Shieldaig Moorings

[Orla]

Just had a wee look at the Shieldaig Mooring Association web site.
We are looking at a possible hoose move to that area, and would like to keep Orla there too.
How do you go about trying to get a long term mooring? The site above doesn't explain.
Cheers
Dougie

[cpedw]

The usual procedure in a Moorings Association is to get yourself on the waiting list then take up a vacant mooring when a suitable one for your boat becomes available (all based on my experience in Connel). That way, the fee to the Crown Estate is £40/year.

A snag (one of several possible) could be the size of your magnificent vessel. Connel has a 12m max length limit, largely because there's not room for larger boats without interfering with other moorings. The MA may permit you to lay a new mooring in their area if there's room. The fee would then still be £40, in addition to the cost of the mooring and its installation.

Another alternative would be to deal direct with Crown Estate, request permission for a mooring where you want (outside the MA's area), lay it and pay CE £80/year.

Or you could ignore all the rules and lay your own mooring just wherever you like then wait and see if anyone clypes to CE but I didn't suggest that.

Google Earth seems to show there's not much mooring activity there so perhaps you'll be able to lay a new one without much bother - contact the MA.

Hope that helps,
Derek

[Orla]

Derek, thanks very much for the info.

I'll drop an email to the mooring association and see what they say, also been told to contact the harbour master in Gairloch.

I quite like the financial burdens that come with it Been in marinas for too long now.

Cheers

Dougie

[cpedw]

I quite like the financial burdens that come with it Been in marinas for too long now.

Don't overlook the cost of buying (could be £1-2k pa) and maintaining (£100-2k pa) the mooring. Still should be cheaper than Dunstaffnage but the Crown Estate fee is not a big part of the operation. And no bath included.

My experience over the last 4 years has averaged at about £300 for the annual inspection and replacement bits. But apparently the rate of corrosion is very variable, depending a lot on currents and saltiness among other things.

Derek