AAC Boat Hire (Download this document)

Care, advice and obligations

The AAC boats are available for hire for members only, guests must be accompanied by a member.

SAFETY

Suitable life jackets MUST be worn. The club has insurance and life jackets are an obligation under the cover.

No more than three people to be in a boat.

Do not stand up while fishing.

Lochs Lurghain and Oscaig are large lochs and weather conditions can make them treacherous. Check the forecast before embarking taking due note of the wind direction and speed. Lurghain in particular has a dog leg and mountains each side and can be relatively safe at one end and very rough at the other.

Take great care near the shore. There are very many rocks just below the surface and there are reefs further out in places. Proceed slowly near the shore and ideally have the boat partner forward to look for rocks if you are going to beach the boat. Even the sandy beaches may have boulders lurking beneath.

If using a drogue take care when pulling it in in windy conditions and if it has been used on other waters make sure it has been dried properly first or sterilised for biosecurity.

If you get into difficulty and cannot safely return to the boat station for whatever reason (e.g. dangerous wind, engine failure and too far to row) find a suitable place to beach the boat and secure it so it will not sustain any damage (see below). Return when the issue is resolved to take the boat safely back to the boat station.

BOAT CARE

All the boats have a bung to drain rain water. Ensure bung is securely fitted before launch. When leaving the boat take it out and put the bung back where you found it, the boats have different systems for bung storage.

Oars, when using thole pins make sure you are pulling with the main shaft of the oar on the stern side of the pin.

There should be a shear pin in the outboard, usually under the engine cowling. If you hit a rock and shear the propeller pin it can be replaced on the water (maybe beach the boat first if possible)

A good idea to have pliers in your tackle.

Take great care if you are beaching the boat for any reason. Pull up on a sandy or gravel shore wherever possible. Do not leave the boat rocking on a stony shore. There are some sandy beaches but other areas have sharp rocks and gravel which chafe the boat. Ideally do not beach where there is an onshore wind as it will push the boat onto rocks and cause damage and relaunching is difficult. If beaching with an offshore wind, remember to tie the boat to avoid it drifting away from you.

There are winches for the Lurghain and Oscaig boats. Make sure the boats are well out of the water on the black pipes and clear of any potentially damaging rocks. The loch levels change very quickly and if left too low the next spate could damage the boat. There is a block and tackle system for the Raa boat for single handed recovery.

Use the ratchet on the winches when recovering to save bruised knuckles.

When leaving the outboard in the Lurghain locker or transporting the Oscaig engine ensure it is laid down on the correct side. The engine oil will drain out into the carburettor if not and it will be impossible to start.

Check the cooling water is flowing when the engine is running and never move to the bow whilst the engine is running especially with 2 anglers aboard. The engine will lift out of the water and with no water the impeller burns out in seconds.

Please report any problems you see or experience with the boat or equipment.