Sailing cutter 'Islay'

[mainsail1]

Has anyone seen a 28 foot wooden yacht with canoe stern and bowsprit that used to sail on the West Coast of Scotland. Her name was 'Islay'.
I guess she was built in the 1930s, possibly designed by Milne.
I crewed on her when I was a kid in the 1960's and lost track of her in the 1980's.
It would be lovely to know where she is now.

 

[A1Sailor]

There is a yacht called 'Islay' in Lymington as we "speak". http://www.shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=235105254
It could be another one, though...

EDIT: In fact the date is/was yesterday, which was presumably her most recent AIS transmission.

 

[scottie]

You want Bill McKay

Last address I had was he had an office at Troon Marina or you may be able to get him via CCC yacht club
It was his fathers boat then his

 

[dunedin]

You want Bill McKay

Last address I had was he had an office at Troon Marina or you may be able to get him via CCC yacht club
It was his fathers boat then his

In which case he should be contactaable via his web site www.billmackayelanyachts.co.uk

And indeed he makes reference to the family boat Islay near the end of his sailing biography page "Bill McKay"
Worth a read anyway - never realised he raced at Le Mans, did car rallying etc. A very accomplished (and in my experience very approachable and helpful) person

 

[mainsail1]

Many thanks for the information so far. I sailed with Bill McKay's father and sometimes Bill came along. I know that 'Islay' seems to have moved on in the 1970's when Dr McKay passed away and Bill became a top UK sailor with fancy racing boats. I suspect Bill will have lost touch with the boat but I can ask him. I remember an article in one of the yachting magazines about 'Islay' and her then owner but that was many years ago, possibly early 1990's. At that time she was kept somewhere near Inverness.
I hope that someone has seen her in a yard or on the water recently and can point me in the right direction.

 

[Morven]

If it is the yacht I am thinking of then she is in Largs. She has been re-rigged to a gaff rig, I think when I saw her first she was Bermudan. If you ask the office nicely they might pass your details along to the current owner.

 

[mainsail1]

Many thanks Morven. I really need a photo to be sure it is the right boat before chasing the owner.

The one identified by A1 Sailor in Lymington seems a bit long but, again, no photo is available on AIS to be sure.

I have emailed Bill McKay and will see what comes of that.

 

[Morven]

Glad to be of service. I am down that way tomorrow, will see if I can gab you a shot assuming she is on her berth and I don't get washed out. Current owner daysails her a lot.

 

[mainsail1]

Thanks Morven, that would be brilliant.

 

[A1Sailor]

Many thanks Morven. I really need a photo to be sure it is the right boat before chasing the owner.

The one identified by A1 Sailor in Lymington seems a bit long but, again, no photo is available on AIS to be sure.

I have emailed Bill McKay and will see what comes of that.

I did think it unlikely that a boat would migrate from the West Of Scotland to the Solent!

 

[Morven]

Is this the one you are after?

 

[skip50]

Interesting thread-again!!!

When I started sailing (at a very tender age) Dr McKay was our GP, we were living in Glasgow at the time. He would regale us with stories of his exploits on 'Islay'. We always suspected there was degree of artistic licence.

The story I remember was about him sailing and being 'stalked' by killer ewhales as they were called then. According to him you didn't dare move a muscle, otherwise they would have you!!!!

 

[mainsail1]

View attachment 46065

Is this the one you are after?

YES! thanks. You are a hero.

 

[Morven]

Glad to have been a help.

 

[mainsail1]

Interesting thread-again!!!

When I started sailing (at a very tender age) Dr McKay was our GP, we were living in Glasgow at the time. He would regale us with stories of his exploits on 'Islay'. We always suspected there was degree of artistic licence.

The story I remember was about him sailing and being 'stalked' by killer ewhales as they were called then. According to him you didn't dare move a muscle, otherwise they would have you!!!!

Amazing! I was his crew when we met the 'killer whale' (I did not know what a killer whale looked like so I only have his word on it). It was when we were sailing from Iona to either Crinan or Oban at the tail end of our annual 4 week cruise up the West Coast. I must have been 12 years old or thereabouts. The whale swam alongside us for about 20 minutes and was pretty much as long as the boat. The good Doctor told me to 'freeze' exactly as you describe

Dr McKay was a great character who introduced me to sailing. I sailed with him for a number of years aboard 'Islay' and we certainly had a few 'scrapes'.

 

[HDDf]

Many thanks for the information so far. I sailed with Bill McKay's father and sometimes Bill came along. I know that 'Islay' seems to have moved on in the 1970's when Dr McKay passed away and Bill became a top UK sailor with fancy racing boats. I suspect Bill will have lost touch with the boat but I can ask him. I remember an article in one of the yachting magazines about 'Islay' and her then owner but that was many years ago, possibly early 1990's. At that time she was kept somewhere near Inverness.
I hope that someone has seen her in a yard or on the water recently and can point me in the right direction.

I know this post is 9 yrs old … but I own her now if you are still looking. She is in Largs H

 

[mainsail1]

I know this post is 9 yrs old … but I own her now if you are still looking. She is in Largs H

Thanks for the reply. It is great to know that someone is looking after this lovely old girl! I am still very interested in knowing how the boat as changed since I sailed in her in between about 1960 and 1967. I visited Largs Marina about 4 years ago in my own boat when we were in the Clyde and found "Islay" and took a few photos. On the outside she looked very much as I remember her although the bowsprit is longer. I am still interested to see how the inside has changed and what her history has been since the 1960's.