Nineteen of Ireland’s most talented sailors are in the running for the annual prize which recognises a remarkable season on home and foreign waters.
A panel of sailing journalists and administrators will select the winner of the Cork Dry Gin trophy for this year's distinction from a short list of nominees. (See side-panel)
The competition has been running for 10 years. The first Sailor of the Year was dinghy sailor Mark Lyttle, the Athens Olympic race winner in 1996 and in 2004 the winner was Round Ireland race winner Eamon Crosbie.
Tuesday's ceremony follows individual performances that have already earned monthly awards during 2005 in Afloat, Ireland’s watersports magazine.
The ceremony takes place at the Morrison Hotel in Dublin next Tuesday at 12.30pm.
In other news, Spring sees the launch of two new Dublin boat shows one in March the other in April and both are an obvious indication of the buoyancy of the marine leisure market here.
The first off is a new three day venture by Dublin Bay sailor Sean Lemass of SDL Exhibitions who is running a Leisure Boat Show in Citywest from March 16th to 19th.
The second is also a new three day concept and it is an 'On The Water' boat show sponsored by Lombard and organised by the Irish Marine Federation and it is to be held from April 28th to May 1st.
Organisers say that the north Dublin event will be the biggest ever display of boats ever held in the country with 200 craft exhibited at at Malahide Marina.
The buoyancy in the boat sales market however is not reflected in the marina berth market however and – as has been mentioned previously in this column – the industry faces meltdown unless more marina berths can be found.
Dun Laoghaire marina, the country' biggest facility with 500 berths, has a waiting list of 120 boats according to marina manager Hal Bleakley.An expected extension of 200 boats has been held up because of a planning objection.
Currently, in both of the major sailing centres – Dublin Bay and Cork Harbour representing 3,000 craft - there are five marinas between them and all of them full to capacity.
Abroad, and set for March 7-12 during Miami Race Week, the inaugural
TP52 Global Championship welcomes a fleet representing England, Ireland, Hong Kong and the USA.
Eamon Conneely is racing on his TP52 Patches from Galway.
Patches, with the UK's Ian Walker skippering, is competing as part of the nine boat fleet having resolved keel troubles from last years Malta middle sea fixture The fleet is also joined by Stuart Robinson's brand new Farr-designed Stay Calm from London.
The racing series consists of short windward/leeward and longer offshore races that will take the fleet to the Bahamas and back.
Dear Sub editor, can this go as a box item near the column
Sailors short-listed for the Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year Award are:
Finian Maynard, Dun Laoghaire
Maire Breathnach, Dungarvan, Co.Waterford
Peter Killen, Malahide
Rachel MacManus, Dalkey
Tim Costello, Dun Laoghaire
Noel Butler, Galway
Jean Philippe Chomette, France (International Award)
Anthony O’Leary, Crosshaven, Co.Cork
Eamon Conneelly, Co Galway
Colm Barrington, Dun Laoghaire
Eric Lisson, Novahull, Co. Cork
Ross Kearney, Belfast
Adam McCullough, Belfast
David Crosbie, Co. Dublin
Mick Liddy, Co. Dublin
Jarlath Cunnane, Westport, Co. Mayo
Paddy Barry, Monkstown, Dublin
Michel Kleinjans, Belgium
Brian Craig, Dun Laoghaire
