SIPR 2019

[Shuggy]

Anyone doing it?

We are. Marisca?

We’ve had some ups and downs on the way but a week today we’ll be underway. Yacht is Sarah - wish us luck please. We’ll need it.

This is a racing year... SIPR, RMR and WHW.

Weather doesn’t look all that favourable for a 1970s ocean racer but you never know.

[marisca]

I regret Marisca is not entered. I have had a knee replaced and it's a little too soon for that possible exertion. Geoff Crowley is escorting Marisca's ladies this year but I will be at Oban doing the boat scrutineering so stand by to have your bits inspected.

[marisca]

I regret Marisca is not entered. I have had a knee replaced and it's a little too soon for that possible exertion. Geoff Crowley is escorting Marisca's ladies this year but I will be at Oban doing the boat scrutineering so stand by to have your bits inspected.

[claymore]

Good luck Shuggingtons
Take yer woolly combinations....

[Shuggy]

Thanks Alastair

Sorry to hear about the knee - but look forward to catching up in Oban. I think we’re fully compliant on the scrutineering front, having just hired a 6 man liferaft to replace our usual 4 man one. I’ve also bought a new offshore flare pack as our old one may perhaps have been a bit out of date!

Speedy recovery with the knee.

Hugh

[Shuggy]

Good luck Shuggingtons
Take yer woolly combinations....

Have you seen the forecast, Claysie? Take the shades and sun screen more like... and a good book as the going is going to be a bit slow.

[claymore]

Good old global warming!

[claymore]

Early Saturday morning and the leaders seem to be past Pladda and heading down for Craighouse.
The race was won and lost here in 1984

[claymore]

18:30 - Shuggingtons is plodding along very nicely

[aquaplane]

Geoff seems to have made a couple of places up too

[claymore]

Looks like the Shugs is heading outside Sanda - 18th overall at the moment (23:38) Just off to my whirling pit.

[claymore]

Looks to have been tedious from Sanda to Arran - still in there Shuggypoos!

[Shuggy]

We finished and everyone had a good time. That was a complete hoot! I'm mildly tired right now but we've had the lot: sun, rain, wind, no wind. Day, night and something in-between. We had the spinnaker up for 17 hours solid at one point, which is a record for Sarah. We broke nothing, somewhat unexpectedly.

Thanks to Marisca for scrutineering with humour. And although I'm sure they don't read this, the organising team was/is awesome. And well done to Contender for finishing too.

Off to bed...

[marisca]

I think I can now admit to pangs of jealously as I watched the fleet make it out of Oban Bay. Sad to watch Geoff sail off with MY runners. Compared to other years this one appeared benign - I'm sure I remember F5/6 beating all the way in freezing rain, runners clutching buckets. If I'd only known in April but the knee probably appreciated not doing it.
Well done Shuggy, Geoff and all the others and especially my girls.

Scottish Series starts on Friday and Marisca will be there.

[Shuggy]

Here’s my 2p-worth...

If anyone’s wondering whether SIPR is good fun, just enter and do it. It’s like the Round Mull Race but with added fun (and perhaps less booze). We are doing this again - it’s brilliant. You get to appear at all the main tidal gates and just think, ‘f*ck it, le’s go anyway and see what happens.

And you know what? Tidal gates sometimes let you through in adverse tides.

Sweet.

Shuggy