FAQ : Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers)

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1. Which charts are supplied with the boat?
Admiralty charts are carried on all the yachts for the Standard Cruising Area which runs from the South of Mull to Loch Ewe and the East Coast of the Outer Hebrides. See map on back of brochure and the Location page of the website. This consists of 24 full size Admiralty Charts plus the West Coast of Scotland leisure folio SC5611.
If you want to go further afield, other folios are available for hire. (The West coast of the Outer Hebrides including St.Kilda is in the North Folio). Pre-ordering of additional folio/s invokes the necessary authority to cruise beyond the standard area.

2. What other navigational equipment is there?
All boats have GPS receivers/ Chart Plotters. The Clyde Cruising Club Pilot Books; “Kintyre to Ardnamurchan”, “Ardnamurchan to Cape Wrath” and the “Outer Hebrides” are on all boats. An Almanac and plotting equipment are also on board, including parallel rules and a Bretton Plotter. All boats have a “Ship’s Manual” which will fill you in on the boats details. Ask us for a copy to be emailed to you for familiarisation prior to your trip if required. Instruction manuals are available 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. Are there pillows?
Pillows and clean pillowcases are supplied at the rate of one per berth on the boat. Tea towels are also provided on the basis of 4 per boat per week.

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 available for sale at £30 per pair in sizes from 37 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 MP3 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 or a steamer you might like to bring one along. Please note that Sandpiper, Lady Naomi and Janet Macarthur are the only boats with 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, details will be provided in the Ship’s Book on board the yacht. Where yachts are returned dirty a cleaning charge 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 put the finishing touches with specialist materials where necessary. To assist with keeping the place tidy we also supply; clothes pegs, “J” cloths, bin liners and a small supply of rubbish bags. If you are planning to eat on board every night you might find you need to bring some more bags or additional cleaning materials.

11. 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.

12. If we come by ferry do we have to bring our car?
If you would like to come on the 1510 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. Some people do find the procedure a little disconcerting because they have to wait until the ferry leaves again before we can bring the launch in to collect you. Most parties find it worthwhile to bring at least one car over with all the luggage and shopping.

13. Are there plenty of car parking spaces?
A Parking area is provided at the top of the drive, 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. Note that parking outside the former Youth Hostel is no longer available. All parking remains at the owner’s risk.

14. 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 want 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 a late lunch which is handy for the ferry at 15.50.

15. 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 (phone, camera, laptop) wattage appliances at 240V.

16. 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 remittance in the charterers’ name to cover each stage payment. This is a requirement of the insurance cover.

17. Insurance
The yacht is fully insured against all normal maritime risks, but there is no provision for cover for personal loss or injury. A standard travel policy (we can send details of our recommended policy if required) will provide this and also cancellation protection.

18. 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. In practice, we deduct from it, a nominal charge for consumables used during the trip; i.e. fuel based on litres used and cooking gas. If you have lost or broken any bits of the yacht’s equipment e.g. boat hook these will be charged at Trade 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 £65-£80 per week for diesel and gas. We aim to post the refund of the balance on the Monday after your trip. No need to return the yacht with full fuel and water tanks as our shore staff will be expecting to replenish tanks as part of the changeover routine. In any case, we prefer to use our own fuel, which has been filtered and treated with biocide.

19. 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 assistance is required and, if so, work out the best way of providing it.
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.

20. 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. If you haven’t already got a copy of our DVD please ask for one to give you a taste of some of the wonderful locations you might visit. 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!)
We have compiled a selection of 7 suggested itineraries. If you would like a copy before your holiday please contact us or download some of them from the website. There is also a booklet called “Welcome Anchorages” available on the yachts or download from www.welcomeanchoragesscotland.com/.
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 you might enjoy a copy of the Martin Lawrence's pilot book "The Yachtsman's Pilot to Skye and North West Scotland" (although it doesn't cover the Outer Hebrides). Alternatively, the Clyde Cruising Club have just (June 10) published “Cruising Scotland-The Clyde to Cape Wrath” by Mike Balmforth and Edward Mason.

If we can help in any other way – please do not hesitate to contact us by phone on:-

01471 844216 or email FAQ@isleofskyeyachts.co.uk