Lenny and Scott change the headsail on a cold Friday evening.

Stormcruiser, a Sigma 362, owned by Ron Collinson was chartered for the race. She has taken part in the race before and done well. Stormcruiser is kitted out with a good suit of sails but it was good of Ron to let us have her for a weekend to get the measure of what she would do.

Mid February on the Clyde can be interesting and our training weekend supplied everything from rough seas and force 6 winds to light airs and glorious sunshine.

After shopping for food, drink and other goodies in Glasgow we all met up, minus our runners for a sailing weekend. Kip Marina is Stormcruisers home berth and as the boat was prepared for the weekend the weather started to look gloomy. Ian rang the coastguard to report our passage and get a Met report, "get your warm gear on" was his interpretation of the detailed weather forecast! With three RYA qualified yachmasters, one of whom is also a yachtmaster/instructor as crew I felt that I was in safe hands. The weather could do it's worst.

The sailing plan was to leave Kip, sail to Rothsay for the night and then sail down to Arran and look at the drop off point for our runners during the race. We were to return to Rothsay for food and refresment on Saturday evening and then return Stormcruiser to her berth on Sunday afternoon.

This would give the sailing team some time to run through a wide range of sails and points of sailing. It would also provide some time for recreation, which included a meal at the Black Bull on Saturday night.

As we cleared the outer marker at Kip we ran straight into a cold wind which whipped the tops of the waves across the deck and into our faces. Scott asked me a question and as I opened my mouth to reply Neptune obliged with a face full of cold seawater. Welcome to the Clyde.

The short passage to Rothsay was pleasant enough despite the weather, as bowman Lenny tried different sails as the team tweaked Stromcruiser to gain boatspeed. I just kept my fingers crossed that I would keep my lunch in place (which I did!). I was happy to act as cook and drinks waiter as the sailing team sorted out the boat and organised the sail locker for easy access. A large pot of Chilli was on the go and G and T's were followed by a bottle of wine, who would want to be a runner?

Saturday saw us motor out and try some turns to see how well she would act under power. Stormcruiser will turn on a sixpence! As the wind started to rise we started to raise tha main and begin our passage to Arran.

Sunshine and a good breeze on Saturday afternoon.

The day just got better and better, as midday approached the sun broke through and the afternoon sail was unforgetable. Unforgetable for me as I had been commisioned to go to the top of the mast and sort out a halliard that crossed its pulley. The picture of the crew proves my exploit was succesful. In fact once I was aloft I was not that keen to come down, as the boat was sailed through the north channel I stood on the top spreader and enjoyed the experience of flyng across the water 40 feet up the mast.

Put the kettle on!

Ian's request was a bit strange as we had just finished our mid morning brew up. The order was for one tea and one coffee with two sugars, we were expecting visitors.

Ian had arranged for a highline transfer excercise to be done while we were off Arran. With no newsagent in the area the helicopter crew were going to undertake two highlines and drop off some sunday papers, have a brew and then fly off to HMS Gannet.

This was the chance to get the cameras going. I loaded up two 35mm SLR's and my Ricoh digital and headed off to the bows where I could sit looking back along the deck.

Spot on time the Seaking came roaring over the boat and turned to line up with our port quarter. This was my second highline experience and I new that the downdraught from the rotor blades was going to make me damp. I wasn't concerned about getting wet but I was worried about the cameras and lenses.

The last highline I photographed left all the camera gear coated in salt spray, when it had dried my gear looked as though it was covered in icing sugar! This time I was further away from the edge of the downdraught so I hoped it would be a little drier. It was, but it still blew one of my lens caps over the side never to be seen again.

The noise of the rotors changed as the Seaking started to inch closer to us. As the helicopter came closer the winch operator started to lower a line with a weighted bag attached. This is the highline which is gathered into the boat and used to help the crewman on the end of the winch cable get aboard safely.

Once the highline was aboard the winch operator started to lower a crewman on the main cable. While this happening the helicopter pilot is slowly moving his aircraft closer to the boat. This all happening while we are doing 5 knots! The skill required is incredible and I still marvel at the sight of the helicopter rotors creeping towards the top of the mast. The Navy helicopter crews practice this technique over and over, when you have to do it for real you need to be perfect.

Two crewmen from the helicopter did transfers, the brews were drunk, the newspapers handed over and then the helicopter did a couple of high speed runs over the boat before flying back to the mainland. Brilliant!

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The team is pleased to be sponsored by Aztec Camping and have also received support from Victorinox, Recta and Maglite.