Anyone else thinking about giving up sailing?

Robert Wilson said:
Boat's name is Khamsin. Dark blue hull. Unless the weather is really bad (V strong northerlies) I usually have the boat in front of my house round in Gruinard Bay. So my Loch Ewe mooring is generally available for visitors. If you're interested, PM me and I'll send co-ordinates.
Having said that, there is a mooring infront of the Hotel, in the village; and anchoring in the village harbour is usually ok, unless STRONG SW-erlies.
I've probably seen your boat when driving through Lochcarron. Not sailed that far up yet.



Another with similar thoughts!
And two of you who use Kishorn. What are the facilities there like? I had heard they were going to develop a "full facility" marina.
You're 70 miles from Kishorn - Mull??
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Kishorn is very much a working boatyard, as in workboats, fishing boats, etc, with the winter storage of yachts as a bit of a sideline. So it's not the tidiest of places, but they're always very helpful.
I couldn't see a marina working there as it's very tidal and can be a bit exposed, however Slumbay is very sheltered and would be an excellent spot for a marina.
You'd be welcome to use my mooring in Loch Carron, we can organise a mooring swop next summer!
 
Trop Cher said:
Kishorn is very much a working boatyard, as in workboats, fishing boats, etc, with the winter storage of yachts as a bit of a sideline. So it's not the tidiest of places, but they're always very helpful.
I couldn't see a marina working there as it's very tidal and can be a bit exposed, however Slumbay is very sheltered and would be an excellent spot for a marina.
You'd be welcome to use my mooring in Loch Carron, we can organise a mooring swop next summer!
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But that would mean you'd be up here and I miss you , as being "down there"! Anyway, kind offer and I'm interested in your remarks/info regarding Kishorn.
I had a misconception that they were going to open-up/build a harbour for a marina. Must have got my wires crossed.

Keep in touch, we should be able to arrange a meet-up somewhere.

Just looked-up Slumbay on the map. Looks a good - but what sort of depth?
 
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Robert Wilson said:
All sorts of things have a mysterious abilty to fall overboard from pockets, bags, hands etc into that wet, deep, cold watery stuff:o
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As soon as I arrive in the marina and before I get out of the car, I separate the key key from the house keys, which are then stored in the glove compartment while the car key is attached to a big flotation ball. The boat keys are stored in a cockpit drawer that I would defy anyone to find - I only found it myself by accident two years after buying the boat.

They themselves are attached to a floatation device that I once saw demonstrated on Dragon's Den - it inflates when wet. I think it was James Caan, himself a boat-owner, who bought into it.
 
Barnac1e said:
They themselves are attached to a floatation device that I once saw demonstrated on Dragon's Den - it inflates when wet. I think it was James Caan, himself a boat-owner, who bought into it.
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If you are referring to the "WaterBuoy", then I think it was Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones, although the inventor subsequently declined their investments, preferring to go it alone....

See: "Why I turned down the Dragons" http://www.water-buoy.com/news.php?id=113
 
Angele said:
If you are referring to the "WaterBuoy", then I think it was Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones, although the inventor subsequently declined their investments, preferring to go it alone....

See: "Why I turned down the Dragons" http://www.water-buoy.com/news.php?id=113
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Thanks for the correction. Yes, Waterbuoy it was - a bit pricey I thought, at €35 in italy. I do remember an amusing scene on the program with Theo Paphitis trying to break it and failing miserably. Probably why he made an offer.
 
Robert Wilson said:
But that would mean you'd be up here and I miss you , as being "down there"! Anyway, kind offer and I'm interested in your remarks/info regarding Kishorn.
I had a misconception that they were going to open-up/build a harbour for a marina. Must have got my wires crossed.

Keep in touch, we should be able to arrange a meet-up somewhere.

Just looked-up Slumbay on the map. Looks a good - but what sort of depth?
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There are big plans for Kishorn, but they don't include the boatyard, as a site to build wind turbines. Theres talk of the site employing up to 4000, but I personally can't see it happening, at least not on that scale.
There's about a five metre tidal range in Loch Carron and I have about three metres depth at the lowest tide, but as said really good shelter :)
I'm about an hour to get out past Plockton, and then a half hour to Skye bridge and another half hour to Kylerhea.
 
Barnac1e said:
They themselves are attached to a floatation device that I once saw demonstrated on Dragon's Den - it inflates when wet. I think it was James Caan, himself a boat-owner, who bought into it.
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I remember that demo, and I think it was claimed to retrieve 1kg of attached mass. But no mention was made of from what depth. In deep water the flotation balloon will get compressed and less able to lift weights. So long as it inflates fast...

Mike.
 
My boats at Plockton in the summer which is a fast fifty miles from Loch Ness where I am based.The yard is an extra slow twenty miles but some of the best scenery and from my point of view laid back and relaxed.Also there are facilities if you need heavy lifting and every type of wellding/fabrication under the sun.
The old oil rig deep water pond is still there behind the steel piling coffer dam which could be turned into something if any one had the inclination although it would spoil it for me.
Worth while remembering that if Howard Dorris-the oil rig builders had had their way they would have built what became Kishorn between The Kyle of Lochalsh and Plockton!
I will never forget at the time the promises of long term employment offered to redundant Glasgow Shipyard workers etc.I cannot recall how long the yard lasted but less than ten years and the concrete rigs were long ago consigned I believe to the bottom of the Atlantic.
 
mjcoon said:
I thought lay-up was doubly problematic with wooden boats? (Unless they are so sheathed to be more like "WRP"...

Mike.
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No denying it can be a problem. Exasperated by the fact that I do not really have any firm idea when normal service will be resumed.

The choice for me was:

1. Leave afloat on her swinging mooring (and not sleep at night for worrying).

2. Leave her afloat in a marina (and not sleep for half the night for worrying)

3. Lay up ashore and have all the pain of her 'taking up' when re-launched in one fell swoop.

A lot depends on where, and how you lay up. She is in a dank, sheltered spot with an all over cover, hatches open, stripped out, cabin sole boards up, bilges exposed and plenty of ventilation.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not the sun which does the damage - it is the wind. Wind will dry out wood much faster.

Add to that, material. She is teak and (hopefully) will continue to resist shrinkage.
 
mjcoon said:
I remember that demo, and I think it was claimed to retrieve 1kg of attached mass. But no mention was made of from what depth. In deep water the flotation balloon will get compressed and less able to lift weights. So long as it inflates fast...
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I've seen 'em on sail in a couple of chandlers, complete with "As seen on Dragon's Den". Haven't been tempted yet.
 
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