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Displaying items by tag: Scrapyard to Beatyard

#Beatyard - The former Stena Line ferryport, Dun Laoghaire, notably this week has been a flurry of activity as St. Michaels Pier has been transformed in readiness for this weekend’s Beatyard, a multi-event attraction, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Heaps of scrap metal from the dismantled terminal was loaded onto trucks equipped with grabbers within the complex compound, where for almost two decades cars, coaches and trucks were marshalled before loading on board or driven off the HSS Stena Explorer. The craft ceased operating Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead crossings in September, 2014, as the operator consolidated services out of neighbouring Dublin Port, however, Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company are in the process of seeking to restore the Welsh route, but not until 2017 and using an adjoining berth.

In this compound area at St. Michaels Pier, event crews have assembled the Beatyard’s music performance stage, accompanied by marquees. Several shipping containers, used to advertise the event are next to the vehicle check-in booths  The visitor attraction is not just about music, but offering a host of events.

The weekend’s Beatyard (July 30-31) is described as everything that’s good and great in the world of food, drink, tech, science, music, games, sports, arts, design and discussion.

Adjoining the Beatyard is the disused ferryport terminal building, which too was custom –built in the mid-1990’s for the introduction of the revolutionary Stena HSS, however retail/office space is currently available to let.

Ironically, the highspeed sea-service (HSS) Stena Explorer fastferry which could of gone likewise for scrap, like her North Channel counterpart, remains up for sale. The 1500 passenger/375 vehicle craft, when sold last year to Turkish  interests, was to be converted in a floating office in Istanbul. In more recent months, this plan has been shelved. 

The process of dismantling and removing Stena associated infrastructure is incomplete, as a remnant of the HSS linkspan-berth remains in situ, supported on a barge that was towed from Stranraer, Scotland. Leading off St. Michaels Pier is the jetty and supporting dolphins that too remain in the harbour, where the HSS Stena Explorer berthed using speciliast satellite technology that involved no mooring ropes but large clamps to wedge the craft into place.

In addition, a pair of concrete pillars remain, that once supported the glazed skywalk (east and west passenger gangways) connecting the HSS are also gone. What's left are these pillars than are visible, notably from the terminal entrance which is lined by the passenger check-in booths.

Above these booths are the terminal’s original marquee-like shade / shelter structures. They are seemingly more apt than ever as they compliment the Beatyard’s range of event marquees.

Published in Dublin Bay

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020