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Lift out on to hard standing is the ideal way to keep a sportsboat clean but has the added burden of lift in and out each time you want to sail. VersaDock, the modular floats provider for pontoons and dock solutions, has introduced its latest dry dock to give sportsboat and other small sailing boat owners the benefits of low maintenance and convenience of berthing their boats clear of the water.

The latest generation Version 2 of the VersaDock DrySail™ System (V2) has been designed and engineered specifically for modern lifting keel sports boats. New technology and design has enabled the DrySail™ V2 to be extremely light and very easy to assemble.

Drysail ™V2 is sold as an alternative to marina drysailing contracts, or being in the water for lond periods. It’s easy to winch your own boat in and out of the water in around a minute at any time. The stable platform gives handy all round access to the boat.

Drysail ™V2 is less than half the weight of previous generations of drysail docks, and its frames are smaller and easier to pack, which claims Versadock means there are huge savings to freight costs to any part of the world. Best of all, the new design is so simple to assemble that you can do it yourself, saving on installation charges. 

The DrySail™ V2 system works in conjunction with all other VersaDock systems and can be integrated into their standard pontoons, platforms, drive on docks and walkways. The standard dock fits into a normal sized marina berth, turning it into a drysail platform, and it can be moored alongside other pontoons, or secured to river moorings. In fact its versatility means it can be put virtually anywhere where a boat can float onto it. It can even sit securely on the bottom if the tide dries out.

VersaDock has designed the new DrySail™ V2 dock for the J/70, Melges 24, SB20 and Longtze Premier, to name a few types of sportsboats, while the system can easily be optimised to fit individual requirements.

VersaDock are offering Drysail ™V2 at an introductory price of £6100  ex. tax and delivery for a typical J/70 dock until 1st July.

Published in Irish Marinas

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