Here's an extract from my email to my MSP, Ivan McKie: "These hydro schemes, while obviously producing some green energy, would substantially damage the landscape of one of the best wild landscapes in Scotland. The Total peak power (but only after rain, not continuously) of these scheme is 6.5 MW, a...

There's access to Loch Sween at the caravan site at Castle Sween, and near the stream about 1 km north of Castle Sween (there's a wee track down, not passable by car). There's access at high water only ('cos of mud) at the causeway leading to the Isle of Danna. There are no tidal streams in Loch Swe...

Sounds a good trip! As for bad weather alternatives, Loch Sween is very beautiful and very sheltered. I guess one could paddle the inland arms of that loch - Linne Mhuirich and the like - in almost any weather. Eilean Mhor, off the entrance to Loch Sween, is a good paddle as well. The is tidal flow ...

... No one in a group has the responsibility to be a "good follower". .... Franky While I agree with most of what you say, I do think that everyone in a group has the responsibility to at least try to be a good follower. To my mind a good follower works out what the plan is and facilitates what the...

And so they do! Though only with the zip, not the flap. Zip and some stretch works for me.

Thanks.

Price of £14.99 looks affordable as well.

I'm looking for a boy's wetsuit with a "relief" feature, so's his drytop doesn't have to come off every time (and there are a lot of times ....).

A full-length front zip would do the job, I think.

Any suggestions?

Interesting!

Can you give me a reference to this?

Scottish Canoe Touring, published by the SCA, has a chapter on cross-Scotland routes.

The most adventurous route of which I am aware started in the Outer Hebrides - an it was in an open Canadian! Ray Goodwin, IIRC.

Only been there once. We launched on the east coast, first at the new ferry slip, which was 'orrible, with a scramble over big boulders and exposure to waves, than at the old ferry slip further up the loch, which was fine. We paddled to the beach facing the Cairns of Coll, which was beautiful, then ...

It would be good to be able to borrow a dummy PLB to practice with

MYSSAK wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 25, 2018 2:42 pm

I’m not sure if it’s the best one but this photo which I took last summer off north coast of Iceland is my favourite.

Cunningly and stunningly solves the perennial "horizon line through head" problem!

My thanks added as well.

We need to notice that where the insurer says "harder to defend", they mean as well "more likely that we will pay out to the injured party".

Mine just sits (on a leash) in my BA pocked. It's passes it's self-test every time so far.

I'd worry about the "cold hands" problem if it were in a drybag.

Always nice to hear agreement.

You put the idea more clearly than I did,

Ken_T wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:24 pm

Hi, On flat water most boats turn more efficiently on an outside edge, ..... , but also partly because you tend to paddle further from the low edge than the high edge ....

My point exactly!

The workmanship is stunning!

I think were're discussing a long slow turn, using a sweep stroke, and maintaining speed through the turn. My take is that under these circumstances: 1) Edging the boat either way helps a lot, though at the expense ob balance. 2) Some boats turn one way when edged, other the other way. (Mine doesn't...

Couldn't agree more with what the previous posters have said. Using the same skills in different environments makes the skills and their variation automatic.

Unlike tennis and badminton, which clash - but that's for another forum.

The portages are all easy, as the surfaces are nice and smooth. However, you migh want to consider launching at the top of Neptune's Staircase. That's a long portage for not much paddling. +1 for cafe at "Well of seven heads."

Duct tape solves many problems. Denso tape wouldn't be suitable for mending clothes, a tent, or as a bandage cover. It's often possible to dry the surface if necessary. Notice that if the compass is in a map case you may need to but a wet hand into the case to set the compass. Mine's just lark's-foo...

Not because I was there, but because I was negligent.

I think nearly all of this anguish comes down to the ridged formal leader and followers approach pushed as the only way to proceed by the BCU. You don't get groups of walkers, cyclists or climbers getting their knickers is a twist about liability yet their doing activities with a similar or even gr...

I've had a worry for some time that the FAQ quoted above and the insurance schedule document are in conflict. I tried to bottom this out by contacting both the broker and the BCU. The broker said (orally, so I can't substantiate it) that for club members, experience and qualifications were irrelevan...

And incidentally, I don't think it matters whether reasonable precautions have been taken. Not taking them would be negligence, but it's negligence insurance.

...., the club committee reckons that as long as I submit my paddle plan to them and they approve it, I can take the group and be covered by the club insurance. .... [/quote] I believe that statement to be true. You are a club member, and it's a club trip ('cos the committee approved it). So you (an...

A I see it, if it's a formal club trip, the club committee are taking responsibility that the trip will be "sufficiently" safe. So those taking part don't have to do their own assessment of the leader. This is very valuable to members, who may not have the ability to do this assessment. To my mind, ...

Signing a disclaimer doesn't do much. It's only an indication that you gave consent to participation - but it doesn't prove the consent was informed consent.

I think negligence can still happen even with consent.

But I don't really know - I'm not a lawyer.

"Paddle to the Arctic", by Don Starkell covers kayak. His previous (but not as gripping) "Paddle to the Amazon" is about canoeing.

A thrawn b*gger, as we say up here.

[/quote]
.... (other than BCU membership which doesn't cover me if i act as a leader - as i understand it). .....
[/quote]

That's the crux of the discussion here. I think that the BCU insurance covers all club members on club activities regardless of qualifications.

If the club member is deployed to lead a session by the club, the club would be responsible and would be asked should it come to court etc why they had deployed that person and why they deemed them fit to do so! Hence clubs needing insurance - it should be noted that the BC Club insurance also cove...