muggins Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 the fellow with the barge moved on this spring but yes he was there a while , voe does tick a lot of boxes for winter berthing but can freeze up a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldellin Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 For summer only, yes there are plenty sheltered voes in Shetland but hooking up to power and adding toilet facilities would be a an extremely limiting factor. ( There is presently a program in Shetland to close as many toilets as possible )This is Shaetland ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanna Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Aith marina is very well sheltered and has vacant berths, it also has electric and water hook ups plus toilets with shower facilities.Leisure centre is right next door and the shop is a short walk up the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldellin Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 ^ Sounds ideal, then I suppose there are a couple of already made floating accommodation vessels with full facilities at Sellaness which to date have not been good for anything else. I think they call them Bonxie and Solan, might be worth checking out their rates ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I wonder who here has lived on a boat in Shetland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I wonder who here has lived on a boat in Shetland? Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanna Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I live on board my boat and hope to make it to the Shetlands next summer. Is it possible to live on a boat there? Where are there places with safe moorings and facilities (electricity hook up, toilets/showers etc) please? Is it viable/allowed to be a liveaboard dweller in the Shetlands? I wonder who here has lived on a boat in Shetland? Why? Interested... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 we live in shetland we concerned that the op is full prepared for what he could face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ll Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Is this not the sole use the new 7 million pound tugs have served to date due to them having superior sleeping quarters to the ones in service. I would think the crews will be fuelling the generators themselves though and SIC won't be paying for the thousands of litres of fuel per week this is costing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogger Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 We have a sailing boat in Shetland and I think it definitely would be OK to liveaboard all winter in one of the marinas, (not at any of the piers - too rough) You would just have to be prepared to get fairly cold and damp but if you have electricity then you can have a heater and a dehumidifier running (we run that on our boat all winter just to keep the damp smell away.) In a gale though it would be pretty worrying sitting on a boat, we have gone and tied extra rope on but been very relieved to go home to our warm house and not have to sit it out on the boat which was heeling even in the marina! Most of the marinas up here would want sails off for the winter which is just as well as they can be shredded if left on the mast. The Lerwick marina did try to get us to take our whole mast down so we didn't leave the boat there for a winter. Your choice of marina depends on what facilities you want. Lerwick has all the town amenities but it is beside the power station in the middle of the industrial sector. Scalloway has two marinas, I don't know what space they have but I suspect your size of boat would be able to fit into either. Skeld is a great clean well kept marina and has all the facilities (inc wifi!) but no shop and the bus service is only a couple of times a day to the town (I think - only ever sailed there so don't lambast me if I am a bit wrong!!) Aith has the shop etc as mentioned in a previous post but the bus service is similar to Skeld although it does have free SIC wifi in the leisure centre. I don't think Voe would have any space for a winter berth for a boat your size as there is only one pontoon although worth a try as it is certainly one of the most sheltered and well built marinas up here but then the shop is a bit of a walk as is the bus stop - but you do have the excellent Pierhead restaurant and bar and a bakery at the head of the pontoon There are many more good marinas up here but those are the few I have experienced, all are well sheltered and as long as you have plenty of good rope and fenders your boat will be fine. They certainly all beat wintering in many marinas in the Med for swell creeping in as they are built to a much better standard and obviously up here you couldn't have harbours on the more exposed shores as they would be untenable whereas over there they will build them anywhere they think they can make some money. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Another possibility (depending on how much you like your own company), would be anchor up on one of the more sheltered voes during the best months and then use the marinas for odd days and the winter. Sheltered voes include Whale Firth on Yell, Ronas Voe on North Mainland and, as already mentioned, Voe on mainland - which has facilities, shop and pub. I've no idea what the bottom is like in Ronas and Whale, but I've certainly seen yachts anchoring in Whale firth. BTW, the liveaboard trawler that was on Voe pier is now on a swinging mooring on Hamar Voe. Like I said, go for it, but be prepared to be flexible regarding long-term moorings/berths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie P Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 I have a friend who lives on his boat in a marina near his work on weekdays for most of the year, and travels home to the country for weekends. Not quite the same as it being your sole residence I s'pose, but as far as I'm aware he's never had to abandon staying in the marina due to bad weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Shetlanders had a reputation in the past of being hardened sea goers, I think, that may be lost here. I would guess, that the oppinion of locals who have done what you want to do are best to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klanky Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 (edited) Regarding removal of masts during the winter in Shetland marinas, it is not because of any possible damage to the boat. It is because the wind drags the yachts over and puts undue stress on the finger pontoons. But I've never lived on board a yacht in Shetland - so I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Edited September 2, 2013 by klanky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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