trip back to the west from PE - Marisca regularly used to evade Eileen's monetary demands at midnight on 31st March - sets the season up nicely and every day in the west (after the misery of the North Sea) is unalloyed joy no matter the weather.

[Fingal]

Thanks for all the input gentlemen. Silkie is now on an MRC mooring at Barcaldine after a short motor round in the sunshine yesterday and using the excellent free wifi which makes a nice change after Dunstaffnage. My first time through the interesting entrance but fortunately didn't meet any of the larger denizens of what must be the most industrialised loch on the west coast.

No chandlery although Alba is only a few miles away and no pub although the Creagan Inn is close by but it did work out to be the cheapest option for Silkie. Not perhaps the friendliest yard on first impressions but it's early days yet and catering for yachts is clearly only a small part of the business. Love the plastic pontoon!

We were lifted out at dawn last Monday and the yard staff could not have been friendlier or more helpful. The ride on the travelhoist was a new experience for me. Interesting.

[sahona]

Yous Embra guys that are ogling James Watt may possibly like to consider Ardrossan. I believe they may have space at a competitive cost, just wear a vest when working - it is a bit open...

[Ghillie]

We're due to be lifted out at Balcardine Marine this week, having spent the last 5 winters at Ardrossan.

We were very happy at Ardrossan, could not find fault, good transport, an Asda, a brilliant yard foreman in Peter, good price etc etc, however, with one thing and another, we have just not had the time this year to take the boat down from Dallens Bay, even though we are now retired. Indeed we only managed two weekends sailing in the season.

The idea of wintering in Ardrossan was to ensure at least two decent trips delivering her to Linnhe Marine and back.

Now we will be guaranteed two 8 mile voyages.....

Roger

[voyager35]

I will be heading south from Linnhe marine next Sunday to Maryport marina.
Have spent the last two winters there on the hard , good friendly staff who look after the boats and an easy going attitude to working on the boat.
It is also the nearest place to home I can lift out and I get two interesting trips each season

[Booby Trapper]

In the water at ardrossan until mid march then out for a bottom scrub and clean up. Might do the boat as well......

[sahona]

Barnacle removal can be painful Ian, perhaps you could try smearing some copper-ease over your nether regions for next season.
Lift- out tomorrow 0700 ... First boat of about 40 in TCC and the weather looks keech. Went to Aldi and got new little socky things for inside my rigger boots so hopefully I will be comfortable throughout the long hard day.

[mm5aho]

We tried for a place at Creran Marine on the basis of a recommendation from friends but they were full. MRC at Barcaldine are slightly more expensive but not excessively so. I think price and shelter (leaving the mast up) were the key considerations, alongside not having to move the boat far from her mooring. This winter's refit will be fairly limited in scope, but for a future year we are thinking about putting her somewhere nearer home (Edinburgh) so maybe James Watt?

James Watt Dock is reportedly full to the gunwales this year with no spare space on the hard or in the sheds. They started importuning me as to my intentions back about June so I wouldn't leave your decision making for 2014/15 too late.
One upside of JWD is, of course, that it ain't Port Edgar, an accolade it shares with everywhere else that isn't that rotting dump. However, PE will be under new management next year and things can only improve so perhaps you could consider a wee (warn the RNLI first!) autumn cruise back there. I can assure you that an early April trip back to the west from PE - Marisca regularly used to evade Eileen's monetary demands at midnight on 31st March - sets the season up nicely and every day in the west (after the misery of the North Sea) is unalloyed joy no matter the weather.

Which route did you take? Caledonian Canal? or round the point? Did that take long?
I used to think that the annual trip from Oban area back to the Clyde was enough!

[marisca]

Always set off with round the top as plan A except when I had a free pass for the Caley, but always ended up going through the canal, at least twice in blizzards. The March and September trips were obviously far enough apart for an old man's memory to dull and the same crew joined me for quite a few of the trips. The canal bit is lovely and the trip down to the Clyde from Corpach is like meeting old friends and can, indeed, involve actually meeting old friends. It's the bit from PE to Clachnaharry that I can live without, the sitting off Aberdeen in a foul tide, the unfriendly grey water, the slop round Rattray Head, the continual foul tide along the Moray shore, and the total failure of the Chanonry dolphins to put in an appearance - somewhere between 32 and 40 hours (36 can get an ebb down the Forth and the flood up Inverness Firth) but, as I said, it makes every sail after it a joy.

[claymore]

Just been reading about you in Zophiel's Celtic Fringes cruise. Made me