Sail Caledonia 2014

[Graham W]

Has been fixed as in previous years to coincide with half term and the Spring Bank Holiday: 24th to 31st May (Saturday to Saturday).

[Jonathan Stuart]

And it's now on the events calendar...

[Michael Rogers]

It may, or may not, be regarded as relevant to this ultra-forward planning, but my paper tells me today that the world is due to come to an end on 21st December....er, that's 2012....??

Michael

PS Martin Luther is supposed to have said that, if he was told the world would come to an end tomorrow, he would still plant an apple tree today. (I'm not entirely clear what point he was trying to make, but it might be relevant to signing up for a raid in 2014.)

[Graham W]

It may, or may not, be regarded as relevant to this ultra-forward planning, but my paper tells me today that the world is due to come to an end on 21st December....er, that's 2012....??

Ah yes, but only in Belize and Honduras.  Scotland's immune, since (as far as I know and 'The Wicker Man' apart) they're not Mayans and don't make human sacrifices.  Well, not very often anyway.

[Jonathan Stuart]

I understand Alex Salmond has cancelled the proposed 2012 end of the world because that would spoil turnout for the 2014 referendum....

[Graham W]

It may, or may not, be regarded as relevant to this ultra-forward planning, but my paper tells me today that the world is due to come to an end on 21st December....er, that's 2012.

It looks like we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[Graham W]

2014 event entry prices are being held at this year's levels, thanks to an increased level of interest in the event. 

If you want to stay in one of the six cabins in Martin's excellent new accommodation barge Ros Crana, which follows the raid along the Great Glen, you are advised to book early.  Two cabins have already been reserved. There will be further cabins available on two of the larger Taransay class cabin cruisers. Accommodation costs may have to increase a little to reflect what the club is charged by the providers.

Dates as usual have been fixed to coincide with the late spring bank holiday and half term - 24th to 31st May (Saturday to Saturday).

[Graham W]

Two ensuite twin cabins remain on Ros Crana.

[Graham W]

Ros Crana is now fully booked.  Lots of space available on the two Taransay class cabin cruisers, although I understand that if you are much over 6' tall, you may find the berths a little short.

[Jonathan Stuart]

Sounds like turnout is again going to be good in 2014. I'm still recovering from this year too much to think about next year! How many boats are now entered for 2014?

[Graham W]

Four, I think.

[Graham W]

Make that six.

[Michael Rogers]

Graham

Absolutely fantastic pics of SC13 (on the appropriate thread!), which lead me on to ask - there is, is there not, a minimum boat length stipulated for Sail Caledonia entries? (I sort of looked for, but couldn't find, the regs etc on previous threads about SC. A reference to wherever they are on the forum would be fine.)

Michael

[Graham W]

"Entry is open to boats of between 5 and 9 metres LOA........ subject to the Organising Authority reserving the right to refuse admission to any boat without giving reason. The Organising Authority may also admit boats of LOA slightly less than 5m at its discretion."

They are mostly worried about small boats being swamped on 20 mile long Loch Ness, where the waves were over a metre high, short and very nasty in 2011.  With a big widely dispersed fleet, it would be difficult for the safety boats, even though there are a lot of them, satisfactorily to cover smaller and more vulnerable competitors.

The fleet splits on the first day on Loch Ness - one lot doing the gruelling Loch Ness Challenge, which is one and a half times the length of the loch, and the others racing on the southern part of the loch.  The Challenge is sometimes described as by invitation only. Even if you want to do it, the organisers have to be convinced that both the boat and its crew are capable of completing it without assistance. Only two boats (both BR20's) took part in 2012 but this year it was seven.

[Graham W]

Confirmed entries so far include two BR20's and a Drascombe, plus Caledonian Yawl Elsie, 2012's overall winner.  And most impressively, someone is coming all the way from Australia to compete.