Rendezvous with The Beast - the Redbay 1050 goes North

[willk]

Generally I like to apportion blame early in a Statement as it points the Jury in the right direction. This time it was all Alan Priddy's fault. Had he not been over for a Talk, I wouldn't have been telling Tom about how I was going to scrounge a lift to Easdale with Portnahaven. Tom (who'd enjoyed a bit of "hospitality") immediately took pity on Portnahaven and told me not to be bothering real customers - that he'd have something knocking about for donegaldan and I to take, that he'd let us take, oh,...The Beast, aka the Stormforce 1050. We laughed,we cried, we stopped watching weather reports and started watching the spot price of oil. The time came (89 sleeps) and we found ourselves on the quay at Redbay holding the lines of the raging Beast. It was time to burn a whole heap of dinosaur bones.

The forecast gave a northerly F6, meaning head seas all the way up. It was fairly unpleasant in the North Channel and it got worse the further up the Sound we went. The long fetch had raised tall bunched waves that slowed us back to around 20kts. Still, we shaved an hour off our trip time from last year in the 850, taking four hours for the 80Nm we logged. Note takers should be aware that donegaldan INSISTED on stopping midway for sandwiches, ruining the averages. Later when we settled into the pub in Easdale and reflected on the day, we allowed that while we may have lost a life ring and abused the fittings something awful, the boat had transported us safely, securely and in style through conditions that I would NOT generally have set out in.

[Maximus]

Sounds Good!

[wavelength]

thats further than ya took me when I was on it

Sounds great, specially as I'm enjoying the trip from the comfort and warmth of m'armchair!

[willk]

Easdale is great. Tony and his team sorted us out with a mooring and we RV'ed with Jambo and his Squad. Jambo had kindly offered to put us up so we were living in style - thanks Big Man! As the weather had prevented him from cruising up on Friday, he piled his guys into the 1050 for the run on Saturday. It was good to get crew/fuel stevedores.

[horacebat]

Thats sounds really awesome! .. really very good! .. Oh to be lent a 10.5m boat! :-)

Next time I need to attend the same meetings you do !

[willk]

More pics from Easdale...

[kerny]

Nice pics willk glad you all had a good time. Strewth looking at the big blue rib in pic 1, I didn't know that they did solar powered ribs

[willk]

Saturday was an early start and we got away on time for Salen, Lough Sunart, trying not to burn TOO much gas on the calm water. Who else met the four WW2 stylee aircraft doing a "Dambusters" up the valley? What a stunning noise - shivers down spine moment! Lunch and handy/cheap petrol were secured in Tobermory. On the route back to Easdale we gave BruceB a very decent head start and raced him. Behind us, those long dead dinosaurs roared their final challenge and the world went "whoosh". Sorry Bruce. On the return South we passed a very familiar looking RIB heading North. The shape was unmistakable, 'twas our ride from last year, the 850 on passage from HQ to Sunart (big trip). Obviously we had to "pull her over" so we peeled off from the pack and headed back. It was nice to meet Peter & Crew and compare notes. New plotter then Peter? Speaking of HQ, when we had returned to Easdale and revisited the pub, a familiar outline slipped into the bay, two in fact. It was the Boss and the McListers in Corryvreckan and Bouncer - breaking off a patrol of the far North West to nail a few scoops. I'm sure he wasn't checking up on us. Still, good craic in the pub. Late to bed...

[willk]

Few more pics:

[willk]

...and early to rise. Ouch! Loaded up, said goodbye and RV'ed with Portnahaven and his very smart Stormforce 750 Cabin. We decided to explore the West coast of Jura and ran in company out through a sleeping Corry and down to Port Askaig on Islay - great cruising. We ducked in and grabbed a quick but badly needed lunch in the hotel. The Calmac lads were over ooing at The Beauty & The Beast, so on request we did a few flybys to show the 1050 at her best. Dirty work, but someone has to do it. After that it was Portnahaven's turn on The Beast so I hopped over and steered his ride South for a while he and donegaldan looped around me in the 1050 - gits. Nice boat - every last touch carefully considered. I promised not to mention his flowery duvet, so his reputation is safe with me.

[willk]

That saw us out into the North Channel again, Duckin' Tankers Driven by, um.., Seamen. The sea was very benign so we made the hop at a decent 27-30kts, passing Rathlin and enjoying the sight of the distant landfalls far out all around us. We made Cushendall at the appointed hour and while we waited for the ever patient Gary to haul five boats out we bumped into Peter again, returning with the 850. With time and gas to kill we took his lads for a quick blast around Red Bay. It was a Bank Holiday Sunday and we felt the Peace needed Disturbing, Tom being off duty and all...

And so it ended. What to say? Thanks to all at Redbay Boats from the Flying Test Monkeys, obviously. "Thanks" doesn't really cover it though - it was the stuff of dreams and we had the very best of it. The 1050 was our friend in all weathers and wasn't quite as scary as I had imagined she might be. If anything she was handier than the 850 to work at close quarters and a lady on the plane. The distance covered was logged at 260Nm and we burned 675 liters - not too shabby considering I saw 50kts on the plotter a few times. Oh yeah, the Garmin plotter, I want one of those - Portnahaven had the right idea there - Big is Beautiful.

[willk]

So that's about it folks. donegaldan and I are ruined for life and will have to go to Rehab - 30kts is, like, sooooo slow. I'll staple a video together later and slap a link on here. Nice footage of Wavesweeper (BruceB) and Portnahaven on the move. And sheep, lots of shorn sheep...

[willk]

Originally Posted by wavelength

thats further than ya took me when I was on it

Hadda conserve the Gas, dood

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Easdale is great. Tony and his team sorted us out with a mooring and we RV'ed with Jambo and his Squad. Jambo had kindly offered to put us up so we were living in style - thanks Big Man! As the weather had prevented him from cruising up on Friday, he piled his guys into the 1050 for the run on Saturday. It was good to get crew/fuel stevedores.

Always a pleasure to put you up. Thanks to you we all had a reat time on Sat which meant our week end was saved after the hellish Friday condtions.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Easdale is great. Tony and his team sorted us out with a mooring and we RV'ed with Jambo and his Squad. Jambo had kindly offered to put us up so we were living in style - thanks Big Man! As the weather had prevented him from cruising up on Friday, he piled his guys into the 1050 for the run on Saturday. It was good to get crew/fuel stevedores.

Always a pleasure to put you up. Thanks to you we all had a real good time on Sat which meant our week end was saved after the hellish Friday condtions.

[willk]

Originally Posted by kerny

Strewth looking at the big blue rib in pic 1, I didn't know that they did solar powered ribs

Ahem, Redbay 8.4 Open. I'm gonna hafta get you a proper Spotter's guide...

[willk]

Originally Posted by jambo

Always a pleasure to put up with you...

Err, yeah, thanks

Still, the Prisoner Exchange went well - enjoying the wee dram of Caol Ila as I type - Slainte mhath!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Err, yeah, thanks

Still, the Prisoner Exchange went well - enjoying the wee dram of Caol Ila as I type - Slainte mhath!

You enjoy you deserve it all round!
Take care
B

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[kerny]

Originally Posted by willk

Ahem, Redbay 8.4 Open. I'm gonna hafta get you a proper Spotter's guide...

Where's the messerschmitt

[willk]

Originally Posted by kerny

Where's the messerschmitt

Sorry mate - me Grandfather musta nailed it