The Club Cabin
The story of the Club Cabin goes back ten years. We were storing the Mirror dinghies over the winter in a rather tumbledown barn behind Roger Coppock’s house. In 1992, Dave Sproule arranged that we could overwinter the dinghies at the fish farm at Mid-Strome. We have been very fortunate to be able to use this facility for so many years since.
At the 1993 AGM there was discussion on the question of building our own storage facilities for the dinghies. Investigations centred on a timber building on land behind a house towards the east end of the village. In the event this project came to nothing. Several other projects were also being pursued, for boat storage or for a full clubhouse.
From time to time the subject of a headquarters has been under discussion, with one or two possibilities of property being considered.
At a committee meeting in January 1998, a sub-committee was appointed to consider various possibilities for a clubhouse. John Ireland, Doug Angus, David Murray and Steve Patch must have got down to business very quickly. The next thing many members knew was that a Portakabin arrived in August at the foot of Murray Square.
Steve Patch had persuaded Tullich Construction to provide the cabin. Highland Fish Farmers had sponsored transport of it to Lochcarron. Kenny Cameron drove the wagon, and the forklift, which unloaded it. John Ireland had been busy on the planning permission.
The roof was leaking; the ceiling was sagging; the decorative order was nothing to write home about; but at last, we had a Club Headquarters.
For the rest of the year the committee was involved considering what we needed to do to the cabin, and how to go about it. By January we were ready to go ahead.
The early months of 1999 were devoted to adding a new roof to the Cabin, and to internal fitting, largely funded by a grant from Awards for All. It was in use for the start of the sailing season.
There were many phases to the operation. At an early stage, roof trusses were fabricated in Stan’s garage. Erected with purlins on the flat roof of the portakabin they began to show the shape of things to come. Flakeboard sarking set the scene properly. The steel sheet cladding added the finishing touch, and we were nearly weatherproof. There was much help from the older of our junior members.
There was concern at security against the gales. Holes were dug, anchors were buried in concrete, and wires were lashed to the underside of the cabin. The stanchions were re-set on concrete foundations, and a wall built up to fill in up to the floor level of the cabin, which incidentally provided underfloor storage.
Wiring, and re-setting the door to the changing room, were mainly Stan’s job.
A new ceiling was the work of adults, but internal painting brought more youngsters out, or rather in. At a later date, as the weather improved, it was a squad of girls who were mainly responsible for external painting.
Wall and floor units were fitted, a sink included.
It was later in the season before electricity was connected and a water supply provided.
Meantime, access was cut through the bushes to the sea, and, widened out, providing sheltered parking for the boats. Mike Lovett brought a digger down to level off the area. Stan’s pick up truck was loaded on the beach with gravel by the boys, and spread to fill up a ditch over a plastic drainpipe.
Finally, a small blockwork store was built as a petrol store.
From a flagstaff on the Cabin we proudly fly the Scottish Saltire, courtesy of David Johnstone.
