West Highland Week Racing 2018 - Pictures of The Race - Loch Shuna

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 36384
  • Start date Start date
D

Deleted member 36384

Guest
West Highland Week 2018, Racing in Loch Shuna. There was little wind but quite a few were ghosting along at a noticeable pace considering. I slowed down, dropped my main and motored round the outside of the fleet. There was another race north of Shuna Island ongoing as well. Today the fleet races to Oban and then up to Tobermory. Mull. I must admit that it looks far smaller these days than in the late 1980's when I last took part. Also, many on the yachts were quite young and far more female helms as well, from what I could see. As I arrived at my marina the fleet started to return, so got to see a lot of the crews.

https://whyw.co.uk

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr
 
The entry this year is down to around 80 boats but that looks awful sparse.
How ever it should reassure J.Duck who was concerned about strong winds
 
Quandary said:
The entry this year is down to around 80 boats but that looks awful sparse.
How ever it should reassure J.Duck who was concerned about strong winds
Click to expand...

My pulse is rapidly returning to normal. Still can't feel any great desire to head north, though ...

oGFxUcK.png


Any sign of the canal situation relaxing?
 
JumbleDuck said:
Any sign of the canal situation relaxing?
Click to expand...

Currently they have postponed their plan to close to transits from yesterday evening until next Sunday. But if the procedure follows precedent there will be another statement Friday afternoon. Mid Argyll seems to have dodged all the rain falling around us, the few brief showers will not have made any difference to the catchment and there is not much in the forecast, so far today only one yacht has gone by heading West. Trouble is the water is still pissing down over the locks all night, wastage is much greater than transit use.
 
How is the canal lined? Is it clay or bed rock or something else? What would it take to seal up the canal, I assume draining and grouting?
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
How is the canal lined? Is it clay or bed rock or something else? What would it take to seal up the canal, I assume draining and grouting?
Click to expand...

Puddled clay behind stone pitching though the lower number locks built first when the money available are lined with cut stone, like an inverted barrel vault. Impressive construction when you see them empty. Sadly the imported sandstone could not be afforded by the time they got to Cairnbaan and Lock 14 at Crinan is a quarry with no lining at all.
In BWs time they used to be draining reaches and mixing clay and they sheetpiled a strip of the high bank behind the houses in Ardrishaig, as well as replacing the old wooden gates one by one, winter maintenance was ongoing then. More or less ceased in 2010 when SC took over and alienated all their workers. Today they are extending the timber pier which will bring income and converting an old shed behind their office to a 'Gateway to Argyll' millions been spent, just not on the poor old waterway.
 
mainsail1 said:
Would it be beneficial to get your local MP involved to try and get a larger maintenance budget for the canal?
Click to expand...

Michael Russell? Aye right! good luck with that. (He is our MSP, I think, we have never seen him, the Canal is a Scottish Gov. responsibility.)
The workers asked for a skilled wage reflect to reflect the jobs they do, instead they were docked £2,500 so anything involving skill or expertise is avoided. They used to spend the fallow winter period doing repairs to locks, landings etc. There are only half a dozen of them left and they are nearly all looking out. An acceptable settlement would not have cost that much? when they go their knowledge goes with them.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
West Highland Week 2018, Racing in Loch Shuna. There was little wind but quite a few were ghosting along at a noticeable pace considering. I slowed down, dropped my main and motored round the outside of the fleet. There was another race north of Shuna Island ongoing as well. Today the fleet races to Oban and then up to Tobermory. Mull. I must admit that it looks far smaller these days than in the late 1980's when I last took part. Also, many on the yachts were quite young and far more female helms as well, from what I could see. As I arrived at my marina the fleet started to return, so got to see a lot of the crews.

https://whyw.co.uk

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr
Click to expand...
The yacht 3rd from the left seems to have an awfully small headsail. Was a storm imminent?;)
 
Quandary said:
Michael Russell? Aye right! good luck with that. (He is our MSP, I think, we have never seen him, the Canal is a Scottish Gov. responsibility.)
The workers asked for a skilled wage reflect to reflect the jobs they do, instead they were docked £2,500 so anything involving skill or expertise is avoided. They used to spend the fallow winter period doing repairs to locks, landings etc. There are only half a dozen of them left and they are nearly all looking out. An acceptable settlement would not have cost that much? when they go their knowledge goes with them.
Click to expand...
How do 6 people manage to operate the 7 road bridges? Do they drive from Crinan Bridge to Bellanoch, or run/cycle along the towpath? I guess it helps a bit that the two in Ardrishaig can never be opened (closed to traffic) simultaneously.
 
WHW was great fun when it ran from Crinan and had a good quality sponsors.

But it’s sadly gone downhill as collecting a box of biscuits at skippers briefing is no way to start a week long race...

Mind you, Craobh Marina, their staff and the LOTI goes a long way to make up.
 
webcraft said:

It still has one good quality sponsor...

- W
Click to expand...

Partnership
In 1980 West Highland Yachting Week entered into a 30 year long sporting partnership with Tennent Caledonian Breweries. In more recent years the JRC has formed a firm association with Tunnock’s who have acted as the main sponsor of the event, with additional sponsorship provided by Argyll and Bute Council, and Tobermory Harbour Association. More recently additional support has been added by Owen Sails, Malin Waters, Gael Force Marine Equipment, Scottish Canals, Dunstaffnage Marina and Webcraft UK Ltd.
https://whyw.co.uk/history/
Click to expand...
Argyll & Bute Council?
 
It is unfair to criticize Boyd Tunnock for his support of sailing in Scotland he has done a lot to keep WHYW and the Scottish Series going as well as putting money in to other sports, he also participates in the sailing. Breweries are no longer interested in minority sports and who would want Ladbrokes or Betfair involved in yachting? I have competed in WHYW when Tennants sponsored it (despite at the time not having a Tennants pub in Tob.) and since when it has limited sponsorship and mainly in kind, last time was 2016 and then it was as well run as it was in the eighties. For a family event a box of Snowballs and Caramel Wafers is as welcome as the dozen cans you used to get.
 
Quandary said:
..... For a family event a box of Snowballs and Caramel Wafers is as welcome as the dozen cans you used to get.
Click to expand...

+1

I think folks forget that WHW has always been more family orientated as well as more supported by cruising boats than the other big races.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
+1

I think folks forget that WHW has always been more family orientated as well as more supported by cruising boats than the other big races.
Click to expand...

It was a lot more fun when it was “An assault course for alcoholics” as one mag blurb succinctly put it...

My crews seemed to enjoy it but I could never properly get ‘in the spirit’ as I was driving :-(
 
wully1 said:
It was a lot more fun when it was “An assault course for alcoholics” as one mag blurb succinctly put it...

My crews seemed to enjoy it but I could never properly get ‘in the spirit’ as I was driving :-(
Click to expand...

The parties on some of the bigger yachts after chucking out time (was there a chucking out time) in Tobermory bay were legendary, as were the hangovers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top