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Last Year Cruising 2010

Opening Muster

Twenty Seven yachts had a race from Kip Marina to Rhu with good winds and no rain.In the evening over 140 members enjoyed a meal at the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club, a very successful evening to mark the beginning of our Centenary Year, thanks again to the RNCYC for the use of their Clubhouse.

On Sunday morning we hosted our Commodores’ Party with bacon butties washed down with Bucks Fizz, this was also a great success over 100 members enjoyed breakfast with a collection for the RNLI funds. Great thanks to all helpers for this enjoyable event.

Spring Cruise

Four yachts - Atalaya, Coire Uisge, Lyrebird, and Vaila II enjoyed a week’s cruise around the Clyde with a mainly dry but cold week with visits to Rothesay, Carradale (Torrisdale Bay), Campbeltown, Loch Ranza, Portavadie and Kames.Each night we enjoyed drinks aboard one of the yachts followed by tremendous dinner parties, with a final dinner at the Kames Hotel.We had various walks to Machrihanish and Davaar Island with a visit to the renovated “Crucifixion” painting.

A memorable week of cruising in our home waters of the Clyde. 

Ladies and Juniors Race.Nine Yachts enjoyed a race from Port Bannatyne to Wreck Bay on Bute, with a good wind and fine weather, a SE wind giving a good run up the Kyles, at Wreck Bay we were greeted by a strong NW'ly wind! This saw a few yachts dragging their anchors.The wind abated in time for our BBQ (no midges!!), seventeen boats enjoyed a brilliant evening , and thanks to our BBQ team all members were treated to a feast of hamburgers and sausages from a local Helensburgh butcher, followed by sweet of banana and rum with cream, with wine to wash it down.

Sunday another brilliant day with lunchtime Sherry party followed by rowing race for younger members (plus me) an altogether great weekend - a must for next year. 

 

Centenary Cruise.What a triumph for the Club, which will be remembered for many years to come by all who managed to participate. Where do I start!!

First, thanks to the Centenary Committee lead by Nick Wright for all the planning and meetings which made this such a tremendous event. In my position as Cruising Secretary it was a pleasure to meet so many like-minded people and share their enjoyment of this event, great friendships were made.

1st leg Tobermory Race

A good breeze up loch Fyne took us to Ardrishaig, a bit slow through the canal but the sun was shining, enjoyed the company through with yachts, Significant, Taylor Maid and Liaison. 

Ardfern

Somehow all boats found a berth, registration all completed with great efficiency with thanks to all the helpers. A great party then ensued for 800 plus guests with food and dancing in the Marquee. Thanks to Ardfern Marina staff for great organisation.

2nd Leg Tobermory Race 

 

A huge fleet enjoyed a great race to Tob. A bit slow up the Sound of Mull but the sun was shining. A great spectacle of yachts in Tob bay - some of us finished with a good night in the Mishnish! 

Sunflower - Loch Drumbuie

Although we had heavy showers on the way over to Drum, by mid-afternoon out came the sun to make a fantastic spectacle of 183 yachts rafting up, organised by the Mills Clan, and completed on time at 18:00 hours, afterwards the circle broke up in to small groups and we all enjoyed our own celebrations on a beautiful evening. 

 

 

A video of the Sunflower gathering can be viewed on YouTube

Vatersay

Over 100 yachts managed by various routes to make it to Vatersay by the Sunday morning of our BBQ. Thursday we had a wonderful reach in brilliant sunshine across the Minch to Castle Bay. The beach party on Sunday was unbelievable, after rain and fog all day on Saturday.  Sunday dawned dry and warm, all the food and BBQ`s (on our very own Tunnock's van) were collected on Sunday morning and transported to beach via the Islanders tractor and flatbed trailer, all BBQs  then assembled with cooking proceeding by 12:45 Hours.Over 500 members/friends/locals enjoyed a feast of food and wine, topped when the “Vatersay Boys” turned up (playing into the wee small hours).

A wonderful day enjoyed by all, a great credit to the Club, a day to be remembered. 

The next day (wet and windy) saw the fleet break up and head for our final Event at Oban - with events organised by the Clyde Corinthian and Royal Highland Yacht Clubs along the way, for those who still wished to party!

Five yachts including myself and two of my Buddies nipped out  to St Kilda -a beam reach with up to 26 knots a brilliant sail (67 miles in 10 hours) although rain and fog all the way!

Unbelievably next morning it was warm and sunny we all enjoyed the trip ashore with most of us managing to buy our tee shirts in the wee shop as a memory of our trip-wonderful! We returned via the Sound of Harris in the afternoon (up to 30 knots in a soldiers wind-just over 6 hours for 40 plus miles).

 

Oban - Kerrera Dinner

How did we all fit in to the Marina!!

500 Members and guests enjoy a fantastic final dinner where friendships formed throughout the cruise were reunited. Although a wet day we enjoyed a whisky tasting or two! From Oban Distillery followed by the Oban Pipe band and brilliant meal of sea food and wine and finally a great fireworks display, a fitting end to a wonderful cruise.

 

Spelve Muster

Twelve boats enjoyed the traditional mussel party at Loch Spelve. We had great weather with mussels supplied and cooked by the farm manager and his wife with a BBQ by the CCC-food organised by Lady Commodore, cooked by myself. This was my first visit to the Spelve party, and I am already looking forward to next year!

 

 

Sail Past

Over 60 yachts enjoyed a weekend at Rothesay to celebrate 100 years of CCC. It was great to see all the yachts in Rothesay harbour fully dressed and having a party!

 

Closing Muster

A large number of Yachts gathered at Rothesay for an informal muster on Friday night. That's the busiest I've seen the Black Bull for many years! Good to see so many members for our last event of the year.

A fine day on Saturday saw a large fleet sail through to Kyles to Tarbert. The view from the hill above the Kyles saw a spectacular sight of all the yachts with their spinnakers flying.

At Tarbert after the racing over 100 members enjoyed a party with Wine and beer. The nibbles supplied by Cruising Secretary’s Lady and helpers, fortunately well away from the Loos on the site of the landscaped old boat yard, thereafter to dinner at the Tarbert Hotel for a great evening enjoyed by old and young alike.

To complete our hugely successful Centenary year we had a spectacular fireworks display at 2000 hours organised by our Commodore Howard Morrison.

Kip Boat Show

The club had a stand, as in previous years with a presentation showing all the sailing activities of the CCC. I was delighted at the level of interest, which has already attracted new members.

Annual Ball and Prizegiving

Over 200 members and friends enjoyed our annual dinner dance to mark the end of year and it was good to see so many members dance the night away.

 

Clive Reeves

Cruising Secretary