Trough the Caledonian channel mid marts

[Sandy Morton]

In article
<0de63bf2-d281-4cd9-9ac5-1c18a51cc19e@o6g2000hsd.************.com>,
toad <toad_oftoadhall**********.uk> wrote:
> Mind you I did wonder how much time the OP had to play with. Seems
> criminal to race from Glasgow to Inverness without a long lingering
> look around the best cruising ground in the UK.

Couldn't agree more - so why not just put the yacht on a transporter
and relaunch on the east coast? and come back for the summer when
the weather is better

[Sandy Morton]

In article
<9d647127-e6e4-4def-a538-92f71bb32ac5@r60g2000hsc.************.com>,
toad <toad_oftoadhall**********.uk> wrote:
> I've been going to Scotland more or less every year since I was
> about 8, and always go in the Sring because I'm convinced they get
> less rain then and there's fewer people around.

I've lived in it for 55 years - May/June is the best sailing weather
with less boats and NO midges.

[Andy Champ]

>
> What does OP means - is that me?

OP = Original Poster. So, yes.

> Do we need an anchor, and if, how long most the rope/chain be?
>
Steve is a bit blunt, but he means well. However, I too I am surprised
you don't carry one on a vessel capable of crossing the North Sea.

Andy

[toad]

On 2 Dec, 17:28, Tony of Judicious <t...@deletethis.thoward.plus.com>
wrote:

> If I had a Bav 38 I would
> expect a 25Kg anchor and at least 60m chain (but others on UKRS may
> disagree).

I've chartered a Bav 36's (I assume they are similar) up there twice
with 40m of chain and a 25kg CQR (and weathered some pretty nasty sea
states/weather on it) so you could manage with 40m probably. However
plenty of windage on a Bav so I reckon the extra 20m of chain would be
very welcome on a private boat.

Of course if you got caught on a lee shore the extra 20m might
literally save your life.

[toad]

On 2 Dec, 12:42, "le" <g...@dr.dr> wrote:

> The discussion is especially centered around;
> The weather and season

Some of the _real_ West Coast sailors might want to correct me but I
reckon in a 7 day period you will on average get maybe two days of
seriously windy weather. Not a problem when you're sailing in shelter
but going up the Firth of Lorn and Loch Lhinnie in a strong SW wind
might be a bit _too_exciting and going _into_ a blow rounding the Mull
of Kintyre might not even be feasable. So theoretically your trip
could be held up by 4 days on the West Coast leg quite easily. (Or
maybe you'll be drifting along in a F4 in bright sunny, weather and do
it in one day, who knows?)

Personally I think if you have a tight time limit you should allow for
the chance that you are seriously delayed and the boat gets left at
Inverness and you all fly back.

> The tide and the rough conditions around Loch Ness and Mull of Kintyre

I wouldn't worry to much about tides. They're a known quantity, you'll
just have to time it to make the best of them (unless you have a
stonking engine).

Loch Ness can get _really_ rough but I've never seen it so. I'd be
amazed if you had the slightest problem getting across there almost
regardless of weather. (but you can't be sure!) The exposed bits of
your trip up to Fort William are literally the lee side of the
Atlantic - if it blows hard from the S/W/SW you're probably going to
want to sit it out.

> Eatingplaces and Whiskey :-)

Plenty of places to stop on the Cal Canal. If you wished (I don't know
why you would) you could do Ardrossen to Inverness and stay on a
sheltered pontoon or in a marina in Oban or Croabh. Alternatively
there are some really nice anchorages. (Ardinamir, Pulldohran, Cuan.)

[Alisdair Gurney]

> On 2 Dec, 12:42, "le" <g...@dr.dr> wrote:
>
>> The discussion is especially centered around;
>> The weather and season
>
> Some of the _real_ West Coast sailors might want to correct me but I
> reckon in a 7 day period you will on average get maybe two days of
> seriously windy weather.

I hate this 'average' stuff. Over six months, then yes, 2 out of 7 days
might be windy, but in reality you'll have probably have two weeks of wind
and rain followed by 1 week of flat calm and an uncomfortable ground swell.
Sadly, you can't pick a week and be guaranteed to have 30% decent sailing
days.

> Not a problem when you're sailing in shelter
> but going up the Firth of Lorn and Loch Lhinnie in a strong SW wind
> might be a bit _too_exciting

Lorne is a bit lumpy, but going north with that wind direction's no problem,
you just end up running with a small jib. The wind follows loch Linnhe and
the sound of Kerrera.

> and going _into_ a blow rounding the Mull
> of Kintyre might not even be feasable.

A good day to choose the canal.

> So theoretically your trip
> could be held up by 4 days on the West Coast leg quite easily. (Or
> maybe you'll be drifting along in a F4 in bright sunny, weather and do
> it in one day, who knows?)

... says it all

Alisdair

[sprocket]

> "le" wrote:
>>
>> I'm going to sail my newly bought sailingboat (Bavaria Match 38) home to
>> Denmark, Holbaek - mid marts 2008. It is lying close to Glasgow.
>> I'm aware that the channel south of Glasgow - the Crinan channel, might not
>> open until the last weekend of marts.

Do they have transit licences on the Scottish waterways? Otherwise
unless the boat already has a BWB licence, you'll have to fork out a lot
of money for a 6 month license. Something similar happened to a chap
last year on the Trent- he'd brought his seagoing boat round from the
south coast, and was going to a pub a few miles up from Cromwell lock-
they stung him as he came through. I must say he looked as though he
could afford it though.

JS

[Ronald Raygun]

> They have some lovely cruising areas in the Kattegat too, with lots of
> marinas and villages on the Swedish side. Be nice to arrange a swap!

Marinas? They can keep'em!

[Canaldrifter]

On 3 Dec, 23:41, Ronald Raygun <no.s...@localhost.localdomain> wrote:
> Dennis Pogson wrote:
> > They have some lovely cruising areas in the Kattegat too, with lots of
> > marinas and villages on the Swedish side. Be nice to arrange a swap!
>
> Marinas? They can keep'em!

I'm feeling seasick already....

Tony H
(narrowboat Dreamcatcher)

[Ian]

On 1 Dec, 17:53, "le" <g...@dr.dr> wrote:

> My question is:
> Is there any thing specific I would have to be aware of, due to the
> transport trough the Caledonian Channel ?
> I thought there might be a few people in here with experience from this
> channel.

Why not go through the Forth and Clyde Canal? You'd need to take the
mast down, but I understand that there is a company which does this
and takes it to the other end for you. Overall it will be an awful lot
quicker than going to Ardrishaig, through the Crinan Canal, up to Fort
William and through the Caledonian Canal.

Ian