Scottish sailing. Its horrible...

Quandary said:
Were you able to find some where clean to get your anchor down or are those bloody new Canna moorings as badly placed as has been reported?
Click to expand...

Well as we had no engine, it was 10pm, the visitors moorings were full and we had been going for 14 hours from Lewis we slung the hook where we could in the middle of the bay. Held fine and not too much kelp, but thr kelp elsewhere looked like something out of a sci fi movie! Have to say that the national Trust people were friendly and helpful when we informed them we were leaving the boat (having moved it on to one of the moorings) and abandoning ship on to the ferry! Glad to say it has now been rescued!!
 
These from the same weekend.
Anyone recognise the Black boat with the good shine?

P1040079_zps2e874121.jpg


P1040082_zpsfdcfcf5e.jpg


P1040077_zpsb5253541.jpg
 
Friday - Millport, and a visitor left his bottle of Black Grouse aboard - big mistake!
Saturday - Rothesay inner harbour. When will that boy finally get his pipes in tune? It looks like the Calmac Wi-Fi is no more.
Sunday - Port Bannatyne for peace and quiet. No tonic to be had in the shops.
Monday - Looks like Summer is over, back to Troon.
In all, about 2 hours sailing and lots of diesel gobbled but very enjoyable watching the racers under Mount Stuart - they should be flying code "M".. and the sub with it's attendant gang of thug-boats - interesting to know their fuel bill, they always seem in such a hurry. Next thing down the river is the back-end of an aircraft-carrier I think. That could be worth seeing.
 
Yep - horrible weekend to set out for the first time......

........because it has to be downhill from here. First night away from marina (Saturday 8.6.13) in new boat was here - Tighnabruaich, where we first learned to sail in wayfarer dinghies 12 years ago at the Tighnabruaich Sailing School. We had glimpse of paradise followed by a dreadful time thinking how it will be if we have another summer like last year. How depressing!:(Tighnabruaich 8.6.13.jpg
 
We finally managed to get Wight Dawn back in in time for a wee cruise last weekend as well. And wasn't the weather awful, Blistering sun, no clouds to shade us and very little wind to keep us cool.

We visited the same places as Spyro, but in the reverse order. Saturday, Largs to Brodick; motored. Dinner in cockpit. View attachment 32718 Sunday Brodick to Kames; motored to Sannox, sailed for three hours and got to near Inchmarnock, motored therest of the way to Kames. Dinner in cockpit. Again. View attachment 32717

Monday, weather back to normal. View attachment 32716 Wind on the nose all the way, whatever direction we were going. Motored the whole way to Cardwell Bay as we had to get there before the buses stopped running and we had to get back to Largs to collect the car. (Bloody ridiculous that the last bus to Greenock is at 1800 on a weekday. And 1630 on a Sunday.)
 
We had a miserable time with the 2013 Scottish summer too, we burned nearly 70 litres of diesel and bleached the sprayhood and mainsail cover but we did get from Crinan to Gairloch via The Old Forge and back before there was a single drop of comforting rain. It was murder because the autopilot which normally steers when we motor succumbed to the heat again so one of us had to steer the damn thing all the way.
 
Quandary said:
We had a miserable time with the 2013 Scottish summer too, we burned nearly 70 litres of diesel and bleached the sprayhood and mainsail cover but we did get from Crinan to Gairloch via The Old Forge and back before there was a single drop of comforting rain. It was murder because the autopilot which normally steers when we motor succumbed to the heat again so one of us had to steer the damn thing all the way.
Click to expand...

70litres of diesel :eek::eek:

That's an entire season's consumption for us !

was that the entire season???
 
pagoda said:
70litres of diesel :eek::eek:

That's an entire season's consumption for us !

was that the entire season???
Click to expand...

Afraid not, about ten days, she burns 2 litres an hour at six knots, the only wind we had was above about 8 knots was in the Sound of Mull and again in Kyle Rhea both caused by tidal acceleration. Compounded by the fact that all the way North it was directly astern and when we turned round so did it. However my wife and the dog both are more interested in the destinations than the travel and I am adapting myself to their attitude. Flowerdale Pier in Gairloch is one of our target destinations each time we head north, great beach (dog) some shops and great cycling and walking (wife) and the Old Inn (me). So much so that I was looking at how much it would cost to change my Finngulf for a Nauticat 331 which has just got a token rig but enormous accommodation, including an inside steering position.
Not quite decrepit enough yet, but worrying that I took the time to have a good look at one.
 
Quandary said:
...... Not quite decrepit enough yet, but worrying that I took the time to have a good look at one.
Click to expand...

Ah, the realities of insidious decrepitude take a while to be realised. My thoughts are similar except they are directed towards a certain MAB. Now, I could be in the market for something more modern in a season or two, a certain volte-face on my behalf.
 
Quandary said:
Afraid not, about ten days, she burns 2 litres an hour at six knots, the only wind we had was above about 8 knots was in the Sound of Mull and again in Kyle Rhea both caused by tidal acceleration. Compounded by the fact that all the way North it was directly astern and when we turned round so did it. However my wife and the dog both are more interested in the destinations than the travel and I am adapting myself to their attitude. Flowerdale Pier in Gairloch is one of our target destinations each time we head north, great beach (dog) some shops and great cycling and walking (wife) and the Old Inn (me). So much so that I was looking at how much it would cost to change my Finngulf for a Nauticat 331 which has just got a token rig but enormous accommodation, including an inside steering position.
Not quite decrepit enough yet, but worrying that I took the time to have a good look at one.
Click to expand...

I was trying to have a subtle poke at the weather... ie summer "season" already been & gone ? :p

Old Forge is good to visit...almost no vehicles, excellent food -and probably safe for dogs ashore as well.

I briefly sailed a boat with an inside wheel, but couldn't cope with the lack of feedback from surroundings...sails, telltales, looking for wind shifts. I just wear more foul weather gear while outside. It takes all sorts, fortunately.
 
pagoda said:
70litres of diesel :eek::eek:

That's an entire season's consumption for us !
Click to expand...

Perhaps so, but we recently refilled 60 litres after only about 380 miles so far this season. However, we've been in the water since the beginning of April and with the low temperatures this year, I'd guess that at least half of the burn has been with the Eberspächer. Of the four cruises to date, only one, the week before last, has had daytime temperatures in double figures. All night temperatures have been in the low single figures or occasionally around freezing point. Makes a difference.
 
pagoda said:
Old Forge is good to visit...almost no vehicles, excellent food -and probably safe for dogs ashore as well.
Click to expand...
Ate at the Old Forge two weeks ago and it was a big disappointment, poor choice and poor food. The only fish on offer was haddock, it was soggy, grey and tasted sour, served with a big potion of chips and some sort of purple coleslaw. Pretty sure the fish came from the deep freeze. Next time we're going to Doune.
 
Has the Old Forge changed hands this year? I was planning a visit next week, first that way for several years.
 
I think I heard that it changed hands, yes.
We've visited once but tbh found Inverie a bit too built up. Not used to sharing anchorages you see.
 
NorthUp said:
Has the Old Forge changed hands this year? I was planning a visit next week, first that way for several years.
Click to expand...

Yep, the Robertsons are now running an upmarket self catering venture near by. I do not recall a significant change in the menu or the quality of the food and the evening we were in, it was packed. Since the West Coast catch is almost exclusively shellfish and haddock is a protected species here, the haddock probably came from the Faeroes or Iceland, the scallops will be hand dived and the langoustines landed 5 miles away at Mallaig. I did notice that the staff have changed but the ambience is still as relaxed.
Mavanier will do well to find a pub or restaurant on the West Coast where he does not have to share the anchorage, though I have been in to Stein on our own once. The idea that Knoydart is now too built up for him is not as daft as it sounds there is a lot of new development there now, it is possible to commute to Mallaig by boat if you are one of the poor souls that need to work for a living. The boat from Mallaig still operates to suit himself but there is now a competing regular service based in Inverie.
Knoydart is almost becoming a victim of its reputation for isolation, you are rarely out of sight of another group of walkers these days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top