Return from Stornaway-Part 1

[Brian]

Towards the end of the BIBOA trip to the Hebrides, my boat Cyanide went through a series of events which may be of interest to others. At the very least I wish to thank all those who assisted us.
We left Stornaway intending to call at the Shiant Isles, Portee for lunch and then on to the Kyle of Lochalsh.
Stornaway (at least on a fine day) is a stunningly attractive place.

Photo: John Whitbread

[Brian]

About 10 miles from the Shiants, Cyanide sufferred a major breakdown in the gearbox of it's Bravo 3 leg. The leg was about 10 months old and had covered about 2000 nmiles. The symptoms are loud and unusual noises followed quickly by total lack of propulsion (bit like me after a few too many beers really).
Cyanide thus had to be towed by Hot Lemon driven by Mike and Mrs. Deacon and Chris and Mrs. Strickland.

[Brian]

A brief stop at Portree to arrange a replacement leg to be couriered to Kyle and then we were off again.

Photo: John Whitbread

[Brian]

Someone described this scene as being like the marine equivalent of the Hell's Angels coming into town!

[Brian]

We approach Kyle by going under the Skye bridge. I am being towed at 26 knots. Unkind souls have suggested I made it faster under tow than I normally would under my own steam.

[Brian]

Whilst waiting at Kyle, the three Gillespie brothers, Neil, Craig and Fraser offer to replace the leg for me (I am no engineer!) and three other skippers come to me and tell me they will not leave Kyle but stay with me until the job is done. A major sacrifice of a day's cruising for them but the benefit of cruising in company, with BIBOA members especially.

Photo: John Whitbread
Kyle dockside

[Brian]

The next day, after refusing the offer from Peter Fowler (www.seafari.co.uk/skye) of him driving his boat trailer 40 miles up the length of Skye, over the bridge to Kyle, for my free use, I decided instead to hire the local MOD crane to lift Cyanide out for the leg change. The brand new leg arrived at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon from Bicester. Tailor made Scorpion crane strops were borrowed from Gordon Compton, fitted and the lift began.

Photo: John Whitbread
Lift out

[Brian]

The Gillespies set to work. There was much "Yeer reet Jummy's" and many mentions of a local bird called "bustard". I knew it was a bird because sometimes they called it a "....wing bustard".
Anyway, from the time the boat settled on the dockside until the new leg was fitted, the prop changed and the boat ready for water again was 19 mins. The bemused crane driver said he had seen the SBS do this but these boys took the biscuit!

A worried Brian looks on.
Photo: John Whitbread
Changing leg

[Charles]

That is a stunning picture of SDO with the castle as a backdrop.

[Brian]

The boat is swung out again and lowered into the water. Time taken from the time TNT arrived with the new leg, and Cyanide being placed back in the water was 54 mins.

Photo: John Whitbread

[Brian]

The TNT van had arrived at 15.00 hrs. We were able to set off from Kyle by 17.00 arriving back at Dunstaffnage Marina (just north of Oban) later that evening.
Many thanks go to all that assisted, including:
John McCrae, Kyle Harbourmaster ("Just use my office lads, phone, fax whatever you need")
Peter Fowler (www.seafari.co.uk/skye)
All the BIBOA members who rallied round, lent kit and escorted us
Staff at Scorpion, Dave Crawford Marine and TNT

The heroes of the day- The Gillespie Brothers

[Alan]

Blimey Brian, What provoked that bit of unburdening your soul?!
Brings back some entertaining memories!

[Brian]

Well, you can choose between these motives:
1. I am overcome with the guilt of not thanking enough people sufficiently.
2. "Only now can it be told" i.e. awaiting outcome of warranty investigations.
3. I'm bored.

[John Kennett]

4. All of the above

John