Capsizing Campbeltown crews taste briny loch
Capsize drill and unintentional Campbeltown loch dips were all part of the fun on Kintyre Seasports Project’s (KSP) second annual sailing course. Luckily for everyone, six weeks’ hot sun had warmed-up the sea and many sailed without wetsuits. No one was immune from experiencing a dunking although. By the last day, the Courier’s reporter thought he had escaped, only to plunge in when a tack went tippy in the final hour. Helmsman Tony McPhail was well practised having already taken a few involuntary swims. He proved an expert at righting the heavy, halffull-of-water Wayfarer and helping his equally weighty crew-member back on-board. The hapless pair spent 30 minutes bailing-out, with cut-off four pint milk containers and counting their blessings that it was not a rough day. In an unofficial race earlier, the pair had been chuffed at beating Flint-Phoenix Barrett and Drew McLellan on both legs of a down and upwind course. Needless to say they returned to Campbeltown Sailing Club slip somewhat chastened. The courses were organised and marked by Sid Gallagher, instructed by Calum Nicol and safety boat cover was provided by Calum, Campbell Fox and Greig Walker, who also took the course. Across the two weekly sessions, Calum 27, on ‘holiday’ from Strathclyde college, coached 26 sailors, who had varying degrees of experience. Calum enjoyed his stay so much he manned the safety boat for a KSP regular sailing evening, at the end of the course, which saw eight boats out on the water. Before handing out certificates on the last day, Calum said how impressed he was with the changes he had seen in the trainees and added that, if asked, he would be delighted to return in 2019. Calum said: ‘Everyone has made a great start but further regular time on the water will be well rewarded.’ He added: ‘It is quite a jump from stage one to the next level and includes a lot of theory.’ Hardiest learners were Heather and Tony McPhail, who drove from Grogport and back every day for both weeks of the 10-day course. Calum followed his two weeks in Kintyre with a two further fortnights’ instructing, firstly on the Isle of Barra and lastly at Oban Sailing Club. Regular club sailing continues on Wednesdays from 7pm at Campbeltown Sailing Club. The next big watersports event, the KSP Regatta, is on Saturday August 4, with has something for everyone, including beach games, paddle-boarding, canoeing, sailing and sub-aqua diving.