BLUEMOMENT

........thought that we would drop in for a visit.

We hadn't had our tea, so the skipper couldn't be found ( sorry - Glasgow / Edinburgh 'joke' )



but he must have been watching cos these guys turned up soon after.



Ash - Just back from his hols

If you'd phoned I'd have told you where the key was hidden and you could have made your own tea.

Lucky Merry Monster didn't spot you or he'd have been asking you to explain yourselves!

Marine Policing Unit? I can't see that floating for long. What do they do if you sail off when thay arrive? Are they breathalizing, speed checking, looking for illegals or just having a nice day out?

Silkie wrote:If you'd phoned I'd have told you where the key was hidden and you could have made your own tea.

We had a flask with us, and did consider sitting in the cockpit pretending that we were the proud owners.

Silkie wrote: Lucky Merry Monster didn't spot you or he'd have been asking you to explain yourselves!

You've mentioned 'Merry Monster' before, but I don't know the link.

Taxit was the first boat that we noticed from the carpark.



The area is looking tidier now with the concreted area.

It's probably very short term, but I wouldn't like to see my pride and joy propped like this



Ash

That's Gael Force, presumably associated with the eponymous chandler. She's sported a luxuriant growth all season (I haven't seen her move) and has now been lifted for a scrub and antifoul I suppose, so it probably is short term.

I don't really see a problem with supporting a boat like this though, assuming the ground is firm and the props are properly placed. In high winds, vibration can certainly cause problems with unbraced shores but for the rest of the time the bracing makes no odds.

I once got a bit of stick for this pic:



For the avoidance of doubt, this is a Hurley 22 (less than an hour out of the water) with 10 carefully placed shores, later cross-braced. To the best of my knowledge, no boat has ever fallen over in the yard although a few have floated off their props in a storm surge.

Silkie wrote: I don't really see a problem with supporting a boat like this though, assuming the ground is firm and the props are properly placed. In high winds, vibration can certainly cause problems with unbraced shores but for the rest of the time the bracing makes no odds.

You're right - the experience of others more skilled than me prove that you're right but I can't help feeling that the vibration with the mast up may cause the props to settle very slightly and then there's nothing to stop them dropping out.

It's probably all in the mind, but I felt happier with the addition of blocks on oil drums as a backup to the props as the drums would remain standing even if the pressure came off them.

Ash

....a few have floated off their props in a storm surge....

I'm told the 'in thing' to do when storm surges are predicted ( August - October ? ) is to use a JCB to dig a boat-sized hole in the swampy earth, lower the empty boat in, fill it with concrete blocks and open the sea cocks so it fills.
Apparently, it's far cheaper to replace oddments of soggy carpet than the entire hull. Is that at all on the programme at Craobh?

We were in Dunstaffnage the night of the race barby at the Frog. Saw Silkie as well but no sign of old McHurley. Like Ash, I suspect he was watching and stayed hidden 'till we'd gone.
Nick and Cath, on the other hand, gave us a lift to the T 'n T and back when we went to Balvicar. -Thanks guys, enjoyed it.