Trip report: Craobh Haven, Slate Islands, Corryvreckan, Jura, Islay

Excellent report RB, very informative and huge respect for completing the journey in such a small boat.

In one of your later pics, relaxing after two weeks aboard, overlooking the Craobh marina, I do believe the 47' Nordhavn belongs to one of our YBW forum members.
 
MapisM said:
So, what?
I can't think of any better proof that after all size does not really matter a lot, than a cruise and a report like yours.
Many thanks for sharing the experience with us!
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Quite true.

I had been browsing this site for a few months before joining and what impressed me most was the lack of
so-called social barriers and the 'my boat's bigger than your boat' attitude.

All love their boats whatever the size and value and we all share the same passion, reading threads like this one helps keep the passion alive.

I really enjoy reading what others are doing even if it does make me a tad envious.:cool:
 
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MapisM said:
So, what?
I can't think of any better proof that after all size does not really matter a lot, than a cruise and a report like yours.
Many thanks for sharing the experience with us!
Click to expand...

+1
Ther is a saying to the effect that the amount of fun you get from a boat is in inverse proportion to its size....or something like that :)

Your cruise report shows what can be achieved with a smaller boat and you are reaching cruising grounds that larger boats would find more difficult in terms of getting there from home berths. I have often toyed with the thought of something trailerable and your experience is giving food for thought :)
 
Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

AndieMac: Yes, I remember the Nordhaven, as it was directly opposite us. We didn't see anyone on it while we were there, though.

MapisM, SLC, Greg2: Yes, we are actually quite happy with the size. Every couple of years or so we have a little wonder as to whether we need/want a bigger one, but every time so far we unanimously agree that being able to trailer it to wherever we want to outweighs everything else. This year we did the Outer Hebrides - I will do a trip report on that when I get a spare moment.
 
Many thanks rbm; I enjoyed reading that. Your boat is well sorted - seems to have 25 feet's worth of accommodation! Good going!

I've only been to the Western Isles a few times on my brother's boat, and not always been lucky with the weather. Beautiful area though. Can I commend to you the blog of a former colleague of mine? I worked with him 20 years or so and he retired (early - good going!) in 2009, bought a very fine HR342, and has been cruising and blogging the area for the last few years. Rather an inspiration as to making sure you retire at the right time and enjoy it! If you whizz down the page at the link below you'll see he's a pretty good photographer too. http://swallow342.wordpress.com/category/recent-posts/
 
I enjoyed your trip report - thanks. You did a lot :-)

Were there any rocks off the "pier" at fladda? I have woosed out out of going in close a few times now, i need to bite the bullet.

The boat you were anchored next to at belnahua is i think a hustler 35 owned by a friend, tho i am not sure without seeing the stern... Can you remember her name?

Thanks for posting
 
jfm said:
Can I commend to you the blog of a former colleague of mine? I worked with him 20 years or so and he retired (early - good going!) in 2009, bought a very fine HR342, and has been cruising and blogging the area for the last few years. Rather an inspiration as to making sure you retire at the right time and enjoy it! If you whizz down the page at the link below you'll see he's a pretty good photographer too.
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Many thanks, jfm. It's certainly interesting, and the photos are superb. I'll keep up with his blog. Retirement is certainly becoming more attractive!


bikedaft said:
Were there any rocks off the "pier" at fladda? I have woosed out out of going in close a few times now, i need to bite the bullet.

The boat you were anchored next to at belnahua is i think a hustler 35 owned by a friend, tho i am not sure without seeing the stern... Can you remember her name?

Ps we only anchored once off belnahua, ie we wrapped the anchor chain around many fronds of kelp and crossed our fingers
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Yes, 'pier' is probably a fairly generous description of the structure, and yes, there were rocks - I think that we had about 1 m of water where we were if I remember rightly. It would be difficult for a boat with a keel, I think, but we were there just after LW, so it might be possible later.

Sorry, don't remember the name of the other boat.

Ah, that must be where we went wrong - we only had one frond and pulled it out! :)
 
rbmatthews said:
?.............This year we did the Outer Hebrides - I will do a trip report on that when I get a spare moment.
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That would be an interesting read also, great concept, ferry over from Ullapool or Uig. Don't forget to include a pic of the boat on the trailer with the tow vehicle, to inspire the trailer-boaters!
 
Fantastic travelogue, I enjoyed reading that. Boating in you part of the country seems an altogether different world to the crowded solent!
 
rbmatthews said:
Yes, we took the ferry over from Uig on Skye to West Loch Tarbert on Harris, then up to Stornoway where we launched her, then explored the big sea lochs south from there, down to the Sound of Harris and Berneray, then up to Loch Roag:

http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/stornoway/
http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/lewis-and-harris-east-coast/
http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/hebridian-stone-circles-and-iron-age-houses/
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Magic, thanks :-)
 
rbmatthews said:
Yes, we took the ferry over from Uig on Skye to West Loch Tarbert on Harris, then up to Stornoway where we launched her, then explored the big sea lochs south from there, down to the Sound of Harris and Berneray, then up to Loch Roag:

http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/stornoway/
http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/lewis-and-harris-east-coast/
http://shetlandf4.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/hebridian-stone-circles-and-iron-age-houses/
Click to expand...

Yes, great read again RB.

The Honda does a good job moving the "rig" around those highland roads!

I recently missed out on a RIB ride from Plockton to the Shiant Islands, just a couple of weeks before you were there, due to a combination of unsuitable weather and time restraints.
 
Another great read RB :)
Our thoughts have been to maybe get a trailer sailer i.e. a yacht so that we can do a bit of sailing as well as cruising places we would struggle to get the bigger boat to. Something traditional like a Cornish crabber or Norfolk Gypsy type appeals, or maybe a Macgregor with planing capability :) Only thing is the open cockpit with this type of boat and whilst rigging a canopy is possible wouldn't be as effective as a small mobo.
 
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