Is anyone else a keener and planning on travelling up to Holy Loch next w/e to sail with the midges???? GGGGGG?

We are Planning, but you can keep the midges??

Will bring nuclear strength repellent! Oh...no need... apparently that's already in the water.... ;-)

The stuff to use is Avon (as in Ding dong Avon calling) Skin so soft (aka SSS) cheap on ebay and used by the marines apparently.  Certainly does the job for me and I smell lovely!!!!

I can testify to the fragence of Garry, but even better than Avon is Gardners Therapy available from Wisley and other "open" gardens Europe Wide, non-greasy instant relief.

woof woof im going

sleeping just now though

....woof!

just tried to find the club on local.live.com but the post code on the web site doesn't show a sailing club, does anyone have any directions or location of the club, and is there a bit of grass to park the van and put a small tent up?

yeah we are leaving it tight as crew gets in glasgow airport at 8 am so no time for tour of the hebrides 

its a midday start i think

PA23 8QB   seems to be the post code and if you enter it into Multimap that will give you the position!!  Hope this helps.  Are you planning on the ferry or the round the houses route?

Ferry from Gourock to Dunoon

http://www.western-ferries.co.uk/

Seems about an hour from airport to the ferry.

how far using the ferry from glasgow to loch allowing 30 min wait for ferry

this is exciting,  is it a paddle steamer

this years bits and pieces!

is the ferry called the vital spark by any chance captainbed by para handy

No its a bloody big rowing boat with a stand in captain called Dougie and an engineer who only reads romantic novels, the original captain was last seen in a pub which was "chust sublime." See you all there.

used to love looking at the engine working on the paddle steamer, cant wait, ah can see the scottish mountains shrouded in mist already

There should be 3 of us from Chanonry, although I,m not sure if Bill Sylvester has a crew yet.I'm new to this racing game.Is it legal to fit paddles to your Merlin??

we could bring a spare crew  let me know

No, I've got a crew, thanks.  All three from Chanonry confirmed.

looking forward to some decent beer   mcewans 80 shilling here i come

Do we need to enter before the 5th of sept?? as there is a £15 penalty for late entries.

dont know if this applies to dinghys - I think it might be a keelboat only clause. I have asked the question and will let you know asap....

I have yet to enter myself....

Dave - where did you see the £15 charge. I couldnt see it when checking?

There is no £15 pound late fee this year!
More beer tokens!!!!
see you at the weekend

Guys,

Only just looked at the forum and spotted the thread on the Holy Loch.

No late entry this year. The start is at 12noon on Saturday with about a 15 minute sail to the start area. There is some grass to camp on near the club. It will take you about  50 minutes to get from Glasgow to the western ferries. If you take the ferry make sure you buy your tickets in the shop at Gourock. The tickets are about half the price. (approx £14 for a Car/Driver Return) The shop called “Steves Food and Wine” and is on the left opposite the health centre. You will need 2x car/driver for the car and boat each way. 
Check out the website www.hlsc.co.uk it now has the entry form and sailing instructions on it.

Look forward to seeing you 

Neil (2086)

how does a dog find the club  directions ?

I used the post code and multimap to do the location (see earlier posting).  Megan, you suggested a while back that you might have a spare crew. Trish is away for the weekend at her Mum's so I might just make it down - will know later today or tomorrow.  Is the crew offer still on?  Chance to sail in an ancient Rocket - no spinnaker, not much string, not very tippy, not very anything really but fun promised.

I take it that we will get zapped for a double car fee for having a boat on the back?

Col is incommunicado at the mo in deepest, darkest Sheffield, but I'll check tonight to see if the spare crew is available and let you know ASAP.

Thanks for that.

Cols crew - can you either post here or give me a buzz on 01651 872590 as soon as you know so that I can organise accommodation asap.  Thanks again

try him kieran on 07956863299 

great dog walking in barnsley

Will give him a call - thanks.  Say woof to Michael Parkinson for me!!

woof woof parkie

Called him and he is going to sort out the logistics of a pick up with you.  Thanks again.  (Don't mention emus to Parky he hates them)

I take it my job is done and we're all sorted then...hooray!

Sing along everyone

Ah, Winder  one-string, this here's the Star Rocket. 
You gotta copy on me, Ghost Rider, c'mon? Ah, yeah, 10-4, 
Ghost Rider, fer shure, fer shure. 
By golly, it's clean clear to Holy Loch, c'mon.
Yeah, that's a big 10-4 there, Ghost Rider, yeah,
we definitely got the front door, good buddy.
Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy...
 
Was the dark of the moon on the eighth of Sept
In a car pullin' Winder mods
Cab-over Calum with a reefer on
And a Hamish haulin' hogs
We is headin' for Perth on the A nine oh 
'Bout a mile outta Stirling Town
I says, "Satisfaction , this here's the September Girl
"And I'm about to put the hammer down." 

 [Chorus]

'Cause we got a Merlin convoy
Rockin' through the night.
Yeah, we got a Rocket convoy,
Ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this dinghy convoy
'Cross the Scotia Way.
Convoooooooy!

Ah, breaker, Cat Tales, this here's the Doodlebug. 
And, you wanna back off them hogs?
Yeah, 10-4, 'bout five mile or so.
Ten, roger. Them hogs is gettin' in-tense up here. 


By the time we got into Tarbet Town,
We had ten dinghies in all.
But they's a roadblock up on the Rest and be thankful,
And them bears was wall-to-wall.
Yeah, them smokies is thick as bugs on a bumper;
They even had a blade in the razor!
I says, "Callin' all Merlins, this here's the Gannet.
"We about to go a-huntin' Lasers!!!!!!!!!!!." 

Chorus

Have really good time. A lot of effort seems to have been put into it. I thought you might like another song as well as Garry's!

  Road to the Kyles

  The far Holy Loch is pullin' me away, 
  As take I wi' my Merlin to the road. 
  The far Holy Loch is puttin' love on me, 
  As drive I wi' the sunlight and the Merlin for my load. 

  Sure by Dundee, Perth, Crief Hydro and Loch Earnside shall we go 
  By heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles. 
  If it's thinkin' in your inner heart, the braggart's in my step, 
  You've never smelled the tangle o' the Kyles. 
  Oh the far waters are puttin' love on me, 
  As drive  I wi' my Merlin to the Kyles. 
  It's by Loch Dochart the track is to the west, 
  By Creggan and by Sandbank to the sea. 
  The cool cresses I am thinkin' of for pluck, 
  And bracken for a wink on Mother's knee. 

  The blue islands are pullin' me away, 
  Their laughter puts the leap upon the lame; 
  The blue islands from the Skerries to the Lews, 
  Wi' heather honey taste upon each name.

Last gasp chance for anyone wanting to come to Holy Loch - the spare crew can't make it.  Phone 01467 624935 after 7.30pm tonight if possible.

sorted!!!  See you there all.

thanks everybody for a cracking weekend of sailing and making us feel very welcome

the 500 miles was worth every mile, maybe could make a song about it

think its a great idea to have a scottish champs combining a silver tiller

Me too! Great sailing and definately worth a Silver Tiller. 

I had one of the best w/e of sailing up there, and we got some really good competition from a very competent Scottish fleet which proves its not all about the boats!

It nearly all went wrong though (!)...if all else fails, read the sailing instructions! 

Thanks to the HLSC for a very friendly and fun event and to the scottish Merliners for working so hard to revive the Scottish Merlin fleet!!

It was a great weekend blessed with some good breeze as well.  I'm sure that Hamish will get the results posted up as he went away from the venue clutching a sheet of paper!!  Great food and hospitality (I think that Calum won the pool comp)and lo and behold there was beer!!   Wonderful scenery.  From the back of the Merlin fleet it was some sight looking back at the Flying Fifteens, the Piper fleet and the Loch Longs flying their spinnakers on the long, oh so long, run down to the leeward mark down Holy Loch with the realisation that there was to be the beat all the way back up the Loch still to come.  Four to five hours on the water taught me a lot!!

PS - not a midge in sight

True, and it really was a great event, but didn't we all wish we had wider wheels on Saturday.  Cue Flanders and Swann 'Mud, mud, glorious mud.'

A lot of fun, and I'll be back again.

Glad to see you got in front of the Fifteens this time Garry, not mixing it with the rough stuff again!

Slip sliding away?

Results at http://www.halcrs.co.uk/crs.aspx?DSKey=284

Well done Neil.

Does anyone know if there are any photos to view from the w/e?? I've lost the web address of one of the photographers and it'd be good to get some - not often you get to sail somewhere quite so lovely!

I have asked someone at Holy Loch about pictures but have had no reply as I wanted some of Gannet with the new sails.

I am on the case regarding the photos, and will get back to you via this thread.

Next years event is on the 13th & 14th Sept.
Hope to see the same faces and some more would be great!! (Assuming it is retained as a Scottish travellers)

check link for Merlin Photo taken at Holy Loch, Just happens to be me!!

As regards getting more people I am sure the feedback from here will help - stunning place to sail.

stay in 2086 Neil and give us all a chance

will push silver tiller peops to ensure the proposed scottish champs next year is a silver tiller, personally would prefer dalgetty bay though

oh and by the way a brief mention of Scotland beating France , i almost choked on my mice roll, wot a result

"Mice roll"?
Is that what they serve up there instead of bacon butties??

make that a mince roll
lovely and greasy

let me take you through Mcfaddens goal just for those who missed it

goallie kicks it out, mcfaddens takes it down 35 yards out ,back to goal , turns and fires unstoppable shot which french goalie flaps at and it was in the net
i know this is a sailing forum but the whole pub went silent for about 5 seconds then erupted

Romanians are being minced in Scotland too!!

Photos anybody????!

The Holy Loch site promised pictures on their site but so far nothing has appeared.

I now have the photos of the merlin fleet at the holy Loch and have lots of them. To many to e-mail so if you  want a copy, send me your address and i will send a CD. Their may be a smarter way of giving access to the photos on the website so please let me know.

cheers
Neil 2086

Send them to me if you like and I will show them on here....

Here are a few...

More addded now, thanks to Neil Wilson.

One photo in particular is crying out for an amusing caption!