Lifeboat tows grounded yacht from Oban Bay

Oban Lifeboat launched last night to a yacht aground on the Corran Ledge in Oban Bay. The lifeboat was requested by Stornoway Coastguard at 8.20pm after the 40ft vessel that had experienced engine problems entering Oban Bay. With a dying wind, the vessel was unable to make way under sail and drifted onto the Corran Ledge. The volunteer crew arrived quickly on scene and attached a tow line. Once it was established that there was no damage, the yacht was pulled clear to the safety of Oban Marina. Fortunately the yacht had drifted aground slowly, so the grounding of the vessel was minimal, making for a relatively easy recovery on a dropping tide.

More Scots taking to the water

Scotland's love affair with messing about in boats continues with more of us than ever casting off on waterways across the land, according to authoritative new research welcomed by tourism bosses. They predict big things for aquatic activity this summer. The Watersports Participation Survey has found that some 287,000 adults in Scotland or 6.9 per cent of the population, took to the water by way of one or more of 12 mainstream boating activities including sailing in dinghies and yachts, water skiing and canal boating. Meanwhile those involved in other watersports activity last year, from surfing to angling and leisure sub-aqua diving, stands at over one million or 24.5 per cent of local adults. These figures reflect a considerable rise in participation in Scotland, an increase of 2.4 per cent and 7.1 per cent from 2013 respectively, according to the consortium of leading marine bodies who conduct the survey.Some pursuits are more popular than others. With 152,000 people in Scotland taking to the water in a canoe the participation rate in canoeing north of the border at 3.6 per cent has risen above the UK average (3.1 per cent) for 2014. Other boating activities to see a rise in local popularity are canal boating and power boating with increases of 0.6 per cent and 0.3 per cent from 2013 respectively. More than 1.2 million boats are owned by households in the UK, an increase to 1,214,154 in 2012-14, from 1,163,726 in 2011-13. In Scotland 49,872 households owned one or more boats in 2014, of which at least 23,564 canoes/kayaks were owned by local residents. Meanwhile across the UK there are also significant increases with female participation in 'any boating activity' continues a steady increase since 2010 and is now at 6.2 per cent, the joint top highest with 2007 since the study began in 2002. Amongst those over 55 participation has been steadily increasing since 2011 and it is now at its highest volume since the survey began; the volume increase since 2002 stands at 66 per cent. For the 16-34 and 35-54 age groups, participation rates have remained fairly stable over the past six years. There is also a breakdown of figures for the casual participants who go out on the water fewer than six times a year and the committed enthusiast who is out more often. There has been a shift with a slight fall in 'casuals' and a corresponding rise in the proportion of 'enthusiasts' returning closer to previously seen levels at 77%. Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: "With thousands of miles of stunning coastline, beautiful canals, rivers and lochs and hundreds of islands ready to be explored, Scotland really is the perfect destination for watersports. "It's great to see that more people are taking to the water, especially as Scotland's sailing industry is worth an estimated £101 million a year and supports 2700 jobs across the country. In October, our VisitScotland Growth Fund supported Sail Scotland's Sailing to Success campaign with a £22,500 grant and we're hoping this will inspire even more people to get outdoors and get involved in all the many exciting and interesting water activities across every single beautiful region of Scotland. It certainly looks as though watersports are set to make a big splash in the tourism industry this summer!" Howard Pridding, Chief Executive of British Marine Federation said: "The figures for the number of people participating in boating and watersports are encouraging but there's also plenty of room for growth. Getting out on the water is a hugely enjoyable pastime whether you're a casual participant or much more of an enthusiast, and the marine industry is in great shape to provide plenty of opportunities to enable this." The Watersports Participation Survey is conducted annually by a consortium of leading marine bodies including British Marine Federation (BMF), RYA (Royal Yachting Association), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), British Canoeing (BC) and Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

Sailing Club looking for new members

Loch Ard Sailing Club is situated in a delightful quiet loch on the south edge of the Trossachs. It is a friendly club, offering relaxed weekend racing, social sailing, and a number of social activities throughout the season, which begins 
on April 12. The club’s aim is for 
members to enjoy the location, relax, and ‘mess about in boats’. There are club boats available to borrow for those who don’t own a boat. New members are always welcome. For more information go to www.lochardsc.org.uk/contacts

Potters Bar's Kristina Cartwight-Riley completes Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust Graduate Volunteer Training

An 18-year-old braved the elements to spend three weeks sailing with a charity. Kristina Cartwright-Riley, from Potters Bar, took part in the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust graduate volunteer training last month. Along with 13 others, she braved the weather on the Solent to complete the RYA Competent Crew Course and find out what it takes to be a volunteer with the charity. She will return to volunteer on trips over the summer. Kristina first sailed with the Trust after she finished treatment at the University College London Hospital in April 2009 for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She said: "The Trust has given me so much confidence, I want to be able to help give other young people that opportunity to make new friends and rebuild their confidence." To find out more about the charity, visit http://www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org

Summer long race brings sailing boost to West Highlands

A huge boost to the west coast ports is on the horizon from a new summer long series of yacht races. A group of sailing clubs have pooled resourses to organise this bunite for a big event. The West Highland Offshore Series is Scotland’s only season-long passage race sailing championship. The new event for Scottish keelboat racing sailors gets underway in June and spans across the summer into September. It will call in at some of the most idyllic west coast ports including Oban, Gairloch, Kyle of Lochalsh, Plockton and Portree. The series will collect results from nine races and use the five best results for each boat to derive a winning yacht for the season. The event, in its first year, has been planned for a number of years and is being administered by Skye Sailing Club with support from Oban Sailing Club, Glencoe Boat Club, Plockton Small Boat Club and Gairloch Boat Club. The top three boats will receive prizes sponsored by the award-winning Duisdale House Hotel in Sleat, Isle of Skye. These include a weekend break with dinner and meals for runners-up. Series co-ordinator Ian McKay said: “We are fortunate that the owners of the Duisdale are keen sailors themselves, and when they heard about the concept of the West Highland Offshore Series they instantly jumped onboard to help. “When you remember that there is no fee to enter this championship, it’s a fantastic return to competitors for just taking part.” The first race in the series is the Oban to Glencoe passage race on June 5. The event will be an annual feeder race to the Glencoe Regatta which is held on Saturday June 6. On June 19 the race is titled Midsummer in the Minch, an overnight race from Portree to Gairloch via the Shiant Isles. Gairloch Boat Club Big Boat Race takes place on June 27 and will involve racing around buoys and islands from Gairloch. The Round Mull Race from Oban takes place on July 3, 4, and 5. It will be Over the Sea to Skye on July 11 with boats racing from Kyle of Lochalsh to Portree. The following day the fleet will race from Portree to Kyleakin. On July 25 the Round Raasay Pursuit starts and finishes in Portree. The Frithard Trophy will be competed for on August 1. The event is Plockton’s keelboat race and part of the village’s regatta fortnight. The final event will take place at a date to be confirmed in September. The last Gasp Trophy will involve a day of round the cans racing in Churchton Bay, Raasay, in front of Raasay House.

Plaid sailing in Scotland

With spectacular scenery and great facilities, it's understandable why some boat owners spend their entire boating lifetime without leaving the cool waters Scotland's west coast. There are three distinct cruising areas when sailing Scotland's west coast: the sheltered deep waters of The Firth of Clyde, the Sound of Islay and Point of Ardnamurchan, the most westerly point of mainland United Kingdom. SAILING THE FIRTH OF CLYDE Encompasses about 600 square miles of navigable water, the Firth of Clyde is the one closest to major population centres and is a sailor's dream with numerous anchorages, harbours and marinas. There are several charter companies operating in the area. Our trip started in the Kyles of Bute, where we made use of the free moorings provided by local hotels. To the north lies the entrance to the Crinan Canal at Ardrishaig. The canal was built more than 100 years ago and featured in the humorous Para Handy novels; it is used almost exclusively by pleasure craft. Being more adventurous, we made the passage around the Mull, which gave us spectacular views of the rugged landscape. We stopped in sheltered Campbeltown to enjoy a meal ashore with friends in the Ardsheil Hotel: good food and a whisky bar with an eye-watering choice of single malts. SOUND OF ISLAY A passage of 40 miles took us to the Sound of Islay and the option of a stop on the Isle of Jura where wildlife lovers can watch dolphins, sharks and gannets diving for fish. Our route took us to Oban, locally called the gateway to the Highlands. Marina facilities, swing moorings for visitors and a major bustling town offer shopping, hotels, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets. Oban Distillery in the town centre produces some fine malt whiskies, and there are tours of how their liquor is made. Twenty miles away at the outer end of the Sound of Mull lies Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, a real yachting centre and a site for watching white-tailed sea eagles. POINT OF ARDNAMURCHAN The most westerly point of mainland United Kingdom, the sailing in this area tends to be more rugged. Whales and dolphins are regular visitors, and seabirds are abundant. Loch Torridon was a standout - a place with few facilities but spectacular beauty. A few miles further north is Loch Gairloch with its well-loved Badachro Inn. Good food, drinks and banter aplenty are all on offer. The evenings are light in summer, so this can be a pleasant way of rounding off a good day's sail. Loch Ewe offers a choice of anchorages and access to the Inverewe Gardens – a stunning 20-hectare subtropical estate set on the peninsula - well worth a visit. Decent shelter on the mainland lies at Lochinver, a major fishing port, with a small pontoon facility for yachts. On a clear day the hills behind Stornoway, 35 miles away, are visible from Lochinver and certainly makes for easy navigation if making your way to the Isle of Harris and Lewis. We spent several days here enjoying the slower pace of life. Stornoway is the main port for air and sea connections to the Lewis region. A tour of the island gives a fascinating insight into the region's history. The standing stones at Callanish, reputed to be more than 5000 years old, and a traditional stone black house we visit, reflects its days as a Viking settlement. There are many ways of enjoying the delights of Scotland's sailing paradise, including the numerous bare boat charter companies vying with fully crewed cruise boats, often of exceptionally high quality. Skippers of bare boat charters have access to excellent local cruising guides and pilots to help plan a trip– whether that means ending every day with a trip ashore to vibrant nightlife, or enjoying the sunset from the cockpit of your boat, perhaps with a glass of something local to hand. SAILING IN SCOTLAND The west coast of Scotland's sailing area lies between 54 and 60 degrees north. Warmed by the Atlantic Gulf Stream, temperatures during the sailing season of May to September are in the range of 15 to 25°C. Weather can be quite varied with the occasional gale blowing through, but the prevailing westerly winds are of a more usable strength. The sailing day can be as long as you like by midsummer it is dark for only three or four hours and in the extreme north it is often light enough to read a book in the cockpit at 2am. Although many places offer visitors moorings at a modest fee, anchoring is necessary for some of the more isolated spots

Sail the Wight and help Age UK

SAILORS have been invited to help make this year’s Sail the Wight, in aid of Age UK Isle of Wight, the biggest ever. East Cowes Sailing Club, in conjunction with the Westerly Owners’ Association, has extended an invitation to join the sponsored charity race and cruise around the Island on Saturday, June 6. Sail the Wight has so far raised over £30,000 for deserving local charities, and organisers hope this year’s event will be one of the biggest yet. Two classes start from the iconic Royal Yacht Squadron line and the third from the line off East Cowes Sailing Club. The full Sail the Wight "east-about" circumnavigation race and cruise for two classes of yacht is roughly 55 nautical miles. The shorter course takes in roughly 12 nautical miles of the Solent. Following on from a good day’s sailing all skippers, crews, family and friends are invited to East Cowes Sailing Club for an evening celebration and awards presentation with bar, barbecue and music. East Cowes Sailing Club commodore Dave Casson said: "While I anticipate a great day on the water, whether racing or cruising in company, the main objective of Sail the Wight is to raise as much money as possible for Age UK Isle of Wight through entry fees and by individual boats and crews obtaining sponsorship." Entry, and sponsorship forms are available to download from www.sailthewight.org.uk or on (01983) 525282. Entry is £20 per boat.

Free Sailing As Northants & Banbury Get Set To Push The Boat Out!

No fewer than six sailing clubs and watersports centres in Northamptonshire and Banbury will be offering locals FREE and low cost opportunities to get out on the water and to try a new sport this May. Cransley SC, Hollowell SC, Northampton Watersports Centre/Northampton SC and Rugby and Daventry SC will all be opening their doors for 'have-a-go' sessions between 9-17 May as part of national RYA Push The Boat Out 2015. RYA Push the Boat Out is a nationwide festival of sailing and windsurfing introducing newcomers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to the sports. And for the first time ever this year Push The Boat Out will run over nine days - two weekends and five weekdays - to give people even more chance to have a go! Last year 260 clubs and centres in Britain hosted Push the Boat Out events with 17,000 people trying sailing or windsurfing for the first time over one weekend. Cransley SC was one of the big success stories taking over 200 visitors sailing. Meanwhile Banbury SC, on Boddington Reservoir, and Middle Nene SC near Thrapston will be hosting their traditional annual Open Days over the Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday 3 May and Monday 4 May respectively. Each Open Day and taster session will be different depending on what activities each club or centre offers, but all events are geared to appeal to the widest possible range of people, showcasing what the sports are really all about, from the freedom of being on the water to the social buzz of club life, and highlighting just how accessible sailing actually is to everyone. All you need for any of the Open Days or 'have a go' sessions are warm clothes, soft soled shoes and a waterproof and the clubs/centres will provide what else you need. Booking is essential for some of the activities. Refreshments will be available and a friendly smile guaranteed as BBQs and other social activities also take place to give newcomers a warm welcome. Some 27 clubs and centres across the East Midlands have signed up in total for RYA Push The Boat Out 2015. In 2014, the nation's sailing clubs gained more than 1,000 personal memberships through Push The Boat Out with more than 500 families also becoming members of the clubs they visited. For full details on RYA Push The Boat Out 2015 and what's going on in your area visit www.rya.org.uk/go/ptbo

New Community Boat Boost As Sailing Season Starts At Sutton

People learning the ropes at Sutton Sailing Club this year will have a shiny, new 'plaything' to enjoy after the club was awarded £5,000 from the Sport England Small Grants programme to invest in a new boat. The club are buying a GP14 sailing dinghy, which can be sailed by up to six people but more commonly with two or three, to add to its expanding fleet of at least 15 club boats to provide even more opportunities for local people to sail at low cost. The good news gets Sutton's 2015 season off to a flying start as the club's first RYA learn to sail course of this year gets underway on Saturday 11 April. Sutton wanted a new boat to not only help attract more newcomers into the sport but to help build on the 2014 success of their 'improvers group' where people who are doing or have completed their first RYA certificates can get together more informally to hone their skills while enjoying the social buzz of club life. Chris Hale, Sutton SC Commodore, explains: "People can be put off trying sailing because they think they need to own or buy a boat, but the reality is they don't! "We've had a real focus on building and maintaining our fleet of club boats over the past few years so our members can really decide if they like sailing and try lots of different types of dinghies before even thinking about buying a boat. "We want to make it as easy and cheap as possible for people to regularly come sailing with us. Having good quality equipment they can use and fostering a friendly, welcoming club atmosphere is key to that. "As well as being able to borrow club boats for as little as £2 a session, we also run a successful 'buddy' system where improvers get paired with club instructors to build their confidence and introduce them to different aspects of the sport, like racing." Family membership including partners and any children under 18 can sail for as little as £14 a month at Sutton SC this year, while kids and students in full time education can be individual members for just £3 a month! Sutton SC is a recognised RYA Training Centre meaning it conforms to the highest standards of safety and quality. Chris added: "We had two RYA inspectors observe our course last autumn and they commented on the exceptionally welcoming and friendly nature of the club, the experience and knowledge of our own instructors and their excellent use of resources to support the learning experience. This was great feedback for us!" There are still places available for Sutton SC's RYA Level 1 and 2 Start Sailing course beginning on 11 April. Running for four consecutive Saturdays, you will be taken from absolute beginner to being able to take control in fair conditions. If you cant make these dates, the second course starts on 26 September. Meanwhile if you aren't ready to commit to a course and would just like to find out more about sailing and what Sutton SC can offer, the club's annual Open Day takes place on Saturday 11 July, coinciding with Sutton Community Games Day. Want to know more about life at Sutton SC and how you could get involved this year visit www.suttonsc.org.uk

Girl Guides’ leader taking on big sailing challenge

A Guide leader from Mansfield is getting ready for the adventure of a lifetime as she embarks on training to take part in the 2015 Fastnet sailing race. April Ulyatt, 23, joined Girlguiding Nottinghamshire as a Rainbow at the age of four, and now helps run three local units—the 14th Mansfield Rainbows, 19th Mansfield Guides and 1st Mansfield Powell Rangers. As she prepares to take part in the grueling ocean challenge, our landlocked location is not the only obstacle she plans to overcome. “I decided to take part in the Fastnet Race both as a personal challenge and to help show the world that girls are capable of doing everything that boys do,” says April. The Fastnet is the oldest regular ocean-racing event in European waters and is infamous for its choppy weather conditions. April will join six colleagues from the South East region to form Girlguiding UK’s first ever team in the event crewing a 72-foot Challenger yacht. “Guiding opens up so many possibilities to girls and young women like me,” says April. “I’m very excited about the prospect of doing something different, learning new skills and making new friends. “Plus, while I get travel sick on trains, cars, and even planes, I’m fine on boats!” Training begins in Southampton next month with the Tall Ships Youth Trust, and there will be several more sessions and cross-channel sea trials scheduled in the run-up to the race itself. In the meantime, April is focused on building fitness and fundraising for her travel, equipment and accommodation. Anyone interested in supporting April on their Fastnet adventure can contact her via aprilfastnet2015@outlook.com, or visit her fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/Girlguiding-Fastnet-Devas/. April will also be blogging the adventure at http://ggukfastnet2015.blogspot.co.uk/ First held in 1925 and run every two years since, the 90th Rolex Fastnet Race starts in Cowes on August 16. It takes in landmarks like The Needles, Portland Bill, and Land’s End and before finishing in Plymouth.

Oban calls on council to back yachting venture

Oban businesses are imploring Argyll and Bute Council to act immediately to bring step-ashore leisure boat pontoons to the bay. In a public notice backed by 50 local firms, community company Oban Bay Marine (OBM) states: “Unless Argyll and Bute Council has the vision and courage to move forward now, Oban will continue to lose out and will endure yet more discussion, more consultants, more delay and more stagnation of its economy.” The group wants the council to release £2million previously allocated for Oban pontoons in its CHORD (Campbeltwon Helensburgh Oban Rothesay and Dunoon) waterfronts project budget. Calum Ross, chairman of Oban and Lorn Tourism Association, which has put its name to the plea said: “It is beyond all comprehension that Oban hasn’t got a pontoon development for visiting yachts by now. From a tourism perspective it is absolutely vital that Oban has these facilities.” OBM claims the town is losing £1million of generated income every year the transit marina is delayed. One of its directors said: “We want the permanent facility in for 2016 and there is no reason why they can’t manage that if they make a start now. We have a business plan which shows exactly that. The business plan was worked out with the help of council officers last November. “A pontoon development would do rather more for the town than some of the public realm works that they are currently working on, which is basically titivating pavements. “It could be counter-productive if they put in a temporary pontoon arrangement that isn’t sustainable. “We want the pontoons between the North Pier and the Railway Pier, we want a floating breakwater to be installed in order that the pontoons are protected. “The business reaction shows the depth of feeling and the frustration within Oban.” A council spokesman said: “We would like to reassure people of our commitment to having a temporary facility in place for summer 2016. “We have ambitious plans to grow Oban’s already strong economy and are making huge, evidence-based investments which we know are matched to the aspirations of our communities and will create jobs. “We are looking into a range of options and will be applying rigorous checks to ensure that any final proposal meets the needs of the whole community. A paper is going to the area committee in April which will give more detail and councillors will then decide the way forward.”

Sailing & walking round Skye, Scotland

Scottish sailor chosen as skipper for famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

A SCOTTISH sailor has been chosen as skipper for world’s longest ocean race. Daniel Smith, 31, from West Kilbride in North Ayrshire has been named among the twelve professionals who will each lead a team in the tenth edition of the famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Daniel, a Senior Yachting and Watersports Instructor, will lead a crew of amateur sailors through Mother Nature’s toughest environments in the 40,000 nautical mile challenge which starts from the UK on August 30, 2015. The Scotsman, who began sailing in the Scottish Islands with his family when he was five years old, is relishing the huge physical and mental challenge. He said: “Skippering an ocean racing yacht in the Clipper Race is a dream of mine. I feel the challenge of building a team, taking on ‘Mother Nature’ and conquering the oceans is a challenge with massive rewards. “I have had loads of sailing, kayaking and diving adventures in different parts of the world in the past but nothing quite like this. I don’t think there are any challenges quite like skippering a Clipper 70 around the world. I have a background in teaching and sailing instruction so I’m sure these skills will be invaluable in the race to get my team working together and well on their way to becoming great sailors and racers.” The Clipper Race is one of the world’s toughest challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, this is the only event which gives amateur sailors the chance to sail round the world, taking on Mother Nature’s most remote conditions. Fewer people have completed the Clipper Race than have climbed Mount Everest. Twelve teams compete against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-ft ocean racing yachts, designed for speed not comfort. Crew represent over 40 different countries and can choose to compete in either the full circumnavigation or one or more of its eight individual legs. The only professionals on board are the skippers who safely lead each team. Speaking about the selection process, Race founder and Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “Our Race Skippers are put through rigorous trials before we appoint the successful candidates. “Nothing can fully prepare you for the challenge of sailing round the world with a crew of amateur sailors. We have to be sure we choose skippers, who not only possess the best sailing skills, but also have the right temperament and are good with people in highly stressful environments. “It’s a race so of course everyone wants to win. However the most important characteristics for a Clipper Race Skipper are a true sense of seamanship and to be safety conscious. I am sure Daniel will relish the adventure that lies ahead.” Daniel, a former Scottish Schools National Champion, also trained with the Scotland Sailing squad, while studying for his degree in Computer Science at Glasgow University. After graduation, Daniel qualified as a Yachtmaster Instructor in 2005, and RYA Dinghy Coach Assessor in 2010. The 2015-16 Race departs from the UK on August 30, 2015 and will return almost a year later. The fleet will visit six different continents in up to 15 individually scored races. The team with the highest total points at the finish wins the Clipper Race Trophy.