Former Olympic sailor, Laser, Flying Fifteen and Squib champ Peter Kennedy from Strangford Lough produced an overall win in the weekend's SB3 Southern Championships at Tralee Bay Sailing Club. Only 16 boats travelled to Europe's most westerly port for the six race series. Kennedy, the 2009 class champion, ended on 11 points counting only one result out of the top three. He was three points clear of Milvus Milvus (R. Howe) and Howth's Ben Duncan in third on 15 points.

After an unfortunate collision at the end of race three between Kennedy and Royal St. George helm Sean Craig, Kennedy was left with an un-raceable boat until, sportingly, Craig offered his as a replacement. Craig and his crew then sat out what has been described as a 'champagne sailing day' and watched his boat and Kennedy race to victory from the club house.

SB3 Southern Championships at Tralee Bay Sailing Club

IRL3500	Ridgefence.com	P. Kennedy	11	1	4	2	1	3	1	6
IRL3338	Milvus Milvus	R. Howe	14	2	2	5	2	1	9	4
IRL3287	Sharkbait	B. Duncan	15	3	17	8	1	3	2	1
IRL3537	Boomsticks	B. Reilly	16	4	3	3	3	17	4	3
IRL3045	Bullet	T. D'Arcy	21	5	1	7	5	7	6	2
IRL3324	Sibelus	K. Dorgan	21	6	7	4	9	2	3	5
IRL3281	Le Bateau de Bang Bang	O'Leary/Roche/Andrews	37	7	5	10	10	17	5	7
IRL3484	Seriously Bonkers 3	Cuppage/Lee	43	8	12	17	7	5	10	9
IRL3062	-	R. Downing	43	9	17	6	6	6	17	8
IRL3570	Yeti	S. Craig	45	10	6	1	17	4	17	17
IRL3164	Sacre Bleu	D. Smith	49	11	9	13	15	9	7	11
IRL3433	Mr. Bump	D. Taylor	49	12	11	9	8	11	11	10
IRL3323	Alert Packaging	J. Burke	52	13	8	12	12	8	12	14
IRL3257	Kick'er off	Cook/Dicker	52	14	10	11	13	10	8	13
IRL3273	Belfast Kitchen Company	T. Molloy	68	15	17	15	11	17	13	12
IRL3532	Bungle B	F. Loughrey	70	16	13	14	14	12	17	17

Conor Clarke's Melges 24 finished third overall at the Melges pre-worlds event in Texas yesterday. Let's hope it is a good omen for Irish sportsboat sailors at world championships on either side of of the Atlantic this morning. Clarke is back in action for the main Melges event later today. In Torbay, the SB3 World championships starts and 11 Irish boats are there for the 14 race event. This class has given a thumbs up to the new Dublin Bay courses. On Saturday DBSC racing (that included results for the Royal Alfred's Baily Bowl) produced another great round of racing; Gung Ho emerging the winner of the club's most popular class, Cruisers III. On the far side of the Irish sea, the X422 Xpletive was the winner of ISORA's Pwhelli Day race. Now there is a race for entries for Arklow's Turbine race.
In other offshore sailing, defending champion Brian O'Donnell, on Whyte Dolphin is expected to defend his Gold Leaf trophy on a race from Foynes to Fenit.

Fenit is the place to be on Sunday May 15^th. Fenit Harbour is celebrating St Brendan’s Feast Day with a great family fun day out on next Sunday 15th May from 2pm-5pm.

To add to the festivities Tralee Bay Sailing Club are delighted to welcome anyone next Sunday between 2pm-5pm who would like to try out a range of water based activities for free!

Just come along to Tralee Bay Sailing School opposite the beach parking area in Fenit to see the range of water craft we have for you to try out. We will have kayaks, dinghies, motor-boat ribs and some larger cruising boats available for the afternoon. You will also be able to find out more information about the range of sailing & kayaking courses we offer throughout the summer from June to August inclusive.

Our Clubhouse will also be open where you can sit and relax with some refreshments from our bar whilst also enjoying the wonderful views Tralee Bay has to offer.

For further information contact:

Jacqui Browne 087-2610447 or Diarmuid Dineen 087-2531083

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.traleebaysailingclub.com

A Sealine motor cruiser that hit rocks in Tralee Bay early on Sunday morning on a run back from Ballydavid is due to be lifted on to Fenit pier this week. Eight people were rescued by Fenit lifeboat and the boat was towed into Fenit harbour where it is now lying on the bottom. Photos: Paul Dolan.

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A brand new RNLI inshore lifeboat was officially named 'Bradley and Sonya' during a moving ceremony on Saturday 25th September at Fenit which is located on north side of Tralee Bay on the far south west coast of Ireland. The new D class lifeboat was named in memory of a young couple, Bradley and Sonya Burns from Bangor who were lifeboat volunteers and who died within 10 months of each other in 2006.

Volunteer lifeboat crew with Bangor RNLI raised £34027.48 to fund the lifeboat as a tribute to the young couple.The lifeboat was named by Mrs Mary Connolly and Mrs Eileen Savage, the mothers of Sonya and Bradley, while Sonya's sister Judy Connolly and Bangor lifeboats Senior Helmsman Kyle Marshall delivered the lifeboat into the care of Fenit RNLI. Fourteen members of Bangor lifeboat crew attended the ceremony along with members of the couple's family and lifeboat volunteers from around the coast.

Speaking during the ceremony Judy Connolly said, "Whilst we will never forget Bradley and my sister Sonya it is some comfort to know their legacy lives on, doing what they did so well – working to save lives at sea. We are delighted that this modern new lifeboat will make a real difference to the search and rescue capability in the Kerry area. Tragedy is never far from the sea and I do hope that it will be the instrument to save many lives."

Lifeboat Operations Manager with Fenit RNLI Gerard O'Donnell added, "We are extremely grateful to the crew at Bangor lifeboat station for their generosity in funding the new lifeboat. On behalf of the lifeboat crew in Fenit I offer our sincere thanks. This improved lifeboat will allow our volunteer crews to respond more quickly in emergencies and may well make the difference between life and death for someone in trouble in the water. "

Kyle Marshall, Senior Helmsman on Bangor lifeboat commented "It is a truly fitting honour and legacy to the memory of our dear friends Bradley and Sonya; they gave so much to the RNLI." Kyle went on to say "The generosity and support from the people of Bangor, from others further afield and from within the RNLI family has been overwhelming. So many individual people, groups and companies have selflessly given of their time, effort and money to fund this new Fenit lifeboat. We at RNLI Bangor Lifeboat wish to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the funding of this new lifeboat possible"

The Bradley and Sonya lifeboat will join Fenit's all weather Trent class lifeboat Robert Hywell Jones Williams.

Mrs. Mary Connolly (Sonya's mother) and Mrs. Eileen Savage (Bradley's mother) name RNLI Fenit lifeboat 'Bradley and Sonya'

Fenit Lifeboat in action. The RNLI D class lifeboat is 5 metres in length and has a maximum speed of 25 knots. Photos: Valerie O'Sullivan

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A special naming and dedication ceremony will be held this Saturday (25 September 2010) at 3.00pm when volunteer lifeboat crew and supporters with Fenit RNLI lifeboat station in Kerry will gather to name their new IB1 lifeboat Bradley and Sonya.  The lifeboat is being named in memory of Bradley and Sonya Burns, who were volunteers with Bangor RNLI lifeboat crew and who tragically died within 10 months of each other in 2006.

The lifeboat has been funded through an appeal set up by Bangor RNLI, who felt that the most appropriate way to honour the couple was to purchase a lifeboat and name it after them. This lifeboat has now been put on service in Fenit, County Kerry.  It will be named by Mrs Mary Connolly and Mrs Eileen Savage, the mothers of Sonya and Bradley and twenty- five members of Bangor lifeboat crew will travel down from Northern Ireland to attend the ceremony.

The cost of the new D class lifeboat is €39,000.  This type of lifeboat is built for launching quickly and operating close to shore.  It is five metres in length and can reach a maximum speed of 25 knots.  It can take two or three lifeboat crew and has room for five survivors.  It will join Fenit's all weather Trent class lifeboat.

Sonya's sister Judy Connolly and Bangor RNLI helm Kyle Marshall will deliver the lifeboat into the care of Fenit lifeboat station.

All are welcome to attend.

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At 03.41 this morning (Thursday 5 August 2010) Fenit RNLI lifeboat crew were requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a woman injured on the Great Blasket Island.  The woman had fallen and sustained injuries to her leg and the Fenit RNLI all weather lifeboat was launched to recover her from the island and bring her ashore to Dingle to a waiting ambulance.

With no slipway or pier on the island and extremely shallow water at the landing point, the only way for the lifeboat crew to access the island was by launching the XP boat (a small inflatable boat carried onboard the lifeboat)

Four crew members went onto the island and made their way to the woman's house which was almost half a mile in and about 600 feet above sea level. The task was made more difficult due to the fact that the ground was extremely wet and slippery.

The woman was placed on a stretcher and carried back down the hill by the RNLI Fenit Lifeboat crew members. The stretcher was then placed across the xp boat and transferred to the lifeboat by the crew.

Commenting on the incident JP Brick of Fenit RNLI said, " This was a challenging callout for the lifeboat crew.  The remote location made it difficult to access the island.  The lifeboat crew needed to take a stretcher with them for the casualty and then return down the slippery terrain to the waiting XP boat.  From there they travelled out to the waiting lifeboat and transferred the casualty onboard.  This is where lifeboat crew training and equipment comes to the fore and the medivac was completed successfully."

On medical advice the casualty was brought to Dingle Marina where she was collected by ambulance and transferred to Tralee General Hospital

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At 5.45pm yesterday evening Monday July 5th, Fenit RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist a 40 foot Catamaran which was taking on water. The vessel which had left Donegal en route to France was 20 miles west of Loop Head and there were 2 people on board.

On arriving at the location of the stricken vessel volunteer crew members with Fenit RNLI Lifeboat immediately boarded the catamaran with a salvage pump and proceeded to pump the water from the vessel. Once they were happy that this process was working satisfactorily they put the vessel on tow and proceeded towards Fenit.

On arrival back in Fenit just before 1am this morning, arrangements were in place by Fenit RNLI members on shore and the catamaran was lifted onto the Pier by the Fenit Harbour Board Crane.

 ICRA National Championships in full swing

The Irish Cruiser Racing Association’s National Cruiser Sailing Championships is now just a week away and for the first time ever it’s being hosted on the West Coast by Tralee Bay SC – a club well used to giving a warm welcome to sailors: they’ve hosted events on all levels from Club to World Championships on this beautiful idyllic part of our coast.

Over 70 boats will contest the right to become the Irish National Cruiser Champion in each of the divisions and the spoils will be Irish Sailing Association Medallions and a place at the ISA Helmsman's Championships at the end of the season for their achievement.

Last years Division Zero winner Dave Dwyer's Marinerscove.ie is presently preparing on the Solent for the UK IRC Nationals (6–7 June), but Dave’s commitment to defend his closely-won title at last years National Cruiser Championships in Howth has put his crew on a tight schedule to get the boat back in time for the first gun in Tralee. Eamon Rohan (King 40 Blonde IV) will be Marinerscove.ie’s main competition, finishing a very creditable 3rd at last year’s event. Other strong competition in this division will come from Kieran Twomey’s Corby 38 Gloves Off, Tim Costello’s Mills 43 Tiamat, George Sisk’s Farr 42 WOW, under the burgee of the Royal Irish YC and the host club giving him an advantage over the rest of the fleet outside of Rob Allen’s Corby 36 Mustang Sally from the Royal Western YC.

In Division One Mike McCarthy’s Ker 32 Checkmate will be one to watch but in this division there are plenty of diverse competitive boats: Barry Cunningham’s Corby 33 Contango; two J109 – S. and J. Tyrrell’s Aquelina and Pat Kelly’s Storm; Anthony O’Leary from the Royal Cork has entered a modified 1720 Antix Beag; Denis Hewit is bringing his Mills 30  Raptor from the Royal Irish; and some local boats – Martin Reilly’s Corby 29 Esperanto, Eddie Barry’s 40.7 Caolila and Dan Counihan’s First 36.7 Galileo. X-Yachts are out in force in this division: X332s include Ian Gaughan’s Xena, Thomas and Kieran Whelan’s Chaos, Team Foynes’ Dexterity, and host club boat Donal Brown’s Excuse Me; X362s have David Scott’s Eos, Derry Good’s Exhale, and Donal O’Leary’s X35.

Attracting the greatest number of entries is Division Two and the hot favorite must be Colwell/Murphy’s Corby 25 Kinetic from Howth Yacht Club, winner of this division last year – that’s not to say that they will get it all their own way, one of the boats that will be trying to take their title away is current West Coast Champion Conor Ronan’s Corby 26 Ruthless; then Corby 25s – Vincent O’Shea’s Yanks & ffrancs, Denis Coleman’s Thunderbird, and Denis Ellis’s Corby 27 Kodachi; also Sigma’s 33s – Commodore of the host club Liam Lynch’s Powder Monkey, Peader O’ Laughlin‘s Reconaissance, David Buckley’s Boojum, Finbarr O’Connell’s Treyona, and finally Dehler 34s – Raymond McGibney’s Disaray, David Griffin’s Egalite, and Derrick Dillon’s Big Deal to mention a few.

Division Three is as competitive as ever with Vincent Gaffney’s Albin Express Alliance topping the bill, being a past Division Champion and current West Coast Champion from Howth Yacht Club, but with plenty of competition to make this division very competitive indeed – Paul McGibney’s J24 Virgin will have his first outing at National level, but as we saw at last year’s event the J24s were the ones to beat. Three HB31s are also in this division – John Buckley’s Headhunter, Gary Fort’s K Vector, Mark Prendeville’s Rooster, two Shamrocks – C. MacDonncha’s Sliver Foam from Galway and J.P. Buckley’s Battle, Jackie Ward’s Parker 27 Hallmark, and D. Losty’s very successful Quarter Tonner Woody to name but a few.

Race Officers Alan Crosibe, Rob Lamb and Liam Dinneen with their formidable teams will ensure competitors’ exhilarating sailing over a variety of courses over the three days racing.

ICRA National Cruiser Championships, Tralee Bay Sailing Club 11 –13 June 2009