Clyde XMAS lights run

[BruceB]

Is the car parking at Helensburgh accessible and free?
I may launch here as the weed isn't quite as bad as at Dunoon and there seems to be room to launch with a rope. I would look to launch and leave by about 15:30 to get up to Erskine before it gets properly dark.
On google earth it all looks OK but I have never launched there.

[9D280]

Acessible- yes (down the hill from the Loch Lomond road & straight across the traffic lights), Free - Not so sure..... It used to be, but I think I saw a pay & display meter last time. I would imagine charges stop at 6, and it might even be "April to October", but I doubt it......

I am also giving a thought to a slip on the Gareloch near Blairvadach Outdoor centre (not the centre's slip, unfortunately) . It is also easily accessible, and is free but WILL need some illumination to assist in getting back out, and if the tide is down, will need a rope too. (but you'd need a rope at the pier anyway at low tide)

The Pier:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NS2982?class=Pier
The Blairvadach one is mentioned on Boatlaunch, and It's not quite as bad as the description suggests - I've launched & recovered both the SR4 and the Humber there with no issues, although it does get tight when the lazy people who leave their cars & trailers right by the top of the slip don't think that someone else might want to use it too.... But that shouldn't be a problem at the end of November!

Personally I'd prefer the Blairvadach one, as the pier I am told is shopping trolley central at low tide, and has next to no ladders at that side. If there's two (maybe more?) of us that could work. I'd think you could get a Destroyer down there, A Pac22 would be a squeeze tho'.....

Would it be worth starting earlier & seeing the upper reaches in dayight? (or has everyone done that already?)



On the subject of which, I visited Halfords last night. Gave up on the front fog light idea - much as 2x 55W lamps would have provided ample illumnation, my car's lighting fuse would have taken offence to it, so I am now the proud owner of two reversing lamps - £6 each, half the size and a third of the weight, and no worse power consumption than the trailer lighting board!

[Poly]

OK it looks as though Thumperbob and myself will be launching at Renferew Ferry slip (thanks Bob for organising) around 13:30 - and returning for 17:00 unless there are any disasters!

[BruceB]

The weather is set to improve with sunny weather and light winds now forecast for the Glasgow area.
Bearing in mind the weather here in Oban at the moment I find this hard to believe but there you go!
We will be launching bar more extreme weather at Helensburgh at 15:00 to leave before 15:30. Pontoon is sorted for 16:00 onwards at SECC.
I didn't get a menu from crowne plaza as promised but there are so few coming at the moment that I can't see there being a problem fitting us in.

[Pinto]

Hi

We have problems with our nav lights which we had hoped to have sorted by now, however we are not overly confident coming back to Largs with only temporary lights - unfortunately therefore we have to bow out of this trip - hope there will be a repeat at some point.

We live in Glasgow and it is a short hop for us to get along to the hotel so we will pop along to catch up with you there - not happy about missing out in the actual trip but will catch up with you there for a bite to eat if that is OK.

John & Vivienne

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by 9D280

Would it be worth starting earlier & seeing the upper reaches in dayight? (or has everyone done that already?)

Not doing the trip myself ,.. but if I may suggest, you would enjoy doing that as there is so much to see further up, perhaps budying is more important though .. but .. its a trip I'll definately do again to see what I missed last time

[G.Mac]

Had a nice wee test run today, Ferguson Shipbuilders - Ascog - Rothesay Bay (for sandwiches) - Kyles of Bute - Calla Harbour - Kyles of Bute - Fegusons - Great Harbour



she sat at about 28 kts for most of the time and burnt about 50l of diesel

only thing was our nav lights have been jinksed as out masthead light went pop....lol

We are planning on heading out from great harbour at about 12 tomorrow if anyone wants to meet up.

What is the script for tomorrow as some folk are launching from Renfrew at about 1pm and some others are not launching till 3, what and where is the best time to meet up for the run up the river?

Graeme

[BruceB]

All I can say is that we will be leaving from helensburgh by 15:30 to get up the marked channel before it gets properly dark.
We will then be coming down after dark once we have seen the lights dropping into Crown Plaza before going fully upriver around 16:30-17:00, mooring up at the SECC pontoon to get in. The pontoon is booked and open from 16:00 for us.
We may be dropping off the dog at the renfrew ferry slip and picking him up later on the way down.
I personally won't transit the marked channel after dark except at LW hence the return times.
I think others without this part of the journey are going earlier due to the darkness setting in and a wish to avoid as much as possible of it.
I think it depends on what time you want to go, we would prefer earlier ourselves but the risk of hitting floating debris is too high IMO at anything bar LW. This is unfortunately based on experience of the last trip where we did hit something, albeit without much more than a scratch as I almost avoided it!

[BruceB]

We are doing this trip another weekend now, fog forecast for later this evening just when we would be coming down river.
The roads are also fairly slippy this morning in our area as it had snowed/sleeted overnight
I also just checked the glasgow webcams and it is raining in the glasgow area with a forecast of more plus poor visibility all day so I don't think the chance of having the missus constantly moaning about being wet and miserable all day is worth it.
Since we now don't seem to be meeting anyone it hardly seems worthwhile coming down to do a run in poor weather on our own, we'll just do a run locally Sunday when the forecast is better.

[Poly]

Bruce, bob and myself both failed to fulfill our plans today as well. I had an electrical gremlin when I tested the engine (skicky kill switch); and Bob seemed to be helping out someone with a boat that fell off a trailer at loch lomond.

[G.Mac]

We went out early not knowing it was cancelled, we had a great run up the river to Renfrew, got there for 13:15, pottered about for a while then headed further up river and abandoned it before we got to govan as there was that much crap floating around, got back to Great harbour by around 15:00 after having a couple of detours to have a nosey at stuff, water was like glass

Graeme

[BruceB]

It wasn't actually cancelled but fizzled out as nobody actually turned up or decided not to come at the last minute, ourselves included.
I was expecting the crap in the water, the reason for the LW trip when dark and why I wasn't keen to leave earlier in the day.
It seems the weather report for fog was also correct as my mother has just called me and said she can't see the end of the street in Renfrew anymore.
I have a promised trip out to Inverie before Xmas for dinner for the wife and visiting Millport Xmas day by RIB for dinner so can't see time or money allowing a repeat this side of the new year.

[A.MAC]

Was it toooooo cold for all you softies out there ???? PAC 22 (1) Softies (0)
Ps
Had a great run bit of crud on river and had to reduce speed to suit in some areas but all in all a great shakedown run for the boat,exhaust gremlins now put to rest+fueling spot on,she now has a max speed of 31 kts (on slack water) Over the moon with the result and a great boat in all weathers

[BruceB]

Nah, wasn't cold enough to stop us overheating while tootling along. We are more used to the cold up here compared to you townie lot

[A.MAC]

[QUOTE=BruceB;273147] Nah, wasn't cold enough to stop us overheating while tootling along. We are more used to the cold up here compared to you townie lot [/QUOTE
Should have been on loch awe last week then FFFFRRRREEEEZZZZZIIIIINNN

Whats up with the overheating prob old water impeller check the tail-tail at the arse of the outboard for flow-how old is the outboard?? and when was the last time the impeller was replaced
(should replace after swapping rotation every two years)
PS
And its still Pac22 (1) Softies (0) HEHE

[G.Mac]

eh?

[Pinto]

We were really disappointed to have to pull out, but for once sense over-ruled things!

We need to get permanent nav lights set up, and are not overly keen on a long night trip which depends on them.

Any advise on where locally to get an A-frame, or any small metal works that could make one, would be appreciated.

Will be out playing with our dolphin friend off Cumbrae tomorrow if anyone else is around.

Vivienne

[G.Mac]

Meercat in kilbirnie are good http://www.meercat-exhausts.com/

thats where we (or should I say my brother) got ours done (mastheadlight too low), you get what you ask for........My brother forgot that the mastheadlight should be higher up, I was in Africa, but even than my brother will never listen to me, just cos hes older!!!!





Wully is very good at what he does, and you get what you pay for (top notch)

Graeme

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by A.MAC

Whats up with the overheating prob old water impeller check the tail-tail at the arse of the outboard for flow-how old is the outboard?? and when was the last time the impeller was replaced
(should replace after swapping rotation every two years)

Eh?

[K&S]

HI, all really sorry we couldn’t attend. My Dad who suffers from Parkinson’s had a bad day yesterday so had to give Mum some Help looking after him. Honestly I’d have much rather been out in the cold surrounded by ‘crud’ of the wooden floating variety. So my apologise for no show


‘Any advise on where locally to get an A-frame, or any small metal works that could make one, would be appreciated.

Will be out playing with our dolphin friend off Cumbrae tomorrow if anyone else is around.’


Lucky you PINTO there great fun, The other day was the first time I had seen dolphins in the clyde – great fun !!


There is a stainless manufacturer just next door to Yampower in Glasgow – I’m sure a call to Phil regarding best design and location would be a good place to start.


And its still Pac22 (1) Softies (0) HEHE
A good start to the season for you guys but the season is young ………

Originally Posted by BruceB

Eh?

I fink he thinks your motor's had a long and hard life and needs an overhaul