I never realised

[claymore]

Calmac ferries have huge windage and so to prevent them being blown onto rocks they are forced to steam along at 10 kts minimum.

According to the colourful comic that CLMA circulated yesterday.

Assinine, patronising bunch of fekkers the Oban Bay crowd of jessies...

[wully]

They should be asking for a refund on all them thrusters then...

[Burst Boiler]

Where did you see the comic? I told Paul at CMAL that they can produce all the guidance and regulations in the world, but unless they make them easily available to visitors from outside the area, you will still get folks going through the centre of the north channel at 5kts purely because they don't know any different. I suggested he got a print run done and send a pile to the canals (crinan and banavie ends for outgoing boats) plus port Ellen, craobh, tobers and lochaline. Instead of expecting boaties to download them. On a pedantic note, I don't see a date on the new version.

[claymore]

There was a whole bundle of stuff circulated by the Secretary of the CLMA.
I don't want to re-circulate it because doing so may breach a confidence - or something.

[Burst Boiler]

Its on the Oban bay website. If they want visitors from elsewhere to know about it they need to put a pile of hard copies in places on the way to Oban. Did they discuss distribution of the new guide at the meeting?

[Burst Boiler]

And its still contradictory anyway - keep to the right etc, but presumably on the way out of the bay going north they actually want you to keep to the left using the "recommended" small boat channel. No mention of how to deal with a head-on situation between two small vessels that their guidance causes.

[cpedw]

Did they discuss distribution of the new guide at the meeting?

They did distribute copies at the 28 March Oban Bay meeting and they said copies were going to Caledonian & Crinan canals and some local marinas.

It has also been mentioned on the WHAM news but there's no sign of the new buoys in the water yet.

Derek

[cpedw]

According to the colourful comic that CLMA circulated yesterday.

It's taken me 24 hours to realise that CLMA isn't a dyslexic's version of CMAL

Derek

[claymore]

According to the colourful comic that CLMA circulated yesterday.

It's taken me 24 hours to realise that CLMA isn't a dyslexic's version of CMAL

Derek

Interestingly -when I was dyslexic I once went to a Roman themed fancy dress party wearing a goat...

[Burst Boiler]

I nearly booked a holiday in Falkirk. I wanted to go to Faliraki.

[Aja]

Ok. For the slow witted around here what is CLMA?

Donald

[aquaplane]

I nearly booked a holiday in Falkirk. I wanted to go to Faliraki.

I found that really funny, probably coz I'm pissed, but maybe when I'm sober too.

[aquaplane]

I really don't know what all the bother is about.

I have been in and out of Oban North Channel several times over the last several years and not had any problem.

OK I have listened to the VHF for a bit before casting off from where ever, and set off in the knowledge that I had a good time to escape safely.

My sphincter clenching moments have been near Lismore Light with the Craignure ferries Crossing and LOTI or Hebridean Isles passing in close succession, loads of wash and buggering about.

[cpedw]

Ok. For the slow witted around here what is CLMA?

Donald

Clinical Laboratory Management Association? Or Craignish Lagoon Mooring Association.

[Burst Boiler]

Its no problem if you know what you are doing, but Calmac's patience with yachts farting about and impeding the ferries has been exhausted. Its often charterers, usually a bunch of ruddy-faced southern brethren coming in the north channel for the first time who then want to motor slowly in the centre of the bay arguing the toss about whether to go to kerrera or the transit pontoons. Neither looking behind to see the clansman approaching at 12+ knots, or listening to 12 or 16. Or even realising that the 5 short blasts are aimed at them. I consider it entertainment to be observed from the cockpit with a glass of something pleasant, but if it continues to be a problem to Calmac, I can see draconian measures being introduced that will affect all of us. RYA are rightly against CMAL taking over the whole bay, but I also wish RYA would acknowledge that inconsiderate yachties are a big part of the problem and propose a way of improving things. Some of the unseamanlike behaviour of yachts is embarrassing. And how many yachts ended up on the Corran ledge last summer?