Moorings in Firth of Clyde

The Firth of Clyde is the large sheltered sea area west of Glasgow, covering more than 4,000 square kilometres between Inverclyde, Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and the Kintyre peninsula. Fourteen sea lochs open off it, including Loch Fyne, the largest, as well as Loch Long, the Gare Loch, the Holy Loch and Loch Striven, and the Kyles of Bute wrap around the Isle of Bute. Arran, Bute and Great Cumbrae are the main inhabited islands.

The firth has a long yachting history and marinas along much of its shore. Kip Marina at Inverkip opened in 1971 as Scotland's first marina and now has over 600 berths. Largs Yacht Haven and Troon Yacht Haven lie further south on the Ayrshire coast, and Ardrossan's harbour has been redeveloped as a marina. Up the sea lochs, Rhu Marina sits on the Gare Loch, and at Sandbank on the Holy Loch the site of a former boatbuilding yard now holds a marina.

West of the mainland, Port Bannatyne Marina on Bute is enclosed by a stone breakwater in Kames Bay, and Portavadie Marina on Loch Fyne was built in a dock left from oil platform construction. Further up Loch Fyne, Tarbert has a marina with visitor berths on the north side of its sheltered natural harbour. Greenock, Port Glasgow, Dunoon and Campbeltown are among the other towns on the firth.

Two canals join the firth. The Crinan Canal runs 9 miles with 15 locks from Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp to Crinan, a shortcut to the Inner Hebrides that avoids the Mull of Kintyre, and the Forth and Clyde Canal meets the Clyde at Bowling, giving a route across Scotland to the Forth. Moorings in the Firth of Clyde range from large marinas on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde coast to quieter berths in the sea lochs and around the islands.