BLUEMOMENT

Strange how an interesting post became hijacked into an anchoring one. Wonder if they'll charge for going alongside the Pier then?

claymore wrote: ......... Wonder if they'll charge for going alongside the Pier then?

do you mean on the basis that you are anchored rather than tied to one of their moorings

I suppose I meant that on the grounds of being a visiting yachstman, I am fair game for charges.

i don`t think many yachts go alongside at craighouse. we went alongside the new jetty for water last year but no-one came near us for money. i suppose being on the south side and more or less out of sight might have helped.

Like it or not, it's been a long time since the HIDB/HIE moorings were laid, and I believe that the Tobermory experience will replicate throughout the west Highlands.

While I am not keen on forking out money for moorings, who is going to pay for their upkeep? There aren't too many options;

• No one, so they rot away and become unuseable;
  the public, via the local cooncil, and out of their taxes;
  the local pub, from the bar revenues that the moorings have made possible; or,
  the users, ie us.

Given Argyll and Bute's problems over care for the elderly, I do not believe it is realistic to expect them to pick up the tab. For whatever, reason, the pub has chosen not to do so. So, for what it is worth, if the users pay, then ownership surely should rest with some form of user or community based not-for-profit organisation. Without the involvement of some body like the RYA, I'd doubt whether we, the users, could ever get our arses into gear to manage moorings.

So, community ownership seems the next best thing. I'd rather they had them, and used the revenues for the development of improved facilities for visiting boats. Although, apart from the pub, I'm not sure who else will benefit locally.

My only concern is that reasonable space is left for anchoring within rowing distance of the shore.

The problem as I see it is that, individual businesses and communities laid and maintain moorings to encourage visiting yachts with a view to generating custom and therefor income.

I observed an increasing number of boats, their owners and crew happily pick up an Hotel owned mooring for the night but, do not so much as go ashore for a drink in the bar.

This can only lead to:

a) charges for mooring.

b) the decline of the facility.

It is interesting to see more communities now see the investment in facilities as a way of generating direct income rather than to encourage visitors who spend in local businesses.

I wonder whether this does in fact help support local communities better without them having to become art and craft focussed. I had concerns a while back about Gigha and again about Eigg. Small to medium size Farming is not sustainable without subsidy and nor, I believe are Island communities. If charging brings an opportunity for income generation and genuine sustainability on Jura then I'm happy to pay.

the problem with this scheme of course is that while they can all aspire to be arty and crafty only one or at most two can hope to be employed collecting mooring fees, and only part time at that.

Indeed - but the Tobermory model has brought prosperity and facilities to the town so there is a wider benefit I feel.
There will of course be no return to crofting and its hard to find genuine meaningful work -but there's only so many arty hippies that a place can sustain, isnt there....?

well, judging by the range and quantity of craft items for sale in craighouse village hall last summer, jura is supporting at least its fair share of them already.