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Displaying items by tag: Sun Fast 30 One Design

Saying they are “bound by common values”, French boatbuilding institutions Jeanneau and Multiplast are joining forces to develop a new high-performance and accessible sailboat: the Sun Fast 30 One Design.

It’s promised that the new design will offer “an intense sailing experience” while also aiming to become a reference one-design class for offshore sailing, with an ambitious and international racing programme to boot.

The project to design a new 30-foot one-design offshore racer was initiated by the UNCL-Racing Division from the Yacht Club de France, the Royal Ocean Racing Club in the UK and the Storm Trysail Club in the US, with the aim of making sailing more accessible for the next generation of offshore sailors.

Multiplast brings its expertise in the conception and development of offshore racing boats to the VPLP design, and will also manage relations with the clubs for the launch of the class as well as supervising sales to support Jeanneau’s distribution network.

Jeanneau, meanwhile, will manufacture the Sun Fast 30 One Design at its boatyard in Cheviré, near Nantes and provide all the services, guarantees and technical support offered by its organisation.

Beyond performance, respect for biodiversity and aquatic environments is at the heart of this joint venture, with the brands emphasising the use in its construction of Arkema’s Elium thermoplastic resin which is made of 20% recycled material and is itself recyclable.

As a result, Jeanneau and Multiplast are touting the Sun Fast 30 One Design as the first production recyclable sailboat.

Expect more news on the progress of the Sun Fast 30 One Design from Jeanneau, who are exclusively marketed in Ireland by MGM Boats.

Published in MGM Boats

Ireland's Sailor of the Year Awards

Created in 1996, the Afloat Sailor of the Year Awards represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene.

Since it began 25 years ago, the awards have recognised over 500 monthly award winners in the pages of Ireland's sailing magazine Afloat, and these have been made to both amateur and professional sailors. The first-ever Sailor of the Year was dinghy sailor Mark Lyttle, a race winner at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

And since then it's gone on to read like a who's who of Irish sailing.

The national award is specially designed to salute the achievements of Ireland's sailing's elite. After two decades the awards has developed into a premier awards ceremony for water sports.

The overall national award will be announced each January to the person who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to, Irish sailing in the previous year.

A review of the first 25 years of the Irish Sailor the Year Awards is here

Irish Sailor of the Year Award FAQs

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards is a scheme designed by Afloat magazine to represent all that is praiseworthy, innovative and groundbreaking in the Irish sailing scene..

The Irish Sailor of the Year Awards began in 1996.

The awards are administered by Afloat, Ireland's boating magazine.

  • 1996 Mark Lyttle
  • 1997 Tom Roche
  • 1998 Tom Fitzpatrick & David McHugh
  • 1999 Mark Mansfield
  • 2000 David Burrows
  • 2001 Maria Coleman
  • 2002 Eric Lisson
  • 2003 Noel Butler & Stephen Campion
  • 2004 Eamonn Crosbie
  • 2005 Paddy Barry & Jarlath Cunnane
  • 2006 Justin Slattery
  • 2007 Ger O'Rourke
  • 2008 Damian Foxall
  • 2009 Mark Mills
  • 2010 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2011 George Kenefick
  • 2012 Annalise Murphy
  • 2013 David Kenefick
  • 2014 Anthony O'Leary
  • 2015 Liam Shanahan
  • 2016 Annalise Murphy
  • 2017 Conor Fogerty
  • 2018 Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove
  • 2019 Paul O'Higgins

Yes. The boating public and maritime community can have their say to help guide judges in deciding who should be crowned Ireland's Sailor of the Year by using an Afloat online poll). The judges welcome the traditional huge level of public interest in helping them make their decision but firmly retain their right to make the ultimate decision for the final choice while taking voting trends into account. By voting for your favourite nominee, you are creating additional awareness of their nomination and highlighting their success.

Anthony O'Leary of Crosshaven and Annalise Murphy of Dun Laoghaire are the only contenders to be Afloat.ie "Sailors of the Year" twice – himself in 2010 and 2014, and herself in 2012 and 2016.

In its 25 year history, there have been wins for 15, offshore or IRC achievements, nine dinghy and one designs accomplishments and one for adventure sailing.

Annually, generally in January or February of the following year.

In 2003 Her Royal Highness Princess Anne presented the Awards.

©Afloat 2020