Under Sail at Crinan Classics

As is normal for a build project there were quite a few late nights before Seapod actually got sailed. The night before we headed off for the Crinan Classic Boat Festival I was making cleats until 1am and had only oiled the sole boards at midnight. We had managed to get B&B with Colin & Jane Tindal for the event so were favoured with wonderful hosts and all the up to date information on the regatta as Colin was also the principal race officer for the regatta.

The Truant gets under way

The regatta took place against the background of the three master Adix, anchored in the bay. Adix was too large to race but contributed a number of boats to the event, Koko the sailing tender, Ayrshire Lass, the Fifer owned by Adix’s skipper Paul Goss and Wee Toot, the delightful micro tug used to tow Ayrshire Lass around in restricted waters as she (Ayrshire Lass) lacks an engine.

We were still assembling the rigging when the gun went for the first race at 11:00am on the Friday. By 11:20 we had something that resembled a working rig (with a very droopy peak), dropped the boat in the water, headed straight for the startline which we crossed at about 11:25 and set off after the rest (well the other five) of the dinghy entrants. These varied from 100 year old clinker workboats (Jules and Druid) to modern glued clinker luggers (Sciurus and Beechnut) to ourselves (tradditional built but brand spanking new carvel planked tangle of rope – all the same beige colour). We limped round the course with the peak falling off to leeward and finished across the line last but one – but enjoyed the Crinan sailing immensely. The dinghy fleet was not favoured by a handicap system (too many arguments) so it was simply first across the line- which makes sure that no-one takes it too seriously.

This rig may (possibly) work

Crinan is quite a relaxed sort of event. No ‘back to back three races a day’ here. All the racing was wrapped up by 2pm leaving plenty of time for lunch, showers, cleanup and boat visiting before the main event of the day, the Bruichladdich whisky tasting – which went like a storm. By dusk the whole sky had quietened down to leave us with a glorious West coast sunset – a wonder to witness.

Saturday morning gave us lots of wind. We took in two reefs (the most we can manage) and sailed with the throat about 6″ above the boom. The boat was wonderfully well behaved (apart from the elastic shrouds which are another story) and we cruised carefully round the course in 20+ knots of wind opting to tack at most of the gybe marks and keep our rig on board. We managed 4th in this race and were again back ashore in time for lunch, showers, etc all afternoon – while the rain started in earnest and the ‘Heeland Games’ commenced.

Our Start Line (Very Low Stress)

Sunday was the ladies race. Mary and Alex had tossed a coin for the task of helming Seapod and Mary had won. However, as we were rigging the boat Richard Pierce (Sciurus) asked if we had a spare helm and Alex quickly jumped ship. Needless to say, Alex won the Ladies Race comfortably but by the end Seapod, with one reef in for the F5 Easterly, was pointing high and gaining ground fast to take second place.

Alex’s trophy was (for her) a gloriously inappropriate stags head from one of the local estates. It’s sitting on my kitchen table until we decide how to store it until we return it next year.

Here is a photo of the recently re-fitted Ayrshire Lass in the sea lock awaiting a tow (by Wee Toot) through the Crinan Canal.

After prizegiving we packed up, said goodbye to our hosts whose new boat Ptarmigan had consistently featured in the Class 2 placings, and headed back to Edinburgh. It’s time to start real work again so this is the end of this website – in it’s current form. However, it will be back again, I think, as a working blog. I suspect that the trials and tribulations of a jobbing boatbuilder may, to a few odd individuals, make interesting reading and as long as I manage to keep working with wood there will be a few nice pictures to share along the way. I’ll leave you with the note that I put on the boat during Crinan

“The builder of this boat is available for work”

So, don’t be shy, get in touch.