BLUEMOMENT

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A fantastic weekend with some good sailing in spite of the weather. Here's a few pix - all the ones of the barbecue seem to be out of focus for some reason though.


Cumbrae Friday evening


Ditto


Brisk conditions in Loch Fyne


We let this one past


Sunday afternoon in the Kyles


Waverly steaming up the E Kyle

Many thanks to Pete for the use of Amaranthe - what a fantastic wee boat. Highlights of the weekend are too numerous to mention, but one has to be the raffling of the leatherman - again - and seeing it off to a good home while Kathy's ticket won the smoker!

We had a very brisk thrash to windward through the Tan and across to Garroch Head then a fast broad reach up to Portavadie. The barbecue on Saturday was a great success - partying while a gale and torrential rain thoroughly tested the integrity of the marquee.

And what a cracking sail back to Kip on Sunday via the Kyles . . . the only rain of the weekend got us between Toward Pt and Kip, but we felt that was fair enough - we really hadn't expected to stay dry that long.

A great sail in wonderful company - thanks mainly to the inspiration of fleet operator and cruise director Pete Cooper. Thanks also to Phillipa for being such great crew.

Nick wrote:A great sail in wonderful company - thanks mainly to the inspiration of fleet operator and cruise director Pete Cooper. Thanks also to Phillipa for being such great crew.

Fleet operator I can admit to, if 2 yachts counts as a fleet, but cruise director? I think not. The superb weekend was planned by our very own Booby Trapper who also provided the excellent quiz on Friday, and negotiated the use of the barbecue and tent at Portavadie, so thank you very much to him.
Thanks are due to Clyde_Wanderer who organised the raffle on Friday night - I hope that nobody forgot to take their prizes home.
CW also deserves a mention for being the most prolific user of the VHF that I have ever heard!

In all seriousness, the various events held over this weekend raised nearly £150 for Cancer Research, bringing the total for the whole effort to over £1100. Thank you to everyone who has been involved with this, and I look forward to seeing you all again at the next Clyde Scuttlebutt Cruise.

I hope that nobody forgot to take their prizes home.

Thanks to all for the company for a memorable weekend. Special thanks to Billjrat and the others who got me alongside in Portavadie. My excuse for a pathetic attempt at getting onto a pontoon is that my expertise is limited to picking up moorings.
The weather appears to have been a lot more benign for the Cumbrae sojourn and I will tray and do the first night the next time the CSC makes the calendar. The dire forecast for Sunday didn't materialise. Old Flap held her own - just - coming down the Loch but the lighter winds in the W Kyle saw the fleet, Capricous, Hummingbird et al leaving me behind. You eventually disappeared when I went about to shaking a reef.
BTW, who do I owe for my share of the BBQ gas?

Gordonmc wrote:.
BTW, who do I owe for my share of the BBQ gas?

Bob on Besula was very generous and chipped in for a large portion of the gas costs. If you feel bad about it you can pay him your 50p worth next time you see him.
Glad you enjoyed it

Ian

A couple from the BBQ



A proper BBQ






No one will miss this

Gordonmc wrote:Thanks to all for the company for a memorable weekend. Special thanks to Billjrat and the others who got me alongside in Portavadie. My excuse for a pathetic attempt at getting onto a pontoon is that my expertise is limited to picking up moorings.
The weather appears to have been a lot more benign for the Cumbrae sojourn and I will tray and do the first night the next time the CSC makes the calendar. The dire forecast for Sunday didn't materialise. Old Flap held her own - just - coming down the Loch but the lighter winds in the W Kyle saw the fleet, Capricous, Hummingbird et al leaving me behind. You eventually disappeared when I went about to shaking a reef.
BTW, who do I owe for my share of the BBQ gas?

Ye Gordon, Capricious wouldent have passed you had she not been motor sailing, which meant I had to shake out the reef to overtake her, bloody cheaters.

As the engine on Capricious was turned off just outside Portavadie, and not restarted until we were going in to Caldh Harbour for lunch, we must have carried the way well!!!!!
There was some cheating going on up the West Kyle, but not on Capricious!!!!!

Clyde_Wanderer wrote:

Gordonmc wrote:Thanks to all for the company for a memorable weekend. Special thanks to Billjrat and the others who got me alongside in Portavadie. My excuse for a pathetic attempt at getting onto a pontoon is that my expertise is limited to picking up moorings.
The weather appears to have been a lot more benign for the Cumbrae sojourn and I will tray and do the first night the next time the CSC makes the calendar. The dire forecast for Sunday didn't materialise. Old Flap held her own - just - coming down the Loch but the lighter winds in the W Kyle saw the fleet, Capricous, Hummingbird et al leaving me behind. You eventually disappeared when I went about to shaking a reef.
BTW, who do I owe for my share of the BBQ gas?

Ye Gordon, Capricious wouldent have passed you had she not been motor sailing, which meant I had to shake out the reef to overtake her, bloody cheaters.

Probably made some lame excuse about charging batteries or something.

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Sorry to have missed out this time.

Disappointed that no-one has posted a video of the communal singing yet.

We had a great time, hope to attend the full event in future. Thanks to Ian and Pete for organising everything.
We had a cracking sail back to Kip via Garroch head, with over 8 kts on the log at times and no rain!

Can anyone confirm what the wind speed was on Saturday pm off Portavadie ?

a great sail had by all - even us, at least as far as Garroch Head, when the wind went to single figures. I'm afraid that's not enough for us downwind. Sorry we didn't manage the Kyles but a barbecue beckoned in Largs - as if we needed another!
Great to see everyone again, and top marks to Portavadie for the facilities (considering development) good value for money - nearly twice the price/night in Largs.
Thanks Ian.

Piccies:
Knight Vision going to Portavadie.

Big tent at Portavadie complete with "Kippers" as well as our lot.

Who let them in? 2 git-arse.

Is Scuttlebut from TOP, I don't go there and the first I heard of this cruise was on this thread? Happen I should keep me eyes open and ear to the ground.

I may have been able to blag a go on Seminole and pop across from Tarbert for the BBQ.

Looks like there's a hijack in progress. Beware of exploding waistlines.

And, yes Aquaplane, you are correct. It originated in scuttlebutt on TOP, but the student lounge in the Cumbrae Centre is similarly named I believe.
I can't get into TOP to see if there's any update on their string, but plenty happening here.

aquaplane wrote:Is Scuttlebut from TOP, I don't go there and the first I heard of this cruise was on this thread? Happen I should keep me eyes open and ear to the ground.

I may have been able to blag a go on Seminole and pop across from Tarbert for the BBQ.

Seminole?????
Is that a Spermwhale, a boat, or something rude??