We were in Ardrishaig and Salty Lass needed a good clean. We also needed to stock up on food. the last place that we had done a food shop was in Oban so supplies were running pretty low. So there was lots to do, get the boat clean, water the boat and get food for passage. On top of this we reflected on what we had learnt about how to position the lines and the things that we had found useful, like our little radios and the tee tree oil, we also enjoyed watching all the other boats as they manoeuvred in and around the basin. By the time we had sorted all our jobs out, the day was done, but we knew that the next day we would escape the canal system and be off to sea.

So the next day, as soon as we could, we went through the last loch and we were out into the channel, narrowly missing a lobster pot, whose buoy was just five yards outside the channel. Beverley and I think that there needs to be some kind of rules with regard to lobster pots. We think that the industry needs to be preserved, but there needs to be a minimum distance in and around Channels. The wind was pretty good, so we managed to get the sails out. This was the first time in over a week, so it felt really good. The feeling of good did not last for long however, as the wind started to mount, but we did get a good speed up of just 6.7 knots with a reef in the genoa and no main sail up. The wind was getting a little bit too frisky for our liking and because Loch Tarbot was not very far away, we decided that we would run for cover.

Loch Tarbot was a very nice converted fishing harbour, with some fantastic toilets, heated floors and everything. As we went around the shops we bought a few things, the most enjoyable being steak, which we had with a plate of mushrooms and chips.

The next day we had a fantastic sail seeing porpoises along the way, which is always enjoyable, so we managed to complete our sail all the way to Largs marina. We had noticed that we had a small rip in our genoa and seeing as the sail cost a fortune and the cost of repair was only going to be £20, it seemed like a sensible discision. We also got our spare sails checked out as this was only going to cost us £20 each, so all in all £60 plus vat.

So, the next day we dropped our genoa and wheeled the sail up to Saturn Sails. It took all day to get the sail sorted, so I managed to catch up on some work while Beverley sorted out the videos. Later that day, we went and got the verdict on our spare sails.

They were as we suspected only fit as spares, suitable to get you out of trouble and nothing else. He however gave us some sound advice and that was keep the genoa but get rid of the spare main. We will do this when I find a good use for the spare main.

Once we had hoisted the gemoa back up, we left Largs for our next port.