Alicia sailing

Introduction

In August 2020 we decided to purchase a yacht together with another couple and started looking for our first yacht. We had previously owned a small Quicksilver 580 motor boat which got us out on the water. I sat my Day Skipper theory & VHF in Post Edger in the shaddow of the River Forth bridges. I quickly got bored of motoring which led me to think about sailing. I had met Bob & Deborah Gulliver from Britsail sailing school and quickly enrolled on my Day Skipper practical and soon after obtained my Coastal Skipper ticket along with First aid.

We quickly found our dream yacht a Beneteau 36cc berthed in Dochgarroch in the Caledonian canal and managed to buy her at a very reasonable price during lock-down. We based ourselves at Inverness marina and fixed her up. Our first season we got used to sailing her and went on a great trip to Orkney. The west coast was calling so we would go through the canal and sail the west cost waters visiting some of the inner Hebrides and learning all the time. It didn’t take long before we decided to base ourselves at Kip Marina where we are based today. Happy days

On the Clyde 2nd August 2025

Hi Everyone, Dorothy and I were down at Kip marina yesterday for the berth holders party, free drink and food (don’t ask) so we were up a bit late this morning. We decided to go for a wee sail after a good breakfast and a catch up with some friends at the marina. I am trying to get proficient at single handed sailing so Dorothy sat back and left me to cope on my own. The tips given to me by my friend Derek paid off and I left the marina without any problems. Once out on the water I managed to get both sails up without a hitch and practiced reefing and tacking the sails all on my own again with no problems. We saw some porpoise close up and what we thought might have been a minke whale but turned out to be a seal. There was not much wind today so we headed back in and managed to berth single handed without any drama so all in all a successful day.