The long goodbye

In Portavadie we met up with Muir, from Flamingo Yacht Charter. Kirsty has known Muir for years, and I met him a few years ago when we went sailing to Gigha, via Sanda and back via Campbelltown. It was my first taste of sailing in Scotland, and although we were storm bound in Gigha for a day, it was a great week, and one that planted the seeds for this trip.

Muir was bringing Dipper, one of his yachts, from the Crinan Canal to Flamingo's base in Largs. We ate at the excellent restaurant at Portavadie with Muir and his crew, before sailing back in company the next day. Well as close as a 38 footer and a 32 footer can sail together. To start with the wind was light and behind us, not Pixie's fastest angle to sail, so Dipper and her crew soon took the lead. I tried to sail the angles off the wind, but we were still left behind. As we turned left up the West Kyle of Bute, Dipper was waiting for us, and the wind was on the nose. 13-18 knots of true wind, conditions that Pixie relishes. Soon we were cross tacking up with Dipper up West Kyle, matching her speed, and sometimes pulling away from her. In 14 knots of true breeze Pixie was romping up wind under full sail at 5.8-6 knots. Great speed for a 32 footer. At the head of West Kyle we were able to ease sheets a little, but the flukey winds (and local knowledge) let Dipper slip by on the inside. She caught a few favourable gusts while we were becalmed.

As we turned down to East Kyle Dipper was away into the distance and even though we goosewinged the genoa and the wind had increased to 20 knots there was no catching Dipper now. It didn't stop us enjoying a great sail though. With full genoa and main Pixie was sailing well at 6-7 knots, but holding her steady dead down wind to keep both sails full was taxing. So we furled away the genoa and sailed under mainsail alone. We were sailing comfortably at around 6 knots, as the wind steadily started to increase. It went up to 31 knots true and Pixie seemed to be enjoying it as much as we were, her top speed was 8.5 knots.

One of the great things about the Clyde is that the waters are so sheltered, and that unless the wind comes from the south there are few waves, and none of the swell from the Atlantic. It all makes for great sailing conditions. Even blowing at over 25 knots for a few hours there were no more than a few 1 ft heigh waves to show for it. Great for us when Pixie can get stopped by bigger waves.

Less that 5 hours after leaving Portavadie we were closing on Pixie's winter home of Largs. It's the biggest marina we've been in on this trip. The staff are friendly and helpful, the facilities are good (that includes the showers) there is a large chandlery where, after loosing the dorade cowling on our second day in Scotland, we have finally been able to find a replacement. They sell Gaz and diesel and have free WiFi. In fact Largs has everything you could want of a south coast marina and more. From leaving our berth, we can be on the Clyde in open water in less than a minute. No south coast marina has such easy acces to such a vast rich cruising ground.

Today was hot and sunny and we spent the day cleaning Pixie, she might only be 32 ft long (actually she's 31ft 6 inches) but there's a lot of her to clean. For the second night in a row we ate at Regattas restaurant in the marina. Afterwards tonight we went to the Largs Yacht Club and watched the sun set from the 180° panoramic views that the club has over the Clyde.

We returned to Pixie, and toasted her with the reminants of a bottle of Highland Park, she did well, and looked after us through so tough weather. It seems a shame to leave her behind.