Mike2822425
New member
Well I had no need of my new "oilies" it was wall to wall sunshine and enough wind not to scare me. 3 to 4 with gusts up 5and 6.
Left Lossiemouth on Monday and sailed gently up to Cromarty getting used to the new company. My luck was in, just me doing Day Skip. with 2 others doing Comp. Crew and they were not total amateurs.
Tuesday, spent all day in the Firth using the oil rigs as sailing markers and man over board and general techechnics of sailing on and off the wind.
Wednesday, now upgraded to Skipper for the day, sailed of the visitors buoy and set off for Portmahomac on my course plootted the night before. Anchored up for lunch, wheather superb, company great, instructor laid back but very profesional. Up anchor and on to Helmsdale, followed orange transit markers and bearthed with no problems. Otters in harbour, beautiful evening. Wine with meal followed by "Scotish Water". Slange.
Thursday on radio to H. Master who insists on coming down to see us off. Small harbour so I practise my springing off the pontoon to turn the boat through 180 dgs. and out I go . My first time at holding a line of site in a narrow channel and looking back to keep the right course but made it out O K. Now across the Firth back to Whitehills.
At the chart table I put in all my tidal vectors and drift and offer up a small prayer, its 44 mls in a straight line to Whitehills but boats with sails dont go very straight!
2 meter swell not very good for chart work, with boat heeling over, forget Captain Fields patern, they were a pain in the class room, out here they are useless. Out with the Breton, its a bit better, wish I had brought my Yeoman.
Total journy to Whitehills only + 4 miles on the log. I must be getting the hang of this chart work! Take over Helm outside harbour. Whitehills can only aproached in the Red Sector......good fun this at night.........but no probs. done it numerous times, but god help you if u dont know the way in! Visitors on board that evening with new supplies of "tinnies ect. Every one nackered so early bed.
Friday, good wind but right on the nose. We worked hard hard to move along the coast. Put into Pornockie for lunch, must tell them to paint the leading markers, again another narrow entrance. Revived and refreshed we tacked our way up towards Lossie. Arrived to early for the tide, so used Spey Bay as a play ground. Low water and the wind dies off so its Goose necking and things to fill in the time.
"When can we go into harbour Mike" asks the instructor. "06.20" with some trepidation, I reply. At this point the insructor deceides that if anyone is going to put her into sand, just inside the entrance it should be him! Point 4 of a meter under the keel and we are home at last.
Most important information..Cromarty.....toilets have no loo paper so take your own. Helmsdale, toilets stainless (vandal proof) no loo paper. If you have a Horse collar type man over board unit , it fits the seat in the bog quite well!!!
Had a fantastic time. I can only say thanks again to Mike Darcy of Moray Firth Sailing for the best 5 days I have ever spent and for putting up with my inexperience of sail.
WWW. morayfirthsailing.co.uk try it you will love it.
Mike with the new oilies!!!!
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Left Lossiemouth on Monday and sailed gently up to Cromarty getting used to the new company. My luck was in, just me doing Day Skip. with 2 others doing Comp. Crew and they were not total amateurs.
Tuesday, spent all day in the Firth using the oil rigs as sailing markers and man over board and general techechnics of sailing on and off the wind.
Wednesday, now upgraded to Skipper for the day, sailed of the visitors buoy and set off for Portmahomac on my course plootted the night before. Anchored up for lunch, wheather superb, company great, instructor laid back but very profesional. Up anchor and on to Helmsdale, followed orange transit markers and bearthed with no problems. Otters in harbour, beautiful evening. Wine with meal followed by "Scotish Water". Slange.
Thursday on radio to H. Master who insists on coming down to see us off. Small harbour so I practise my springing off the pontoon to turn the boat through 180 dgs. and out I go . My first time at holding a line of site in a narrow channel and looking back to keep the right course but made it out O K. Now across the Firth back to Whitehills.
At the chart table I put in all my tidal vectors and drift and offer up a small prayer, its 44 mls in a straight line to Whitehills but boats with sails dont go very straight!
2 meter swell not very good for chart work, with boat heeling over, forget Captain Fields patern, they were a pain in the class room, out here they are useless. Out with the Breton, its a bit better, wish I had brought my Yeoman.
Total journy to Whitehills only + 4 miles on the log. I must be getting the hang of this chart work! Take over Helm outside harbour. Whitehills can only aproached in the Red Sector......good fun this at night.........but no probs. done it numerous times, but god help you if u dont know the way in! Visitors on board that evening with new supplies of "tinnies ect. Every one nackered so early bed.
Friday, good wind but right on the nose. We worked hard hard to move along the coast. Put into Pornockie for lunch, must tell them to paint the leading markers, again another narrow entrance. Revived and refreshed we tacked our way up towards Lossie. Arrived to early for the tide, so used Spey Bay as a play ground. Low water and the wind dies off so its Goose necking and things to fill in the time.
"When can we go into harbour Mike" asks the instructor. "06.20" with some trepidation, I reply. At this point the insructor deceides that if anyone is going to put her into sand, just inside the entrance it should be him! Point 4 of a meter under the keel and we are home at last.
Most important information..Cromarty.....toilets have no loo paper so take your own. Helmsdale, toilets stainless (vandal proof) no loo paper. If you have a Horse collar type man over board unit , it fits the seat in the bog quite well!!!
Had a fantastic time. I can only say thanks again to Mike Darcy of Moray Firth Sailing for the best 5 days I have ever spent and for putting up with my inexperience of sail.
WWW. morayfirthsailing.co.uk try it you will love it.
Mike with the new oilies!!!!
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.yacht in findochty.
