Sailing Trilleen

26/12/2023

from Moon to moon with Fladda Lighthouse in between. Trilleen is now hanging out in Crinan hiding under a cliff which will hopefully shelter us from the easterly gale to come.

25/12/2023

Happy Christmas to all who follow the journeys of Trilleen and my journey back to health after the nursing home stay which got me started on this mad project. May you all know the peace of this most holy season.

I hope that you will stay with me over the winter as I work Trilleen back up into a mile eating long distance sailing machine. Next year, the plan is to hunt our way north round Shetland and back down to Cowes to complete the task we set: circumnavigating the UK and Ireland. If you'd like to support me - please donate at my website sailingtrilleen.org or follow my socials...

25/12/2023

Happy Christmas. There's a little present in the form of a fun video on the other place... Link in comments

23/12/2023

Boatbuilding has returned to Kerrera after many many years. Robert Armstrong Shipwright and classic understated Hebridean man of many talents is building a workboat for his own use. She’s still inverted for now in a stunning vaulted polytunnel behind the slipway, built on laminated frames in clinker ply. Already looking stunning I think she’s going to shine as a practical working boat with a Hebridean Lugsail and a mizzen. The craft is laid on the lines of a boat built in Crinan Ferry many years ago.

I get the sense that Robert has more work than he knows what to do with. But his range of talent and flexibility - encompassing the full range from Salvage to new build is such that if you have a wooden boat problem between Ailsa Craig and Stornaway he might be your salvation. He does do ‘modern stuff’, but much prefers to work in wood. Kerrera Marina will have his details and likely his whereabouts should you need him.

19/12/2023

Trilleen is currently hanging out at Kerrera Marina during a succession of gales. Kerrera is a small island just off the coast of Oban, and the marina and boatyard are run by Gill and Tim who are kind and fabulous hosts. The visitor lounge - with bar in the evening and coffee honesty box all day, is a great feature and a lovely place to catch up on emails or work. Kerrera is, generally a really well sheltered location, and the marina has a hard won reputation for being a great place to winter and rest during stormy weather. With 90 boats on the hard this year and a growing shipwrights business, and a marina which was incredibly active this year. 😀👍

Image is a panorama of the whole of Oban Bay, and Kerrera Marina taken today with the latest storm incoming.

18/12/2023

Somewhere between Inverness and Oban I lost my (brand new) soap / shampoo bar. Apart from he environmental benefits of not shipping chemical water around for shampoos, solid bar shampoo helps on a boat a lot becuase it can't spill all over the locker - which is an extremely unpleasant mess to clear up... I was incredibly happy to find the Highland Soap Company just up from North Pier Pontoons and they sorted me out with a brand new bar... It's lovely, works a treat and doesn't leave me smelling like I've been engaged in a scent bombing competition. Really happy to support a local company too 😀

Staying clean is a hard in a small boat, but genuinely vital in my case to allow my continued sailing. Keeping clean is a vital part of continence care, and allowing me to keep sailing without getting too many infections

https://www.highlandsoaps.com

13/12/2023

Sunrise this morning from my cruising home Trilleen. These are healing moments for people who need wild places and for me with disability this is the only way I've managed to get true independence in the wildernes. When it's been a clear night its always such a treat to have the dawn come up at sea. Trilleen was In the Lynn of Morven on approach to Oban Bay after a surprisingly good sail and motor sail from Corpach at Fort William, today. 🌅🌊⛵️💨⚓️😎☀️🏆

04/12/2023

Sunset in Inverness, at the Keswick Bridge where Trilleen has been holed up for most of the year waiting for a new mast. We now have the mast and I'm heading West through the Caledonian Canal. I may also be reevaluating my life choices shortly given the icy snowy weather around.

29/11/2023

Preparing Trilleen for the next leg of my charity challenge in support of the Andrew Cassell Foundation! As a disabled sailor, having a three-month medication supply is crucial. It ensures smooth sailing without worrying about hard-to-find products, granting me the freedom to navigate with ease. Join me on this journey to empower disabled sailors and ensure seamless adventures on the open seas! ⛵️🌊

Shown - most of my actual medicines. Some details of this image have been altered to preserve privacy.

13/11/2023

Thank you to the Vancouver Yachts Association for raising more Thant £400 towards the work of the Andrew Cassell Foundation who Sailing Trilleen and I support. The Association held their conference last weekend and very generously held a raffle in aid of the Foundation.

31/10/2023

a reall scary for everyone living on the western coasts of these islands. Fierce storms stalk the Kinfdom sounding out of cloud and darkness to maraud along our western coasts.

29/10/2023

mob recovery in small keelboats is surprisingly difficult. Proud to see the Andrew Cassell Foundationtwking a lead on this

28/10/2023

an intriguing still life story of butternut squash and varnish as I try to fix an annoying problem with a locker on the boat.

26/10/2023

Trilleen finally has a matched set of working cockpit latches. It's a little thing - but surprisingly difficult to arrange. Because she's 45 years old the lockers have needed a few sets of hardware ... and so Ive put some stainless blanks behind the latches both to protect the lockers from more dings and to cover the holes from previous hardware. And finally we might be about to get a new mast ...

23/10/2023

Early dawn this morning. Trilleen still stuck in Inverness looking out down the marina brow to the dawn breaking under the suspended span of thr Keswick bridge, as most swirls round the floodlights in the adjacent docks.

19/10/2023

At the moment is weathering storm babet well at inverness. really feeling. for the folks south of Aberdeen who are going to bear the brunt of extremely severe rainfall. Here condition are a bit hideous on the surrounding high ground and south of here but the storm is still building at our position. As the storm clocks round to the North East out position will get more exposed but there is no indication it will be extreme.

18/10/2023

a happy sequence of fairlead repair all done before storm Babet arrives. Fairleads are rope guidey thingies and unfortunately and incident inthe canal earlier in the year meant I have to change a fairlead for one that was a bit small. so this is the permenant repair. The fairleads help help - in this case mooring warps - rope by another name get where it is going without chafe.

15/10/2023

So pleased to see the Andrew Cassell Foundation who I and Sailing Trilleen support has their winter programme underway. It's during the winter often in short sessions when so much development can occur, and disabled participants can make massive steps toward independence on the water.

24/07/2023

A Dragonfly GBR289 'Grey Zone' reaching towards Cowes in the Solent last week. Beautiful little boats, by all accounts scary fast, and capable. Why is Sailing Trilleen in the Solent? She isn't. I am though and helping out with who have been sailing with K33 'Helen' in with thanks to K33's owner.

Dragonfly trimarans UK

18/07/2023

Spent yesterday playing es**rt from the RIB to this beautiful lady: HELEN, 8m rule yacht from 1932 K33 inbound from Nab Tower. Andrew Cassell Foundation@britishclassicweek

29/06/2023

PROBLEMS WITH SELDEN SUPPLY

I am having very significant problems with SELDEN UK’s supply of a simple aluminium section non taper aluminium mast for my Vancouver 27 TRILLEEN. I would be interested to hear from any other boat owners who are having problems with SELDEN supply of masts of equipment.

I believe that SELDEN may had problems with a sales manager leading to this issue. SELDEN UK only deal via agents. I believe that my agents are competent and so the problem appears to lie with SELDEN themselves.

If you are a Scottish client of SELDEN I would urge you to positively verify that your orders are in train, in production and being properly managed.

For information the mast was damaged by Inverness Marina during an early season launch. In my experience, the marina are generally competent and careful, and this was an aberration. TRILLEEN and I were on a round Britain and Ireland split over two seasons, in support of the Andrew Cassell Foundation who helped me during rehabilitation from serious complications of a spinal injury. I was raising funds for and awareness of the Foundation.

Seldén Mast Seldén Mast The Cruising Association Royal Yachting Association Practical Boat Owner Inverness Marina

20/06/2023

The Caledonian Canal links the Atlantic and the North Sea. It is a very accessible piece of water and this guide assists boaters with disabilities or long term conditions to enjoy this waterway whether transiting it or using it a leisure amenity.

https://sailingtrilleen.org/the-disability-pilot-for-the-caledonian-canal/

Caledonian Canal British Waterways Sail Caledonia

14/06/2023

Barn swallows are busy at the moment in the Caledonian Canal, exploiting every fragment of sunlight to harvest bugs to feed their young. It's been a huge pleasure to enjoy their company on the passages back and forth and to watch them nesting around the lock gates, under walkways and in the eves of the historic cottages along the canal bank. Trilleen makes a good hide I've discovered and the birds aren't bothered by sailing boats on the canal - they've known nothing else.

⛵️

13/06/2023

Contessa CIRCE testing a stunning headsail. Looks amazing. Just across the berth from@me where I wait, mastless at the pleasure of

12/06/2023

TRILLEEN was joined in the Clachnharry Works Lock by FARAMIR a 1981 built sail training Ketch from the CIRDAN Trust. She was being competently handled in a testing crosswind. Competence was particularly appreciated because Trilleen was dead downwind from her very heavy hull in the lock…

Specialising in giving groups of young people an experience of the challenge and adventure of life at sea the trust particularly operates with populations who are disadvantaged in some way. FARAMIR is the newest of their fleet and a workhorse in their sail training programme and was on passage to PETERHEAD.

Read more about the Trust's work at https://www.cirdantrust.org/faramir

11/06/2023

Loch Oich lies between Laggan, and Fort Augustus at the summit of the Caledonian Canal. It affords a passage anchorage at Invergarry Castle, near the Glengarry Castle Hotel - who have a landing pontoon should you wish to sample their menu. Secure anchorage in calm weather with some shelter from the West. Good holding in mud, but tripping line recommended. Anchor IVC: 57° 04N, 4°46.62W in 4-6 m on the eastern edge of a deeper 20m section.

Watch more on this anchorage and Trilleen's journey: https://youtu.be/FzkH_wX_kBM

10/06/2023

Great excitement (not) here in Scotland to see a CAPE index which even registers. Feeling for all of you in the Caribbean and other lightning prone areas. 🌊 ⛵️🐬⚓️ #

10/06/2023

Lovely video from Ian on Trilleen with the Trilleen anchored in Loch Oich, a stunning passage anchorage in the Caledonian Canal. Then Trilleen makes her way back through the sea lock into the Big Blue to continue waiting for her mast, a wait which is unfortunately indefinite at the moment.

LIVE AT 5PM (UK Time)
https://youtu.be/FzkH_wX_kBM

09/06/2023

This is very important. Hideously dangerous if people don't take precautions. Was very shocked to see some kids swimming across lock gates at Cullochy East. Had to make an urgent call to canal staff.

09/06/2023

Invergarry Castle in Loch Oich during a stunning dawn in this uncharacteristic summer where high pressure is blocked into control leaving us with a weak northeasterly flow over Scotland. Sorry for the last few postless days, I've been having problems with my posting workflow

03/06/2023

Hello. I'd like to introduce Sailing Trilleen I've been making vids for a good while but Trilleen is currently mastless and misadventurimg in the Caledonian Canal. I'm not disabled sailor and on my way round Britain and Ireland solo The latest video is https://youtu.be/zSoHGYmB0F0 but do check the back catalogue. Would love to connect with other small creators and hear your feedback

Two wild adaptive walks suitable for wheelchairs in the Scottish highlands on the Caledonian Canal with Ian and some magic boating from Dochgarroch to Lagga...

03/06/2023

When Wheelchairs Walk - and more mastless misadventures exploring accessible walking along the Caledonian canal. Channel link is in the Bio or video https://youtu.be/zSoHGYmB0F0

03/06/2023

Latest video: when wheelchairs walk. Accessible walking along the caledonian canal and more happy mastless misadventures with Sailing Trilleen

Two wild adaptive walks suitable for wheelchairs in the Scottish highlands on the Caledonian Canal with Ian and some magic boating from Dochgarroch to Lagga...

03/06/2023

This morning in the anchorage at loch Oich below Glengarry House Hotel.

02/06/2023

Two workboats in the last two days. Not a lot of trade for the Canal at the moment I have to say, neither particularly in terms of passage yachts: a trickle not a flood - nor of the working vessels like this logistics support ship NSL CHALLENGER and shallow draft ice class tug AFON WEN, which are of a size to make the canal thrive again. The canal is well sized to permit survey vessels and the sort of craft used to service 'inshore' wind farms to pass easily and rapidly so its a little mysterious to me why there isn't more traffic from these vessels - many of which are going from contract to contract.

01/06/2023

Mallard Drake at Fort Augustus East - strangely charismatic ducks when you see them close up - especially in places like the canal where they don't get to eat as much bread and other bad things for them as they tend to in towns.

Took these shots as I got the boat ready for transit up Fort Augustus Locks towards Kytra. I'm having a chilled out few days in the Caledonian Canal before I run out of license here and have to take Trilleen back to the bad world of marina living where the temptation will be to do things to Trilleen.

01/06/2023

This is the sausage factory where all the lovely Trilleen content gets made and where I do my admin too.