the weather may be ...
 

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the weather may be crap a lot of the time but Jesus it's beautiful!

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Just over a week ago 4 of us set off from Englandshire to deliver our new to us racing yacht (actually "we" owned it before and sold it 10 years go, but we're going back to the "ex"!) part of the way back to Wales.

We took the train up to Inverness and brought the boat through the Caledonian Canal, then from Fort William to Oban, Crinan and through the Crinan Canal to Tarbert and finally to Helensburgh via the Kyles of Bute.

Total trip of 6 days.

The weather was truly bloody awful with constant heavy rain (Oban was 100% cut off other than by sea) and we spent most of the time soaking wet despite having the best gear.

Oh, and the guy running the Ardrishaig of the part of the Crinan canal was an utter idiot by emptying it to a level where we ran aground despite knowing we were there.

But holy hell we saw some utterly beautiful places, especially the west coast.

Just sayin' .... if anyone hasn't been there, and gets the chance, you'd be an idiot not to go.


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 6:37 pm
Yak, matt_outandabout, Drac and 3 people reacted
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It's freezing today in the North East.


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 6:49 pm
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sharkbait Free Member

Good username for a boat owner!

But yes - a beautiful part of the world. I've only seen small parts from when sailing - IMO even more special in mixed weather.


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:04 pm
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Sounds a nice trip, what type/size/class is the boat ? 


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:14 pm
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She's a Corby 37

https://www.corby-yachts.com/aurora.html


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:16 pm
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Well jealous Sharkbait.

I have managed a solo channel crossing with very mixed weather and my planned trips to the west country have only got as far as Portland from Southampton due to lack of, or too much, wind and time constraints.  But managed to clock up 1,000nm pottering around the south coast so not complaining.  Still hopeful of a few more miles before a January haul out but I bet quite a few will be in the dark with sub optimal weather!


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:19 pm
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wow that looks special


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:23 pm
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Lovely boat 👌


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:37 pm
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Shhhh, don't tell everyone. They will clog it up...


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:39 pm
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Lovely boat 👌

She's an absolute weapon.... which is why she's coming back!


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 7:44 pm
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Beautiful boat! 🥰


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 8:48 pm
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Thats a fair size boaty.

Very nice indeed. Not sailed for a number of years now, but we were always at the Scottish series and took line honours twice for the first in our class to arrive at the start of proceedings.

Do they still do the Tunnocks survival kit and 2 cases of beer as part of the entry fee* ?.

*Tip. They also used to do 'everyone gets a free drink' ticket, but if you go up to the office and say the crew is actually larger than you put in the entry form, they'll happily give you more free drink tickets without checking up 😉

But holy hell we saw some utterly beautiful places, especially the west coast.

As they say in boaty circles - 'The west coast is the best coast.' A clear day coming out of the firth of forth looking north is truly a sight to behold.


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 11:20 pm
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Sounds like a cracking trip, I used to live at kilmahumaig cottages in Crinan as a kid and loved the area for fishing, sailing, and just doing kid things. Was friends with Ross of the Crinan hotel and discovered secret smuggling cellars and tunnels in the hotel which became our secret hideaway den. Loved the place to grow up in, but like you say it was often wet and the midges were horrendous.


 
Posted : 14/10/2023 11:29 pm
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firth of forth

Sorry, meant firth of clyde.


 
Posted : 15/10/2023 1:05 am
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@somafunk
Wow, what a place to grow up!
Here's a little blast from the past for you 😀
https://photos.app.goo.gl/y8iu4P67KxPZQ2Z5A


 
Posted : 15/10/2023 8:56 am
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 Drac
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Gorgeous area one of my favourite places. 


 
Posted : 15/10/2023 8:59 am
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I’m sitting at my kitchen table looking across the Sound of Mull across to Ardnamurchan and Morvern - unsurprisingly we do get a lot of sailing traffic in these parts during the summer. We do have a bit of hard-standing outside big enough to store a boat and there are quite a few sailing boat ‘bargains’ locally - one day 😃


 
Posted : 15/10/2023 9:44 am

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