Greetings from the west coast of Scotland

[Cyberjip]

Hi all,

New to the forum and new to sailing.

I guess I'm a wannabe but doing everything I can to make my dreams reality.

What I have are huge dreams (as big as they come), zero experience and very limited funds (at the moment)

I'm hoping that over the next couple of decades I can turn myself into a sailor and follow my dreams literally to the ends of the earth.

I am not the sort of person that dose things in half measures and once I decide to do something I fully commit.

So what am I doing at the moment to make them happen?

Reading and absorbing as much as possible.

Have booked myself on to a year long full time course in marine skills that covers lots of aspects including boat maintenance, safety, skippering, sea survival, electronics and all sorts of other useful things.

Have bought myself a solo dinghy and am going to learn to sail it. I know the sailing season has just finished here but i am a firm belver of learning things in tricky situations as life is not always going to give you an easy ride. I did manage to get it in the water at the weekend but as soon as I did the wind just died, typical but I suppose that's one of the things I'm going to have to get used to.

Anyway I'm sure over the next weeks/months and years I'll have many a question that you fine people might be able to help me with,
And lastly I want to say thank you to the community for all the great info, advice and pleasantness that is shared freely here.

P.S. please excuse my writing as I have dyslexia and I'm not all that good with it.

Untill next time,

Cyberjip

[Nicholson58]

Welcome in. Lots of help and free advice here.

Please let us know where to get a plaid wrap for a boat.

[Na Mara]

Ahoy my fellow countryman.

West coast of Scotland is a great place to learn how to sail, but you need to treat it with respect.

Knocking about the firth of Clyde, or around the Kyles of mull and sea lochs is pretty safe. The weather is pretty unreliable and you’ll get squalls and nasty chop on occasion, but the tides aren’t too bad and your protected from the Worst of the Atlantic seas. However, venturing out of these areas takes you into serious cruising grounds where even experienced people get into serious trouble. You’ve got tidal races running at up to 10kn, dangerous overfalls, and the whole coast is a rocky Lee shore exposed to the Gulf Stream and Atlantic. Wind over tide in this area can be not only uncomfortable but dangerous. The RNLI are very busy on the west coast for a reason.

So I get that you are dead keen and wanting to get out there but go slowly and cautiously. Get plenty of experience on keel boats before heading out of the safe inshore areas. Crew with experienced skippers. Do not just charter a boat as soon as you’ve got day skipper certificate and make for st Kilda.

It’s beautiful out there and the whole area whispers of adventure. Just don’t get too carried away by all of that and you’ll be fine.

[Cyberjip]

Yes I hear you. Safety is my number one learning and application goal. Wont realise my dreams if I get hurt or killed and don't want to scare myself off either.

While I myself am very inexperienced I do have people close to me that have much much more, and like I said although I'm keen and committed its a decades plan not a couple of years plan.

I'm up near oban so lots of shelter from the big blue will be pottering about in the bays for the next few months on my dinghy

[Na Mara]

Then you’re right at the head of the Kyles of mull. That’s a good safe area to practice in. Also plenty of opportunity to crew on other people’s boats out of Oban and Kerrera. You’re well situated there. Loch Etive is within dinghy sailing distance and it’s lovely there. Good pub/restaurant when I was there last also.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Cyberjip.

[Na Mara]

If you do go up to loch Etive be very careful of the tidal falls at the entrance. Better to launch the dinghy in the loch than navigate the falls at the entrance in a dinghy.

[Cyberjip]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

If you do go up to loch Etive be very careful of the tidal falls at the entrance. Better to launch the dinghy in the loch than navigate the falls at the entrance in a dinghy.

Thanks for the advice, im lucky I can launch into Loch Etive and out from the slip at tralee Bay so I'm coverd and don't need to go anywhere nearby the treacherous falls of lora.

And thanks all for the friendly welcome.

[Adelie]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[Cyberjip]

A little check in as some progress has been made.

Managed to get out on the dinghy at the weekend in conditions that where a little on the choppy side but better than no wind at all.

Learnt a lot about the feel of the boat and how to controll it. Did loads of tacks, a few gybs no capsizes although I was close a couple of times and I only managed to hit my head with the boom once. Even managed to sail her back to the slip and turn in to wind to bring her to a stop, onlooker said it looked like I had done it before but I'm guessing it was beginners luck.

Fun was had, check
Learnt a lot, check
Stayed safe, check
Am I a sailor yet.... no but I'm heading in the right direction.