Cruising Group

The Club Cruising Group was formed in 2007 to encourage keelboat and motor cruiser owners to share knowledge and experience, and explore various destinations within the Clyde area and beyond in the company of others, to build confidence in a convivial atmosphere.

After the hiatus of the Covid years, activities for the 2023 season are back to normal, with the following cruises in company were held:

  • Sat 22nd April - shakedown cruise, followed by evening supper
  • Sat-Sun 13-14 May - Tarbert - Andy and Jacqui Taylor, Ghoster
  • Sat-Sun 17-18 June - Troon - David and Lesley Harley, Milou
  • Sat-Sun 8-9 July - Rhu - Andy and Karen McDaid, Icarus of Penryn
  • Sat-Tue 5-8 August - "round Arran" - Chris Hubbard, Alice Mari
  • Sat 26 Aug - Ellen MacArthur, as part of Largs Regatta Festival
  • Sat-Sun 23-24 Sept - Holy Loch (became LYH for weather reasons) - Simon and Geraldine Warden, Maddison
  • Sat 4 Nov - laying up supper

From the beginning of April through to the end of September, a series of weekend cruises are offered with musters planned by members around the Clyde and its surrounding lochs and Islands. These often take in important festivals such as the Bute Jazz Festival (May) and Tarbert Seafood Festival (July). All cruises start with a meeting in the Clubhouse on either Friday evening or Saturday morning to agree destinations and the all-important social programme.  We hold a weather check and safety briefing at this meeting, agreeing our VHF working channel and exchanging mobile phone numbers of all participants. All cruises are advertised in the Club e-news and will be posted on this page and on the Cruising Facebook page. A guidance document for cruise coordinators, compiled with the help of the club safety convenor, is attached below.

We sometimes undertake longer cruise in company, for 1, 2 or 3 weeks (or longer!) depending on members' availability. Designed to share the experience of navigating the waters west of the Mull of Kintyre, and Ardnamurchan, and passage planning around the tidal seas of the Mull of Kintyre and West Coast of Scotland, these cruises are agreed and planned by those wishing to take part on a year to year basis. They are usually beyond the Clyde and in recent years have taken in Northern Ireland, the Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Western and Small Isles as well as Crinan Canal.

In the winter months, in addition to social activities, we can take the opportunity to brush up on our shore based knowledge with a series of talks geared towards both educating and entertaining. These usually take place on Sunday afternoon in the Hems Kalis room of the Clubhouse, normally on the same weekend as the Friday evening quiz. Previous talks have included some fascinating insights from members about their cruising and shore based adventures, and other topics with a general marine theme.

We also hold social evenings where members can come and hear talks from friends and colleagues and share their own experiences with a buffet supper and bar service. These are advertised in the Club e-news and will also be posted on the calendar.

Cruising group information is also shared within the cruising Facebook page, and WhatsApp group, available to LSC members.

Photo: Gordon Cochrane
Canna with Rum behind
Photo: Gordon Cochrane
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
A Tobermory Muster
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
2014 cruise past Staffa
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Loch Fyne after Tarbert Seafood Festival
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Crinan Canal in Company
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Photo: Gordon Cochrane
Dawn, Lamlash Bay Muster
Photo: Gordon Cochrane
Commonwealth Games Flotilla Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Commonwealth Games Flotilla
Photo: Marilyn Robertson
Heading for Mull of Kintyre at sunrise, Night Owl in the distance! (Marilyn Robertson)
Heading for Mull of Kintyre at sunrise, Night Owl in the distance!
Photo by: Marilyn Robertson
Castle Bay Barra (with Bethany) Marilyn Robertson
Castle Bay Barra (with Bethany)
Marilyn Robertson

Contacting the Cruising Group

Whilst we seek a volunteer to fill the vacant position of Cruising Convenor, the cruising committee members can be contacted using the link below, which goes to Gordon Cochrane, former owner of Maxi 1100 "Night Owl", or you can approach any member directly e.g. if you see rear commodore Neil Gould out and about on his She 31 "Loch She". ...