Sail Caledonia 2016

[Graham W]

Sail Caledonia is a sail and oar raid through the Great Glen of Scotland, starting in Fort William and ending in Inverness on the opposite side of the country.  Many Swallow Boats have participated in previous raids and some have even carried off trophies (including two overall winners, both BR20's).

Next year's event will be held from Saturday 28th May to Saturday 4th June.  Registrations are now being accepted http://www.sailcaledonia.org/page6.html.  If you want a space on Ros Crana, you will need to be quick!

[Rob Johnstone]

Vagabond and I can't make it in 2016 - I've a dissertation to write - suggestions for a topic would be welcome!

Rob J

[John Perry]

Moireach is up for a second go; now registered with four on board! Will just need 'firm' winds to move boat plus four blokes... Really enjoyed this year, so looking forward to next.

[Graham W]

There is a problem with the booking application form system for Sail Caledonia.  The forms appear to be sent off correctly over t'interweb but don't arrive at the other end.  If you have sent in a form in the past couple of months and haven't received an acknowledgement and deposit invoice, then you are a victim of this bug.

Please let us know and we will find a way of getting your booking onto the register.  Either send me a pm on this forum or an email to norna at sailcaledonia dot org.

We'll try to get the system up and running again as soon as possible.

[Graham W]

Accommodation on Ros Crana and the two Taransays is now pretty much fully booked.  There may be two berths on Taransay available from someone who has booked but has repeatedly failed to pay the deposit, so if you want to sneak in ahead of him, act now!

By the way, I'm not sure that the website or online booking form is 100% reliable at the moment, so if you're going to book, let me know so that we can look out for your reservation and let you know if it doesn't turn up.

[Graham W]

Only two months to go to Sail Caledonia, sailing and rowing through the Great Glen from sea to shining sea.  Swallows are not nearly as well represented this year, so if you're thinking of adding to the fleet, now's the time to act.

The floating accommodation is pretty much fully booked but if you're camping, either on or off your boat, there's still plenty of space.

The weather forecast is for constant sunshine and fair southwesterlies.  I just made that last bit up but you can live in hope.

[mark1]

a great concept, traditional boat skills to cross Scotland on a water route used since way back in history. Indeed since long before there was a canal joining the lochs..
on that note, shouldn't there be a boat dragging element to this raid?

[Graham W]

shouldn't there be a boat dragging element to this raid?

Now that would be interesting, although I don't know where it could be done.  Of course, the more competitive-minded crews would bring inflatable boat rollers, electric pumps etc.

One change to the format last year was to have one race in which the crews had to alternately sail and row over short distances, which put a premium on swapping efficiently from one mode to the other and back again.

[Graham W]

Sail Caledonia is just over a week away and the weather forecast is looking good - winds with a bit of SW in them (so not too much rowing into headwinds) and not much, if any, rain.  With quite a lot of sunshine forecast, there should be reasonable temperatures too.

It promises to be a good event.  With only 13 boats entered (compared to 18 last year and 20 the year before that), it will be a good deal less crowded in the locks and at meal times.  The reduced numbers are a puzzle.  It is mostly campers that are missing this year, while the floating accommodation is as popular as ever.

It's not too late to make a last minute application to enter!  For those joining the flight of Swallows at Fort William, I look forward to seeing you on the water.

[Graham W]

Sail Caledonia ended on a high note with a splendid ceilidh, we having enjoyed a lot of sunshine and moderate, usable winds during the week, but from the NE not the SW as previously forecast.

The overall raid winner was a stretched Swampscott Dory called 'Jack', brand new and home-built by Jim Wise and his sister Carrie.  Some of you may remember that last year, raiders were given extended views of Jim's previous boat 'Bootstrap', particularly the smart red paintwork on its underwater sections.  No such traumas for 'Jack' this year, which slipped through the water like a sharp knife, whether being sailed or rowed.

Our demon helmsman Andrew kept us far to busy during the races to have any time to take photos.  Here is a link to my few efforts https://www.flickr.com/gp/80529710@N07/o8MK80.  Luckily, there were a large number of much more professional photographers on hand to record the event and links to these will be posted in due course on the Sail Caledonia website http://www.sailcaledonia.org.  The results will be posted there too.

[Graham W]

John Mac's excellent photos of this year's raid are now ready for viewing - see http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/1MoVP9Xp/1/14295575

[Graham W]

If you want to see a master helmsman in action, watch the video on the link above, entitled 'The start of the first race'.  Turaco, with Andrew at the helm, is the BR20 with the darkest tan sails. He starts upwind of everyone else at around 2:30, after surviving a bit of elbowing from a Devon Yawl, at which you can hear someone on shore saying 'fend off, fend off'.  He then forces others to go around Turaco's stern by being on the starboard tack and staying there until the depth alarm goes off close to shore.  By the time he passes the first mark at 5:20, the closest boats are the other BR20 Ella, followed by the eventual race winner Jack, who seems to appear out of nowhere and is much faster downwind than Turaco.  Fascinating stuff!

[Graham W]

Kathy Mansfield has now posted the first of her photos of the raid http://www.pbase.com/kathymansfield/sail_caledonia_2016&page=all

[Graham W]

The detailed 2016 results have now been posted on the Sail Caledonia website http://www.sailcaledonia.org/page40.html

[Graham W]

I've added a set showing our various tracks and speeds during the races to the end of this Flickr album https://www.flickr.com/gp/80529710@N07/0R1172

You can see on the Banavie rowing track what a difference it makes when a small headwind turns into a small following wind.