There’s no doubt in my mind that Iain Oughtred designs truly beautiful boats. But as Elsie, an Oughtred Caledonia Yawl, proved by winning this year’s Sail Caledonia, she’s not only beautiful but a consummate performer under sail and oars.
It may be called the Caledonian Canal, but this 60 mile stretch of lochs linked by canals, including the 20 mile long Loch Ness, running through the Great Glen, can be a challenging sailing area. Don’t be misled by the light wind photos – strangely enough there are more of these than of boats in rough conditions!
Elsie, Caledonia Yawl – again.
Left to right: Curlew, Bayraider 20; Mohican, Orkney Yole (the boat I was crewing – delighted with our second place in Class 2)
Left to right (sailing boats): Auk, Westray Skiff; Feadhanach, Selway Fisher Islay Skiff; Black Pearl, John Gardner Swampscott Dory; ? ; Mohican, Orkney Yole.
Gladys, Bayraider 20; Storm, Drascombe Coaster; Mohican, Orkney Yole; Auk, Westray Skiff
Feadhanach, Selway Fisher Islay Skiff; Kelpie Oughtred Tirrik; Mohican, Orkney Yole
Gladys, Bayraider 20; Plaisir du Chocolat, Oughtred Ness Yawl; Mohican, Orkney Yole; ? ; Elsie: ? ; ?
Gladys, Bayraider 20; Black Pearl, John Gardner Swampscott Dory; ? ; Ristie, Bayraider 20
Feadhanach, Selway Fisher Islay Skiff
Black Pearl, John Gardner Swampscott Dory; Gladys, Bayraider 20.
Ristie, Bayraider 20
Kelpie, Oughtred Tirrik
Other boats on the raid were: Pathfinder III, Fyne Boats Canoe Yawl; Turaco III, another BayRaider 20; Craic, SeaRaider – apparently the prototype for the Bayraider.
I never set out to do a photo blog of all the boats – these are mainly John’s pictures which included our own Mohican, and my photos of boats that happened to be nearby when I wasn’t hanging on to the jib sheet. Lots more photos here.
Links to more information about some of the boats:
Forthsailoar 
Lovely photos Osbert
Steve
Arwens meanderings