Entering a Marina Without an Engine Ep 16

Kames - Photo by author

Well the title says it all but let me start with some nicer times in Kames. Kames is a delightful anchorage and was to be our destination of choice for a couple of days after leaving Portavadie. We moored outside Kames Hotel, south of Tighnabruaich, where a warm welcome awaits. The hotel is full of charm and character, a contemporary design, paired with all the elegance of the Edwardian era and I must say it has very plush carpets. Having lived on a boat for the last 4 years, I find myself noticing the depth of carpet pile, quite strange really. What is even more bizarre is that I seem compelled to comment on this fact, stating out loud how luxurious the carpets are, just as if I was some poverty stricken individual! Oh dear must give myself a shake.

The views from our mooring and the hotel gardens were absolutely breathtaking. The views across the Kyles of Bute are so colourful and as the night falls the colours get even stronger and more atmospheric. We drank with the locals, who had many a story to tell and we dined out the evening before we left. The food at the Kames Hotel was quite simply exquisite.

View from Kames Hotel gardens - Photo by author

Not wanting to miss another beautiful anchorage we headed the next morning for a popular anchorage of Caladh, positioned at the west entrance to Loch Riddon. It was a delightful sunny morning and the winds were minimal so we motored towards the white beacon, as highlighted in the pilot guide which we had studied the night prior. Nearing the approach the engine cut out and my heart missed a beat. We started the engine again but at low revs she cut out once more. Luckily we were still far enough from the entrance of Caladh to maneuver freely in an open water. Gary went below to investigate as I circled the area in front of us. We decided the anchorage was too busy to attempt with a temperamental engine and therefore decided to limp to a marina. Rothesay and Port Bannatyne both had boat yards with engineers on hand and after consulting the pilot guide we made an informed decision to head for Port Bannatyne. Rothsay was further away and had a bridge to negotiate and in our predicament was a more risky option. With the new destination decided upon, we looked at charts and pilot guide for further potential hazards and possible traffic. We knew we would have to navigate the buoyed channel through the Burnt Isles, which was the transition from West Kyles to the East Kyles. There are two options through the Burnt Isles and we opted for the shorter of the two, close to Eilean Buidhe. Once through this area Gary looked for the ferries which hop across from the mainland to Bute. The ferry would be crossing our path but we hoped to be passed this point before they left the shore and this was only going to present a problem if the engine cut out again whilst crossing. Of course it did die again, you guessed it, just at the crossing point but it thankfully started again allowing us to move on through unscathed! I was on the phone to the lovely lady at Port Bannatyne just as the engine cut out so I am sure I probably swore in her ear, at least she understood our problem and she offered us the hammerhead berth and some assistance standing by at the pontoon. By this time, Gary had been able to ascertain that if we kept the revs high the engine was ok but anything below 5 knots she would cut out. This gave us the option to go faster but not slower, not the ideal scenario for entering a marina!!! We also considered trying to anchor in the bay outside the marina but not once did it cross our mind to ask for the marina to bring us in with the rib. Why? This is a prime example of completing a risk assessment on the hoof and where all the options were not considered.

Kames to Caladh view - Photo by author

With the hammerhead in sight we approached as slowly as we could and true to form the engine died. Now we were not quiet drifting slowly in but gliding at speed in the rough direction of the hammerhead. I threw a line to a young man standing fearlessly on the pontoon and another man ran towards the stern to grab another line which Gary threw to him. The young man and I fended the bow off the pontoon, trying with all our might to slow her down and push her around. Meanwhile Gary made the big jump ashore with yet another line in his hand and quickly all 4 of us had her secured, unbelievably without a mark or injury. As all this was going on, the lady who I had spoken to earlier on the phone was hung out the window of the marina office, grimacing I am sure. She told us later, that all she could think was that we were going too fast and in that she was bang on. I tell you about this experience not because we did it right but to point out how things can catch you off guard. We had so many more options open to us but our focus was too narrow and we also created a sense of urgency that really did not exist. We have learned from the event and in hindsight this was a ridiculous thing to attempt and we count ourselves extremely lucky to have come out of this situation without damage or injury to ourselves or others.

Time to reflect in Port Bannatyne - Photo by author

With the drama over for another day, we sat chatting about what could be the problem with the engine, days of investigation lay ahead, of that we were certain. I have come to realise that much of this lifestyle is about boat maintenance, just in differing beautiful places. Living and traveling on a sailboat requires several essentials, a working engine for those land moments, sound rigging, good condition sails and a strong hull. The first on this list has indeed been challenging and Gary was determined to get to the bottom of the problem and more importantly decide upon how to solve it.

Port Bannatyne - photo by author

Port Bannatyne town was sleepy and somewhat closed due to Covid lockdown but the views around the harbour were pretty and well worth the daily walk which I took to relieve the boredom. I say boredom as we felt stranded in a place that had few facilities and the nearest shop of any size was a bus ride away in a much bigger town called Rothesay. On our trip to Rothesay we visited the supermarket and launderette and returned with several bags and much longer arms. Our pockets were significantly lighter too not the cheapest laundrette we have come across, that's for sure. The thought of doing this for weeks on end sent shivers up my spine, especially if we needed a new engine as this would mean we would be here for potentially 3 months. ARRRR! This prospect acted as a big incentive to solve the engine problem quickly. The marina staff were great and John Sterling the marina owner did all he could for us. He liaised with the Beta manufacturer and supplied us with a detailed quote for the installation of a new engine. He was not pushy at all, in fact it was at our request more than his sales pitch.

Not to be beaten, Gary spent 2 whole days in the engine bay and to my delight the engine was running again and the reeves were doing as they should under load. Just as we were smiling at each other, having had the good fortune of finding the engine hick up, John arrived with the new engine quote, 11K! Well need I say anymore, we are going to stick with the 35 year old Volvo Penta. John smiled as he too said the engine sounded good, a wee bit smokey but that is a well known Volvo Penta age old trait. Gary discussed his findings with Dad, Davy and another friend also called Gary, all of which are outstanding mechanics. They all felt my wonderful hubby was on the right lines and indeed may have solved the engine problem – air in the wrong places. Simply put, the O rings in the first fuel filter had been stacked.

View from Port Bannatyne over to Rothesay - Photo by author

With the engine purring nicely again, I set about researching our winter marina. Kames Bay, Port Bannatyne is lovely, we just did not see this as our long term winter berth, especially in times of Covid. Mind you, we will visit this place again and take the time to explore more of the Isle of Bute, as had it not been in times of Covid lockdown there was a lot of historic places to see. Such as Mount Stuart House and Rothesay Castle, which are said to be fantastic, thus we will be back for sure.

So we set sail to this little gem.......

South Beach Ardrossan - Photo by author

Ardrossan Prom - Photo by author

Clyde Marina, Old Watch Tower - Photo by author

Clyde Marina - Photo by author

With our winter marina criteria established Clyde Marina Ardrossan was our choice. Nice bars and restaurants in walking distance was the only tick on the checklist that didn't make it and this was due to Covid not the offer of the nearby area. A chandlery on site would have also been nice but was not essential as now a days the internet seems to be king .

Our winter destination did however tick all the essential criteria below

• Groceries in easy walking distance

• Good all round weather protection

• Low winter price for 6 months a float and ashore

• Laundry facilities

• Fully serviced pontoons

• Accessible marina office with friendly and knowledgeable staff

• Convenient transport links to surrounding areas and Carlisle

• Hard standing with lift out and launch facilities

• Good cruising ground all year around

Next time I will share more of our winter home and all it has to offer. Until then stay safe and keep smiling xxxx