Easdale RIB Rendezvous 2022 - Saturday 30th April 2022

[neil.mccrirrick]

Fill the boat and any cans in Oban before you get to cuan. Leave the cans on the boat or if your stuck for room store discretely you won’t be the first or the last to do that [emoji106]

When you come out of Glasgow on the A82 you will see a farm shop Auchentullich farm shop. It’s past Balloch but not by much

Immediately after it is a lay-by. It’s pretty flat and long. We have overnighted here before in a motorhome towing a 7m Rib. Bit of road noise but very safe

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

Fill the boat and any cans in Oban before you get to cuan. Leave the cans on the boat or if your stuck for room store discretely you won’t be the first or the last to do that [emoji106]

When you come out of Glasgow on the A82 you will see a farm shop Auchentullich farm shop. It’s past Balloch but not by much

Immediately after it is a lay-by. It’s pretty flat and long. We have overnighted here before in a motorhome towing a 7m Rib. Bit of road noise but very safe

Numerous laybys on the A82 up Lomondside which are often full of motorhomes. Would I go on holiday there? No. Is it a great place for an overnight stop en route elsewhere? Yes.


Fuel cans-wise: as Neil says you won't be the only person subtly storing 80l of fuel somewhere out of the way. You'll notice that local filling stations are considerably more understanding about filling relatively large numbers of fuel cans in the back of cars/pickups/boats then they would be at your local Tesco. We normally brim everything we have (180l internal tank plus another 80l in jerry cans) at the Esso station just after Dunstafnage Marina on the way into Oban.

[The Gurnard]

Just a quick note from a casual observer guys.. perhaps the organisers can list the local Fuel Stations that sell Premium grade fuel.?

From reading some previous posts on here ..not everyone want to use E10 ? Not all the Oban garages sell Premium.

Example I know the Gleaner garage at the health centre in the middle of Oban does not sell Premium. I had a quick look round Tesco when E10 first appeared and didn’t see a Premium pump but there may be one that I missed seeing

The Esso Half Way ..near Dunstaffnage sells Premium..its the middle two pumps in the row nearest the road. The Loch Awe garage just before Taynuilt also sells Premium.

I mention this just in case someone passes the Half Way one thinking they will fill up at the Gleaner Garage and find they don’t sell Premium ..then have to start hunting round ..after a long drive up.

[neil.mccrirrick]

As far as I know Donny it's just that one pump at the halfway that has E5. None of the stations in oban have it

Be more expensive than gold shortly as well I'd guess

For folk travelling north you will pass two more petrol stations after the halfway both on your side of the road with large forecourts to allow easy drive on and off no matter the size of rig

There is also a tesco fuel station on the retail park. Turns are a little tight but very doable

[The Gurnard]

Hi Neil..yup..its just the one pump..but it has a nozzle on both sides ..so two can fill at same time..either side of the road side row. The back row doesnt have any Premium. so dont queue there.

Loch Awe before Taynuilt has it and its the middle pump. Its generally not as busy as Half Way

[pgtip]

Also staying at Sunnybraes and booked on to the pontoon. Arriving/ staying Thursday to Thursday!

[SeafariCarolyn]

Information emails have been sent out today to all who have registered for this year's event. If not in your inbox please check your spam / junk folder !

[Frar]

Got a couple of questions as first timers...


- we're booked at Sunnybraes but no room on pontoon. Is the sound a reasonable proposition in a tender to avoid messing with the ferry (or would any kind souls staying there be willing to help with lifts up to Easdale by boat?)


- is Cuan slip all states of tides. We've got a 6.8 so from what I've read better to launch there than Easdale?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Frar

- we're booked at Sunnybraes but no room on pontoon. Is the sound a reasonable proposition in a tender to avoid messing with the ferry (or would any kind souls staying there be willing to help with lifts up to Easdale by boat?)

Not sure what you mean messing with the ferry. Its quick, a short wait and very helpful service. Visitors are an important part of the ferry service revenue, which is a vital service for the local community and it is not exactly expensive so I wouldn't hesitate to get the ferry.

Would I take a small tender across if the ferry wasn't running? Yes, in nice weather and without a big tide running. Would I be bothered to pump one up or try to find somewhere sensible on the Seil side to tie it up (where it won't be in the ferry/Seafari etc way)? Not if the ferry was running.

- is Cuan slip all states of tides. We've got a 6.8 so from what I've read better to launch there than Easdale?

I think so - certainly never seen it unusable. BUT: 1. You don't want to block the ferry so you'll need to work out how to time it to avoid. 2. The tide runs through Cuan sound at an incredible rate, it could be a lot of "fun" trying to recover there at half tide!

[Orwell boy]

Managed to find a nearly local stay at Lunga cottages ,with slipway and pier so hoping to join this event , anybody got any info re the crossing from there to Easdale ?

[mhill]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Managed to find a nearly local stay at Lunga cottages ,with slipway and pier so hoping to join this event , anybody got any info re the crossing from there to Easdale ?

When are you liking to head up? Convoy?

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Managed to find a nearly local stay at Lunga cottages ,with slipway and pier so hoping to join this event , anybody got any info re the crossing from there to Easdale ?

Think i have mislead people here ,my stay is at Lunga Estate cottages not on lunga ,just south of Craobh Haven,so reckon i have a few nautical miles to get to Easdale and havnt really researched this ,any pointers please ? or maybe i will just be sitting in front of a roaring fire ,maybe someone else is staying on the estate ?? anybody please ?

[Gazzago]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Think i have mislead people here ,my stay is at Lunga Estate cottages not on lunga ,just south of Craobh Haven,so reckon i have a few nautical miles to get to Easdale and havnt really researched this ,any pointers please ? or maybe i will just be sitting in front of a roaring fire ,maybe someone else is staying on the estate ?? anybody please ?

Hi

I can’t tell you anything about the crossing to Easdale other than it’s not very far. Appears to be quite sheltered waters.

Why not give Carolyn a call at Seafari? They’ll know the waters better than anyone. You’ll have her contact details in the email she sent out. Assuming you’ve registered to go.

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Gazzago

Hi

I can’t tell you anything about the crossing to Easdale other than it’s not very far. Appears to be quite sheltered waters.

Why not give Carolyn a call at Seafari? They’ll know the waters better than anyone. You’ll have her contact details in the email she sent out. Assuming you’ve registered to go.

Hi and thanks for help ,i have only registered a few days ago but i think emails were sent out 27th of march but I never booked accom and registered on monday so i seem to have missed that date so dont have any reply or contact details yet ,and i dont have facebook !

[Gazzago]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Hi and thanks for help ,i have only registered a few days ago but i think emails were sent out 27th of march but I never booked accom and registered on monday so i seem to have missed that date so dont have any reply or contact details yet ,and i dont have facebook !

Have sent you a pm with the details. [emoji1303]

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Think i have mislead people here ,my stay is at Lunga Estate cottages not on lunga ,just south of Craobh Haven,so reckon i have a few nautical miles to get to Easdale and havnt really researched this ,any pointers please ? or maybe i will just be sitting in front of a roaring fire ,maybe someone else is staying on the estate ?? anybody please ?

Hi Orwell Boy .. For most of your journey from Craobh Haven to Easdale which is around 8 miles .. it will be plain sailing.

You should be aware that the Cuan Sound is a tide race though..complete with standing waves and overfalls when in full flow . With a good wind against tide leaving the Cuan sound when its on the flood .. and heading for Easdale .. it can prove interesting boating .

The sound of Easdale is shallow in places so take care trying to get onto the island.

Leaving Craobh Haven ..head north west towards Seil Sound, go round the north of the Island of Torsa to enter the Cuan Sound ..dont take the short way round the south of Torsa as it is shallow and rocky .. (land owner recently built a causeway across it but then had to remove it again as he didn’t have permission ..but it shows how shallow it is to the south.)

I don’t expect you will have much bother in a RIB ..enjoy your visit

Follow the blue line

[Highland Haggis]

There’s a good tide run like the gurnard says just take your time and keep an eye on the rocks below it does get very shallow also don’t hit the ferry lol will hopefully see you there

[beerbelly]

i wouldnt try south of torsa in anything with more draft than a kayak last time i was there in a sib it was only half the length of my oar deep and roaring through ( i used the oar to do a u turn as it was starting to look dodgy )

[Orwell boy]

Thanks all ,you guys have made me feel alot better about where i have commited to stay ,your wisdom has given real help ,in addition to help myself i purchased a set of charts for the area today ,slightly different possibilities from suffolk ,rocks are pretty rare ,mainly shingle banks and the odd container .thanks again

[Tony Hill]

Takes less than 30 minutes but it is what we at Seafari allow. What the guys have previously sent is correct. Cuan Sound is the option. By sticking to around 50m to the north tip of Torsa means you miss the rocks. Head directly to the middle of Cuan Sound. Turn 90 degrees to port and aim for Cleit Rock Beacon. Judge what the tide is doing but basically as you close Cleit Rock Beacon, when you see the channel out to the west all clear turn west.
As you exit Cuan Sound, if you have strong wind vs tide and over falls cling to the north side of Luing. As you exit basically head for the Garvellachs keeping the over falls to starboard. Mind the rocks off Port Mary. When calm enough head for Easdale Sound.

East tide Cuan Sound starts maybe 2 hours before HW Oban
West tide starts 2 hours before LW Oban

Tony