Information for Marine Visitors

Latitude: 56º 26'N; Longitude: 02º 52'W

Navigation

The harbour is located on the south side of the Tay estuary, opposite Broughty Castle and close to Dundee. The Tay is highly tidal and although well-buoyed, care should be taken as there are many sandbanks outside the channel.

Tayport harbour entrance is marked by a fairway buoy at the edge of deep water approximately 100 m from the harbour wall. Leading marks are given by two dayglo yellow triangles - one on the slipway wall and one set back on a pole, on a bearing of 185 degrees true. The entrance walls are painted white on either side to make then easier to see. The East wall, the roundhead, is marked with a red and white striped pole which is lit by a red flashing light at night Fl R 5s (fl 1.0s, ec 4.0s). The West and inner wall is marked with a green and white pole which is lit by a green flashing light at night Fl G 5s (fl 1.0s, ec 4.0s).

The harbour is accessible approx. 4hrs either side of high water, the entrance is at chart datum and the harbour starts to dry at about 0.4m below chart datum (in 2017) into soft mud which all keels settle into with no problems.

Contact for visitors berths is:- phil.tayportharbour@gmail.com and 07434 826 536

Berthing

Tayport Harbour accomodates approximately 100 boats - most of whom are long-term leisure berth-holders and most are moored on floating pontoons.

Visitors are strongly advised to book ahead. (There is no harbour master at Tayport). When possible, temporary berths will be provided on the pontoons but where this is not possible, visitors may have to take a wall berth or raft up. Basic charge for overnight berthing is £20 per night. Longer stays are proportionately less and details can be found on the harbour noticeboard near the landward enrance to the harbour. Commercial overnight berthing is charged at £40 per night.

Facilities

The harbour is a charity run by volunteers and whilst everything that can be done to facilitate your visit and make it more comfortable, Tayport is not a marina and its facilties are correspondingly limited. A Toilet and Shower block is located on the site and visitors are given the access codes for this. Water and electricity is available.

The shops and facilities of Tayport are available within 200m or so. These include a good supermarket, chemist, ironmongers, post office and cash machine. A good chandler can be found within 3 miles. The harbour is also the location for a great cafe (The Harbour Cafe) which serves lunches and snacks. The Bell Rock Tavern sells real ale and good pub food. Other public houses and take-ways are within easy walking distance.

Golf is available in Tayport and St Andrews. Regular buses run to both St Andrews and to Dundee where train connections to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen and the Highlands are available.

If facilities for craning and/or repair is needed please speak to any member of the harbour.

Moonspray Visits (Courtesy of Rhona and Douglas McNeil)

The River Tay

Looking west

Entrance at low water

Just some of our visitors

More visitors