BLUEMOMENT

Having been thwarted by illness, work, weather and more over the past few weekends, I'm pretty sure our 2009 season is at an end save for the lift-out. Which got me to thinking - what to plan for next year? So far, it looks like there's some gathering or other on the 29th April that sounds worth a trip. Then some idiot runners would like to do the SIPR again towards the end of May. Not sure what might happen in June/July, but WHYW in Aug does appeal.

Mrs McP does fancy a round mull race (or at least, watching the race from the back of the fleet), although I think I would prefer gentle cruising to places I've not been for a while at some point.

Anyone got any suggestions/plans in place for next season?

I seem to be in the water till 1st Feb - apparently the tides at Port Edgar are too late all January! Sunday racing until 20th December, 1st footing RFYC on 2nd Jan and day sails when it feels right until the lift.

For next year it's back to the Clyde, definitely NOT through the Carron/Clyde ditch - I can't afford the time to repair the keel again! - but possibly via Norway. I've never sailed across the North Sea, have friends there that I want to visit - all rather depends on the weather. SIPR is unlikely next year, my runners have declined (possibly they still remember 20 hours bouncing between Jura and Arran), one of my sailors is trying to raise an all-rounder team for his own boat and my knees won't let me walk up mountains, never mind run. So it'll be up to Odin to beat Calypso!
Scottish Series is possible but needs a committed, keen crew of at least 5 which is a bit crowded for sleeping and I like my comfort. Round Mull at the start of July is a lovely cruise - I've been 3rd in our class the last 2 years and I am determined to beat Scintilla one year. West Highland Week in August is a near certainty with the intervening time spent cruising.

We'll probably see you around.

That's my season definitely over too with Silkie being lifted yesterday.

Next year I will be circumnavigating Mull. Again. Maybe.

I'm under severe pressure to 'do' the Clyde again next season.
Can't see it lasting 2-1/2 months though.
I think I need a cunning plan, help anybody?

I like Stingo's tagline: I don't have a plan and I'm sticking to it, or words to that effect.

That's my feeling for the main cruise - see what way the wind's blowing. We have charts on board that'll see us to the Scilly Isles, round Ireland, or up round the north coast and on to the Orkneys. This year's main cruise saw us in the Western Isles, and then up to Ullapool.

THe Stingo unplan avoids the disappointment of failed objectives.

sahona wrote:I'm under severe pressure to 'do' the Clyde again next season.
Can't see it lasting 2-1/2 months though.
I think I need a cunning plan, help anybody?

Malts cruise? - the D-I-Y version is fun though there may be a limit to the number of times seeing a pot still is exciting but a lot of distilleries have visitor moorings nearby. Folk festivals - a surprising number of these on islands. Beer cruise round the micro-breweries of Arran, Islay, Colonsay, Skye, Lewis, must be more. Golf tour - Bute, Arran, C'town, Gigha, Islay, Barra etc. and don't forget Tom Morris's course at Askernish.

Tired of spending my summers re-building a farmhouse in Denmark and with a plan to finish that particular operation in February, rather than go skiing with the euro being as unfriendly as it is - I have declared that the family will come to England in 2010 if they wish to see me.

Claymore is staying on the water for the winter so plan A is an early trip North, collect Sahona on the way and sail in tandem - a brace of Claymores - to hit the chents cruise. Stay around there for May and June then head back south via Strangford in July.

The Auld Goat will be crewing for part of the way - being a double grandpappy will encroach on his freedom a bit but Mrs Para says his family needs the break.

Current plan is to go round the corner into the Moray firth (Again!), then along the coast to Lossie or thereabouts. After that, it could be Inverness and the canal to Oban sort of area, or a right turn and up to Wick and perhaps Orkney.

But then again, I could go south . . . . . .


Decisions, decisions

Marisca - Malt's Aff...
2010 cruise cancelled due to clash with CCC centenary.
I suppose some gallant ships could follow the route at the usual time, however I fear the entertainment infrastructure may be lacking.
Back on again 2011 according to Dieageo (sp!)
Now, Mr Claymore. That is a plan. Wonder if I could swing it...

Do you have the launch date for this year yet?

I fancy a week in a Martham boat early on in the season, Norfolk Broads.

I have booked a week around the Scottish Series, not to do it, to escape the mayhem in Tarbert. I can't see Seminole going back through to the other side next year so it'll be good to get back to some of the northern extremities I haven't been to for a long time. There again, a few day sails with Ivor would be nice.

Chiron will put a bit of work into the groove in Windermere too.

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There is something appealing about a CC version of the Classic Malts . . . . who knows, if there were enough of us we could maybe swing something on the entertainment front with Diageo, but if not I am sure we could make our own (entertainment, not whisky)

It'd never work - we'd just end up shuttling between Oban and Tobermory - err - hang on a minute...

Boating plans for 2010

A return to the West Coast from the Forth I think and probably through the Forth Clyde.

Then. at the start of July, there is the possibility of meeting up in the Tob/Loch Sunart area with two other classic plastic ( a contradiction perhaps) long keelers, a Trintella29 and a Halcyon27 for an attempt at St Kilda (again) and to take in Hebfest.

After that, who knows?

I like the idea of planning a trip round the micro breweries.

Ocklepoint wrote:Boating plans for 2010

I like the idea of planning a trip round the micro breweries.

Sad to say that the micro-brewery in Tob is now defunct.

Donald