There are various sailing events during the summer that if you are cruising you may want to avoid, or you may want to join in. Either way you need to know when and where they are:
The Round Mull Yacht Race is a rather good three-day passage race from Oban to Tobermory on the Friday, to Bunessan on the Saturday and then a long leg back towards Oban on the Sunday which these days due to lack of wind is usually shorter than it once was — to off the southeast corner of Mull. It is in early July.
The Scottish Islands Peaks Race is my favourite and I did it almost every year from 1991 until 2011 — a very amusing and tiring weekend in mid-May. I have given it up partly due to old age, and partly because I am doing other things, but maybe only temporarily. So, for definitely the last time, I did return in 2023, as crew to my son Oli who is continuing the family tradition.
West Highland Week is the big one-week event with a hundred or so boats racing and lots of jolly shore parties from Craobh Haven to Oban to Tobermory and back to Oban.
The Malts Cruise is a cruise in company between several coastal distilleries in the area. It seems to have changed its name from the Classics Malts Cruise, I know not why. And its website has disappeared so maybe it is now defunct.
The Tarbert Traditional Boat Festival is held in July, more on the Clyde of course but accessible from the head of West Loch Tarbert. It is all quite fun, and there is certainly an eclectic selection of boats, motor-powered as well as sailing. It is a bit uncertain whether it will continue after the Covid pandemic. Again the website has disappeared.
In 2026 Oban hosted one of the stops during the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race (if you are interested in this sort of stuff).