A brand new chandlery opened this week at Tarbert Loch Fyne.

The arrival of Tarbert Yacht Chandlery, owned by established Mid-Argyll company Ardfern Yacht Centre (AYC), marks an important step in the development of the village’s much-loved harbour, and comes at a time of year when many sailors are preparing their boats for the season and considering the replacement of existing items or enhancement of their yacht’s inventory.

The new business is housed in a pristine newly-acquired Portakabin-style building, overlooking Jake’s Quay and adjacent to the Harbour Office in Garvel Road.  Car parking is available at the door, and the chandlery is less than a minute’s walk from the pontoons.

© Mid-Argyll & Kintyre News 2011

Initial stock includes marine hardware, rigging, electronics, repair materials, and leisure wear, and any product not on the stocklist at Garvel Road but available at Ardfern can be shipped down promptly to the Tarbert facility.

AYC’s general manager Mark Cameron believes that the service offered by the new business will benefit yacht owners, visitors, and local residents alike, and he sees the mission as being to provide “a wide range of boating products in addition to some well-known clothing brands”.

He added: “We are looking forward to working with Tarbert Harbour Authority during this exciting period of harbour regeneration, improving the facilities offered to yachtsmen visiting the harbour.  The strength of having two chandlery outlets on the West Coast of Scotland will mean that we can tap into both stock holdings in order to meet customers’ requirements, especially when it comes to sourcing vital technical spare parts for yachts”.

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Cameron believes that the new business  –  able to draw on the wealth of technical experience acquired over the years by AYC’s workshop facilities at Ardfern  –  will be well placed to offer key advice on marine products and their installation.

Chandlery manager and buyer Guy Neville said: “Our aim is to stock a broad range of chandlery and clothing items at Tarbert, which will include everything from antifouling, paints, and varnishes, to rope, rigging hardware, dinghies and outboards, along with a range of eco-friendly cleaning products”

Ardfern Yacht Centre is the sole Scottish agent for Rocna Anchors, and is an installing dealer for Raymarine and Garmin electronics, Mariner outboards, and Profurl reefing systems.  As a result, Neville expects to be in a position to offer competitive deals for supply and installation of these products.

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The new chandlery’s arrival means that AYC ‘s existing brokerage service will now be available in relation to Tarbert-based vessels also.  Collaborating with AYC and the new Tarbert venture are international yacht brokers Boatshed West Scotland (BWS).  BWS proprietor Ian Sawkins is looking forward to introducing Loch Fyne-based boat owners to the advantages of displaying their yacht for sale via a widely-read website  –  325,000 registered subscribers at the last count  –  and to giving owners the benefit of the expertise which Boatshed has accumulated through its 60 offices worldwide.

Back in the chandlery itself, the clothing section  –  Sea Horse  –  offers a selection of technical sailing apparel from well-respected popular brands.  There’s also a range of lifestyle clothing for use on dry land, and most of the major brands in footwear for ashore and afloat are represented, with accessories  –  including base & mid layers, hats, socks and gloves  –  also stocked.

© Mid-Argyll & Kintyre News 2011

Alan Macdonald, Chairman of the harbour’s Board of Trustees, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ardfern Yacht Centre to Tarbert.  The chandlery will enhance further the new facilities that are being provided here in Tarbert, and we wish them every success in this new venture”

Tarbert Yacht Chandlery will be open 0900-1700 hrs, 7 days a week.  Running the premises on a day-to-day basis will be AYC’s Fraser McIver.