With May upon us, we’re into the season of Round Ireland record attempts in the smallest this or the widest that or the fastest other. So before anyone gets too excited, let’s put the record straight on “Small Boat Round Ireland Records” as they currently stand writes W M Nixon.
In 1961, the MacLaverty brothers of Belfast – Kevin and Colm, both alas no longer with us – sailed round Ireland in their 18ft 1948-built Belfast Lough Waverley Class bermudan-rigged keelboat sloop Durward, crewed by Mick Clarke who is now noted, among his many other distinctions, as the historian of Lough Erne Yacht Club. And if you want to go round in a smaller keelboat, you’ll have to do some research – even the Squibs are 19ft long, while Flying Fifteens are 20ft LOA.
Then in 1976, James Cahill of County Mayo sailed round Ireland with a crew in a 13ft 6ins open clinker–built sailing dinghy.
But in 1990, Rob Henshall – now of Fermanagh, but originally of Cultra, County Down – raised the bar when he sailed round Ireland in a Laser alone, and unaccompanied by any support boat or shore team.
And in 1992, Rob Henshall went round alone again, still unaccompanied, and this time on a slightly overladen Bic windsurfer.
All these record makers attended the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland Records Gala Dinner in the National Yacht Club in November 1993 to celebrate the remarkable new Round Ireland speed record set in September 1993 by Steve Fossett and his crew on Lakota, including Con Murphy and Cathy McAleavey of the NYC, a record which stood until a year ago, when it was bested by Sidney Gavignet in the MOD 70 trimaran Omansail. And at that epic dinner, all the small boat sailors – loners or otherwise – proved every bit as sociable as the people off the glamorous big speed machines.
