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Displaying items by tag: Maritime Dalkey

#Lecture – A lecture 'Maritime Dalkey: Past, Present & Future' is to be presented by marine correspondent and photographer Jehan Ashmore.

The talk on Wednesday 13 March starts at 8pm and is organised by the Killiney & Ballybrack Historical Society, who hold a monthly lecture in The Graduate Lounge (Upstairs), Rochestown Avenue, Killiney.

Jehan will look into Dalkey's status as an 'outport' for Dublin, between 14th–16th centuries, when vessels sailed with cargo in and out along the coastline of Dalkey Sound. This was due to the dangerous silting channels and sand bar at the mouth of the Liffey, which prevented ships entering at low tide.

Also examined will be the beginnings of Irish Sea steam-packet services from the 1820's. Some of these routes operated within Dalkey waters and their present-day successors, as well as cruiseships, pass offshore in relative proximity.

Accompanying the lecture will be many unseen photographs, dating back three decades. This will open a different image of Dalkey Sound, featuring not just the island ferry, lobster-boats and summer filled scenes of pleasure craft and yachts but also a wide variety of larger 'working' vessels.

All are welcome to the lecture, admission of €3. Refreshments provided. The society has an annual subscription o €15 (€20 for couples and family). Contact: Richard Dolan: 087 6181212

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

About Quarter Tonners

The Quarter Ton Class is a sailing class of the International Offshore Rule racing the Quarter Ton Cup between 1967 and 1996 and from 2005 until today.

The class is sailed by smaller keelboats of similar size and is likely the world's most-produced keelboat class.

The Ton, Half, Quarter, etc. 'classes' were each given a 'length' and yacht designers had almost free rein to work the hull shapes and measurements to achieve the best speed for that nominal length.

The Ton Rules produced cranky and tender boats without actual downwind speed. Measurement points created weird, almost square hull shapes with longish overhangs.

They were challenging to sail optimally and lost value very quickly as any new wrinkle (e.g. 'bustles') to take advantage of the rule made older boats very quickly uncompetitive.

Although its heyday was 30 years ago, the boat class continues to make its presence felt by holding its own in terms of popularity against some fern race fleets.