Scottish Islands Peak Race - advice for a foreigner ?

[Nick]

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The Mull needs a couple of hours of fair tide minimum to get you from Sanda Sound to just past the light, where the stream weakens considerably. Sea conditions are usually only really nasty with wind over tide. In moderate conditions (up to F4-5) keeping close inshore will keep you out of the main tide race. In fog I have heard of boats followeing the 20m contour - so you can stay well inshore, almost where you can touch the cliffs. If you go outside the tide race in bad weather you need to go 5 miles off, which puts you in the TSS - although traffic is usually light.

The Sound of Jura is also known as the 'Sound of Disappointment' - tides run at two knots at Springs, more at the N. end, so bear this in mind when passage planning.

The Sound of Luing has tidal streams running at up to six knots, but the strongest stream is only the top mile or so as you approach Fladda. With a good wind you could probably get through at or around neaps against the tide.

Many local boats go through the Corryvreckan regularly at slack water and don't find it a problem. Just make sure you have calculated slack water correctly.

Have fun, and welcome to the forum.

- W

[bilbo]

You're welcome to my one pearl of wisdom.....

A friend of mine heard that there was a problem at the start, in that the boats have to anchor, close inshore in Oban Bay, awaiting their runners. The bottom is foul with generations of discarded fishing gear, and many would get their anchors ''hooked', which made for a staggered start.

The tide stream is weak around there, so s/he cadged a square of heavy old fishing net, which s/he made into a big 'purse' with a doubled mooring warp through the top. This purse s/he filled with rocks - maybe a hundred pounds or so - and lowered that to the seabed in lieu of a digging anchor, close inshore, prior to the start.

When the runners had been ferried out, it was but a moment's work to slip the doubled warp, leaving the stones and netting still on the seabed - and simply sail away while others were struggling with hooked hawsers, otter boards, ground chains and supermarket trolleys.

Sneaky, huh?

[DaveS]

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The Sound of Jura is also known as the 'Sound of Disappointment' - tides run at two knots at Springs, more at the N. end, so bear this in mind when passage planning.

- W

Just to expand on that slightly: the "strong tides zone" really starts at the N. end of the Sd of Jura as it narrows. On the SE side the Dorus Mor at Craignish Point is a famous tidal gate, but the tide on the NW side, while slightly less and probably the better option if an attempt against foul tide is insisted on, also runs fast.

[stevepick]

James

Please don't be offended, but if you hadn't already noted in admiralty NM's Bono rock buoy, at the north of the sound of luing has recently been moved.
See here:
http://www.nmwebsearch.com/XML/NMSelection1979.pdf

Have fun, hope its not as "exciting" as last year!

Steve

[claymore]

Hi
Forget about passage planning or which route to take as the windstrength and direction as well as the progress of your runners will dictate everything.
The tidal gate where all will be lost or won will be at Pladda at the top end of the Sound of Luing. Get there and meet a flood tide and you are stuffed for an hour or two unless there is sufficient breeze - preferably from the North to get you through there. We were sailing backwards with the spinnaker drawing well but boatspeed of 5 knots didn't compare with the 6 knots of tide.
Jura - you just gets what you gets - nip in through the top opening and out of the Sound when you are approaching Craighouse if the tide is foul there.
Mull - whatever. The inside passage if the tide is with you is great otherwise it's just a big wet bouncy old bash. Once past Sanda there is so little tide that you tend not to bother about it - its just a matter of getting the runners onto Arran and then over to Troon.
Have a good race and drink plenty of water!
We'd a cracking start once - the boat was right over at the starboard end of the line as we'd worked out that the runners could leg it along the prom faster than we would be sailing ( light airs)
Don't knacker yourself on the first leg by trying to row yourself ahead if its light.
Going up the sound of Mull - there's loads of room inside the Island - forgotten its name Eilean .....and if you go out there is more tide so depends whether its with you or against.

[Booby Trapper]

Oars can be handy getting you out of oban bay if there is absolutly no wind. Half hour of rowing can make all the difference if it gets you to where the wind is.
1.5 hours for the paps?? No chance see previous times
http://www.sipr.zetnet.co.uk/resrun_2006.htm

Don't see any reason to have a problem with anchoring in oban bay. you can drop the runners, sail or motor around. The first run should only take about 40 mins. You pick the runners up under engine power and keep engine on until well away from the pick up point.
Do you have a full crew?

good luck.

[Booby Trapper]

I could be tempted if the right offer came along
I have done it twice before.
If you have 3 sailors 2 runners then that is the max allowed. If you get any last minute call offs let me know.
I sure you will not be dissapointed it is a fantastic event.

Ian

[bilbo]

I don't reckon the timetable will last till we leave Oban bay

"No plan survives first contact with the enemy" - von Moltke, or was it Rab C?