What about something less demanding - like a Whisk(e)y tour ????

lc0021 · 10 November 2013, 14:40

HI Guys,

I changed my rib last year. I had notions of getting something like a 6.5m and trying a few legs of the 'round Ireland' bash..

As it happens - It took me the whole year to get something I liked - and the Round Ireland tour was well over by the time I was towing by new RIB home to Ireland.

The idea of a RIB tour in company is very appealing. However - on reflection - the 'bashes' - like the Round Ireland bash, or the Round Britain bash - are not for the novice - and are probably too demanding in terms of fuel costs and time (at sea) for many RIB users.

So I was wondering about a milder kind of tour - with smaller journeys, and some more tourist time ashore. (I'm sure there are lots ...).

Last night I saw an ad for ManX whisky... and then I thought..

What about a Whisky tour - or a Whisk(e)y tour.

After some very minimal research - I figured that - using Douglas as a starting point it would be possible to visit at least one distillery, by boat - almost every day for a week long tour.

Starting in Douglas (Welcome To ManX), Then first day cruise to Portpatrick (60 mls ? - and maybo bo distillery here), then day 2 to Girvan (~40mls), day 3 to Lochranza on Arran (~50 mls), day 4 through the Crinian Canal to Jura (Craighouse ~50mls), day 5 to Islay (possibly Port Ellen ~25 mls), Day 6 to Bushmills (~35 miles - but open to the Atlantic..), Day 7 to Bangor (NI) area (long - ~60 mls ?), Day 8 to Carlingford RoI (Cooley Whiskey) (long again 60+ miles) - and day 8 - back to Douglas...

This is purely based on a hour on Google maps with my Sunday morning coffee.. I have no idea about the seas - here - but the distances look achievable, and some of the cruises look relatively sheltered (compared to the long distance bashes) - so looks like something more suitable for the less hard core ribbers - or for smaller boats.

Does this sound like an interesting idea ?

Chris Caton · 10 November 2013, 14:52

sounds good to me

ShinyShoe · 10 November 2013, 15:21

If you hunt hard enough you should find a Willk post that kind of says exactly that - the RI had some really big legs.

However without wanting to say what Willk was saying, coz he has his own voice and will instantly tell me I don't know what he thinks... ...which is true! I think he was also saying:

A scheduled tour means you are much more committed to go despite the weather. That doesn't mean you should go if its dangerous but does mean you go if the weather is unpleasant you may go when if you were two mates going you might decide to wait and have a lay day.

Secondly, Land support is very useful. Its hard enough to persaude someone to do land support for you, but your trip would be mamouth for land support. In fact I'd suggest you almost planned the least land supportable route! Think Willk suggested youd want a trailer with the land support - thats going to be expensive as there will be a lot of ferries. Ferries add another complication for land support as some are only 1 or 2 a day. Plus escape plans may be to alternative land masses! There is something however quite appealing about your route - almost because going by boat is the logical way to get to each destination.

I think you want rest days in there, but you need the flexibility to be able to move them to where the wx window needs them to be.

Not done Crinan but may need to make it a day without trying to do passages either side.

Next problem is (possibly) fuel. Make your venture too large and you get noticed breaking rules on fuel transport. Make your venture even larger (RI sized) and its practically impossible to break the rules anyway as land support cant do the journeys needed in the time window.

Personally can't stand whisk(e)y unless its diluted in IrnBru... ...maybe I could power the boat with the stuff!

Dhf · 10 November 2013, 15:47

Like this one!

EVINRUDE 55 MFE - YouTube

Poly · 10 November 2013, 16:12

I don't mind the odd whisky but I don't like it enough to go on a special trip (my boats too wee anyway). IF everyone is the same then you need to make your trip about the journey rather than the destination. Any trip on the west of Scotland can easily include distilleries. If you really want to cover the range of whiskies available then surely you want to visit Wales too? A cunning plan might be a figure of 8 shape trip over 2 weeks that let people do either or both loop?

Douglas is an odd place to start - virtually everyone (except those with 3 legs) has a significant trip to get there to start. If you are trying to organise a BIG group then perhaps start at Stanraer? That is accessible to the Scots and N. Englanders, and reasonably short for the Norn Irish. That makes the finish there too - which is possibly practical if anyone has to abandon and needs to get trailers etc?

Girvan is an odd choice. I've not been for about 20 yrs but unless its had a transformation then I don't think i've missed much and there is no distillery close by that I can think of. Campbeltown isn't necessarily much better but at least has a distillery...

The Crinan Canal is a 6 hour transit, and could take longer at peak season stuck behind yachty traffic. It will add about £60-70 to the cost of the trip; plus the need for lots of fenders and rope that you need to carry and store for the whole visit.

You've listed the stills, but not where you would leave the boats and sleep each night. That is a serious consideration. Fuel is also a major thing to consider on such a long trip, especially with no vehicle to support you.

Of course its your trip so these are just food for thought!

jambo · 10 November 2013, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

I don't mind the odd whisky but I don't like it enough to go on a special trip (my boats too wee anyway). IF everyone is the same then you need to make your trip about the journey rather than the destination. Any trip on the west of Scotland can easily include distilleries. If you really want to cover the range of whiskies available then surely you want to visit Wales too? A cunning plan might be a figure of 8 shape trip over 2 weeks that let people do either or both loop? Douglas is an odd place to start - virtually everyone (except those with 3 legs) has a significant trip to get there to start. If you are trying to organise a BIG group then perhaps start at Stanraer? That is accessible to the Scots and N. Englanders, and reasonably short for the Norn Irish. That makes the finish there too - which is possibly practical if anyone has to abandon and needs to get trailers etc? Girvan is an odd choice. I've not been for about 20 yrs but unless its had a transformation then I don't think i've missed much and there is no distillery close by that I can think of. Campbeltown isn't necessarily much better but at least has a distillery... The Crinan Canal is a 6 hour transit, and could take longer at peak season stuck behind yachty traffic. It will add about £60-70 to the cost of the trip; plus the need for lots of fenders and rope that you need to carry and store for the whole visit. You've listed the stills, but not where you would leave the boats and sleep each night. That is a serious consideration. Fuel is also a major thing to consider on such a long trip, especially with no vehicle to support you. Of course its your trip so these are just food for thought!

Poly how dare you be little my town, Girvan is home to the largest distillery in Scotland Grant's!! It also has a split new marina with 35 new berths. :-)

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Festinghouse · 10 November 2013, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

Poly how dare you be little my town, Girvan is home to the largest distillery in Scotland Grant's!! It also has a split new marina with 35 new berths. :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

it may be the biggest distillery, but it doesnt mean its any good!

Poly · 10 November 2013, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

Poly how dare you be little my town, Girvan is home to the largest distillery in Scotland Grant's!! It also has a split new marina with 35 new berths. :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

there you go - you learn something new every day...

...well 2 things actually:

- I thought you were from troon?
- does the Grant's distillery do tours or is it a massive factory operation?

I had forgotten about the new marina.

Still can't be that good - you're away every weekend you can be, and keep your RIB elsewhere

jambo · 10 November 2013, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

there you go - you learn something new every day...

...well 2 things actually:

- I thought you were from troon?
- does the Grant's distillery do tours or is it a massive factory operation?

I had forgotten about the new marina.

Still can't be that good - you're away every weekend you can be, and keep your RIB elsewhere

Hi N
how are you, bloody cold down here!!

Yea Grants have been here since early sixties very big operation but do tours not only does the W but does Gin Hedricks and Vodka also has big development side to the operation.

Yes we just had the massive injection from malin waters for the re-vamp of the harbour which is long over due this is the first stage and the further development to the wider harbour area taking place hopefully next year which will give full cruising facilities for visiting boats.
I have boated out of Girvan for years and have worked on the boats to! You know the reason I do my ribbing in the 'West' But there would be a limited area you could do out of G on a day basis and honestly I have seen AC and Arran so many times

But listen back to the OP in regards to a Whisky tour, our good friend ralph started this idea I think last winter and laid down a bit of work on the forum, can't find it but maybe you could, I know he has done a fair amount of research.
Cheers for now
B

ps I take it you have moved your sib from the boat park?

Poly · 10 November 2013, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

ps I take it you have moved your sib from the boat park?

Eh, no - are you telling me its not there anymore?

Poly · 10 November 2013, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

But listen back to the OP in regards to a Whisky tour, our good friend ralph started this idea I think last winter and laid down a bit of work on the forum, can't find it but maybe you could, I know he has done a fair amount of research.

Jambo - was it one of these two?

I can't see any others.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f18/easdale...tml#post512309

http://www.rib.net/forum/f18/whiskey-galore-45058.html

jambo · 10 November 2013, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Eh, no - are you telling me its not there anymore?

Was up
Last week but was not up at the boat park. So calm down if you want I can get someone to check for you.

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jambo · 10 November 2013, 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Jambo - was it one of these two? I can't see any others. http://www.rib.net/forum/f18/easdale...tml#post512309 http://www.rib.net/forum/f18/whiskey-galore-45058.html

The first one was ERR. It was the second one I know he has some info re a west if Scot whisky your via rib

Cheers

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Poly · 10 November 2013, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

Was up
Last week but was not up at the boat park. So calm down if you want I can get someone to check for you.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

I'm sure its fine.

lc0021 · 11 November 2013, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

I don't mind the odd whisky but I don't like it enough to go on a special trip (my boats too wee anyway). IF everyone is the same then you need to make your trip about the journey rather than the destination.

I think you've kind of missed my point. I don't think that everybody is the same. For some people there needs to be destinations as well as the trip. For me - that's one of the drawbacks of the 'Round *wherever* ' bashes - is a trip - without a destination as such. I'm not knocking it in any way - it's just a different type of event. I might go on one - but there's no way my better half would accompany me!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Any trip on the west of Scotland can easily include distilleries. If you really want to cover the range of whiskies available then surely you want to visit Wales too? A cunning plan might be a figure of 8 shape trip over 2 weeks that let people do either or both loop?

I guess that the attraction of the West of Scotland. but I added a couple of non-Scotch distilleries as well. I wouldn't be a Welsh whisky expert - I didn't even know such a thing existed till you told me! . But I think adding Wales changes the dynamic of the trip I was suggesting. My first thought is that there's a whole other similar trip down the Welsh coast, South West of England, and the Scillies - but with a different theme other than Distilleries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Douglas is an odd place to start - virtually everyone (except those with 3 legs) has a significant trip to get there to start. If you are trying to organise a BIG group then perhaps start at Stanraer? That is accessible to the Scots and N. Englanders, and reasonably short for the Norn Irish. That makes the finish there too - which is possibly practical if anyone has to abandon and needs to get trailers etc?

Mmmm. Interesting point. I had envisaged people cruising to Douglas as a meeting place. Small groups trailing to and meeting in various places like Dundalk, Holyhead, Whitehaven, Stranraer, Port Patrick, etc. It seemed to be reachable from much of the mid western section of the island of Great Britain, and from much of the East Coast of Ireland. Trailing to Douglas means that everybody has to get a ferry - which might be a disincentive. Stranraer could also be a good starting point - although its a longer cruise for those further south. Trailing to Stranraer still means a ferry from Ireland, or the IoM, - but not for those in Great Britain.

I guess anybody could pick up on the cruise at any stage anyway.. but I can see how starting from Stranraer might attract a bigger group... and people from Ireland could either trail over or cruise over...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Girvan is an odd choice. I've not been for about 20 yrs but unless its had a transformation then I don't think i've missed much and there is no distillery close by that I can think of. Campbeltown isn't necessarily much better but at least has a distillery...

The Crinan Canal is a 6 hour transit, and could take longer at peak season stuck behind yachty traffic. It will add about £60-70 to the cost of the trip; plus the need for lots of fenders and rope that you need to carry and store for the whole visit.

Great. This was what I was hoping for - some educated opinions on the route. The goal is to provide relatively short broken cruises, with something interesting at the end of each cruise. So as much tourist time as cruising time. The distilleries was just a theme that occurred to me. We could swap distilleries for other points of interest on certain days, and change the stopovers and routes to take in better attractions (or better distilleries..)

Similarly re the Crinan Canal. We could head South West and stop off in Campbelltown - as mentioned - the route can be fine tuned...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

You've listed the stills, but not where you would leave the boats and sleep each night. That is a serious consideration. Fuel is also a major thing to consider on such a long trip, especially with no vehicle to support you.

Of course its your trip so these are just food for thought!

Yes absolutely. and again - that was the point of the email. Finding stopping points with safe harbours and accommodation for overnighting, and with either filling stations close to the harbour, or willing to assist by selling petrol to a bunch of guys with cans...

It's not going to be MY trip - we'll need a group - so interested parties are the first requirement! This is very good input.. thanks.

Poly · 11 November 2013, 09:02

lc0021 - sorry I didn't communicate well. I didn't mean to suggest that you should make the trip more epic or adventurous or just plain difficult / hard work (as per Round .... events). What I was really trying to say was exactly the point you are making. If it aims to include 'social' activity, or to bring along those less keen on adventure at sea then you need to make sure that the destination each day is worth going to. It appears I may be out of date on Girvan (and my last visit preceded my Whisky interest) but you'd need to be quite a Whisky Buff (or more to the point your missus would) to want to visit half a dozen distilleries one after the other and go on the tour (which largely will be much the same from one distillery to another as 80% of them is about how whisky is made - not what is unique to that site).

A Stranraer start wouldn't necessarily mean that people not from the big island had to tow - you could cruise. I wasn't suggesting it should be Stranraer - if the interest is more from your side of the sea it could be just as easily somewhere on the West of ireland. History suggests that RIBnet trips going to IoM have been dogged by weather issues - you would be relying on a weather window at the start and end of the trip which suits people going in a variety of directions. Thats quite a gamble. Weather is going to be a big factor for you anyway.

Dhf · 11 November 2013, 11:03

Just for the record, we only have one distillery in Wales, and thats some distance in land, Penderyn has reportably quit nice Wisgi/Whisky though, However we do have some fine Ales in Wales, with many Ale houses scattering our Coast. Personaly I've been teetotal for nearly 20yrs but I will happily dine with family in some of them, even pushing the boat out with a Bitter shandy sometimes.

Penderyn Distillery | The home of Welsh Whisky

Felinfoel Brewery - The oldest brewery in Wales

Brains | Home

Cresswell Quay - YouTube

lc0021 · 12 November 2013, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragonhawk ficht

Just for the record, we only have one distillery in Wales, and thats some distance in land, Penderyn has reportably quit nice Wisgi/Whisky though, However we do have some fine Ales in Wales, with many Ale houses scattering our Coast. Personaly I've been teetotal for nearly 20yrs but I will happily dine with family in some of them, even pushing the boat out with a Bitter shandy sometimes.

as a frequent traveller - I've long ago decided that the biggest bone of contention between the 'Big Island' and the 'Littler One' is the temperature that beer should be served at.....

Dhf · 12 November 2013, 21:53

Yes indeed many places serve there beer too chilled I believe, whereas more flavours are released at room temperature.

9D280 · 13 November 2013, 15:57

Not a huge amout of time today, so having skim read this, advanced apologies if I've missed something.....

Idea sounds good, but as said, you cold have a "hardcore" team that base in IoM, then be joined by "day trippers", possibly cruising in Co. ove rshorter distances. there are a fair few of the smaller boats couldn't carry enough fuel for an 80 Mile round trip.....

Other thought, if you are aiming for Jura, just go round the end - you'll waste a day of your life in the canal - I worked out that a Rhu - Oban would be equi-timed to go round the mull vs through the canal. (and Ironically due to the long displacement trip on my rib + the dues, I might as well burn the premix!

Yes, I dod do a wee survey (I have a long term mission to visit all the shore based ones at some point by sea). I'll see if I can find my previous posts. if not I'll maybe write a sticky for the "info" section, as this is a reasonably frequent proposal.....