Jura trip - A belated thanks and a salutory tale

[Ariel]

Many thanks to all the kind people on the forum who provided excellent advice for our West Coast charter out of Craobh Haven earlier this year.

We had decent weather, nice winds and a great trip all around. Thanks to all who gave helpful advice on the itinerary.

The salutory tale?
We had a fouled prop when we were skirting around the jetties at Port Askaig looking for a stopover until the tide turned.

We managed to get back into the Sound and, as the winds were very light, a charter vessel offered to sail with us, in company, to Port Ellen when the Islay lifeboat offered to come out and get us.

The RNLI people were wonderfully helpful, quickly confirmed that the problem was a fouled prop and took us alongside for a tow back up the Sound. We were going at a decent lick against the tide alongside the huge Mersey when "something" went wrong. It resulted in the midships cleat being ripped out of our boat and the warp to the forward cleat shearing.. The end result was something like two mating dogs that couldn't get apart. Unfortunately, we were the chihuahua and the RNLI vessel was the great dane and our pushpit and stern GRP was truly mangled. (Or, rather, the charter owner's pushpit and stern!).

The salutory lesson came when we returned home and discovered that, because I had accepted the tow ropes from the towing vessel, I was responsible for all the damage under maritime law. This all cost a very pretty penny. Also, the RNLI do not have any insurance!

So, I have now learned that if I ever need a tow again, I will use my own warps - even if the alternatives are RNLI monstrous hawsers. Also, if I am being towed and I am not comfortable with the hull speed, I won't assume that the people towing me know what they are doing!

It is an interesting point of maritime law. An expensice one too!

For those cruising the Sound of Islay, I can recommend the hospitality in the hotel at Port Askaig. The food and drink was great and when they heard about our predicament they did everyting they could to organise a local diver for us to unfoul the prop. A bright spot on a grim day.

The people at Caol Islay distillery were also wonderfully helpful. They let us stay lashed to their jetty until we could get underway and they came down to relay telephone messages to us from the local divers, RNLI amd Marine Accident Investigation Board. I don't know how they feel about yachts mooring up there but I can recommend waking up to the smell of a distillery as a great way to start the day. (I have been doing my best to repay them in trade and it is a very pleasant experience.) For their kindeness to sailors, please raise a glass of Caol Islay to them next time you order a Whisky.

So an eventful trip all round.

Thanks again to everyone who gave advice on where (and where not) to go. West Loch tarbert Jura was especially wonderful. Thanks also to all those who told me that the Corryvreckan was navigable with due sensible planning. It provided my kids with their only sightings of Dolphins on our passage and was a great way to end the trip.

|If anyone is looking for a charter from the West Coast, we charterd with Portway Yacht Charters. They are not a big outfit but the person who runs it is knowedgable and was helpful with the incidents on our trip. I would charter with them again.


Rav.

[Booby Trapper]

Glad to hear you had a good trip but sorry to hear about the damage and costs involved.
Care to tell us what the "something went wrong" was just for future reference. Were you being towed alongside the RNLI boat?
I kind of suspect that it had something to do with too much speed as you mention it later on.

[Ariel]

We are still waiting for the report from the Marine Accident Investigation Board to know the official explanation.

It seems unlikely that the fault was a weak cleat. One thought that has crossed my mind is that there was a change of course immediately before the incident. It has made me think about the additional forces that would come into play if the two bows moved apart - effectively going off in a V formation in separate directions. My limited grasp of physics suggests that this would mean that each vessel would be trying to pull the weight of the other. With a Mersey lifeboat there can only be one winner!

Since the incident off Islay, I have had to do quite alot of alongside towing at our local dinghy club. I have been very careful to keep my speed down and secure the towed boat well aft! Live and learn, I suppose.

Rav

[Windfinder]

|If anyone is looking for a charter from the West Coast, we charterd with Portway Yacht Charters.

David Lyle and Crystal Yacht Charters are good too. (and if you hire one of his boats you can be sure it hasn't been raped by a lifeboat! )

Seriously, glad you had a good trip and a story to tell!