In the soup at Carnage Corner, Dunure.

[Douglas Wilcox]

Yesterday the Clyde forecast was for full sun and F3-4 W winds which looked great for a blast from Maidens to Seafield.


When we arrived at Maidens, the Clyde didn't look very sunny and the wind was SW and my anemometer was averaging 28km/hr in the lee of Maidens harbour.


The water was surprisingly unflat even while we were still in the shelter of the Maidens reefs. No sooner had we launched than Clyde coastguard issued a new gale warning. "Malin F8-9 imminent" and the inshore Clyde forecast had changed from "F3-4 W to F5-7 SW".

For some reason, I didn't take any photos on the incredible downwind blast across Culzean Bay and round Carnage Corner, off the headland at Dunure Point. My GPS showed that we were regularly hitting 17km/hr as we surfed down breaking waves. David had even put his spray deck on which was just as well as several times waves broke over our decks and threatened to broach us. Fortunately the sails are very good at keeping a kayak driving forward and resisting broaching in these conditions.


Kayak sailing in these conditions can be quite exhausting at our age, so we decided to run into the shelter of Dunure, where it was a relief to get into the lee of the land. This is looking back the way we had just come.


The Dunure Inn beckoned but it was some distance away as it was low tide. So first it was time for...


...first luncheon on the beach. David offer Phil some strawberries. At first Phil refused... "I'm still on my first course."

"Go on" said David, "treat it as an intercourse."


After first luncheon we made our way up to the Dunure Inn for second luncheon. The sea food bisque was delicious, there were bits of lobster floating about in my soup. It went terribly well with the Guinness.


After second luncheon we relaunched into the shelter of the cliffs where we were now in cross off winds. We managed to hit 19km/hr at one point on our way...


...back to Ayr. The sun even came out!

It's amazing what fun you can have so close to home on the Clyde. We completed the 19km trip in 1.5 hours less than we usually take!

Douglas

[Yakdiver]

As usual some lovely photos well done

[PhilAyr]

" In the soup at Carnage Corner, Dunure "......

Full marks for your usual excellent photos Douglas and extra bonus points for the superb title, and also managing to hand hold a 5D mk2 in pretty challenging conditions !

A fantastic trip ! :-)

Phil

[Jim]

Glad you guys had a fun day out, looks like I might have been out of place had I made it. I did get Douglas' text at was it 0730? Unfortunately I had some things to do in the morning and a vehicle to look at in the afternoon, I intended to send a text back but I think I fell back asleep instead.

You guys must have got the hang of carnage corner, with a low tide and all that swell I should imagine it would have been properly entertaining over the ledges?

[Douglas Wilcox]

Jim, sorry my phone text has not been working and messages seem to get flung out any time up to 24 hours after I press send.

Jim>

You guys must have got the hang of carnage corner, with a low tide and all that swell I should imagine it would have been properly entertaining over the ledges?

Jim I knew you would have insight into the degree of Carnage Corner's entertainment. This is a telephoto shot, to give an idea of scale, the far point is over 1km from the camera. We were well and truly entertained!

Douglas

[Jim]

Jim I knew you would have insight into the degree of Carnage Corner's entertainment. This is a telephoto shot, to give an idea of scale, the far point is over 1km from the camera. We were well and truly entertained!

Douglas

Yep, with much less swell Carnage Corner is the closest I have ever come to capsizing a sea kayak without meaning to.....

[andreadawn]

The soup certainly looks delicious. I think I'd skip the paddling and just move straight on to the food.

Andrea Collins

[Canoe-Cowal]

Douglas Phil - using a sail like that is it not called a dogger?

No doubt we will be enlightened possibly by Jim.

[Douglas Wilcox]

Thanks all. :o)

Hello Canoe, let me reassure you that Phil and I do not hang about shore car parks at night. :o)

Douglas

[PhilAyr]

Hello Canoe, let me reassure you that Phil and I do not hang about shore car parks at night. :o)

Douglas

Hi there Canoe Cowal ~ Still doubled up after reading the reply from Douglas. On second thoughts maybe I should re-phrase that ;-)

Douglas Phil - using a sail like that is it not called a dogger?

No doubt we will be enlightened possibly by Jim.

Thanks all. :o)

Jim knows the answer to most questions related to boats, but I didn't know that he was an expert on that !! :-)

Phil

[Jim]

Douglas Phil - using a sail like that is it not called a dogger?

No doubt we will be enlightened possibly by Jim.

Not a term I have come across but a quick google reveals that a Dogger is a type of sailing trawler, after which the fishing ground known as the Dogger bank was named, so there is quite likely a link there somewhere. I should imagine a sailing trawler in shallow water with steep waves and encumbered with a net would have used the sail to keep them head to waves rather than just drifting, I believe steam trawlers retained sails for much the same reason but I don't know what they call them.

[Canoe-Cowal]

Nice one Douglas but I think you were verb-ating here rather than pronouning lol

What I believe is it is a sail, reverse of a storm jib, mounted on the rear of the boat aft of the cabin, on its boom that was used mostly for loading purposses [a dogger] like Jim said on fishing boats, puffers, maybe ketches etc. This kept them stable when in a hoolie dont know if it would turn into the wind or to run with it.

But up for correction if wrong.

J

[Douglas Wilcox]

Hi J, a dogger was a type of sailing fishing boat developed in the north sea. I think you are thinking of the small stern mounted staysail that motorised trawlers used. This was not really to provide stability in beam seas but to help hold the bow of a trawler to the wind as it was trying to pull up its anchor in windy conditions when the winch is not powerful enough to pull in the anchor. Because of trawler's high bows there is a lot of windage and as soon as they start motoring towards the anchor and the chain loosens, the bows


get blown one way...


then the other, tightening the chain and preventing the winch from taking in the slack.

By putting the staysail up, you can motor towards the anchor, hold the bows to the wind and loosen the chain sufficiently to winch the anchor in. For the same reason if you want to sail a yacht off an anchor or mooring, you put the mainsail up first. If you put the jib up first, it will "tack" back and forth on the chain.

Douglas

[Jim]

I guess a tall ship could use a spanker for the same purpose?

[Douglas Wilcox]

While we use paddles...

Douglas :o)

[Canoe-Cowal]

Now Now boys.

J