Sailing around Scotland
Scotland is a beautiful and famously tranquil place to sail. We can help you find and book your ideal yacht in Scotland. Near our base in Largs you can sail to find ruined castles, cute fishing villages, historic seaside towns, Viking battlefields, local pubs, and, of course Whisky distilleries.
There's a dramatic coastline and the whole area is teeming with wildlife: from porpoises, seals and dolphins (and the tastiest fish in the UK) below the water, through to strutting wild stags and plenty of wild birds, including birds of prey.
Sailing-wise, there's a reliable breeze, plenty of interesting passages and islands to hop around, and some top-drawer marina facilities - including one with its own spa and infinity pool. The Scottish people are renowned for their hospitality and good humour.
SAILING RATING: Intermediate / Advanced - there's interesting and changeable weather conditions, plus tides, so some experience is useful before sailing in Scotland. The minimum sailing qualifications for chartering bareboat here are also higher than in the Med (see below).
WHEN TO GO: The sailing season runs from April to November, with peak season being in the summer months. The weather can vary dramatically over a week, so you'll need everything from shorts and t-shirts to warm clothes and foul-weather gear, just in case, particularly outside of peak season. There's winds throughout the season, and short 3-4 day charters are possible in the off-peak - ask us if you are interested.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: You'll need RYA Day Skipper (or above) for smaller boats or RYA Yachtmaster for the larger ones (or your local equivalent) to charter a boat in Scotland - ask us if you are unsure of whether your qualification will be ok. If you're not qualified, we can find you a professional skipper.
VISA REQUIREMENTS: Scotland is currently part of the UK and the EU, which means UK and EU passport holders can travel there at will. US and Australian passport holders do not need a visa unless planning to stay in Europe for longer than 90 days.
GETTING THERE: Our base in Largs, in the Firth of Cylde, is within a 40 minute drive of both the main Glasgow International airport and the budget Glasgow Prestwick airport. It also has great connections by rail (with regular direct trains from Glasgow) and road to the rest of the UK. We can help arrange transfers to or from the marina, as well as helping you get provisions on board if your flight arrives late at night.
Charter a Yacht or Catamaran in Scotland
We can help you find the ideal yacht for your sailing holiday in Scotland (Sadly there are no charter catamarans up here yet). We only work with the very best professional charter operators in the area, who we have met, know, and who we trust to give you the same outstanding customer service as you'll get from PlainSailing.com.
Use the pink search box above to look for boats for yourself - they have live pricing and availability and you can filter the results to find your ideal boat - or start a Live Chat with our award-winning bookings team for help, advice, or anything else!
Where to sail in Scotland
We charter yachts and catamarans from one base in Scotland - from Largs Yacht Haven, on the Firth of Cylde, just 30 miles West of Glasgow. See below for ideas of where to sail when you get there (But be sure to check out our detailed destination guides to find out more).
LARGS
Ideas of where to sail: There's enough to keep you busy in the Firth of Clyde for a week: it's a quiet place to sail, and there are castles, bays, anchorages and whisky distilleries to be explored, as well as some fine restaurants. Longer charters could head up the Crinan canal to visit the Isle of Skye and the Inner Hebrides, or it's even possible to sail South to the Isle of Man or Northern Ireland.
Cost of a Sailing Holiday in Scotland?
Prices change depending upon what sort of boat you are chartering, and when you would like to charter, and yachting offers great value for money because the fee includes a full-day activity, a means of transport and your overnight accommodation!
Charters are normally in periods of a week, from Saturday (check-in at 4pm) to Saturday (check-out at 10am), though you're required to be back at the charter base on the Friday evening. You can charter a 3-cabin yacht for as little as £2990 / week or a 4-cabin yacht from £3545 / week - use the pink search box for live prices and availability.
| May / Oct | June / Sept | July / Aug | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Cabins | £2990 | £2990 | £2990 |
| 4 Cabins | £3545 | £3545 | £3545 |
In Scotland the yachts are chartered out on a 'leave-as-you-find' basis but you can book End Cleaning in advance if you prefer for someone else to do it for you. You will also need to pay a little extra if you want to rent bedding, towels, waterproofs and wellingtons! You'll also need to leave a security deposit on check-in (similar to a hire car, and usually placed as a pre-authorisation on a credit card).
You can also add transfers, an outboard motor, early check-in, security deposit insurance or other extras to your booking (if they are not already included) for an additional fee. We can also arrange for a Skipper, Hostess or Chef to be on board - in Scotland, these normally cost an average of £150 / day, excluding tips.
Our Scottish Sailing Destinations
Find out a lot more about our Scotland bases in our comprehensive destination guides, which also include details about suggested sailing routes, weather conditions, and recommended hotels, amongst a host of other useful information: