West Highland Yachting Week - Day 2

Winds prove too strong to start racing

Racing for this year's West Highland Yachting Week (WHYW) competitors had to be abandoned due to poor weather with winds gusting 35 knots in the Firth of Lorne and lumpy seas.

Both the Tunnock's spinnaker fleet and the Argyll white sail fleet were set to sail on different courses but came out to a steady thirty knot breeze with a lumpy sea off Oban. Race Officer Malcolm MacGregor kept all options open trying valiantly to give some racing for the Tunnock's fleet. But despite postponing to see if the strong winds would moderate, most yachts made their own decision to head back to the shelter of Oban Bay or Dunstaffnage Marina. It was a similar situation for the Argyll fleet hoping to start further south of the ferry line off Oban.

Only three keen boats sheltered in the lee of Maiden Island to see whether racing would be possible.

The JRC race team said: "Clearly it was very disappointing not to be able to race today. The postponement was flown to see if winds would abate slightly to give the chance of a later race. However this was not to be and we hope conditions will improve for tomorrow's passage race to Tobermory which is sponsored by Gael Force Marine."

With a forecast of fresh south to south easterly winds for Wednesday it could be a run to Tobermory. The fleet start later, around mid-day, to head up the Sound of Mull with the tide. Tobermory will extend its usual welcome to all competitors and there are full facilities provided by Tobermory Harbour Association, one of WHYW's main supporters.

All results on www.whyw.co.uk