Solo cruising

Weir Quay Take Two

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After Margarita's previous visit to the Tamar at the start of the Summer I left her at Weir Quay and then returned in early September for a second go with son, Walter. This time the weather was hot, darn hot. We had a great week together, heading east this time, first to Salcombe, then to Dartmouth, a day up to Totnes and back, and then to an anchorage at Hope Cove (behind Start Tail) and then back to Plymouth and Weir Quay. A full account to follow in the the Autumn Newsletter.

Solway Firth - June 22

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4 day trip with Don the crew. Whitehaven to Isle of Whithorn, Isle of Whithorn to Kippford, Kippford to Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbright to Whitehaven. Approx 100 miles. 70 on new 20hp Tohatsu engine - superb - and 30 under sail. Marvellous light, remote anchorages and challenging seas and tides. Margarita is tougher than she looks and she needed to be.

Boroughbridge to Ripon on SeaJay

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I accompanied Michael and Ann on their short cruise from Boroughbridge on the Ure and then through a lock onto the canal and up to Ripon Marina where she will live, for the time being. It was a perfect late summers day and my eyes were opened to the pleasures of inland waterway cruising on a Mac.

Firth of Clyde Autumn 2020

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A selection of photos from my recent visit to the Clyde to sea test my new 19, Margarita. A full report is included in the soon-to-be-published MOA Newsletter but here are some pictures that I hope capture some of the excitement of this cruising area and the fun of being aboard Margarita.

Autumn break, Lake Windermere

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My usual apologies for bombarding the galleries section with yet more pictures from the north but the light is so interesting at this time of year. I am considering a pitch for a MacGregor gathering on the Lake next Summer, so this constitutes a little taster of what it can offer. The area around the Lake is rich in opportunities for doing other things, especially walking and there are lots of architectural/industrial/historical sites too. It's hard to find a bad pub and the food is good. It can get busy in the Summer but on or around the Lake there are plenty of places to retreat to.

Whitehaven to Isle of Windermere

quentin.sands's picture

My own Big Mac adventure was something of a fail. My crew and I left Whitehaven at high water, 630am on Monday 6th August, but struggled from the start with a F4 wind that was coming directly from the Isle of Man. I hoped that we might close haul in a westerly direction but under sail could only hold a course NNW and didn't fancy the Galloway ports. We started to motor into wind over tide but it was very uncomfortable with a fair amount of rolling and slamming and general discomfort.

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