Swinging moorings on the west coast of Scotland

A buoy on a ground chain; the boat swings with wind and tide and you need a tender to get ashore.

14 sites · 2 with space now · 2 with a waiting list · typical £2,350 a year for a 10m boat (£1,210–£3,740 across 7 published tariffs)

At a glance

14 sites: 2 on estuaries and tidal rivers and 12 on the open coast.
2 of the 14 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Craighouse Moorings and Kilmelford Yacht Haven.
Keeping a waiting list: Ardoran Marine and Tobermory Harbour.
For a 10m boat, published prices run from £1,210 a year (Portpatrick Harbour) to £3,740 a year (Kerrera Marina); the middle of 7 is £2,350 a year.
Longest boat taken: 36m (118ft) at Rhu Marina.
Of the 14, 9 have electric hook-up, 8 diesel, 1 a boat hoist and 6 visitor berths.

Coast & harbours Berths available

Craighouse Moorings

Craighouse, Argyll and Bute · Small Isles Bay

Prices not published

Seen on their website 8 days ago

Coast & harbours Berths available

Kilmelford Yacht Haven

Kilmelford, Argyll and Bute · Loch Melfort

Prices not published

Seen on their website 8 days ago

Coast & harbours Waiting list

Ardoran Marine

Oban, Argyll and Bute · Loch Feochan

£2,350 a year for a 10m yacht

Seen on their website 8 days ago

Coast & harbours Waiting list

Tobermory Harbour

Tobermory, Argyll and Bute · Tobermory Bay

Prices not published

Seen on their website 8 days ago

Coast & harbours

Ardfern Yacht Centre

Ardfern, Argyll and Bute · Loch Craignish

£3,020 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Kerrera Marina

Oban, Argyll and Bute · Ardentrive Bay, Firth of Lorn

£3,740 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Lochaline Harbour

Lochaline, Highland · Sound of Mull

£2,472 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Mallaig Yachting Marina

Mallaig, Highland · Mallaig Harbour

£1,285 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Portpatrick Harbour

Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway · Irish Sea, Portpatrick

£880 a year for a 10m yacht

Estuaries & tidal rivers

Rhu Marina

Rhu, Argyll and Bute · Firth of Clyde

£5,110 a year for a 10m yacht

Estuaries & tidal rivers

Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club

Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute · Gare Loch

£2,592 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Tarbert Harbour

Tarbert, Argyll and Bute · Loch Fyne

£1,680 a year for a 10m yacht

Coast & harbours

Crinan Boatyard

Crinan, Argyll and Bute · Loch Crinan

Prices not published

Coast & harbours

Portree Harbour

Portree, Highland · Loch Portree

Prices not published

Compared: prices for a 10m boat

Site	Where	A year, 10m boat	Berths	Space
Craighouse Moorings	Craighouse, Small Isles Bay	–	swinging moorings	Berths available
Kilmelford Yacht Haven	Kilmelford, Loch Melfort	–	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Berths available
Ardoran Marine	Oban, Loch Feochan	£2,350	swinging moorings	Waiting list
Tobermory Harbour	Tobermory, Tobermory Bay	–	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Waiting list
Ardfern Yacht Centre	Ardfern, Loch Craignish	£3,020	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Kerrera Marina	Oban, Ardentrive Bay, Firth of Lorn	£3,740	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Lochaline Harbour	Lochaline, Sound of Mull	–	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Mallaig Yachting Marina	Mallaig, Mallaig Harbour	£1,285	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Portpatrick Harbour	Portpatrick, Irish Sea, Portpatrick	£1,210	swinging moorings, quay and harbour wall berths	Not reported
Rhu Marina	Rhu, Firth of Clyde	–	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club	Helensburgh, Gare Loch	£2,592	swinging moorings	Not reported
Tarbert Harbour	Tarbert, Loch Fyne	£1,680	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Crinan Boatyard	Crinan, Loch Crinan	–	pontoon berths, swinging moorings	Not reported
Portree Harbour	Portree, Loch Portree	–	swinging moorings	Not reported

From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.

Questions

How much does a mooring for a 10m boat cost on the west coast of Scotland?

Across the 7 swinging moorings here that publish a price, a 10m boat costs from £1,210 a year at Portpatrick Harbour to £3,740 a year at Kerrera Marina. The middle figure is £2,350 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.

What are the cheapest swinging moorings on the west coast of Scotland?

For a 10m boat, Portpatrick Harbour is cheapest at £1,210 a year.

Which swinging moorings on the west coast of Scotland have space now?

2 of the 14 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Craighouse Moorings and Kilmelford Yacht Haven. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.

Do I need a licence as well as a mooring?

On top of the mooring fee: of these, 6 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.

Broader

Swinging moorings on the west coast of Scotland, by county

Argyll and Bute 13
Highland 3

Swinging moorings in other areas

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