Whilst enjoying our summer break on Orkney we came across Stromness Sailing Club (handily placed right by our campsite) and noticed a rather fetching clinker boat in the dinghy park. On the Thursday evening we realised that there was activity at the club, and went to watch their fleet of Snipes, plus N2090, go out for racing. N2090 is a Starfish, named Pussy Willow, and she showed some good turns of speed during the 3 races held.
Do we have any 12's any further north than this?
Team Roly Mo
Beats me by a mile or two. Could we a range an open meeting up there? ::)
Miss Clark wants to take the Mirror when we go next year which has already received a pretty emphatic thumbs down from Higher Management on the grounds that it will put up the ferry fare and mean that the holiday has boating overtones but Ellie and I are working on this! It certainly looked a lovely place to sail (as long as the course avoids the path of the very large ferry!!). If we fixed an informal meeting up to coincide with our summer break up there (probably first 2 weeks in August 07) would you come? Would anyone else come? Orkney is a wonderful wonderful place!
There is a rumour that the Mirror Scottish Champs will be held in Shetland in 2007 . . . . now that could be an interesting trip . . . . .
B
Talk to Ernie.... he has contacts up there.... Might be able to get you a loan of one....
It was Ernie's mate Bruce that suggested Shetland - we met him at Annandale in July, and then bumped into him and his Mirror squad on the ferry on our way to Orkney. They were on their way back home to Shetland after competing in the Mirror Nationals in Poole. That's quite some trip!
B
Lash 2 boats together and stick the car on top that'l save on ferry costs.
If we fitted a rack to the roof of the motorhome we could shove the boat on top . . . . more expense! Long way to haul it up there though!
I suppose if we wanted to save on ferry costs, boats could be trailed up to the north of Scotland and then a Grand Pursuit Race could be organised if the weather stands fair across to the Orkeneys.......
Could you arrange for an Ice Cream van to provide us with a fanfare as we depart and then another one as we arrive?
You are pushing it a bit there Bernard
Do it late autumn or early spring and you won't need a fridge. but watch out for the ice bergs. 8) 8) 8)
keep going north far enough and you'll end up in Australia :o
Is that close to Sweden?
Naaaaa thats Switzerland isn't it.
I thought that if you pushed on far enough North you would end up in the Ammersee in Bavaria.
That's a thought, why not arrange a meet for next Summer there? Not so far for Angus and the Northern Fleet.... :P
Jim N3130 (give me your boats and never accept sweeties from a "plastic fantastic")
Only if your compass goes wrong and you turn right at the first mark rather than turning left and heading for the gybe mark
don't talk to me about gybe marks :'( :'( :'(
By the way I just noticed by brass strip is hanging off the bottom that must have been the reason for my apaulling performance.
I'll find an excuse somewhere. ::)
I am the new owner of sail number N2090 - Pussy Willow, in Stromness! :)
Count me in for an Orkney sail...gorgeous place! However whenever I have been it has never dropped below a constant F6 gusting 7 to 8...might have to find something modern ....
Well every week this summer it has been never above Force 4, the majority of the weeks there has actually been a great lack in wind :( however the past 2 weeks the wind did pick up to a steady 20mph! :)
Force 6 gusting 7 eh... soundds like an opportunity to siphon off a fleet of Street Legals...
Well we might just have to bring a boat when we head north in 2012 for our summer break! It would be lovely to sail in Stromness harbour,
RM
Here's a link to our website...
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/STROMNESSSAILING/
The most common boat sailed in Stromness is a Snipe - a 2 man, 15.5ft dinghy. :)
We've had a number of holidays at Stromness, staying at Point of Ness and wandering round to watch the racing. Lovely spot. Next year . . . .
If a plan is hatching for an impromptu gathering of 12s come August 2012 in a northern and beatiful setting count us in.
Looks beautiful. How many hours of daylight in August? 21/22?
Are the licensing hours as extended as the hours of daylight in summer?
Is there good camping (for tents) and is it far enough north to escape those midges with serious attitude that I recall from the western coast off skye and in proximity to Ardamurchan Point?
Is the water plentiful and the 'water of life' even more so?
Hell, if it is that good I could leave the 12 at home .. .. the crossing would be cheaper .. ... and the funds available for local transactiona and casual expenditure all the greater.
Hmm coulkd be a plan does this mean you will get your boat back together Chriis or is it almost finished?
Escape the midges... nae chance. best way apparently is to get on the water they are not suposed to venture more than 20m off shore.... but having been bitten in the middle of Loch Tummel I have my doubts.
Chadders Hi!
It's a work in progress, Howard. We applied final topcoat to underside some 10 days ago. We've left it to dry and firm up up a bit and expect to flip it over today. From the odour inside the canvas shelter (tent) there are still plenty of VOCs being released.
The last refit had evidently been done with great care by the Simpsons (Iain, I think) but showed signs of aging. After investigation of localised crazing or hairline cracks we concluded these were in no way structural and attributed them to wear and tear and the hard, perhaps brittle, nature of the two-pack finish. We elected to use the old finish as a base, sanded down to a level hovering between undercoat and primer, then followed Internationals guidance on building up the single pack finish culminiationg in Toplac 'Bondi Blue'.
Interior is pretty good save for localised wear in the finish around thwart and c/b case. But I think we are inclined to take the decks back to the wood and procede from there. Brian has repaired wear and tear to foils and they could do with investment in effort to restore a sound finish. I hope to get her to a standard where we won't have to do much else for several seasons. If I fashioned a stumpy c/b for local waters that would help.
I doub't we'll do any club sailing this season but all things considered we might trail to the Inlands at Leigh & Lowton. Hopefully, circumstance and planning will permit greater involvement in the 'scene' in 2012. We're contemplating Hayling Isaland. A planning meeting involving 'senior management' is in order, and soon.
I think our Ben will be present for Ripon and Yeadon.
Hi Chris
Bed reserved for Ben for Ripon/Yeadon if he needs it and look forward to seeing you at Leigh, good luck with negociations with higher management and your refurbishment. I am at a similar stage with refurbing my China Doll Hoodoo, then I have a thwart to put into Triarda and a major rebuild on N2. My D8 now has its carbon rig but the one that gets most use is the Paper Dart that I paid fifty quid for, it lives at the club with sails in and sails once or twice a week and for some reason it goes like stink, maybe I should take that one to Brightlingsea.
Angus I take it Loch Tummel is a place in Scotland and not somewhere in your swimsuit?
We sail until about 9PM during august, and we sail less than a 20 second walk from a Campsite! Midgies are only here on a day with lack of wind, which isn't common.
Angus,
is there a Tummel Week planned for 2012 and if so which week? How well received would the idea of tagging an orkney gathering in the week following. Us sassanachs could consider a two week break taking in both venues.
orkney,
if interest in some kind of gathering in orkney does develop what would be the views of the club and its officials as to availability of facities and/or having some kind of format in the way of social and some kind of (one imagines) handicap racing?
Ness Point has some airy pitches for would be campers but info on site is sketchy. What are facilities like?
Has anybody any idea of the return fare on ferry for family saloon and trailer? (Ball-park for summer 2012.)
Hi Chris
Tummel week is the last full week in July and runs from sunday afternoon through until the following friday. We've been going for the last 5-6 years as well as many consecutive years when I was a youngster. Its a great weeks holiday, very friendly club, beautiful scenery and plenty to do in the local area. This year was one of the best years we've had there, relaxing, good weather, not to many midgies, etc.
Glad to hear 3244's restoration is going well. I was the last one to paint the hull, for the same reason as you have done so, hairline cracks. The cracks were opened up slightly and filled with expoxy resin. the hull was faired with hi-build compound, undercoated and given two coats of the single pack light blue gloss (toplac I think). Like you, I decided not to use two pack due to concerns over it being more brittle, unfortunately it sounds like the cracks have still returned. The decks were give a quick rub down and one or two coats of varnish and some of the inside was touched up, particularly the non slip areas.
All the best
Mark
cheapest ferry to Orkney was Pentland ferries this year.
I paid £63 each way for a car (2 adults one child) - dont know how much extra a trailer would be. - this ferry drops you at diagonally oppsite end of Orkney (almost) from Scrabster, but the drive isnt far, and doesnt take long.
Only issue is the ferry is small, and you need to get off over the same ramp you get on on - may mean unhitching the boat
I saw plenty of these Snipes sailing in St Marys - we had hired a house on Burray for the week.
I did think a couple of times that Scapa would be a good place for the 12 (but as usual, the handicap would probably ruin it!)
3223 is cracking too! at the point where the hull flexes most - at my feet! - she does appear to be painted with 2-pack as it is brittle and chips when damaged. I dont think I will use 2-pack when I get round to sorting it.
Alex
You could catch the other ferry, (Northlinks Hamnavoe) Straight from Scrabster that actually takes you straight into the harbour we sail in! :D PS - Northlink is alot more luxurious.
The Point of Ness site is fab, one of our all time favourite campsites. It can be v windy (much hilarity when unsuspecting caravanners put up awnings and then take them down again quickly), the facilities are basic, but the views are out of this world. The sailing club doesn't have much in the way of facilities.
Mrs RM
Our season up here is due to start on 3rd May. I will be racing N2090 on Thursday nights, if anyone is up, do feel free to watch!