BLUEMOMENT

Had a cracking weekend. We Left Ardrossan Thurday morn. Motored all the way to the Mull in no wind and no visibility. soon as we saw the lighthouse the wind picked up and it was spinnaker all the way to Islay (yes I kept it dry this time) Spent the night on the new very reasonable pontoon (£12 inc water and electricity) Fri morn left Islay for Loch Sween beautiful sunshine and light wind half the time spinnaker half the time motor. Sat spent all day at Loch Sween water skiing and then late afternoon round the corner to dive for scallops. Sat night bbq with friends. Sun visited Jura and Sun Night Gigha. left Gigha 1100 Mon morn headed back to the Clyde. NW Winds at the Mull went from 0 knts to 25knts and back to 0 again within seconds but steadied at 25 knts after a mile or so Passed pladda at 1900 after a cracking sail averaging 6 knots even with 4 hours of tide against me from Gigha to the Mull. Spent a rough night in Lamlash and headed back to Ardrossan this morn.


Nick, sorry I didn't make it up as far as your place but with light or no wind on Sunday I thought it best to start heading back. Maybe next time.
Ian

Booby Trapper wrote:

Nick, sorry I didn't make it up as far as your place but with light or no wind on Sunday I thought it best to start heading back. Maybe next time.
Ian

No worries Ian, sounds like you had a great weekend. We are champing at the bit to get away, but I think we will be having a few days motor cruising on the Caley Canal next week with my Dad before we manage to shape up, ship out and head North.

Booby Trapper wrote:Had a cracking weekend. We Left Ardrossan Thurday morn. Motored all the way to the Mull in no wind and no visibility. soon as we saw the lighthouse the wind picked up and it was spinnaker all the way to Islay (yes I kept it dry this time) Spent the night on the new very reasonable pontoon (£12 inc water and electricity) Fri morn left Islay for Loch Sween beautiful sunshine and light wind half the time spinnaker half the time motor. Sat spent all day at Loch Sween water skiing and then late afternoon round the corner to dive for scallops. Sat night bbq with friends. Sun visited Jura and Sun Night Gigha. left Gigha 1100 Mon morn headed back to the Clyde. NW Winds at the Mull went from 0 knts to 25knts and back to 0 again within seconds but steadied at 25 knts after a mile or so Passed pladda at 1900 after a cracking sail averaging 6 knots even with 4 hours of tide against me from Gigha to the Mull. Spent a rough night in Lamlash and headed back to Ardrossan this morn.


Nick, sorry I didn't make it up as far as your place but with light or no wind on Sunday I thought it best to start heading back. Maybe next time.
Ian

Sounds awesome. Any photos?

Booby Trapper wrote:Had a cracking weekend. We Left Ardrossan Thurday morn. Motored all the way to the Mull in no wind and no visibility. soon as we saw the lighthouse the wind picked up and it was spinnaker all the way to Islay (yes I kept it dry this time) Spent the night on the new very reasonable pontoon (£12 inc water and electricity) Fri morn left Islay for Loch Sween beautiful sunshine and light wind half the time spinnaker half the time motor. Sat spent all day at Loch Sween water skiing and then late afternoon round the corner to dive for scallops. Sat night bbq with friends. Sun visited Jura and Sun Night Gigha. left Gigha 1100 Mon morn headed back to the Clyde. NW Winds at the Mull went from 0 knts to 25knts and back to 0 again within seconds but steadied at 25 knts after a mile or so Passed pladda at 1900 after a cracking sail averaging 6 knots even with 4 hours of tide against me from Gigha to the Mull. Spent a rough night in Lamlash and headed back to Ardrossan this morn.


Nick, sorry I didn't make it up as far as your place but with light or no wind on Sunday I thought it best to start heading back. Maybe next time.
Ian

That must be some size of spinnaker if you can waterski.....

Markie wrote: Sounds awesome. Any photos?

One or two

Impressive log already, Ian.
We did the opposite, slobbing in KingsCross from Friday to Monday. The only mileage we achieved was to motor over to Lamlash and back for ice creams on Saturday. Wizzy sail back on Monday though.

Thanks BT, I've stolen a couple of glances at those shots at work today, a serious morale booster.

To say that I am envious of that scenery (and weather) would be slightly understating my feelings. The Solent seems a bit pale by comparison, but it's all I've got for now (sigh). At least I'll be out sailing tomorrow. Have a lovely weekend wherever you are, everybody.

Markie wrote:Thanks BT, I've stolen a couple of glances at those shots at work today, a serious morale booster.

Hi Mark, when are you comming up this way? Might bump into you.
Nice pics Ian, any discriptions for them,? the flat rock with lighthouse looks great, where is it?
C_W

the flat rock with lighthouse looks great, where is it?

Pladda?

Clyde_Wanderer wrote:

Markie wrote:Thanks BT, I've stolen a couple of glances at those shots at work today, a serious morale booster.

Hi Mark, when are you comming up this way? Might bump into you.
Nice pics Ian, any discriptions for them,? the flat rock with lighthouse looks great, where is it?
C_W

Shard has got one right. Any other takers?

Booby Trapper wrote:Shard has got one right. Any other takers?

PMed you.

Holy Isle Buddhist centre is the top one.
Don't know the bottom two... they must be on the other side.
It sounds like a cracking time, Ian.
For the first time since February I got away from Farewell and up to Flap for a couple of days relaxation. Sunday was spent hanging over the side with a scraper and glass-paper tackling the toe-rail and rubbingstrake varnish. It was a glorious start on Monday and I was at it again from first thing, much to the entertainment of the tourists on Glen Masson. I managed a few coats of Le Tonkenois before I had to get down the road.
Still, I did manage a few beers and a barbie on Ellean (Sp?... Alex's boat).
Back to reality with a thud this weekend as I need to get Farewell's cockpit sole sealed up and the binacle back on.
Give me a shout if your around Ardrossan.

Gordonmc wrote:Holy Isle Buddhist centre is the top one.
Don't know the bottom two... they must be on the other side.
It sounds like a cracking time, Ian.
For the first time since February I got away from Farewell and up to Flap for a couple of days relaxation. Sunday was spent hanging over the side with a scraper and glass-paper tackling the toe-rail and rubbingstrake varnish. It was a glorious start on Monday and I was at it again from first thing, much to the entertainment of the tourists on Glen Masson. I managed a few coats of Le Tonkenois before I had to get down the road.
Still, I did manage a few beers and a barbie on Ellean (Sp?... Alex's boat).
Back to reality with a thud this weekend as I need to get Farewell's cockpit sole sealed up and the binacle back on.
Give me a shout if your around Ardrossan.

Yes Holy Isle and the rest are out West
I cycled down to Ardrossan on Sunday and had a look but you weren't there I see you had started on the underside, the repair was looking good. I take it if you are sealing up the cockpit sole then the engine is in and working fine?

[quote="Booby Trapper
Yes Holy Isle and the rest are out West
I cycled down to Ardrossan on Sunday and had a look but you weren't there I see you had started on the underside, the repair was looking good. I take it if you are sealing up the cockpit sole then the engine is in and working fine?[/quote]

Yup. The engine started first turn of the key. I was drawing diesel from a jerry can and got air into the line when I went over to the boat tanks, so it needs bled. I was using a 60 AH battery which quickly went flat turning the beast over. I now have a 100 AH cranking battery which should do the job. Organising a fuel return took a bit of time... the old Yanmar had a recirculator system.
The cockpit needs to be sealed so I can get the binacle back on, necessary for the morse controls. I can then put the hydraulic steering back together and the boat should be just about ready for her masts to be stepped.
Lots of fiddly jobs still to do, but I guess that will remain the case for some time.