Circumnavigating Scotland 2025: An Adventure Aboard Two Redbay 1050s
At Redbay Boats, we believe our craft is made for more than just the marina. They're built for exploring coastlines, forging connections, and unlocking the kind of adventures most people only dream about.
In this blog, long-time Redbay team member Adrian shares the story of an unforgettable trip — a 7-day circumnavigation of Scotland aboard two Redbay 1050s. From St Kilda to Skye, Orkney to Loch Ness, it's a journey that captures the very spirit of passagemaking.
By Adrian Duyn
After talking about it for long enough, we finally made it happen — a full circumnavigation of Scotland aboard two Redbay 1050s: ‘Breathe’ powered by twin Suzuki 350hp dual props, and ‘Más’, fitted with a Yanmar V8 8LV 370hp and ZT370 drive.
What followed was an unforgettable 7-day adventure through some of the most remote, stunning, and iconic locations in the British Isles. Here's a day-by-day look at our route and experiences.
05 May – Getting to Redbay
We trailered both boats from Kerry up to Redbay (590km) — a long haul, but well worth it. Once there, we refuelled and got everything prepped for an early departure the next morning.
06 May – Irish Sea Crossing & Staffa Sightseeing
Departed Cushendall and crossed the Irish Sea. First stop: Tayvallich for lunch. Then it was off to Tinkers Hole and the basalt cliffs of Staffa. We finished the day in Ulva, where we caught up with some old friends — and didn’t hit the hay until 3am.
07 May – St Kilda & Sea Stacks
A 6am start from Ulva. We passed through Tiree and Coll, stopped in Castle Bay (Barra) for breakfast and fuel, and then set course for St Kilda — a bucket list moment for all of us.
We were lucky enough to raft up and get ashore for an hour. Lunch on the ribs while exploring sea stacks and caves around the islands was a real highlight. We pushed on to Carbost on the Isle of Skye for the night after 13 hours on the water.
08 May – Outer Hebrides to Orkney
Back to the Outer Hebrides, this time to Tarbert on Harris. We grabbed breakfast and toured the distillery before heading to Stornoway for fuel. Then we continued north past Cape Wrath, eventually landing in Stromness, Orkney, for the night.
09 May – John O’Groats & the Caves of Duncansby
We took it a bit easier this morning, fuelling up before heading to John O’Groats. Explored some caves around Duncansby Lighthouse, took a quick look into Wick, and then made our way inland to Inverness.
10 May – Into the Caledonian Canal
At 9am, we were among the first boats into the Caledonian Canal. The contrast in pace was welcome. We stopped at Jacobite Lock for lunch, then continued along Loch Ness, eventually mooring up at Fort Augustus for the night.
11 May – Fort Augustus to Tobermory
Up early to hit the locks as they opened. Powered through Loch Oich and Loch Lochy, stopped at Neptune’s Staircasefor lunch, then down to Corpach. Just made it through before closing and continued straight on to Tobermory for the night.
12 May – The Final Push Home
We refuelled in Tobermory, grabbed coffee and diesel in Oban, cruised past Easdale and through Cuan Sound, stopped for lunch in Jura, then crossed the Irish Sea back to Cushendall. Once ashore, we recovered the boats and trailered them back to Kerry.
The Stats & The Takeaway
Total distance covered: 885 nautical miles
Favourite moment: St Kilda — no question
Conditions: Perfect throughout. Both ribs handled it all in comfort and without a single hiccup.
This was an action-packed adventure of a lifetime. We ticked off dream locations and covered huge distances thanks to great conditions, incredible kit, and the support of a community that’s built around adventure, advice, and lifelong friendships.
Roll on next year.
If you’ve got a trip log, photos, or stories from your time aboard a Redbay — we’d love to hear from you. These adventures inspire others to use their boats more and explore what’s out there.
To be featured in an upcoming Places, People & Passagemaking post, email us at catherine@redbayboats.com or tag @RedbayBoats in your next adventure.