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As 2020 draws to a close, I suspect that it might  be more appropriate to wish you all a “healthy and prosperous new year,” rather than the more normal “happy” new year.

 

I firmly believe it is important to look forward and plan ahead for the coming sailing season. As I write, the days are short, the weather is cold, we are living under ever stricter regulations, and it would be easy to put off planning for another, hopefully sunnier, day!

 

But there are so many opportunities to be had. And there are many, many aspects of our sport which fit well with any guidelines to which we seek to adhere:

 

• We need not travel abroad to enjoy our sailing
• We can be as isolated as we choose to be on the water, and in a “holiday home” which is well known to us.
• We can sail either short handed or in our own “bubbles.”
• We can choose to go either to busy marinas (if they want our business) and comply with their carefully controlled procedures, or
• We can go to isolated anchorages, away from any centre of population.
• We can socialise entirely in the open air, as indeed we have learnt to do over the course of the last 9 months.
• And best of all, I have yet to hear of a single argument as to how Brexit can dampen our seafaring wanderlust!

 

To go from all of the above to adding in a little gentle competition is not such a big step.

 

I feel therefore that we should press on with planning our event for the week of 31^st July to 6^th August 2021, in compliance with whatever guidelines are in place at the time. We must build flexibility into our format, and I would be delighted to hear from YOU, the competitors, as to what ideas you may have. (my contact details are at the foot of the page). I believe that we can make it an excellent week, regardless of whether we have strict regulation and guidelines, or whether we are a little more free to choose our own destiny.

 

And that is what I intend to ask my committee to help me do. So PLEASE, have a very good New Year, stay healthy, (get your vaccination!) and lets look forward to a great West Highland Yachting Week 2021.

 

Gavin Marshall,

Chairman.

Email: gavin@baddinsgill.com

Mob. 07967 342022

West Highland Yachting Week 2020 – Notice of Cancellation

With much consideration the West Highland Yachting Week Joint Regatta Committee regret to announce the cancellation of West Highland Yachting Week 2020

With the on going Covid 19 pandemic the well being of our competitors, organisers and the communities that welcome the event must be our top priority. We want to thank our sponsors for their continued support, and all of those that help us to make the event what it is.

West Highland Yachting Week will return on 31st July – Friday 6th August 2021, we look forward to you joining us for what we hope will be another great event. 

In the mean time we hope you stay safe and thank you all for your support and understanding.

COVID-19 OUTBREAK
The Joint Regatta Committee are carefully monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus outbreak which has forced the cancellation of a large number of events such as the Scottish Series and Cork Week etc. we send our very best to the organisers and all competitors of these events.
We are deferring a decision on whether this years WHYW will be run or not and expect to make a decision on this by the end of April
In the meantime, stay safe and well and we wish you all the very best during this crisis”.
The WHYW Joint Regatta Committee

Let me introduce myself. I have recently taken over from Beppo Buchanan Smith as chairman of West Highland Yachting Week. Beppo described me as possibly the most landlocked sailor he had ever met, and as such I may not be best suited to the post. But balanced against that my entire family sail and for the last few years we have fielded some 8 family members from three generations (in two boats) helping to make up the fleet.
Your committee is already working diligently towards ensuring that West Highland Yachting Week 2020 is a good one and we are particularly interested in your feedback on how you would like us to improve the week.

As examples
– Do you like to race round an island or round the buoys?
– Would you like to see a “semi restricted sail class” which lets you use your spinnaker on the passage races, without the ungentlemanly hassle of coping with it round the buoys?
– Would you like a two handed class?
– How might you encourage your friends to join the event?

Please email any feedback to Laura at office@whyw.co.uk

We will look forward to seeing you on the water in 2020. Thank you for your continued support of this event, and my personal thanks also to all those who work so hard to make it happen.
Finally, I and the rest of the committee would like to wish you the compliments of the season!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Gavin Marshall

191122 WHYW19

Today our challenge was to race Sola from Oban to Tobermory. Tessa was our timekeeper and counted us down to the start. We crossed the line in a good position and headed up wind toward the Lady Rock trying not to be intimidated by Glenafton charging up behind us.  Before reaching the lighthouse we were badly headed and almost the entire fleet sailed by to our dismay. However we made a good track through unfavourable tide where others seemed to be sailing backwards.

 The wind picked up in the Sound of Mull and we had a fun upwind sail, vying for position with the Wallace family on Gumdrop. Mum and I made a good team tacking the genoa, especially when the wind rose over 24 knots and Sola hummed with delight at such a good sail. We don’t know where we finished in the class but we all had a great day, with a friendly hoot from Chico as we crossed the line in Tobermory Bay.  

We are now rafted up on a mooring with Murray Caldwell from Owen Sails (today’s race sponsor) and his crew on Oyster Catcher.

Polly Quaile
Sola

Today’s race results published along with latest Points Series.

Today’s results published.

86 starters this morning. Showers and sunny patches during start.  Spinnakers flying up the east side of Lismore.  No recalls for the first time – well mannered fleet!  The Yeoman Bridge had a good view of the start.