Why the Scottish islands suit a catamaran

The west coast of Scotland rewards shallow draft more than almost any cruising ground in Europe. A typical cruising catamaran draws between 0.8 and 1.2 metres, which means the anchorages that monohulls sail past — the shallow sandy heads of sea lochs, the sheltered bights behind a spit, the drying bays off the Small Isles — are open to you. You can also take the ground deliberately, sitting upright on a sandy patch while the tide falls, which turns a nervous night into an easy one.

The stability matters too. Cooking a proper meal at anchor in a swell, standing watch without a harness, taking photographs from a level platform — these are the quiet luxuries that make a week in the Hebrides feel less like an endurance test. Under sail, a well-handled cat will hold eight or nine knots on a reach, and with twin engines you can punch six or seven knots into a foul tide when a monohull is crawling.

Be honest about the trade-offs. Windage makes berthing in a tight harbour genuinely tricky, short steep chop will slap the bridgedeck and keep you awake, and many marinas charge a surcharge of 50 per cent or more for the extra beam.

Reading the tides before you leave

Tidal streams around the islands run hard. The Gulf of Corryvreckan, the Falls of Lora, the Dorus Mòr, the Grey Dogs and the Sound of Luing can all exceed eight knots at springs, and the difference between a fair tide and a foul one is the difference between a pleasant morning and a punishing one.

Plan each passage around the tidal gates rather than the clock. In several of the narrow sounds, slack water lasts only twenty to thirty minutes, so aim to arrive at the headland slightly early and wait under sail rather than fight the stream. A good tidal atlas, the inshore waters forecast, and printed sailing directions for the area will do more for your passage planning than any amount of optimism.

• Avoid wind against tide in the sounds — even a four-knot stream against a fresh breeze builds steep, breaking seas.
• Cross the Minch and the Sea of the Hebrides on a settled forecast, not a hopeful one.
• Keep a written note of your intended gate times so the crew can see the plan.

Anchorages and moorings worth working for

Community-owned visitor moorings have transformed cruising here. Expect to pay around £15 to £20 a night, usually collected by an honesty box or a simple online form. They are cheaper and often more sheltered than a marina berth.

A short list that repays the effort: Canna harbour, where the community moorings sit behind Sanday and the holding is good; Loch Scresort on Rum; Galmisdale Bay on Eigg; Port Mòr on Muck; Loch Spelve on Mull, where otters are common along the shore; and Loch Sunart, which offers dozens of quiet corners in almost any wind direction. Further north, Plockton, Loch Harport and the anchorage beneath the Cuillin at Loch Scavaig are unforgettable in settled weather.

The sea lochs are deep — often thirty metres or more in the middle — so you will usually tuck into a bay and anchor in five to ten metres. Kelp gives poor holding; look for sand patches and consider a tripping line. Tidal range can reach five metres, so allow generous scope, and remember a catamaran lies differently to the wind and tends to sail at anchor more than a heavy keelboat.

Wildlife, and how to watch it well

Minke whales, basking sharks and harbour porpoise are regular summer visitors, with common dolphins in the sounds and the occasional pod of orca in the north. Ashore you will find otters, grey and common seals, red deer and, if you are lucky, pine marten. White-tailed eagles are now a realistic sight in the inner isles, while puffins, guillemots and gannets crowd the cliffs.

Keep your distance. Maintain at least 100 metres from cetaceans, never chase or herd them, and cut the engine if animals choose to approach you. Binoculars kept on the coachroof and a quiet cockpit will reward you far more than any pursuit.

Weather that changes its mind

Atlantic lows arrive quickly here, and a forecast that looked settled over breakfast can be obsolete by teatime. Work in weather windows of two to three days, keep your options open, and always know two or three safe havens within reach of your current position. Sea fog, known locally as haar, can close in within an hour, so keep a fog plan ready.

Reef early. A catamaran carries its canvas well but does not enjoy being overpowered in a squall, and the short seas of the Minch punish overconfidence.

Midges and the small comforts

From June to early September, the Highland midge is a genuine consideration. They are worst at dawn and dusk, in still damp air, and near the shore. Anchor a little further out to catch the breeze, fit midge screens to every hatch, and keep a head net and repellent within arm's reach. Long sleeves at dusk are not a fashion statement.

A cockpit tent effectively doubles your living space and lets you sit outside in the rain, which you will. Good ground tackle, a reliable dinghy, and a stocked larder mean you can wait out a blow in a beautiful place rather than motor to a town. That, more than any single passage, is what cruising these islands well is really about.