Back in the water!

[Quandary]

Our club launch day, postponed from Easter Sat. took place yesterday, the crane came up from Glasgow, launched half a dozen boats at Cairnbaan on Friday and then came down to the club yard in Ardrishaig on Saturday, only three motor boats and three yachts, the rest stayed ashore. Hard to find space in the crowded yard to prepare masts for stepping so I have a pair of lowers that I need to get up to reverse.
It was a close run thing, S. Easterly brings a wave in to Loch Gilp and it was freshening all day, by mid afternnoon over 30knots, bouncing the pontoon and flattening fenders, I was doubling up nylon springs on the waiting pontoon where I am berthed until the Canal eventually re-opens in an attempt to ease the motion. The brand new bridge to the new (last year) pontoon is fenced off for 'maintenance' so it is a precarious journey around the lock edge behind the fence to access it, this inevitably means that when I do manage to get to the pontoon I discover that something essential is on the other side of the fence, I may have to resort to using the dinghy during working hours If they do not turn a blind eye to my acrobatics.
But it is great to get afloat, with the shortened season and the inevitable deterioration in the weather I may forgo my normal berth at Crinan and stay in the Clyde. Suggestions of places to visit when Nicola says go would be welcome. N. I. seems to be more relaxed so it might be better to head back down that way?
But when I was working I had less time afloat in summer, this year might be no worse than that?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I would have thought that you knew most of the places to visit on the Clyde; the Solway Firth I have always thought would be interesting. I got launched last Wednesday, boat is now at Kip waiting for the sail to Craobh.

 

[LittleSister]

Ah, the fun of boating!

Congrats on actually getting into the water.

Unfortunately I'm still ashore. I blew part of my pension on getting some work done by a boatyard. Was originally supposed to be launched March 1st. Almost 4 months later it's still in their shed. I'm assured it will be out in the next few days, but then I've got a long list of my own jobs to do before hitting the water.

Will the weather gods take pity on us and provide a fine summer/autumn, or will we have to pay for the nice weather we've had while ashore this spring?

 

[ProDave]

We slipway launched a few weeks back as soon as phase 1 came in.

Yesterday was the delayed crane in at our harbour, Only about half the boats craned in, so few that the crane was starting to pack up by 10AM

No sign of any of the clubs craning in here. I think the issue is comissioning the moorings, without that they have nowhere to go. I think another worry is if there is a second wave and we are all locked down again crane out may not happen. That would be bad news if you were on a mooring that can get very exposed. Not so bad for us in a sheltered harbour staying in over winter would not be a concern.

 

[Skylark]

As a resident of England with a boat on The Clyde, I read the story of your launch with joy for you but also with a bit of envy as my 2020 season looks more and more likely to not happen. It doesn’t help that it’s the longest day today so it’s all down hill from tomorrow.

For cruising suggestions, we did Ireland north coast a couple of season ago to attend Lough Foyle maritime festival. It was all very pleasant. Don’t know why but I always get a great deal of pleasure by going to Rathlin, too.

Fair winds.

 

[Quandary]

Our club, which is mainly a diy boatyard for geriatric locals, instructed that no one enter the yard until their boat was next, that everyone wore hard hats ,gloves and face masks. There were a few hard hats (essential if a 5 ton boat falls on you) but very few gloves and no face masks. But with only six boats distancing was not too difficult. A lot of our members seem actually to be relieved that there is no pressure to launch this year and and they can stay ashore futering about like they did all winter, they will be even happier when the Rumblin Tum and The Argyll re-open.

 

[stevie69p]

I'm in the fortunate position that my boat stays in all year round, so was able to get out as soon as the restrictions were loosened. I usually lift out in June for a week and do the anti fouling and anodes, but I've decided just to skip that this season. She has a wee bit of growth but it's not too bad and seems to be sailing ok. So far I've only been fairly local day sailing, and my planned trip this year was to have been to see some more of Ireland, and I doubt that's going to happen, but to be honest just getting back out on the water and a change of scenery has been great. It's funny how both my least stressful and most stressful times seem to be when sailing haha.