BLUEMOMENT

Lates Crinan Canal Works news here https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/boatin ... ogw-filter


1. From Monday 12th March, Scottish Canals engineers will be replacing an actuator on the Cairnbaan Bridge. During this period, the bridge will be closed to all boat traffic until further notice. Thank you for your patience as we carry out these essential works.
2. Two projects will be running concurrently at Crinan Basin as part of our planned works on the Crinan Canal, with Mackenzie Construction, our principal contractors, returning to site from Monday 10th March 2025. Much of the activity will focus on reinstatement of areas around the basin impacted by the major engineering work which took place over the last two winters. The project will improve the landscape setting and accessibility at Crinan Basin, with the final design influenced by our community engagement sessions.

Opening hours
PROVISIONAL - 2025 Season 1st April - 31 October 2025
7 days
8:30 - 17:00
End-of-day water control and shut-down requirements mean that no boats may travel on the canal after 17:00

There has been a decline in traffic using the Crinan canal. Im interested in opinions and ideas about what it would take to significantly increase canal use?

I enjoy the canal as a destination in itself but always as part of transit. What would make the canal more likely to be used? My thoughts: -

1. Cost, it can't be too expensive otherwise large boats will go round the MoK and smaller boats will be less inclined if sailing to a budget.
2. Fee structure needs to be more transparent and easier to book. Booking online should be the default way of paying with the facility to turn up and pay without notification. Fees could be discounted for advanced bookings.
3. Recognition should be allowed for prioritising fast transits requirements versus plodding along.
4. The pilot scheme should be acknowledged on the website with contact numbers and fees posted.
5. The marina should be expanded and priced to attract vessels.
6. A&R Way, for example, used the yard just before Cairnbaan but to go along side for work, required the vessel to be surveyed for the inland waterways. That should be eliminated (and conditions applied) and a yard operator encouraged to use use the facilities. The inside of my boat was fitted out at Cairnbaan by A&R way.
7. Summer time operating times should be extended.
8. Holding tank pump out facilities
9. Bike hire at reduced rate for canal users.
10. Permitted transit stop for crew change / break where the boat is laid up for a short period of time included within the rate or for a minimum fee.
11. DIY transit needs to be retained.
12. Active advertising and participation in sailing events. I don't know if the is done but The Scottish Series and WHW could offer discounts for transit. Also recognition of club membership and advertising in club literature, discount for club members who transit. Advertising may be red herring because it is a well known feature, but offers and enticements could be significantly improve.
13. Their web sit is scottish excrement. Not easy to use and out of date. No forward looking fee structures or advise how to book except to call a number. The web site should be the gateway too all things Crinan Canal and be enticing, linking to other information sources in the area.
14. Actively target smaller boat market, even dinghy cruisers as a centre for wider exploration.

I think the fee structure is the biggest issue. How do you get the balance between a low fee to attract numbers yet high enough to offset running costs? The second biggest issue is that the canal is taken for granted by sailors and Scottish Canals. There must be more reach out to the community to attract them to the canal.

Out the box thinking: offer a free transit period say at each end of the season, 1 x week free transit last week of March, last week of September for a limited number of vessels. Book in advance, pay the fee, full refund on completion of the transit, something like that.

This is a good list. Its a difficult problem for the Canal authority. How to maximise use of the canal, how to find an economic model of operation, how to preserve an old monument in working order.
For my Rival 32 (9.7m) its about £153 one way. For that reason and the restrictive hours of operation, I most often go round the Mull, its quicker and cheaper, but is slightly subject to weather.
2. There was an online booking system, and that was their preferred system, but its gone. Possibly this is for the winter only? Maybe it will be back in summer?
3. This is a real problem. They seem to think that everyone wants to take the allowed time of 4 days. This is great for the first time, it certainly is scenic, but after perhaps 40 transits, I just want to get through and out to sea. Either direction! It can be real frustrating getting in with first timers. They naturally want to to see everything, and they haven't got the gist of operation of the locks yet either.
4. I think they now have changed their attitude to private pilots and discourage them. Last transit I did, they had people at near enough all locks. I was frustrated by how slow their people were and some poor decisions on who goes where and when.
5. Great idea.
6. Be a nice place for a yard.
7. This used to be the system, but I guess by overpopulating the staff, its too expensive?
8. Be easier than current system, for those equipped to use this system.
9. Good opportunity for one of the small businesses at either end?
10.Yes
11. Plenty of us Clyde based west coast sailors would prefer that.
12. Some of this happens, but its largely one sided, relying the clubs, events etc approaching them.
13. Not easy to use, need to really dig for answers.
14. They made a start on that by installing low level pontoons for kayaks etc, but then didn't say much about it to those who might use it.

Geoff

good constructive inputs.
I''ve got contacts with the senior management of Scottish Canals and will pass on the suggestions.
What surprises me is that none of the board or executive team sail, boat or participate in water sports, so they genuinely don't know who their different users are and what the needs are.
The legislation that they operate under and their status as a Non Departmental Government Body (NDGB) is quite restrictive, however that prioritises safety and making the canals open for navigation. That said, as councils and other government bodies are shutting down assets and services, then they may be pushed to do the same.

any more ideas?

My experience of one individual on the board was that they were working their way up the tree of various Scottish govt quangos to impress the great and the good. SC is near the bottom - they moved onto something else more illustrious that they also knew nothing about after a couple of years. I cannot say how typical this is - but the most junior staff at Crinan would have had a much better clue of the actual workings than this individual. I think SC does have occasional user group meetings. Has anyone ever attended?

On specifics - point 3 is the main one for me too. It would be good to find out the proportion of dawdlers/sunday drivers vs those wanting to transit as quickly as possible. The marketing and organisation is towards those dawdling along (although the folks on the sea locks are a bit more clued up). If there are far more people paying to use it as part of a passage then the organisation needs to reflect this, including extra hours ahead of WHYW etc. Also hours that take account of tides is something that someone in an office in Edinburgh doesn't seem to understand the concept of. Overall just have more input from people that actually understand the salty aspects a bit better.