West via the MoK

[JumbleDuck]

But back to the OP’s question, the MoK westbound: the usual advice is to be close inshore: I have never been sure how close is close

Close. Very, very close. If I'm going inshore I normally aim to be about 50 - 100' off, which means steering round individual points. It's easy to judge, though, because the boundary between the narrow smooth bit and the rough bit is very clear.

Aside: It's very interesting to visit the Mull of Galloway lighthouse and look at the sea when the tide is running, because you see exactly the same effect as at the Mull of Kintyre: a narrow strip of smooth water, a wide strip of overfalls and then relative sanity again. Perhaps you can see at at the MoK too, but I've never visited there by land.

 

[JumbleDuck]

However, there was another yacht at Gigha that I expected to see leaving with us early but he didn't, he left much later. We then heard CG deploying C'town Lifeboat to the yacht's assistance with a solo skipper incapacitated through seasickness.

Poor sod. Something similar happened last time I came round eastwards. I left Gigha at 1.30am, passed the lighthouse doing 10.5 kt over the ground and was tied up in Campbeltown by late lunchtime; the lifeboat went to help someone else who had left much later and spent hours trying to get round.

I too don't know what "close inshore" means. Generally the MoK is a lee shore so I never fancy the biscuit's toss to the beach.

That's a bit of a problem, yes. Even with offshore or no winds it can still be a bit concerning with a big swell, in which case the extra three miles or so to go outside the overfalls is also an attractive proposition.

 

[dunedin]

I too don't know what "close inshore" means. Generally the MoK is a lee shore so I never fancy the biscuit's toss to the beach.

Very much depends on the weather. We tend to wait for a good weather window, with lightish winds and ideally Smooth to Slight wave forecast (even then can get bumpy for a mile or so near the light Westbound).
In these favourable conditions we have often been tacking into the 20m contour, sometimes 15m - which is pretty close.

Westbound we found the (old) CCC guidance OK, but eastbound we learnt from (painful) experience to go much earlier - and we do generally manage to average 6 knots or more through the water upon this route (in delivery mode). Would need to look up records but 2-3 hours earlier worked fine for us.

 

[Quandary]

Close inshore is when you can spit on it, use your imagination for this formula unless the wind is offshore.

 

[Fascadale]

Close inshore is when you can spit on it, use your imagination for this formula unless the wind is offshore.

So a spit rather than a tennis ball or a biscuit...............I think we are beginning to clearly define "close": progress

 

[dunedin]

Ideally not too close. A couple of years back i was motoring round briskly in a calm, doing 6+ knots boat speed plus 3-4 tide when went below to put kettle on.
Noticed phone was now fully charged so intended to switch off 12v socket - switched off instruments instead. This included autopilot. Cue sudden high speed pirouette. Had done 270 degrees before could reach and grab helm - oops.
Fortunately was not at a place I would be a “spiting distance” off

 

[JumbleDuck]

So a spit rather than a tennis ball or a biscuit...............I think we are beginning to clearly define "close": progress

Basically, go as close as you dare. You should be half as far out as that.

 

[steve yates]

Close inshore is when you can spit on it, use your imagination for this formula unless the wind is offshore.

Aye, when I was bring bethfran back round the mull of galloway, the lifeboat coxn at portpatrick told me to leave at 2am and stay close inshore near the mull, "and by close I mean spitting distance" ! to use an eddy to make sure I got there in time as it was a wee boat. It was quite nerve wracking but he was right.

 

[Quandary]

I am surprised no one has corrected my wind direction, spitting to windward is not being recommended.

 

[doraymefa]

Forget biscuits, use feathers to get close enough.
This is our track from a SIPR rounding in very light winds against the current.
Our eddy was helping us east at about a knot and just meters to starboard on the outer tack the current was four knots plus in the opposite direction.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Forget biscuits, use feathers to get close enough.

When I flew gliders at Portmoak in Fife, the saying used to be that keen hill soarers came back down with heather on the wing-tips but really keen hill soarers came down with sandwiches on the wing-tips. The same sort of attitude applies to the MoK.

 

[Robih]

Forget biscuits, use feathers to get close enough.
This is our track from a SIPR rounding in very light winds against the current.
Our eddy was helping us east at about a knot and just meters to starboard on the outer tack the current was four knots plus in the opposite direction.
View attachment 112889

That’s well impressive:

a) you didn’t use engine
b) you went over the top of some granite!

 

[doraymefa]

The rocks were very close but still have all their barnacles.

I would not like to try the same trick in any swell.

We did use the engine 24 hrs later when we ran out of time and had to retire from the race.

 

[Ink]

Close inshore is when you can spit on it, use your imagination for this formula unless the wind is offshore.

Or you're too girly to spit.

Ink