The Crinan Classic is the annual race that takes place within the Crinan Wooden Boat Festival held annually in July in the port town of Crinan on the West Coast of Scotland. Crinan was originally names Port Righ which means ‘kings Port’ so you know it must be an amazing place! The Port Village is situated on loch Crinan and has a maze of canals perfect for exploring. Sailing around Crinan is about as picturesque as it gets and being surrounded by wooden boats of all shapes and sizes and ages is both fascinating and wonderful. The wooden boats bring back a real sense of nostalgia and remembrance of ages past as well as celebrate the amazing craftsmanship of new master boat builders and the fun of people making their own boats as hobbies. Set on the stunning backdrop if the mountain Mul, you’ll have plenty so feast your eyes on. It’s a wonderful family event and a must for wooden sailboat enthusiasts.
Now that you are excited to get to the Crinan Boat Festival and be apart of the Crinan Classic we’ve put together a few cabin essentials that are a must for the Crinan Classic.
Maps and a GPS
Maybe it goes without saying but even at a fun event like this one it’s good to be fully prepared with maps of the area. When all else fails a good old traditional sailors map will still help to get you out of and sticky situations. So make sure you bring with you the relevant and up to date maps of the area. A GPS is also an essential. It’s always more comforting to know exactly where you are and be able to tell others your exact coordinates easily. Make sure your GPS is in good working order before bring it on board. And lastly a compass is an essential! No good trying to read a map without one and if you’re traveling during the day, well that rules out simply steering by the stars! Make sure you have a options with your navigational equipment because even as reliable as your GPS may be you never know when you may have a malfunction or some bad luck renders in useless so it’s always important to have back up.
A Heater
A cabin heater is something that may seem like a luxury, but even in summer the temperature in Scotland can get cold, particularly at night and if you’re planning on staying onboard your vessel then there’s no way you want to be awake and shivering all night. You can get great cabin heaters to suit about every size of cabin, and it will have you in a lot more comfort which will in turn give you more energy for sailing. If you are unable to have a cabin heater on board for what ever reason, then give the humble rubber hot water bottle a go to pre warm your bet or even stuff under your jacket if you’re sitting out in the cold. They are inexpensive and all you need is some hot water which you can boil your self on your stove top.
Sanitation Systems
A proper sanitation system can be again a bit of a luxuary seeming item, but there is nothing worse than trying to find privacy when you feel the need to relive yourself in the middle of a busy boat harbor. Trying to scramble to the harbor toilets can be just as bad and at a busy event like this one there are bound to be lines. So make sure you have your own system in place which is hygienic and will make your life a lot easier. There are plenty of different models you can choose from and boat harbors will have waste disposal unit also to make your life easier.
A Cooker
Getting a good cooker can be a game changer and something you will always use. Even if you are only using it to heat water for your coffee or tea it’s already a good investment. There is a range of cook tops designed specifically with sailing in mind so you down have to stress as much about and open flame finding a wooden surface in the rolling and lurching. Although of course with any cookers you need to be careful and not leave them unattended. Getting a cooker on board will make your life so much easier because you’ll have the flexibility and freedom to make your own hot breakfast lunch and dinner if you so choose which is great if you are staying out on your boat for a few days during the Crinan Classic. Do your research and find one which suits your cabin space and needs and it will not be an investment you regret.
A Ladder
Simple as it sounds it one of the biggest must have’s. Even if you are not planning on taking a dip in the Scottish Lochs you never know when an unexpected man overboard situation may occur and it’s good to have an easy way of getting back in the boat. Not only for safety reasons are they a must but also just getting gin and out of the boat on a regular basis, during the Wooden Boat Festival there are a lot of vessels around and you may not always get the ease of being right up against the dock, getting into a tender may have to be an option for you so it’s best to have a ladder to make life as easy as possible.
Get Racing!
Now you’ve got the basics together its time to get on over to Crinan, get out into those picturesque lochs and get your wooden sailing boat racing. With your Navigation equipment and cabin essentials you’ll be ready to face anything and do it with ease and comfort. Enjoy all that the Crinan Classic Has to offer and enjoy the majesty and craftsmanship of the amazing wooden Sailing boats you see around you. Have Fun!