Ayyyye..... (waves zimmer frame furiously) It was 20 years ago today (near enough) that Chas went as a pretty much novice racer, with Anne and two friends, on his first Rover Series (as it was then) in a Trapper 28 in Class 7. It is good therefore that there is this year,in Class 7, another Trapper 28. So go Redwing.

That first overnight from Gourock was really an occasion for someone who had never really sailed any distance at night before. I remember we had to sail round Pladda and go up the Kilbrannon Sound. There were hours and hours spent drifting back and forwards on the tide off Pirnmill or thereabouts. Then there was another parking lot off Skipness before the final squirt across to Tarbert. And we lived aboard throughout. Happy days.

You know, given the effort that has gone in to promoting the one off round the island race as part of BDSS, why not include an overnight from Gourock too, maybe as a 'cruiser class' and strictly for the CYCA punters to add to the attraction? As far as I can remember it was mainly the very numerous and then-influential Sigma 33 fleet who objected to that race, mainly because they couldn't keep their close formation sailing going in the dark - and that wasn't the spirit of One Design (or something). I think killing the overnight at that time was the right decision. However.....

I hope the upcoming is a great event and I might be back sometime in the future.
But meantime IRC is too tough/expensive and the CYCA anomalies are too annoying and the toilets are still revolting etc etc.