FAQ : Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers)

1. Which charts are supplied with the boat?
Admiralty charts are carried at all times for the Standard Cruising Area which runs from the South of Mull to the Shiants and the East Coast of the Outer Hebrides. See map on back of brochure and/or the “Destination”page of the website.If you want to go outwith the Standard Cruising area advance notification is required. To extend North and West (including St Kilda) there is a £25 charge which includes the extra charts required to the West of the Outer Hebrides.
2. What other navigational equipment is there?
All boats have GPS receivers connected to Chart Plotters. The Clyde Cruising Club Pilot Books; “Kintyre to Ardnamurchan”, “Ardnamurchan to Cape Wrath” and the “Outer Hebrides” and a Almanac and plotting equipment including parallel rules and a Bretton Plotter are also on board. All boats have a “Ship’s Manual” which will fill you in on the boats operating procedures. Ask us for a copy to be emailed to you for familiarisation prior to your trip if required. Instruction manuals are available on board for most equipment.
3. Are there binoculars?
Yes
4. Does the boat have a fridge?
Yes, however, do remember that normal practice is to only operate an electric fridge when the engine is running so the Skipper and Cook may have different priorities!
5. Is linen supplied?
Pillows and clean pillowcases are supplied at the rate of one per berth on the boat. Tea towels are also provided. Please bring any other bedding and towels you require with you. Alternatively, we can provide hired sleeping bags - £15 each.
6. Waterproofs?
It doesn’t rain in Scotland…, but if you want to guarantee a week of sunshine, we have a selection of “coastal” weight waterproof suits (Jacket & Trousers) available for hire- £21 per week. Wellies are usually available for sale in sizes from 38 to 46. If you require any of these items please order in advance.
7. On Board Entertainment?
All the yachts have a Radio/CD player. The newest yachts have sets which are USB compatible.
8. What about galley equipment?
All boats have a generous selection of cooking utensils and crockery. If you have any particular loves such as; a pressure cooker you might like to bring one along. Please note that not all boat cookers have a grill.
9. Is there a compulsory charge for “end of charter” cleaning?
No – but we do require that the yacht is returned in a neat and tidy state with basic cleaning done to help speed up changeovers. If there are four of you in the party this probably means about 20 minutes cleaning per person so it shouldn’t be too onerous. In case you are not sure what is required, suggestions will be found in the Ship’s Book on board the yacht. Where yachts are returned dirty a cleaning surcharge of £40 will be made.
10. Any cleaning materials?
Basic cleaning materials are provided – a general galley and heads cleaner and toilet duck. These should be quite adequate to clean the yacht to a reasonable standard and our cleaning staff will add the finishing touches with specialist materials where necessary. To assist with keeping the place tidy we also supply; clothes pegs, “J” cloths, pan scrubs, bin liners and a small supply of rubbish bags.
11. What about Rubbish and recycling?
Additional rubbish bags in a different colour will be provided for recycling of paper, tins and plastic in addition to general waste. Please also keep glass in a separate container. If you are going home on the ferry it would be useful if you could put bottles in the glass recycling bins at Armadale Pier while you are waiting there. Rubbish skips can be found at most of the larger harbours and if you are ashore mid-trip it would be useful to dump accumulated general rubbish.
12. If we are coming by ferry should we book in advance?
This is advisable on Saturdays and during July and August. Contact Calmac on 01471 844248-Option 2 or www.calmac.co.uk.
13. If we come by ferry do we have to bring our car?
If you would like to come on the1520 ex Mallaig ferry as foot passengers you can do so and our launch will pick you up directly from the ferry pier. Please let us know in advance that you intend to arrive in this way. Most parties find it worthwhile to bring at least one car over with all the luggage and shopping.
14. Are there plenty of car parking spaces?
A Parking area is provided at the top of the drive to the Private Pier. However, if all the fleet are out and there is an RYA Course running as well, car parking space is limited. Where possible, please try and restrict the number of cars to 1 car per 3 crew members. To maximise the usable space,vehicles in the same party will be parked so as to block each other in. Parking is free but at the owner’s risk.
15. Catching the ferry home
If you are on a Bareboat or Skippered charter it usually ends at 0900 on the last morning, which is a convenient time for catching the second ferry to Mallaig at 1015 (vehicle check in 30min before) If you need to be on the first ferry sailing at 0850 then you should pre-advise us accordingly and must return to the mooring before 1700 the previous evening so that handback formalities and unloading of most of the baggage can be carried out before our staff finish work. RYA Courses usually finish after lunch which is handy for the ferry at 14.40.
16. Will our mobile phone work?
The O2 and Vodafone systems both work at Armadale. The coverage is improving all the time, although it is still patchy. We would estimate that the main providers now serve about 75% of the area you are likely to be sailing in. It still might be better to make a call while out at sea than waiting until you are anchored in a bay surrounded by mountains!
All the boats have at least one 12-volt charging socket and an Inverter to recharge LOW wattage (phone, tablet, and laptop) appliances at 240V.
17. How and when do we pay you?
The booking deposit is due when you return the charter agreement. Your booking is not confirmed until this is received. We will send out your final invoice about 6 weeks before your trip and this should be paid by no later than the 28th day before your holiday starts. Payment can be in Sterling or Euros by UK Bank Cheque, Credit or Debit card or Bank Transfer; our account details are on your invoice. If you are paying using cheque, send only one drawn on the charterers’ account to cover each stage payment.This is a requirement of the insurance cover.
18. Insurance
The yacht is fully insured against all normal maritime and 3rd party risks, but there is no provision for cover for personal loss or injury. A standard travel policy will provide this and also cancellation protection which is strongly recommended as we cannot refund your charter fee in the event of you cancelling.
19. What is the Security (Sailing) Deposit for?
When you receive your final invoice, you will find the Booking deposit deducted and a Sailing deposit added. We retain the sailing deposit until after you return from your holiday. Its main purpose is to cover the excess on the insurance policy and it is not possible to take a waiver on this. In practice, we deduct from it, a charge for consumables used during the trip; i.e. fuel based on litres used and a cooking gas (usually one cylinder). If you have lost or broken any bits of the yacht’s equipment e.g. boat hook these will be charged at replacement price. The fuel tank is full when you leave and we will refill on your return and charge at the current retail rate with a 60/40 tax split. Most crews end up paying between £50-£80 per week for diesel and gas depending on the weather, itinerary and size of boat. We aim to credit the balance of the deposit on the Monday after your trip.
20. What should I do if any of the boat equipment breaks down during my holiday?
Should you have any major equipment failure or loss please let us know as soon as possible – even if it means going ashore and walking to a telephone box! We will then discuss with you whether outside assistance is required and, if so, work out the best way of providing it as quickly as possible. If calling outwith office hours, please be prepared to leave a message and full contact details on the answerphone which will be dealt with appropriately.
It is also useful to know about more minor faults before your return, wherever possible, so that we can have the correct parts and equipment ready on changeover days to service the yacht before her next customers arrive.
21. Where can we sail to on our holiday?
It is difficult to answer this question briefly as there is a lifetimes cruising in the area.There are seven suggested itineraries in the Destinations section of the website www.skyeyachts.co.uk. If you have never cruised from Armadale before and have a reasonably competent crew your best way to plan is to think about a cruise round Skye with a leg out to the Outer Hebrides. The way this is tackled will depend on the weather forecast! Most nights you will find you have the option of anchoring in a remote anchorage or somewhere with a pub, hotel or restaurant to eat at. (There may well not be a choice but there are a number of excellent eating establishments to be found in the area!)
There is also a booklet called “Welcome Anchorages” available on the yachts or download from www.welcomeanchoragesscotland.com/. Photos and chat about the area can also be found on the IOSY Facebook page
If you want to plan your passages in advance of your holiday; we suggest you obtain a copy of the Imray chart C66 "Mallaig to Rudha Reidh and Outer Hebrides". This would cover most of the area you could expect to sail in for a week and is at an adequate scale for planning purposes.For bedtime reading we would suggest, the Clyde Cruising Club publication “Cruising Scotland-The Clyde to Cape Wrath” by Mike Balmforth and Edward Mason.
If you have any specific queries please feel free to contact us before your holiday to discuss them.

If we can help in any other way – please do not hesitate to contact us by phone on 01471 844216 or email enquiries@skyeyachts.co.uk