Liquid Asset Sailing Archive
The Complete Logbook: 1972 – 2025
Published by Skipper • Archived Logs • 40+ Years of Yachting & Dinghy History
Welcome to the digital archive of my sailing logs. This page serves as a comprehensive chronological record tracking my journey across the waters—from my very first morning sail on a Scottish sea loch in 1972 to offshore ocean passages, Royal Yachting Association certifications, and extensive seasonal cruises along the South Coast, the Hebrides, Brittany, and the Channel Islands.
Fleet & Milestones Overview
Core Vessels: Beneteau 40.7, Sun Odyssey 45DS, Oceanis 46.1 (all named Liquid Asset)
Peak Qualifications: RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail (Passed 2013, Dartmouth)
Extreme Logs: Force 10 logged in the Inner Hebrides (2004), Force 9 in Rhu Marina (2002)
1. Recent Strategic Seasonal Cruises (2020 – 2025)
Cruises undertaken aboard the third iteration of Liquid Asset (Oceanis 46.1) and her predecessor, focusing heavily on the South Coast, Channel Islands, and West Country rivers.
Cruise 2025 South Coast
26 June 2025 • Dartmouth • 15.6°C
Dartmouth :: Guernsey :: Havre Gosselin :: Brixham :: Cawsand Bay :: Helford River :: River Fal (Truro) :: Cawsand Bay :: Dartmouth
Oceanis 46.1 (Liquid Asset) 350 NM Highlights: St Peters Port restaurant visit, Truro Cathedral tour. Successfully resolved battery alarms and AIS issues.
Cruise 2024 Isles of Scilly
14 June 2024 • Isles of Scilly AONB
Dartmouth :: Cawsand Bay :: River Helford :: Bryer/Tresco IoS :: Samson (day trip) :: River Helford :: Fowey :: Cawsands Bay :: Dartmouth
Oceanis 46.1 (Liquid Asset) 315 NM Cruise 2023 Channel Islands
23 July 2023 • Jersey • 17.3°C
Dartmouth :: Alderney :: Guernsey :: Sark :: Jersey :: Sark :: Guernsey :: Salcombe :: Cawsand :: Helford :: Fal :: Cawsand :: Dartmouth
Oceanis 46.1 (Liquid Asset) 405 NM Highlights: Explored La Seigneurie Gardens; enjoyed paddle boarding.
Cruise 2022 Channel Islands
24 June 2022 • Guernsey • 16.3°C
Dartmouth – Cawsands – Sark – Guernsey – Salcombe – Cawsands – Dartmouth
Oceanis 46.1 (Liquid Asset) 310 NM Cruise 2021 Isles of Scilly (Covid-19 Era)
25 June 2021 • Isles of Scilly AONB
Dartmouth :: Cawsands Bay :: River Fal :: Kynance Bay :: Bryher/Tresco IOS :: Samson Isle (day trip) :: Mullion Cove :: River Helford :: River Fal :: Cawsands Bay :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 320 NM Highlights: Day trip to the completely uninhabited Samson Isle; day trip ashore to the Heron Inn in Malpas.
Cruise 2020 South Coast (Covid-19 Era)
29 August 2020 • Fowey
Dartmouth :: Cawsands Bay :: River Yealm :: Cawsands Bay :: River Fal :: River Helford :: off Lizard Point :: River Helford :: Fowey :: Cawsands Bay :: Salcombe :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 230 NM Highlights: Day trip ashore to Helford village; memorable sail out to Eddystone Rock.
2. Mid-Shore & Cross-Channel Exploration (2011 – 2019)
A decade defined by regular passages across the English Channel to Brittany, intense pilotage through narrow French channels, and blue-water loops to the Isles of Scilly.
Cruise 2019 Isles of Scilly
14 June 2019 • Gugh IoS
Dartmouth :: Fowey :: River Fal :: Bryher/Tresco :: Agnes/Gugh :: River Helford :: Sand Acre Bay & Jupiter Point :: Cawsands Bay :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 331 NM Cruise 2018 Channel Islands – Brittany
16 June 2018 • Lézardrieux :: Brittany
Dartmouth :: Sark :: Guernsey :: Lezardrieux :: Tregier :: Lezardrieux :: Sark :: Alderney :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 316 NM Highlights: Mastered ferry gliding onto the tidal pontoon at Lézardrieux. Visited the breathtaking Jardin de Kerdalo.
Cruise 2017 Isles of Scilly – Brittany
17 June 2017 • Carantec :: River Morlaix
Dartmouth :: Fowey :: IoS New Grimsby Sound :: River Morlaix :: Lezardrieux :: St Peter Port :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 440 NM Highlights: Pure manual helming entirely across the English Channel without an auto-helm. Visited the Abbey Gardens on Tresco.
Cruise 2016 Brest Brittany
10 June 2016 • Camaret-sur-mer
Dartmouth :: Treguier :: River Morlaix :: L’Aber Wrach :: off Brest :: Camaret-sur-mer :: Bertheaume :: River Helford :: River Fal :: Fowey :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 504 NM Highlights: Mastered the notoriously shallow and technical Channel de Batz. Executed an overnight cross-channel passage in Force 6 conditions.
Cruise 2015 Carantec Brittany
20 June 2015 • Carantec :: River Morlaix
Dartmouth :: Sark :: St Helier :: Lezardrieux :: Ile de Brehat :: Le Sept Isle :: Port Blanc :: River Morlaix :: Tregueir :: Sark :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 372 NM Highlights: Beautiful mid-day anchorage at Île de Bréhat for lunch.
Cruise 2014 Isles of Scilly
14 June 2014 • Tresco
Dartmouth :: Sark :: Tresco IoS :: Falmouth :: Fowey :: River Yealm :: Salcombe :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 479 NM Cruise 2013 Post-Yachtmaster Voyage
10 June 2013 • Truro River
Eastbourne :: Portland Harbour :: Teignmouth :: Dartmouth :: Fowey :: River Truro :: Helford River :: Dartmouth :: Torquay :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 343 NM Cruise 2012 South Coast
08 June 2012 • Fowey
Eastbourne :: Gosport :: Lyme Regis :: Salcombe :: Fowey :: Helford River :: River Yealm :: Dartmouth
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 340 NM Cruise 2011 Wales Passage
01 July 2011 • Cardigan Bay
Swansea :: Milford Haven :: Skomer :: Ramsay Sound :: Fishguard :: off Grassholm :: Dale Bay :: Tenby :: Barafundle Bay :: Swansea
Sun Odyssey 45DS (Liquid Asset) 319 NM Highlights: Spectacular Chough & puffin sightings on Skomer Island. Celebrated with drinks on the top floor of the Meridian Tower.
3. RYA Professional Qualifications & Safety Track
A formal breakdown of shore-based theory, safety drills, and practical offshore command evaluations.
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Examination
21 June 2013 • Tor Bay / Dartmouth • 50°21′58″N, 3°34’40″W
Result: PASSED. Examined sailing out of Dartmouth towards Brixham in heavy sea fog. Required navigating to exact target positions within Tor Bay, stopping briefly at Torquay, and returning to Dartmouth for complex nighttime maneuvers.
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sun Odyssey 45DSRYA First Aid Course
13 October 2012 • Glenridding Sailing Centre
Practical marine first aid application training based on the shores of Ullswater.
First Aid CertificateRYA Small Craft Basic Sea Survival Course
11 October 2012 • Shamrock Quay
Intense shore-based safety training including survival pool drills, practical life raft deployment, and a live pyrotechnic flare session. Issued RYA Sea Survival Certificate.
Sea Survival CertificateRYA Coastal Skipper Certificate (Tidal)
12 May 2000 • Isle of Rum / Firth of Lorne
Dunstaffnage :: Loch Spelve :: Colonsay :: Isle of Mull (Tinkers Hole) :: Iona (Nunnery tour) :: Gometra / Ulva :: Eigg :: Isle of Rum :: Loch Scavaig :: Isle of Canna :: Arinagour (Coll) :: Tobermory :: Dunstaffnage
Coastal Skipper Red Admiral 36 (Illusion of Lorne) 258 NM • Max F7 + Fog Instructed by Captain Bill Sturrock (Firth of Lorne Sea School). Celebrated achieving the Coastal Skipper ticket in the cubicle of the famous Mishnish bar in Tobermory on the final evening.
RYA Day Skipper Certificate (Sail Tidal)
05 September 1997 • Arinagour / Inner Hebrides
Arisaig :: Loch Na Droma Buidhe :: Tobermory :: Lochaline :: Sound of Kerrera (Night Sail) :: Castle Bay :: En Dubh Mor :: Craobh Haven :: Loch Beag :: Gulf of Corryvrecken :: Isle of Mull (Erraid) :: Gometra/Ulva :: Arinagour :: Loch Cuan :: Loch Caen :: Traigh :: Loch Moidart (Castle Tioram) :: Arisaig
Day Skipper Pioneer 10 (Piota) 232 NM • Max F7 Instructed by Keith Stanley. Included tight maneuvering through moored yachts in Tobermory and a rigorous night passage down the Sound of Kerrera.
RYA Competent Crew Certificate
02 July 1997 • East Loch Tarbert
Arisaig :: Camus Daraich :: Toscaig :: Rona :: Scalpay :: Loch Maddy :: Bags Nan Faoilean :: Loch Bhaheasaid :: Camus Daraich :: Arisaig
Competent Crew Pioneer 10 (Piota) 255 NM • Max F8 Instructed by Keith Stanley. Heavy weather training hitting a peak of Force 8 wind.
RYA Yachtmaster Theory (Shore-Based)
Sept 1996 – Apr 1997 • Carlisle College, Victoria Place
Six months of weekly Thursday evening classroom training focusing on tidal calculations, advanced navigation, collision regulations, and meteorology.
Yachtmaster Theory4. Early Campaigns & Channel Coastal Runs (2006 – 2010)
The original Beneteau 40.7 racing/cruising years out of Eastbourne Marina, mastering anchorages and long coastal stretches.
Cruise 2010 West Country Run
01 August 2010 • Helford River
Eastbourne :: Brighton :: Gosport :: Lymington :: Portland Harbour :: Brixham :: Dartmouth :: Sand Acre Bay (Tamar) :: Fowey :: River Helford :: Eastbourne
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 634 NM Incidents & Highlights: Caught a loose rope around the propeller off Brighton. Bob suffered an onion knife injury. Dropped anchor at the exact same spot in Sand Acre Bay as 2009. Deflated dinghy departure from Ferry Boat Inn.
Cruise 2009 Channel Islands Circuit
01 August 2009 • Sandacre Bay
Eastbourne :: Alderney :: Guernsey :: Sark :: Dartmouth :: Sandacre Bay (Plymouth) :: Studland Bay :: Gosport :: Eastbourne
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 550 NM Highlights: Caught the local Parade and Festival in Alderney. Navigated an extremely shallow berth at St Peter Port. Encountered a distinctly unfriendly “visitors welcome” policy at the Mermaid Inn, Sark.
Cruise 2008 South Coast Passage
02 August 2008 • Sandacre Bay
Eastbourne :: Brighton :: Gosport :: Studland Bay :: Portland Harbour :: Dartmouth :: Plymouth :: Dartmouth :: Gosport
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 350 NM Incident: Ground tackle dragged significantly inside Portland Harbour before fortunately catching onto an old, heavy mooring chain link.
Cruise 2007 Cornwall Run
07 August 2007 • St Ives
Dartmouth :: Plymouth :: Mevagissey :: Coverack :: off Lizard Point :: off Land’s End :: St Ives :: Penzance
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 205 NM Highlights: Excellent fresh breakfast ashore after arriving at Coverack.
Sailing Race 2007 (Cross-Channel)
26 May 2007 • Fécamp (France)
Eastbourne :: Fecamp (France) :: Eastbourne
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 134 NM Sail Weekend 2006
27 May 2006 • Sovereign Marina, Eastbourne
Eastbourne :: off Beachy Head :: Royal Sovereign Light :: Pevensey Bay
Beneteau 40.7 (Liquid Asset) 53 NM 5. Blue Water Hebrides, Northern & International Charters (2001 – 2006)
A heavy period of challenging expeditions across the Outer Hebrides, the North Atlantic Ocean, and a Mediterranean cruise in Croatia.
Cruise 2006 Outer Hebrides
09 September 2006 • Loch Boisdale
Dunstaffnage :: Kyle of Lochalsh :: Aros Bay (Skye) :: Boisdale :: Tobermory :: Loch Sunart :: Crinan :: Gulf of Corryvreckan :: Port Ramsay :: Dunstaffnage
Sun Odyssey 43′ (Chantilly) 340 NM • Role: First Mate Highlights: Visited the legendary Mishnish at Tobermory, strictly ordering glasses of water ahead of a punishingly early start the next day.
Cruise 2005 Outer Hebrides
23 Tuesday / May 2005 • Chantilly
Dunstaffnage :: Canna :: Wizard Pool (South Uist) :: Eriskay :: Mingulay :: Castlebay (Barra) :: Arinagour :: Bull Hole :: Carsaig Bay :: Gulf Corryvreckan :: Kerrera :: Dunstaffnage
Sun Odyssey 43′ (Chantilly) 308 NM Cruise 2005 Croatia (Mediterranean Charter)
21 May 2005 • Split :: Croatia
Split :: Trogir :: Stomorska :: Vis :: Pakleni Islands :: Stomorska :: Split
Oceanis 36′ (Aria) 126 NM Cruise 2004 Inner Hebrides (Heavy Storm Passage)
17 September 2004 • Inner Seas off West Coast
Dunstaffnage :: Tobermory :: Dromabuidhe :: Kerrera :: Jura Sound :: off Islay :: Small Isles :: Crinan :: Loch Linhe :: Eriska (Loch Creran) :: Dunstaffnage
Sun Odyssey 43′ (Chantilly) 271 NM • Skipper: Iain Burns Weather: Officially logged a severe Force 10 gale while navigating open stretches of the West Coast.
Cruise 2003 Outer Hebrides Campaign
22 August 2003 • Loch Maddy
Dunstaffnage :: Tobermory :: Eriskay :: Talisker (Loch Halport) :: Loch Maddy :: Gairloch :: Kyle of Lochalsh :: Mull :: Dunstaffnage
Westerly 41′ Ocean Lord 438 NM • Skipper: Iain Burns Cruise 2002 Outer Hebrides Run
24 August 2002 • Stornoway
Dunstaffnage :: Minguley :: Eriskay :: Loch Maddy :: Stornaway :: Loch Shell :: Portree :: Armadale :: Dunstaffnage
Westerly 42′ Highland Sealord 381 NM • Skipper: Iain Burns Sailing Day Cruise: M/Y Drum
14 May 2002 • Rhu Marina • 56°00′39″N, 4°46’30″W
Rhu Marina :: Rothesay Bay :: Rhu Marina
Maxi 78′ (Drum) 30 NM • Skipper: A J Dagel Weather: Heavy, high-speed sailing hitting a maximum of Force 9 wind.
Cruise 2001: Shetland, Orkney & North Atlantic Expedition
03 June 2001 • North Atlantic Ocean • 57°41’11″N, 4°12’41″W
Invergorden → Fionavon Oilfield (Aborted Faroes due to NW F7) → Hillswick → Busta Voe (Shetland) → Muckle Flugga → Haroldswick → Out Skerries → Lerwick → Sumburgh Head → Jarlshof Settlement → Fair Isle → Kirkwall Orkney → Bursta Roost → Eynhallow Sound → Cape Wrath → Portree
Pioneer 10 (Piota) 654 NM • Skipper: Keith Stanley Expedition Notes: Massive blue water passage. Pushed northwest to the Fionavon oilfield before abandoning an attempt on the Faroes due to a relentless NW Force 7 gale. Explored Muckle Flugga, Fair Isle, and the historical Jarlshof settlement.
6. Inland Waters, Great Glen Lochs & Roots (1972 – 2006)
From primary non-tidal loch configurations and early council courses, to the foundational day that started it all.
Great Glen Lochs Flotilla Weekends (YCA 29′ Vessels)
- April 2006: Firth of Forth Day Sail from Port Edgar Marina under the famous Forth Bridges to Inchcolm Island (5°C). Tough landing at the pier due to heavy tidal flow and rocky foreshore; explored Inchcolm Abbey ruins.
- July 2005: Loch Lochy :: Gairlochy :: Loch Oich :: Loch Lochy (75 NM on Rosie).
- May 2005: Fort Augustus :: Loch Oich :: Loch Lochy. Sailed with crew Ian Hepburn, Alistair Murray, and Ross McCallum. Joyous evening at Gairlochy pontoon.
- April 2004: Loch Lochy :: Loch Oich :: Loch Ness :: Drumnadrochit (60 NM on Rajah).
- September 2001: Loch Lochy :: Loch Oich :: Loch Ness (40 NM non-tidal on Ragtime).
- June 1999: Crewed with Susan Lagan departing from Loch Departure (57°01′29″N, 4°49’38″W) on Rajah.
- September 1996: Caledonian Canal Cruise from Fort Augustus Top Lock to Drumnadrochit on Rosie.
- May 1995: Loch Lochy weekend cruise aboard Rosie accompanied by crew Susan.
Cruise Norfolk Broads 1996
22 June 1996 • Horning
Horning :: Hoveton Great Broad :: Wrexham Broad :: Barton Broad :: Great Yarmouth :: Oulton Broad :: Lowestoft :: Cantley :: Reedham (The Ship) :: River Bure (Acle) :: Horning
Motor Cruiser (Leading Lady) Sailing Dinghy Classes: Talkin Tarn
23 April 1986 • Talkin Tarn
Six-week structured evening instruction sailing course organized by the local council. Sailed Wayfarer class dinghies. On the final evening, experienced a thrilling 1-on-1 session in brisk winds, handling the helm while standing fully on the gunwale.
Wayfarer Class DinghyThe First Sail: Loch Torridon
15 June 1972 • Alligan, Loch Torridon
My definitive first experience of sailing. A crisp morning sail on a deep sea loch aboard a Wayfarer class vessel owned and helmed by my geography teacher, Mr. Macintosh (affectionately known as “Tosh”). The spark that ignited a lifelong passion for the sea.
Wayfarer Class (Mr. Macintosh)
Experience Sailing 