We go where the wind takes us… Sailing is at its core a sustainable way to travel the west coast of Scotland. Stravaigin strives to minimise her impact on the landscape and whenever possible we raise the sails to harness the power of the wind to travel.

We continuously work hard to upgrade and enhance our renewable energy systems aboard our sailing boat. Most recently, we added new and improved wind chargers, solar panels and increased battery capacity, which means that we can now rely significantly less on traditional fuels.

Being a sailing boat propelled by the wind means we're already ahead of the game in terms of eco-friendliness. Across the entire season, we use as much fuel (bio diesel) as others typically burn through in just a single week!

Here are some other features on board to help us minimise our impact:

• Stravaigin has an inboard engine fuelled by bio-diesel which is of course used when necessary to negotiate tidal gates, speed up the journey if necessary to reach ports safely and enjoy time ashore.
• The yacht is fitted with solar panels and a wind generator that provide power for induction cooking and generation of battery power for tech charging and lighting. We even have a TV screen aboard so we can cosy down to enjoy a movie while sheltering in a beautiful bay on a rainy evening.
• We use eco-compatible cleaning products and toiletries where possible.
• We recycle our waste in ports.

Food is something we pay particular attention to on Stravaigin, we like food! 

We believe in serving delicious locally sourced produce, fresh from the sea or off the local lands whenever possible. We work closely with our local suppliers, who are excellent at delivering our produce straight to our door or we collect locally from them. We aim to provide you with the best the west coast of Scotland can offer, while also reducing land- and sea-miles your food travels - from source to plate.

Having lived and worked in the area for over 30 years we are lucky to have a wide circle of friends and associates so take advantage of connections that mutually benefit where possible.

We pride ourselves on using excellent produce that we enjoy as a family and take pride in sharing with our guests.

Read more about the food we serve aboard Stravaigin here.

We have carefully selected the start and finish points of our trip in Oban and Mallaig. Both ports are easy to reach by public transport with great train connections from Glasgow via the West Highland Line. We meet our guests at a pier in walking distance from the train stations, making it easy to plan a trip that relies entirely on sustainable transport methods.

We feel a responsibility to inform our guests by interpreting the environment we cruise in, so as to leave our guests better informed about the area they sail in and the people and wildlife that make these special places their home.

In addition to learning from us and our specialised guides, our guests also have access to our library of books, leaflets and guidebooks to inform them about the local wildlife and ecology.

Wherever possible when we visit remote beaches we will endeavour to do our bit by doing an impromptu beach clean where we will collect debris especially plastics and bring it back for appropriate recycling.

We love to tell our guests more about the environment we cruise in and hope you’ll leave us better informed about the area we see, the people and wildlife that make these special places their home.

In addition to interpreting our surroundings as we sail, we have put together a library of leaflets, books and informative material that guests can browse in their own time.

Stravaigin promotes many of the local, national and international initiatives that aim to protect, celebrate and monitor the biodiversity of our sailing area on the West Coast of Scotland. 

At the local level, Stravaigin promotes the CAOLAS, or the Community Association Of Lochs And Sounds - a community-led Marine Conservation Group which is involved in biodiversity restoration and outreach.

Other local organisations and resources we share with our guests are:

• Lochaline Native Oyster Project
• Argyll Hope Spot
• Coastal Communities Network
• Our Seas Coalition
• Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust
• The Whale Track App
• Flapper Skate research project
• Plastic At Bay

We let our guests know how to report suspicious activity in the Marina Protected Areas and how to report fish farm waste.