July 2013 Drascome Rally - Clyde

Clyde Rally Friday 12th July to Sunday 14th of July 2013

 

Plot from Navionics software installed on my I pad. This is a fantastic bit of low cost software which gives a very simple but accurate chart plot, allowing route planning, positioning etc. with the added ability of switching on land features as well

Thursday 11th July

 

Due to many other things filling my home leave, the planned leisurely preparation for the Clyde Rally disintegrated into chaos, when at 6pm on the night before the engine was getting lifted onto the boat for the first time – only to find that the last owner had removed the cable pivots from the throttle and gear levers and therefor the new control cables could not be fitted. A bodge would be required!

Another outstanding task was the replacement of the standing rigging, the original having benefitted sometime in the past from some very temporary repairs. Due to time this would have to be delayed until the rally itself.

The fact that we had not actually tried to rig the boat was of a slight concern as we could only hope that we had all the bits needed and that it would be relatively obvious what went where.

On a plus side the engine did start first pull even though it did not actually fit the outboard well.

Trusting that everything would work out OK on the day, the spars were tied to the roof off the car and everything else (including the running rigging from our Lugger and a good assortment of tools) was flung into the back.

After bowing to pressure from my "crew" the planned early start of away by 6.00am was put back to what I was told was a more reasonable time of away by 7.00am (ish). This would mean a likely arrival time at Largs by 8.15am, 1 and 3/4 hrs. before the planned rally departure time.

Friday 12th July 

Surprisingly we left exactly on time without too much of a last minute rush, which is something of a rare occurrence!

Due to having just extended the trailer and not having had time to fabricate new mountings, the only way the cables would reach the new mounting points for the light boards was to put each light board on the wrong side i.e. right became left and vice versa. (the trailer has two independent light boards on top of the launching guides that simply turn to the side to allow launching and recovery). Despite having to put the trailer lights on the wrong sides, the journey to Largs was uneventful and we arrived at 8.15am.

Arrival at Largs Marina

First things first - the "crew" set off to
a) inform the rally organiser of our arrival and b) more importantly find coffee and bacon rolls for breakfast. Meanwhile I unloaded everything we had flung into the car and set it out in an orderly fashion making good use of the large area set aside in the marina for preparing boats for launching.

Prior to stepping the mast – is that to grand a statement for a Drascombe? - the standing rigging had to be changed for the new set supplied by – well let’s just say they know who they are. The new rigging was far too long, with the forestay and shrouds all being exactly the same length and all too long! A slight set back but with some non-nautical rope work a solution was found. Despite its size the Gig mast was easy to lift up into position. The large cockpit allows one to simply walk it up, making it even easier than the Lugger's mast that I was used to. The mizzen rigs just like the Lugger’s and while bigger it was easy to step. The mizzen boom though clashes with the outboard engine; something that I presume is a problem on other Gigs?

The yardarm was a new experience as our Lugger has a gaff which while looking generally similar is entirely different to rig. On the Gig, the sail attaches to the yardarm by lacing it on – similar to the typical Drascombe mizzen sail. This seemed pretty straightforward. The yard arm then simply hooks onto a metal ring which in turn is attached to the main halyard. The ring circles the mast and is of a larger diameter than the mast. When the sail is raised the ring simply slides up the mast. The yardarm also has a peak halyard attached which allows it to be raised stowed vertically against the mast when the sail is not in the raised position. The sail despite its size was surprisingly easy to handle and once raised could be easily lowered and stored against the mast, with the surplus sail tucked neatly under the front thwart

However time passed quicker than we would have liked or perhaps we took longer than we had allowed for as the incorrect standing rigging delayed our preparations to the point were when we launched the rest of the fleet had already left the pontoons and were heading over towards Cumbrae.

No matter with the engine starting first time and with 10 willing horses pushing us along we quickly caught up with the rest of the boats.

Unfortunately there was not a breath of wind and so with everyone motoring we headed west towards the Kyles of Bute. After a while a slight breeze threatened to appear and optimistically along with few other boats we broke out the sails. At this point we realized that the sail was not stretched tightly enough along the yard arm which stopped it really setting properly –part of our learning curve.
To coincide with raising the sails two things happened at once
a) the wind died away completely and b) the engine stopped dead without even a cough or a splutter. The prospect of drifting around in the shipping lane while waiting for the wind to pick up and while investigating the outboard malady did not seem the best plan. Luckily Jasper in Claraoch Mary was nearby and generously offered to tow us to Port Bannatyne on Bute.

While the "crew" enjoyed a quick promotion to helmsperson for the duration of the tow, the toolbox was retrieved from the aft hatch and the engine fault was investigated. With no spark and with no low tension output but from the spark unit the diagnosis did not look good.

 

Early evening heading down the Kyles of Bute with island of Arran and peaks of Goatfell and Caisteal Abhail the distance


Just off the pontoons at Port Bannatyne, we were cast adrift – thanks to Jasper for the tow - and we rowed unceremoniously onto the outer pontoon. It was obvious from the effort required to row a Gig why it has 4 sets of rowlocks and can accommodate 8 oarsmen!

Luckily the marina at Port Bannatyne has an outboard mechanic whom the marina manager helpfully called for us. Being advised that he was currently on a job nearby, but that he would be back within 2 hrs. we went "walk about" but not wanting to be too far away in case he came early one of us was always near the boat.

3hrs. later the marina manager suggested we crossed the road to the adjacent boat yard as the mechanic was working there – 50m from her office!!!!!

After a quick visit to the boat the mechanic advised us that the engine would not run because we had no spark and that without the workshop manual he was unable to do anything for us.

Determined to continue onwards to Portavadie we were face with the option of getting the ferry back to Wymess bay, a taxi to Largs to get the car and going home to get the out board from our Lugger before returning by car / ferry to Bute. While this was all possible it would be both time consuming and expensive and would mean a repeat trip to get the car back to Largs. Luckily the Boatyard agreed to hire us a 5hp Mariner Outboard for the weekend and so fifty pounds lighter we were off again, having spent nearly 5 hrs. in and around Port Bannatyne.

While we enjoyed the exceptionally good July weather the little Mariner pushed us onwards to Portavadie and with the sun setting behind Stob Odhar we arrived at the marina just after 9pm.

Sunset over Stob Odhar looking up Loch Fyne

Saturday 13th July
After a leisurely breakfast we headed down to the pontoons for the morning briefing. By chance on the way to the pontoons we met Richard, a friend from Lenzie who had moved down to Portavadie after retiring. Having arranged to meet Richard for a drink later, we attended the morning briefing on the pontoon.

With mixed weather forecast, everyone headed off up Loch Fyne in the general direction of Ardrishaig. After leaving the Marina we hoisted our sails in the shelter of small island lying off the marina entrance before heading north. Practice obviously makes perfect and while not yet perfect our sails were definitely better set today!

With the wind blowing a pretty steady force 3 Tra Bhui began to come alive and we made good progress although I am sure we will be able to head a bit further upwind with more practice on setting the rig up.

During the late morning the wind became patchier and as lunchtime approached it dropped altogether with the rally fleet spread out over a large area. At Niall and Nigel’s suggestion on Tangram we motored to the bay below Stonefield Castle hotel to anchor for lunch to be joined there shortly after by Jasper on Claraoch Mary

After lunch we decided to use the light wind from the north and motor sail into Tarbert for a walk about. Tying up to the harbour pontoons , the mariner manager stamped our ticket to give us the free hours berthing plus an additional half an hour which was really decent of him. An hour and a half is plenty of time to explore the waterfront and find a coffee shop

Whenever we go to Tarbert it always seems to coincide with their summer fair and with this year being no exception we wandered around the harbour while the locals raced rafts and demonstrated rescue techniques which involved the local fire brigade cutting up what seemed like a perfectly good car. Perhaps that’s what happens if you illegally park near the harbour!

Fortified by coffee and home backing we headed back to the pontoons and left within the allotted timescale. Outside the harbour, the wind had picked up and we enjoyed a bracing reach back over to Portavadie with the wind blowing a good force four. On approaching Portavadie we dropped the sails behind the small island off the marina entrance and motored the remaining quarter mile to the marina. While this may seem a bit cautious we are still getting to know Tra Bhui and finding out the best (and worst) way to drop the sails and secure the boat for harbour.

After tying up at alongside the pontoon I met up with Richard again and we caught up over a couple of beers in the sun while sitting in the boat. Having explained our outboard troubles, Richard with his typical generosity offered to lend us his outboard for the return trip to Largs. As he was coming up to Lenzie later in the week he would collect the outboard then.
 

Rally boats in Portavadie as we left on Sunday morning


 
As I was flying back to Manila on the Monday Sunday would be our last day on the rally as we had to be back in Largs by the Sunday evening. Faced with the logistical challenge of returning outboards and getting the boat back to its trailer we gratefully accepted Richards offer to loan us his outboard.

Saturday evening saw the traditional evening meal in the marina restaurant.


Sunday 14th of July

Our planned early start ran into problems when the computer system at the marina failed and they could not take our payment for the accommodation. Eventually this was resolved but our planned 7.30 start became a 9.00 start. We left the marina and immediately headed to Richards moorings to collect his outboard. Another learning point when sailing the Gig – the turning circle is a lot bigger than the Lugger – demonstrated to Richard’s surprise when we ended up circling his boat twice when my first attempt to turn and come alongside missed by a good ten feet!

Unfortunately when we left the marina there was no wind and we settled down to another long plod down to Garroch Head at the mouth of the Kyles of Bute, where according to Richard we would see a dolphin. The dolphin it seems has been swimming around the same buoy for the last two years – why Richard was not sure but he thought it may have been separated from its pod and it was patiently waiting for it to return. Sure enough as promised when we approached the buoy the dolphin broke surface alongside us. To get the best view we tied up to the buoy allowing Kathleen and Richard to climb onto it while I stayed in the boat and tried to get some pictures. The dolphin swam around us for a good 20 minutes until conscious of the time we decided that we really must get moving again.

With a slight breeze developing we raised the sails as Richard wanted to see the Gig sailing and we beat back and forth across the Kyles for an hour or so before motoring into Kames to drop Richard off. Richard had arranged for his bicycle to be dropped off there as he needed to get back over the hill to his work at the marina where he should have been some 2 hrs. previously!

Tighnabruaich pier


Motoring on we decided that a coffee was in order and following a local recommendation we tied up at the pier in Tighnabruaich in order to visit Suzy’s Tearooms, a local coffee shop of repute. Should you ever be in Tighnabruaich and find yourself without an anchor, I can definitely recommend the scones that we were served. While they may have not been edible, I am sure that given their weight and density they would serve admirably as a secondary anchor. The coffee was perfectly matched in quality with the scone, but unfortunately I have been unable to think of an alternative use for dark brown luke warm water. The morning coffee experience was most disappointing!

Onwards to Port Bannatyne where we gave the hired engine back, retrieved ours from the boatyard store and put Richards 5hp Yamaha on the back. Leaving port Bannatyne again under power it was noticeable that the Yamaha while running well did not drive the boat forward at any great speed. This was I assume due to the size and pitch of the propeller. Luckily as we passed Rothsay the wind began to pick up and we had another great sail right across to the entrance to Largs Marina. Sails dropped we motored in, tied the boat up and went to fetch the car.

Recovery of Tra Bhui was really easy. The guide rails on the trailer worked a treat and we winched the boat straight on to the trailer without any fuss.

After another uneventful trail home and some judicious use of the wrongly wired indicators we had Tra Bhui back in the driveway after it first outing by 7pm.

Thoughts now turn to the Loch Lomond Rally which Kathleen is organizing and which I will manage home for.

Thanks as always to my long suffering "crew" Kathleen for an excellent and most enjoyable weekend despite the engine problems that we suffered.

Tra Bhui’s crew and part time helmsperson.