Top Cat has a new Engine - June 2026
Doug had worked tirelessly to ensure that the replacement engine for Top Cat was completed in the shortest time possible. He brought it back to the club house on Monday 15th June. Phil checked and prepped it on Thursday evening (this included emptying the rainwater which had collected in the hull and bilge) before we towed it to Anglesey on Friday evening.
We met Doug and Ruth at Treaddur Bay car park at 7.30am on Saturday to ready Top Cat for launching. The new Suzuki engine had a mandatory 10 hour run in schedule. Phil planned to complete this with a tour of Anglesey.
We had to wait for the tide to float Top Cat before we set off at a leisurely pace to Caernarfon. We put the BRUV in at Rhosneigr. After 2 hours Caernarvon Castle came into view, and we had a 15-minute break. Doug then motored carefully up the Menai Straits, across to Puffin Island, past Penmon lighthouse and along the coast to Traeth Buchan. We put in for another 10-minute break. Only five hours to go.
Phil took Top Cat up towards the rugged north coast of Anglesey. We spotted Terns, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Cormorants, Shags, the occasional Gannet and a porpoise. Seals greeted us at Dulas Island before Phil negotiated the overfalls at Harry’s Rocks and the tidal streams that race around Carmel Head. From Church Bay onwards we had a calm sun-drenched sea. The scenery was stunning —the cliffs at North Stack, South Stack with its lighthouse and colonies of seabirds, The old Coastguard Station, The Beacons, Rhoscolyn Beach. We recovered the BRUV at Rhosneigr . Eight and a half hours completed. At this pointed we decided that we needed to return to Treaddur Bay before the falling tide exposed rocks and alluvial silt. Top Cat was recovered successfully. Phil flushed the engine on Saturday evening. We returned Top Cat to the club on Sunday and washed it ready for next week. Only one and a half hours to complete.
