Rally Report by Peter Manning

The 2007 Scottish Rally was again held in the beautiful setting of Kippford on the Solway Firth over the weekend of 15th and 16th September 2007.

17 members came to the rally along with three boats. Alistair Maxwell with CLIO, Alan and Gloria Parsons in BADGER, and Stuart Calcutt with KARMA.

Although we only had three boats, we managed to get everyone who wanted to sail on Saturday onboard and out into the Firth where we enjoyed some pleasant sailing. BADGER and CLIO decided to anchor for lunch while KARMA continued to enjoy sailing.

The wind not only provided good sailing conditions but also managed to remove the Hon Sec's old but still treasured fisherman's cap. Quick action by the skipper managed to turn CLIO around and with supreme skill the hat was recovered by the Hon Sec, much to his delight.

In the evening we dined as usual in the Mariner Hotel and afterwards retired to the Solway Sailing Club where I gave another illustrated talk, this time updated and with latest photos on the building of MALLIEMAC, sister-ship to TYSTIE.

The weather forecast for Sunday was not good and so it turned out on the day with strong winds and rain lashing Kippford. Clearly sailing was not an option which was very disappointing. Members met in the Solway Yacht Club for a coffee and a chat, looking for a break in the weather but none came. Eventually members bade their farewells and reluctantly made their way home. Several members decided to take lunch in the Mariner which helped to pass the time and just when the tide had gone out and left the boats high and dry, so the weather changed and we had a pleasant late afternoon.

By the evening only five souls remained, Alan and Gloria Parsons, Robin Blain, Stuart Calcutt and myself. We all enjoyed an excellent dinner prepared and served by Alan and Gloria on BADGER before Stuart had to go and trail his boat all the way back to Manchester. In the morning Robin and I said our farewells to Alan and Gloria and headed North to see Geoff Proven and DUMA who had hoped to come to the rally.

After a brief lunch on board, Geoff took Robin and I for a short sail which proved a different and interesting experience as DUMA does not have a traditional cockpit being built much more in the style of a Chinese junk with an open poop deck. The weather was quite exciting with strong winds, rain, hailstones and even a rainbow. All that was missing was snow and ice. Typical Scottish weather!

Our Scottish Rally in 2008 is being planned to take place at the end of August so let us hope that we shall have good weather and fair sailing winds. (Keep up to date with Rally dates here).

This rally report and related photos were taken
from the Junk Rig Association Newsletter 50.