Bruce Peckett
07-06-2010, 10:36 PM
West Highland Sailing at Laggan Lochs on the Caledonian Canal are happy to let even a complete novice loose on one of their 28' footers (they have Moody's, Sigmas and a couple of YCA's) and their prices are very reasonable (around £600 the week) so a few weeks back we set off on the long car journey up to the wilds of Scotland for a week "sailing" in the Great Glen.
Our boat, a Moody 28 called "Arrow", was clearly well used and minimally equipped but she was tidy and serviceable. A brief tour of the systems was followed by a very short instruction session (longer would have been available but I think the instructor took one look at the big grin on my face as I helmed the boat across the loch on a broad reach in a decent breeze and decided I hadn't forgotten too much in the 30 odd years since I last sailed!).
The rig couldn't be simpler really. A roller reefing genoa and a slab reefing mainsail. The halyards and topping lift are set up and cable tied down so you don't play with them leaving just the sheets, genoa sheet cars and the boom vang to play with.
The breeze on Loch Lochy was rather fierce on the afternoon we picked the boat up with a fair old chop on the loch so we followed the suggestion offered by the instructor that heading over the summit to Loch Ness would probably afford us better sailing conditions. All very well in theory but it didn't quite turn out like that ...
We motored up Laggan Avenue (a tree lined canal section) and tied up at the Western end of Loch Oich for the night. A brief sail in the wider part of the loch the next morning came to an end when the breeze, such as it was, died and we motored on to Fort Augustus arriving at the worst possible time with long queues for the lock flight. Four hours later we were finally at the bottom of the locks where we tied for the night.
Monday morning dawned with no wind at all. Loch Ness was a millpond. However, as we motored out into the loch a very slight Westerly breeze came up and we unrolled the genoa and hoisted the main and began a long spell of gently gybing down the loch. Gybing from one broad reach to another proved the only way to make progress as, try as we might, we simply couldn't get the boat to run before the wind adequately. (Later in the week, I figured this out - with the rig set up as it was she just wasn't going to be happy with wind dead astern in such light airs. Less halyard tension might have done the trick but that wasn't an option).
It was hardly what you'd call challenging conditions but pleasant enough (for most of us - more on that shortly) until we arrived abeam Urquart Castle and the wind died altogether. Accepting the inevitable, we fired up the engine and motored into Drumnadrochit Harbour where, for the princely sum of £8, we tied for the night in splending isolation ... not! Another of West Highland's boats came in after us and tied up in the opposite corner of the harbour abd then over the next couple of hours hordes of hired motor cruisers piled in and jammed the place up solid. Noisy beggars the lot of 'em and their over used bow thrusters stirred up the water leaving us bouncing around for ages afterwards. Harumph!
Anyway, next morning there was - yup, you guessed it - no wind so we motored down to Tomnahurich Swing Bridge on the outskirts of Inverness and hung around for a while to let the ladies in the crew go off "shopping". They didn't buy anything (phew!) and we set off back towards Loch Ness under motor. Delayed once again at the next lock, we finally got the sails up in company with our fellow yacht from the night before. Gybing downwind was the order of the day again and we pretty comprehensively sailed the other boat under which I was quite chuffed about.
The breeze was light and fitful and it was pretty clear we wouldn't make Fort Augustus under sail before sunset but we plodded on. It was at this point that tensions started to surface 'tween Skipper and one of the crew who was bored and just wanted to start the engine and motor. I ruled that as long as the sails would fill and we were making progress, however slow, we would sail 'cos otherwise there'd be no point in being on a sailing boat.
However, once again abeam of Urquart Castle the wind died completely at which point I gave in and decided to put into Drumnadrochit again. Lo and behold, as I put the helm down with barely steerage way, the breeze suddenly picked up strongly and we screamed across Loch Ness into the bay in great style before luffing up to drop the sails as we reached the buoyed channel into the harbour and motoring the last hundred yards before tying up.
A quick phone call arranged a pick up by the Clansman Hotel courtesy car in an hour and we ate a superb meal in Cobbs Restuarant. Superb food, reasonably priced, excellent service from friendly cheerful staff and an unbelivable view out of the window over the loch. Superb.
Next morning ... yeah, no wind and the water like glass again. Oh well. The dear lady wife awoke and the two of us got under way by motor leaving the rest of the crew asleep below decks. After about half an hour, as we motored up the loch, we suddenly realised that we had more breeze in our faces that our forward progress alone could account for. Up went the sails and off went the motor and away we went in blissful silence. The two of us enjoyed a couple of hours gentle beating to windward (sounds naughty!) before the rest of the crew emerged and crowded out the cockpit again.
Discretion being the better part of valour, we dropped the sails before entering the final approach into Fort Augustus and tied up below the locks briefly before being locked up on our own ahead of Lord of the Glens (a bl**dy great cruise ship that only just fits in the locks).
In deference to the wishes of the rest of the crew, we tied at the top of the flight for the night even though it was still early. Next morning we motored down to Loch Oich, briefly hoisted the sails and tacked down the loch until I decided that I didn't fancy trying to get through the narrows under sail and on went the blasted engine again. As we had only one full day left ahead of us, I decided to blat on down to the bottom of Laggan Lochs by that night so we could hopefully have a sail on Loch Lochy the next day.
Arriving at Loch Lochy, there was a fair Westerly breeze so we spent a couple of hours tacking down the loch before turning to run back to Laggan - finally, with some wind behind her, we got her to run before but sure enough the wind soon died again and it was back on with the engine.
A few beers were consumed in the floating pub that night and as usual the next day dawned with not a breath of wind. As we had come to expect, a gentle breeze got up an hour or so later and we set off down the loch under sail but the wind didn't last and after a couple of hours even I'd had enough and we motored the rest of the way to Gairlochy. After a breif walk ashore, we set off back towards Laggan again under sail as the breeze had picked up slightly.
It didn't last though and soon we found we were actually going backwards (there's a bit of a current in the loch due to the outfall through a hydro scheme) so we furled the genoa, sheeted the main to the centre and fired up the engine.
As we motored towards Laggan we could see our companion yacht from Loch Ness tacking towards us under sail. Clearly they'd got some wind we hadn't. Closer still, we could see the change in the water ahead of us. As we got into the breeze, up went the sails and off went the engine. We gybed as the other yacht tacked and we passed within hailing distance. For a bit of fun, I put her about and we chased after the other yacht for a while but we couldn't keep up with them to Windward (they, being in one of the YCA's, had a slightly better performance). Around we went again and back up the loch running and gybing depending on how the breeze was blowing. Finally, it died and we motored the last 20 minutes or so back to Laggan.
All in all, a very good week. We learnt a number of very useful things ...
I haven't entirely forgotten how to sail!
And I still love it ... and the good news is so does Jane
However, Glen (my brother) is not cut out to be a sailor. He's definitely a motor boat man. He can't see the point in making 2 knots towards your destination under sail when you could be doing 6 knots under power. Well, if you don't get it you just don't get it!
The "kids" (our youngest Mark and his girlfriend) enjoyed themselves altough Heather was a bit unsure about the sailing having never been on a boat before. She started to get used to it though.
We learnt that even a 28 footer like the Moody 28 is too crowded for a week with five aboard. We also realised (jane and I that is) that we didn't have the freedom to do what we wanted to do. So we came away less bothered about having four berths - two will be plenty (opens up many more possibilities)
As we're unlikely to be ready to buy or build our own boat in the next few months, we may well go back to West Highland for a week on our own next year. It'll probably blow a howling gale all week next time!!!
ATB
Bru
Our boat, a Moody 28 called "Arrow", was clearly well used and minimally equipped but she was tidy and serviceable. A brief tour of the systems was followed by a very short instruction session (longer would have been available but I think the instructor took one look at the big grin on my face as I helmed the boat across the loch on a broad reach in a decent breeze and decided I hadn't forgotten too much in the 30 odd years since I last sailed!).
The rig couldn't be simpler really. A roller reefing genoa and a slab reefing mainsail. The halyards and topping lift are set up and cable tied down so you don't play with them leaving just the sheets, genoa sheet cars and the boom vang to play with.
The breeze on Loch Lochy was rather fierce on the afternoon we picked the boat up with a fair old chop on the loch so we followed the suggestion offered by the instructor that heading over the summit to Loch Ness would probably afford us better sailing conditions. All very well in theory but it didn't quite turn out like that ...
We motored up Laggan Avenue (a tree lined canal section) and tied up at the Western end of Loch Oich for the night. A brief sail in the wider part of the loch the next morning came to an end when the breeze, such as it was, died and we motored on to Fort Augustus arriving at the worst possible time with long queues for the lock flight. Four hours later we were finally at the bottom of the locks where we tied for the night.
Monday morning dawned with no wind at all. Loch Ness was a millpond. However, as we motored out into the loch a very slight Westerly breeze came up and we unrolled the genoa and hoisted the main and began a long spell of gently gybing down the loch. Gybing from one broad reach to another proved the only way to make progress as, try as we might, we simply couldn't get the boat to run before the wind adequately. (Later in the week, I figured this out - with the rig set up as it was she just wasn't going to be happy with wind dead astern in such light airs. Less halyard tension might have done the trick but that wasn't an option).
It was hardly what you'd call challenging conditions but pleasant enough (for most of us - more on that shortly) until we arrived abeam Urquart Castle and the wind died altogether. Accepting the inevitable, we fired up the engine and motored into Drumnadrochit Harbour where, for the princely sum of £8, we tied for the night in splending isolation ... not! Another of West Highland's boats came in after us and tied up in the opposite corner of the harbour abd then over the next couple of hours hordes of hired motor cruisers piled in and jammed the place up solid. Noisy beggars the lot of 'em and their over used bow thrusters stirred up the water leaving us bouncing around for ages afterwards. Harumph!
Anyway, next morning there was - yup, you guessed it - no wind so we motored down to Tomnahurich Swing Bridge on the outskirts of Inverness and hung around for a while to let the ladies in the crew go off "shopping". They didn't buy anything (phew!) and we set off back towards Loch Ness under motor. Delayed once again at the next lock, we finally got the sails up in company with our fellow yacht from the night before. Gybing downwind was the order of the day again and we pretty comprehensively sailed the other boat under which I was quite chuffed about.
The breeze was light and fitful and it was pretty clear we wouldn't make Fort Augustus under sail before sunset but we plodded on. It was at this point that tensions started to surface 'tween Skipper and one of the crew who was bored and just wanted to start the engine and motor. I ruled that as long as the sails would fill and we were making progress, however slow, we would sail 'cos otherwise there'd be no point in being on a sailing boat.
However, once again abeam of Urquart Castle the wind died completely at which point I gave in and decided to put into Drumnadrochit again. Lo and behold, as I put the helm down with barely steerage way, the breeze suddenly picked up strongly and we screamed across Loch Ness into the bay in great style before luffing up to drop the sails as we reached the buoyed channel into the harbour and motoring the last hundred yards before tying up.
A quick phone call arranged a pick up by the Clansman Hotel courtesy car in an hour and we ate a superb meal in Cobbs Restuarant. Superb food, reasonably priced, excellent service from friendly cheerful staff and an unbelivable view out of the window over the loch. Superb.
Next morning ... yeah, no wind and the water like glass again. Oh well. The dear lady wife awoke and the two of us got under way by motor leaving the rest of the crew asleep below decks. After about half an hour, as we motored up the loch, we suddenly realised that we had more breeze in our faces that our forward progress alone could account for. Up went the sails and off went the motor and away we went in blissful silence. The two of us enjoyed a couple of hours gentle beating to windward (sounds naughty!) before the rest of the crew emerged and crowded out the cockpit again.
Discretion being the better part of valour, we dropped the sails before entering the final approach into Fort Augustus and tied up below the locks briefly before being locked up on our own ahead of Lord of the Glens (a bl**dy great cruise ship that only just fits in the locks).
In deference to the wishes of the rest of the crew, we tied at the top of the flight for the night even though it was still early. Next morning we motored down to Loch Oich, briefly hoisted the sails and tacked down the loch until I decided that I didn't fancy trying to get through the narrows under sail and on went the blasted engine again. As we had only one full day left ahead of us, I decided to blat on down to the bottom of Laggan Lochs by that night so we could hopefully have a sail on Loch Lochy the next day.
Arriving at Loch Lochy, there was a fair Westerly breeze so we spent a couple of hours tacking down the loch before turning to run back to Laggan - finally, with some wind behind her, we got her to run before but sure enough the wind soon died again and it was back on with the engine.
A few beers were consumed in the floating pub that night and as usual the next day dawned with not a breath of wind. As we had come to expect, a gentle breeze got up an hour or so later and we set off down the loch under sail but the wind didn't last and after a couple of hours even I'd had enough and we motored the rest of the way to Gairlochy. After a breif walk ashore, we set off back towards Laggan again under sail as the breeze had picked up slightly.
It didn't last though and soon we found we were actually going backwards (there's a bit of a current in the loch due to the outfall through a hydro scheme) so we furled the genoa, sheeted the main to the centre and fired up the engine.
As we motored towards Laggan we could see our companion yacht from Loch Ness tacking towards us under sail. Clearly they'd got some wind we hadn't. Closer still, we could see the change in the water ahead of us. As we got into the breeze, up went the sails and off went the engine. We gybed as the other yacht tacked and we passed within hailing distance. For a bit of fun, I put her about and we chased after the other yacht for a while but we couldn't keep up with them to Windward (they, being in one of the YCA's, had a slightly better performance). Around we went again and back up the loch running and gybing depending on how the breeze was blowing. Finally, it died and we motored the last 20 minutes or so back to Laggan.
All in all, a very good week. We learnt a number of very useful things ...
I haven't entirely forgotten how to sail!
And I still love it ... and the good news is so does Jane
However, Glen (my brother) is not cut out to be a sailor. He's definitely a motor boat man. He can't see the point in making 2 knots towards your destination under sail when you could be doing 6 knots under power. Well, if you don't get it you just don't get it!
The "kids" (our youngest Mark and his girlfriend) enjoyed themselves altough Heather was a bit unsure about the sailing having never been on a boat before. She started to get used to it though.
We learnt that even a 28 footer like the Moody 28 is too crowded for a week with five aboard. We also realised (jane and I that is) that we didn't have the freedom to do what we wanted to do. So we came away less bothered about having four berths - two will be plenty (opens up many more possibilities)
As we're unlikely to be ready to buy or build our own boat in the next few months, we may well go back to West Highland for a week on our own next year. It'll probably blow a howling gale all week next time!!!
ATB
Bru