Lochgilphead, Scotland
Your friendly and flexible service on the Crinan Canal for 1,2 & 3 day transits - yachts, motor cruisers, single handed boats
These changes are due to the regular holding up of boats by canal staff and increased waiting times which have run into more than 4 hours some days. It has become increasingly difficult to get boats through the canal in a single day, and for the first year we have failed to achieve this a number of times. We also had a number of 9 hour plus days when we have managed to get boats through the sea lock after 5pm (up to 6pm) thanks to specific staff who have been most obliging.
We have also experienced substantially increased fixed business overheads in 2025.
The only alternative would be to cease the service, but as we are the only piloting service still running, (the others have given up, primarily for the first reason above,) we wish to keep assisting our regular clients and the many people who need the service.
Average Transit Times Comparison
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2025 average: 6 h 55 m
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2024 average: 6 h 18 m
These are times between locks 1 & 13 only, starting from the time they are entering the lock.
The time from above lock 14 to the pontoon at lock 13 is approximately 55 minutes without hold ups.
The time taken from entering the sea lock at 15 to exiting lock 14 and vice versa is at least 30 minutes.
In 2025 the shortest possible time without any hold ups would be no less than 6 hours. My observations are that a large proportion of boats failed to get from end to end (minimum basin to basin) in one day.
The reason for the high level of completions for my clients is that they either started the day above lock 14, at pontoons between lock 14 and lock 13 and at the pontoons at lock 13.
Note that entry to lock 13 has been no earlier that 9.30am due to the need to run water.