SSS Changes in 2017

[sleddog]

[QUOTE=[I]AlanH;16395]After promises, curses, more promises, moving all around the bluidy Bay, and delay, The Wildcat of Loch Awe will make her first appearance with the SSS in the Doublehanded 160-mumble PHRF division in the 3BF[/I].

For those not familiar, the Wildcat of Loch Awe is Briton's last truly wild predator. An inhabitant of the West Scottish Highlands, this infamously wild animal is, like the Scots themselves, untameable, and will fight to the death for their freedom. One of the most elusive creatures in the world, Scottish wildcats may number less than 100 and are imminently threatened with extinction.

The Wildcat of Loch Awe: an incredibly tough kitty capable of surviving Scotland's harshest winters, battling eagles, and drawing the admiration of men who bested empires.

For sure, an appropriate name for Alan's vessel.

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

[Philpott]

Reading between the lines, DURA MATER saw a drop-off in her AirBnB bookings and had to move back to the lucrative Berkeley market.

Dura Mater: Luxury yacht available for the ultimate romantic get-away.
• Master V Berth with porta pottie en suite;
• Chocolates on your pillow;
• Sleep comfortably in a genuine North Face down sleeping bag (purchased in 1971, but still warm as toast)
• Mood lighting by Coleman, with no fear of electricity loss because it’s battery operated!
• No need to find a restaurant: use the single burner propane stove (purchased at the Asian market in Albany for $12.95) to heat water up quickly for instant coffee or oatmeal (provided).
• Reading materials provided, authors all legitimate SSS members: Heiberg, Evans, Crawford, et al.
• For an exciting experience and fine view you are welcome to take advantage of the MastClimber, (with static line donated by Todd Olson, current record holder of the Take Alcatraz Challenge).

To book this Fabulous Experience, contact Bob Johnston.

[BobJ]

You're doing pretty well so far - DM is booked through April.

Most couples' questions have to do with the use of the MastClimber. One guy said his girlfriend wanted to know which page of the Kama Sutra that was on. I suggested page 1071 of the West Marine catalog (confused). A few want to know who empties the Porta Pottie.

Anyway, I think you're onto something here.

[Henry D]

[QUOTE=BobJ;16434]You're doing pretty well so far - DM is booked through April.

Most couples' questions have to do with the use of the MastClimber. One guy said his girlfriend wanted to know which page of the Kama Sutra that was on.

Thank you Bob, we had great laugh LOL

[BobJ]

Hey Henry, I saw GRACE on Craigslist. What's up?

[Henry D]

You can't keep the secret here:-)
I will be moving back to Europe and do some sailing on the Bay of Biscay, will probably buy even the sistership, now that I know how to set her up.
Happy New Year

[AlanH]

[QUOTE=sleddog;16429]

AlanH;16395]After promises, curses, more promises, moving all around the bluidy Bay, and delay, The Wildcat of Loch Awe will make her first appearance with the SSS in the Doublehanded 160-mumble PHRF division in the 3BF[/I].

For those not familiar, the Wildcat of Loch Awe is Briton's last truly wild predator. An inhabitant of the West Scottish Highlands, this infamously wild animal is, like the Scots themselves, untameable, and will fight to the death for their freedom. One of the most elusive creatures in the world, Scottish wildcats may number less than 100 and are imminently threatened with extinction.

The Wildcat of Loch Awe: an incredibly tough kitty capable of surviving Scotland's harshest winters, battling eagles, and drawing the admiration of men who bested empires.

For sure, an appropriate name for Alan's vessel.

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

As most of you know, my "other" hobbies include throwing trees on the weekends and making kilts. Before we went to Scotland in 2014, I was reading about Scottish natural history issues and came across the problem with the wildcats. I got to thinking..... one of my kilts is in the "Capercaillie" tartan. That's not a clan, the capercaillie is a grouse. The males set up leks, change their plumage and do elaborate mating rituals to establish territory and attract females during breeding season. After going extinct in the 1840's, they were re-introduced to Scotland in the late 1880's. now the capercaillie is in trouble again. Locharron of Scotland, the biggest producer of tartan fabric in the country, brought out the capercaillie tartan in about 2006. 15% of the proceeds of the sale of capercaillie tartan go to the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds to buy/renovate capercaillie habitat.

I got to thinking back in late 2003.... could I get a Scottish Wildcat Tartan designed and woven? Could we somehow raise money for the wildcats by marketing tartan? After working with my friend, Glen Allardyce from Ontario, US kiltmaker Barb Tewksbury, and UK kiltmaker Paul Henry, we did just that. Here it is...the Scottish Wildcat Tartan.

Here's a Scottish Wildcat

-



And here is a kilt made in that tartan, worn by Glen the designer.. The tartan is designed to reflect the colors of the Wildcat.



And a purse made in the tartan...




Fifteen percent of the sales of the tartan goes to benefit Wildcat Haven, an organization working to save the incredibly endangered cat. There are almost certainly <100 pureblood wildcats left in Scotland, and the picture is very bleak. The main issue is crossbreeding with feral housecats.

https://www.wildcathaven.com/

As I'm so involved with the project...we raised about $8,000 for Wildcat Haven in 2014 and 2015... I figured the name made sense for my boat. The tartan was so popular that we had THREE runs woven from Andrew Elliott Weaving, the last personally-owned, small weaving company in Scotland that does tartan. Three runs of a new tartan is **Unheard of**. That never happens. Each run was about 80 yards, which actually got the local industry to pay attention, as it never happens. The project was a flippin' lot of work, but I learned a lot and I'm really glad I dreamed up the idea. Credit Bob J. for getting me to think along the line of naming my boat after the cat. Loch Awe and Loch Fyne are the ancestral homes of my primary Scottish clan history, Clan MacNaughton.

I won't be making the boat upholstery out of wildcat tartan as it's about $70 a yard! I have about 5 yards of double-width fabric at home, waiting for me to get down to 280 pounds again before I stitch up my kilt.

[AlanH]

As for boat toys, I'm installing Harken ESP roller furling and it's a royal PITA. I shoulda bought the Schaeffer furler, but this unit was for sale for not many boat bucks on Craigslist and it was less than a year old.. *grr* Now I'm waiting for a threaded turnbuckle eye from PYacht to finish the installation.

Today I'll put on the new lower lifelines that I made up and take off the leeboard "keeper" boards to replace them with aluminum.

[Philpott]

You can't keep the secret here:-)
I will be moving back to Europe and do some sailing on the Bay of Biscay, will probably buy even the sistership, now that I know how to set her up.
Happy New Year

I recall a conversation we had at Island Yacht Club, Henry. You had had a couple of beers, but I recall your invitation to come sail w you on the Bay of Biscay. Please don't forget to send us your new address. Adieu to Yvonne. She is fine crew!

[Henry D]

I recall a conversation we had at Island Yacht Club, Henry. You had had a couple of beers, but I recall your invitation to come sail w you on the Bay of Biscay. Please don't forget to send us your new address. Adieu to Yvonne. She is fine crew!

Jackie, I am not leaving yet, and will do still few races here.
We will talk:-)