ANSWERS

1. Maiden Island
2. Oban bay
3. Crinan Canal
4. Sron Beag
5. Ardrishaig
6. Craobh Marina
7. Lismore Light
8. Sound of Mull
9. Firth of Lorn
10. Tobermory
11. Loch Linnhe
12. Bach Island
13. Easdale Island
14. Cutter Rock
15. Great Cumbrae
16. Island of Kerrera
17. Island of Luing
18. Ardluing Buoy
19. Island of Shuna
20. Dubh Sgeir
21. Island of Fladda
22. Insh Island
23. Sgeir Savary
24. Fuinary Rocks
25. Calve Island
26. Morvern Shore
27. Ardnacross Buoy
28. Ardmore Point
29. Yule Rock Buoy
30. Dunstaffnage Marina
31. Hutcheson Rock
32. Skervuile Light
33. Ledaig Pier
34. Largs Marina
35. Garroch Head
36. Barmore Island
37. Sgeir Nuadh
38. An Acairseid Bay
39. Ardencaple Bay
40. Sligneach

Thursday 2 August. Class 5

Race 1 

It’s time for Leaky Roof 2’s Thursday caramel log *pun intended!* 

As the race started we were dubious of our position but the roof managed to find a reasonable position after a Tunnocks snowball fight of a start. The race officer then decided to pull the plug due to an unfair wind-shift. This allowed the crew time to have a coffee and a Tunnocks Teacake, cause as you know ‘there’s tonnes of taste in a Tunnock’s!’

After a short time the race officer decided to give it another go, the roof had a chaotic restart but managed to dig themselves out and worked hard to claim second place behind Sea-Pie of Cultra.

Race 2

There was a wafer cream thin chance of us having a perfect start and we ended up pushing shadowfax and ourselves over the start line, because of this we had to jibe putting us on the port tack which actually benefited us in the long run. The rest of the race was mainly traffic management over the four rounds before we bagged ourselves a cheeky first place, you could even say the roof was on fire !

On the way back to Tobermory we put the tunes on, laid back and had a wee ‘daydream with a wafer cream’!

Name: Rachel Harper

Age: 15

Boat Name: Leaky Roof 2

Class: 5

Wednesday 1 August. Class 5

Race 1

So what’s the story in Balamory wouldn’t you like to know. Well, today was a 23 mile passage race from Oban to Tobermory with an extremely early start time of 07:55 that was as horrible as it sounds but once everyone was up and changed into their water-proofs we were ready to go !

Some misleading information about the position of the start line from a certain team member meant that we weren’t as early as we would have liked, but, we still made it in time. 

Leaky Roof 2 had a great start after class 7 had a general recall giving us clear air and plenty of space to work our way up the Lismore shore with Shadowfax and Leaky Roof 2 tacking off early for fresh breeze, this led to them establishing an early lead.  

Whilst trying to go round the outside of the Sgair Nan Gael island, we noticed Shadowfax sneaking through the inside of said island and Lismore light, after some deliberation we decided to follow the local knowledge through the small gap without once taking our eye off the depth ! 

Very shortly after squeezing through we put the kite up and were off to Tobermory where we worked extremely hard to get clean air stopping the big boats from going to windward of us. 

Leaky Roof 2 briefly gained on close competitor Shadowfax before they managed to escape again in their own wind finishing first in our class. 

Once back in Tobermory we settled down for T and medals. T being Tennents and medals being the extra boxes of Tunnocks Caramel Wafers thrown over to us.

Name: Rachel Harper

Age: 15

Boat Name: Leaky Roof 2

Class: 5 

Monday 30 July. Class 5

Race 1

Once again it was another dry departure from Craobh with the champagne sailing southerly winds reaching 24kts at times. Lots of boats made the decision to add a few reefing lines to their mains and number 2’s.

With a lively and gusty start the class 5 boats were off on a very splashy 3 mile beat with lots of serious hiking involved! 

Heading round the Isle of Shuna we had a 17 mile spinnaker run toward Oban which thankfully stayed dry for the whole stretch.

During this time Warrior from class 1 had a rather exciting turn of events when their kite breached and knocked their jib into the water which they didn’t realise until quite some time later.

On board Leaky Roof 2, there were no repeats of yesterday’s head smashing and again using the Tunnocks kit for inspiration. 

Name: Rachel

Age: 15

Boat Name: Leaky Roof 2

Class: 5

Today I went sailing with Mummy on Granny and Grandad’s boat. I woke up nice and early to prepare for a serious day of racing, but I was too excited and peaked early so had to be put down for nap as we left the dock.

I’m told that the start was nice and windy without too much drama, and that the windward leg went off without a hitch. I decided to join the rest of the crew about half way down the Sound of Luing, at which point a delicious lunch was served. I remember eating a particularly tasty bit of cheese as the first of the Class 1 boats started to overtake us. Their sails have lots of pretty colours.

I chewed on ropes for a bit and had a good play with a winch then daddy sailed past in his boat Satisfaction and I got to wave at all my friends.

I got to see a pretty boat called Chico with lots of flags when we finished the race. Mummy said I had to wave nicely at the race committee because they work very hard to let us go sailing. Then Mummy tried to make me have another nap… but I decided I didn’t want one.

   By Emily Marshall, Celerity (7 months, 3 weeks)

Sharing Locks and Water Conservation on the Crinan Canal

Sharing Locks and Water Conservation on the Crinan Canal