Statsraad Lehmkuhl

23rd August 2011

Ireland 'Can Benefit from Nurturing Sailing'

Two recent letters in The Irish Times serve as a "reminder of the high value of sailing to the social and economic health of Ireland".

Enda O Coineen - who helped bring the Volvo Ocean Race to Ireland - writes on Saturday last of the "shame" of becoming "quayside bystanders" that many felt welcoming the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl to Dublin when Ireland's youth ocean sail training scheme is being ended due to a 100% budget cut.

http://www.afloat.ie/sail/events/volvo-ocean-race/

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2011/0820/1224302754221.html

http://www.afloat.ie/sail/tall-ships/item/16573-norwegian-tallship-opens-to-the-public-in-dublin-docklands/

Echoing his sentiments, Peter Vine asks: "Is it not time to acknowledge that this maritime nation can benefit enormously by nurturing sailing and a love of the sea among our young people?"

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2011/0823/1224302857721.html

Vine argues that efforts towards a "new viable Tallship for Ireland deserve individual, corporate and Government support". Do you agree? Have your say in the comments below.

Two recent letters in The Irish Times serve as a "reminder of the high value of sailing to the social and economic health of Ireland".

Enda O Coineen - who helped bring the Volvo Ocean Race to Ireland - writes on Saturday last of the "shame" of becoming "quayside bystanders" that many felt welcoming the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl to Dublin when Ireland's youth ocean sail training scheme is being ended due to a 100% budget cut.

Echoing his sentiments, Peter Vine asks: "Is it not time to acknowledge that this maritime nation can benefit enormously by nurturing sailing and a love of the sea among our young people?"

Vine argues that efforts towards a "new viable Tallship for Ireland deserve individual, corporate and Government support". Do you agree? Have your say in the comments below.

Published in Tall Ships

Tagged under

Square-Rigger Tallship & Cruiser-Yachts Celebrate 'Events' in Dublin Bay

As part of today's celebrations to mark the 180th anniversary of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, in Dun Laoghaire, a flotilla of yachts 'dressed overall' set off on a cruise-in-company around Dalkey Island, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The boats headed down Dalkey Sound and as they briefly entered into Killiney Bay some of the participants hoisted their mainsail prior to making a northerly return via The Muglins before heading back to their homeport, where the club is the oldest of the four main waterfront yacht-clubs.

At the same time across Dublin Bay, the Norwegian square-rigged tallship Statsraad Lehmkuhl was underway from her River Liffey berth at Sir John Rogersons Quay, where the 321" foot vessel had made a two-day visit to Dublin Port.

As the public boarded one of the largest tallships in the world, they were given a taste of what to expect a year from now, as the capital prepares to be the host-port of the final race-leg of the Tall Ships Races. The sailing spectacle was last held in 1998 and the high-profile event in August 2012 is expected to draw around 100 tallships.

Published in Dublin Bay

Tagged under

Norwegian Tallship Opens to the Public in Dublin Docklands

The arrival of the largest and oldest Norwegian tallship the barque S/S Statsraad Lehmkuhl into Dublin Port yesterday made for an impressive sight, even without her sails set, writes Jehan Ashmore.

At nearly a century-old the square-rigged ship eased her way through the East-Link toll bridge where she proceeded to berth at Sir John Rogersons Quay, where she will be open to the public today between 12:00 – 16:30 and tomorrow,Saturday the 20th August from 10:00 –12:00. Her berth is downriver of the Samuel Beckett swing-bridge and the nearest DART stations are at Grand Canal Dock and Pearse St.

Statsraad Lehmkuhl is 321-feet long and the barque is also one of the largest three-masted sailing ships in the world. The height from the water-line to the top of the mainmast is 240-feet and in total she carries 22 sails which cover an area of over 2,000 square metres. Under canvass she can achieve 18 knots or when under motor-power her 1,125hp diesel engine manages 11 knots.

As reported on Afloat.ie the steel-hulled barque departed her homeport of Bergen last week on a voyage across the North Sea to include a call to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. She was built in 1914 originally for the German Merchant Marine and at nearly a century-old she has had a colourful career having changed hands between Germany and Britain during both World Wars.

Since 1978 she has been with her current operators the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Foundation, based in the Nordic's country's second largest city. For further information about the 1,516-tonnes vessel specifications click HERE and interior illustration of deck layout click HERE.

Her arrival marks nearly a year in advance to Dublin City welcoming the return of the Tall Ships Races, presented by Szczecin and organised by Sail Training International. The capital last hosted the event in 1998 and next year up to 100 tall ships are to sail into the capital which will be the final host port for four days between 23rd-26th August 2012.

statsraad_4

Tall Ship S/S Statsraad Lehmkuh in Dublin Bay yesterday. Images: Iain White

The celebration of sail is expected to draw entrants from as far away as Chile, Mexico, Argentina, USA and European and Baltic countries including Italy and Norway will chart their course to Dublin. It is hoped that the event will attract over a million visitors to the city, topping the 500,000 spectators who thronged the Waterford quays during this year's tall ship race gathering.

tallship_jehan