World Stone Skimming Championships 2008

[Tony Hill]

The Annual World Stone Skimming Championships will be held on Easdale Island just south of Oban this Sun 28th Sept.
full details http://www.stoneskimming.com/
Berthing for RIBs in the harbour
Juniors and adults sections
Starts 11.00

[BruceB]

Tony,
what are the berthing arrangements? The website doesn't mention anything. Any costs and is there plenty of space? Plus where exactly is the berthing on the island?
We may come down and enter and go for a run afterwards if the weather looks nice.

[Tony Hill]

Come up the channel to Easdale Island Harbour. There is an obvious ramp for the ferry on the left. Go on to the stone steps just past the ramp and tie up. there is room for RIBs just before and after the stone steps. Tie abreast. We are also about to install a 25 metre pontoon within the harbour for RIB berthing. Whilst we only have one section in and it is not in its proper position you are welcome to tie alongside. It is well secured. - I am sure the ferryman will pick you up and bring you ashore. Tide is 0.7m at noon - bit of a squeeze but we get our RIBs in/out carefully at this depth.



Tony

[alystra]

Originally Posted by Tony Hill

Come up the channel to Easdale Island Harbour. There is an obvious ramp for the ferry on the left. Go on to the stone steps just past the ramp and tie up. there is room for RIBs just before and after the stone steps. Tie abreast. We are also about to install a 25 metre pontoon within the harbour for RIB berthing. Whilst we only have one section in and it is not in its proper position you are welcome to tie alongside. It is well secured. - I am sure the ferryman will pick you up and bring you ashore. Tide is 0.7m at noon - bit of a squeeze but we get our RIBs in/out carefully at this depth.
Tony

Tony,

I'm hoping to be out and about over the weekend and may well participate. Being old tosser I'll need some lubrication and a warm up before the event and the Pre Skim Party seems just the thing.

The weather map shows a cold/warm front over Argyll on Sat midday, so I'm still not sure about the weather, but if it's not too windy for my tent - and there's a place for me to moor for Sat night, I plan to arrive Sat afternoon, go to the party and sleep overnight on my RIB, thus being refreshed and well oiled for the main event. I need to be pretty well head to wind o/n though as the tent's open ended. If that's not possible, I'll maybe anchor somewhere close or come straight from home for Sunday's fun.

Cheers, Tony (G)

[Tony Hill]

Inside Easdale Island harbour there are a few swinging moorings. The spare ferry will be on one but the feeryman is normally quite happy for people to tie alongside the boat. Whilst our pontoon is tied bow and stern you could just tie off one end and go head to wind. Bring a few fenders. Inside the harbour there's not really much wind anyway. Weather today has been great - OK overcast but its very calm out at sea at the moment and whilst forecasting as you are well aware up here is a lot of guesswork my view is that its going to be OK throughout the weekend. (That's now a curse on the weather)

Tony

[alystra]

Originally Posted by Tony Hill

.....my view is that its going to be OK throughout the weekend. (That's now a curse on the weather)

Tony

Thanks for that, Tony. Yep! Argyll must the only place in the world it'll rain and blow a gale in the middle of an anticyclone.

Sounds good though. All being well I'll arrive Sat afternoon/eve and I'm sure there'll be somewhere to lie and I'll be well looked after. Don't mind dangling off the spare ferry, or your pontoon, at all. I've got a dinghy aboard so no probs getting ashore.

15 years full time sailing/instructing round here - and the rest - and this will be my first time on Easdale. Looking forward to it.

Cheers, Tony

[alystra]

Originally Posted by alystra

Thanks for that, Tony. Yep! Argyll must the only place in the world it'll rain and blow a gale in the middle of an anticyclone.

Sounds good though. All being well I'll arrive Sat afternoon/eve and I'm sure there'll be somewhere to lie and I'll be well looked after. Don't mind dangling off the spare ferry, or your pontoon, at all. I've got a dinghy aboard so no probs getting ashore.

15 years full time sailing/instructing round here - and the rest - and this will be my first time on Easdale. Looking forward to it.

Cheers, Tony

Well, the anticyclone's disappearing. Next week looks rotten. Plans for the next five days or so in tatters.

As it looks at the moment I'll not be around on Saturday. SW 5-7. North of Pladda's not the place for me in that. Sunday, we'll see; NW 4-5's ok; I'd have to get up very early. May just come by car. What a bummer.

[BruceB]

Tony,
it looks like some rain but looking at the charts the weather doesn't look that bad till monday.
Probably some showers and reasonably lightish winds from the North is my reading of the charts although I have been known to be wrong now and again.
Will let you know tomorrow who was right!

[alystra]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Tony,
it looks like some rain but looking at the charts the weather doesn't look that bad till monday.
Probably some showers and reasonably lightish winds from the North is my reading of the charts although I have been known to be wrong now and again.
Will let you know tomorrow who was right!

Hi Bruce,

Feelin better about it now I've readjusted my plans. Yes, Monday doesn't look good at all. Just been looking again at the Beebs pages. There might be a window Sat afternoon and it's going to be NW'ly o/n, which would be ok. However, I've drummed up some enthusiasm locally and as I'll be part of the transport, Saturday night is ruled out. Sunday looks ok. Not sure whether to go by boat or car. Prospective passenger seems to favour boat, but I'm not sure she realises what a RIB can be like. We're discussing it tonight and will make decision after tomorrows forecast and let you know. If the weather's ok - i.e. if it's not too windy, I favour RIBin it. Hope to see you there?

[Tony Hill]

My estimation is that the wind will start decreasing circa noon today (Sat) and by tomorrow noon will be Force 3 possibly low end of 4 at worst - wind from the west.

I will keep an eye open for your boats - Should you struggle with the harbour, we took a boat to our workshops yesterday (end of season) so use one of our yellow cylindrical buoys in the sound. Just wave to the ferryman who will pick you up

Tony