Winter sailing experience, Scotland

[afterpegassus]

Aja said:
James Miller & Sons
St Monance
Fife.

Millers were wooden boat builders, principally fishing vessels, which had a very distinctive faired off stem. You could tell a Millers boat from a good distance by this feature alone.

 

[steve yates]

No

Yes

 

[NormanS]

What do you mean by that?

Says something, does it not?

 

[Aja]

Says something, does it not?

Not really. I know of a lot of yachts and motor sailors built by Millers that are still around. They were well built - maybe not too the finish of some English yards or maybe McGruers etc who were building around the same time. James Miller was predominately a fishing boat builder that has a sideline in yachts.

It was the fishing boats with the change from wood to metal that sank the firm.

 

[Aja]

Aja said:
James Miller & Sons
St Monance
Fife.

Millers were wooden boat builders, principally fishing vessels, which had a very distinctive faired off stem. You could tell a Millers boat from a good distance by this feature alone.

True, but only of their own design. They built numerous vessels by other designers.

 

[ylop]

The OP admits to being strapped for cash, so paid instruction is off the cards. I think that he needs to wait until the season gets going again.

If you are so strapped for cash that you can't afford a sailing course to learn the essentials then I think buying a 60yr old wooden boat may prove to be a mistake.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Wonder if it is this boat. Miller Fifer 28 for sale UK, Miller Fifer boats for sale, Miller Fifer used boat sales, Miller Fifer Sailing Yachts For Sale 1964 Miller Fifer 28 REDUCED - Apollo Duck It does look to be in good nick. However, unless there is a rigorous approach to maintenance, boats like this soon deteriorate, especially from fresh water rot when coatings get damaged exposing the wood.

Good luck to the OP.

My advice to the OP is to try and find an experienced person and then go out for a few day trips with them.

 

[Daydream believer]

The problem will come when the Op tries to go out in very cold conditions, Gets caught in the tide, Finds that the boat is a dog to sail to windward in the hands of a novice. He will get swept along, wondering what is wrong & if he is lucky he will be able to start the engine before he runs aground & get back home with a bit of a fright.
It is NOT the way to start. Wait until summer & get help. Preferably from a professional, because a lot of the so called know it alls are far from it.

 

[ylop]

The problem will come when the Op tries to go out in very cold conditions, Gets caught in the tide, Finds that the boat is a dog to sail to windward in the hands of a novice. He will get swept along, wondering what is wrong & if he is lucky he will be able to start the engine before he runs aground & get back home with a bit of a fright.
It is NOT the way to start. Wait until summer & get help. Preferably from a professional, because a lot of the so called know it alls are far from it.

All of that will still be true in April… it *might* be marginally warmer. Totally agree on engaging a professional. Not sure who is still running courses this time of year but I did notice You and Sea at Rhu were doing MoBo stuff recently - a weekend of that would not be a bad place to start before worrying about the flappy bits.

 

[Daydream believer]

All of that will still be true in April… it *might* be marginally warmer. Totally agree on engaging a professional. Not sure who is still running courses this time of year but I did notice You and Sea at Rhu were doing MoBo stuff recently - a weekend of that would not be a bad place to start before worrying about the flappy bits.

Learning how to berth without wiping out all the other boats in the process, would certainly be a good start

 

[Wansworth]

Will we hear from him again?Looks a good little boat so I assume our poster has some sense of what he or she is doing at least it’s not some crabby old macwester….althoughthereis nothing to be sneezed at thereAs suggested just being aboard checking out how it all works,run the engine etc,move about ,make a pot of tea….MAKE LISTS

 

[dunedin]

The problem will come when the Op tries to go out in very cold conditions, Gets caught in the tide, Finds that the boat is a dog to sail to windward in the hands of a novice. He will get swept along, wondering what is wrong & if he is lucky he will be able to start the engine before he runs aground & get back home with a bit of a fright.
It is NOT the way to start. Wait until summer & get help. Preferably from a professional, because a lot of the so called know it alls are far from it.

Just because you got it wrong with the sandbanks at Inverness and don’t like sailing when there is an R in the month, it doesn’t mean that everybody else can’t go out occasionally in the winter months.
The tides are not any less in summer than in winter. And the sandbanks aren’t any different in the summer and the winter - and with the exception of the spit off the end of the river mentioned earlier, the shallows in the area are well charted and no more tricky than most of the East coast of the UK.

The key thing on a boat like that will be to be absolutely sure that the engine is absolutely reliable - plus have an anchor ready to use quickly if there are any engine issues (worth practicing this in a quiet day, before needed in earnest).
The fact that the boat seems to have been reengined with a modern Yanmar is a good sign. But worth
(A) ensuring the engine has been well serviced recently,
(B) checking fuel for any diesel bug issues,
(C) doing the one day diesel engine maintenance course and
(D) knowing how to change fuel filter etc
Also worth buying a paper chart and studying carefully

Beyond that, PROVIDED choose weather carefully (wind rather than temperature), and depart early to be back in harbour before 3pm, doing some short trips is a good way to gain experience.
On a sunny day like today, -2C just means wear an extra jumper. Much better than 10C in the rain.