It’s arguably the oldest surviving inter-provincial sailing contest in Ireland. For although once upon a time there was an annual race for the Elwood Salver between Trinity College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast which reputedly dated back to the 1930s or even the 1920s, it seems to have long since faded in the face of larger inter-varsity competitions. But the annual race between teams from Royal Cork (and Royal Munster before that) and Sutton Dinghy Club dates back to 1944, and it survives and thrives for the very good reason that the prize is The Book, a proper volume of vellum in which the winning team is obliged to record the outcome of each year’s series.

There are only two years in which it hasn’t been sailed. One was 1957 when the vigorous remains of a hurricane moving across Ireland caused two days of continuous storm at Sutton. And the other was 2020, when it was to be staged at Crosshaven as an historic highlight of the Royal Cork Tricentenary, but we all know only too painfully well what happened to that and other long-plannned 2020 events.

All things considered, wipeouts only by either a hurricane or a plague is surely an honourable state of affairs. And now, in a symbol of returning normality, The Book will be raced for at Crosshaven on Saturday September 4th, with both junior and senior teams.

The Book has been reposing at Sutton Dinghy Club through the plague years, but it will be in Crosshaven tomorrow (Saturday), and a day’s team racing will decide whether it stays there. 

The sailing communities in Cork and in Ireland generally are assessing and modifying their responses towards Cork Harbour’s developing and very active proposal to stage the America’s Cup.

It is a hugely complex subject and a massive and costly project, which nevertheless could have many significant beneficial side-effects - both immediate and long-term - for the area.

Sail World, the international network of sailing news and opinion, has published this comprehensive view of the Cork bid to give us an informed international perspective here

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined the club’s Admiral Colin Morehead earlier today to salute 300 years of sailing in Cork at a Tricentenary Maritime Parade across Cork Harbour. They reviewed a stunning spectacle of 100 colourful yachts on board the LE Roisin, after greeting the sailors and families on the water. The naval vessel was anchored alongside the Irish Naval Headquarters at Haulbowline Island, where the Water Club of the Harbour of Cork (now the Royal Cork Yacht Club) was founded back in 1720.

The Taoiseach and Admiral were joined by a host of dignitaries to mark the momentous occasion, including the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Gillian Coughlan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney TD, the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Colm Kelleher, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service Commodore Michael Malone, Ann Doherty, Chief Executive, Cork City Council, CEO of AIB Colin Hunt, the premier sponsor of the Regatta and Cork300, and key sponsors.

The Maritime Parade was followed by the biggest sailing event of the year in the Royal Cork calendar, the AIB RCYC Tricentenary Regatta, with racing officially started by the Taoiseach, after which an Admiral’s Lunch was held at the Crosshaven club. The Regatta will continue for the rest of the weekend and can be viewed across the harbour.

Over 100 participating boats lined up at Cage buoy off Crosshaven at 10 am  and assembled at No 18 buoy before the fleet made its way past the L.E. Roisin  berthed at the berth off Haulbowline for the official salute and the lowering of the Cork300 pennant (below) Photo: Bob Bateman

The Clayton Love skippered Golden Apple led the parade of sail. This was the the former Coveney family ketch that sailed round the world on an 18-month voyage to raise funds for the Cork-based Chernobyl Children's Project in 1997 Photo: Bob Bateman

The tricentenary events were originally scheduled to take place in 2020 as part of a phenomenal Cork300 celebration across Cork Harbour to celebrate the sailing club’s 300th anniversary and heritage as the oldest club in the world. However, they had to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and many of the larger high profile international events, such as The Great Gathering, the Powerboat Festival, and Volvo Cork Week, which were set to attract thousands of sailors and competitors from around the globe, could not be rescheduled.

Dick Gibson's Mandalay is dressed overall for the special occasion Photo: Bob Bateman

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, “This is a truly significant historic milestone for the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Cork Harbour, and the sailing community worldwide, so it is truly an honour to celebrate where it all began. Although many events to mark the milestone were cancelled or postponed over the last year, the legacy from Cork300 will live on. The Royal Cork has positioned Cork Harbour as one of the most desirable locations in the world for sailing events, and hopefully, this will help secure Ireland’s bid to host events like America’s Cup here.”

Former RCYC Admiral Bill Walsh and his wife participated in the Parade of Sail Photo: Bob Bateman

Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Chairman of Cork300 Colin Morehead said, “The Royal Cork is delighted to be in a position to put on a weekend of celebratory events to mark the club’s tricentenary one year on. We are of course disappointed not to be joined by our international comrades and thousands of spectators as originally planned, but we hope we have left them with a desire to visit Cork when life returns to normal.”

At the end of parade was another round the world yacht Saol Eile with former RCYC Admiral Ted Crosbie at the helm Photo: Bob Bateman

Also commenting, Minister Coveney said, “It’s a privilege to be here today to celebrate this historic event with the Royal Cork, the Taoiseach and the naval service.”

Yachts racing in the 'At Home' regatta assembled a second time for a starting gun opposite the Naval base. Initially proceedings got under way in light winds but a second race started off the no. 8 buoy in perfect sailing conditions in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

The tricentenary celebrations were supported by the premiere partner for the Regatta and Cork300, AIB, the Irish Naval Services, and other Cork300 partners Volvo Car Ireland, Port of Cork, Cork County Council, Cork City Council, Heineken, Musto and Doyle Shipping Group.

RCYC 300th Celebrations Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

The Royal Cork Yacht Club fleet is gathering for this morning's club tricentenary celebration in Cork Harbour.

A parade of sail past Haulbowline Island, where the oldest yacht club in the world was founded in 1720, is being held.  It will be followed by two days of 'At Home' racing.

RCYC is holding its deferred Tricentenary Regatta today and tomorrow.

It will start with a parade of sail and motor off Haulbowline Island on Saturday, which was the first location of the Waterboys Club of Cork in 1720, from which the present RCYC evolved to become the oldest yacht club in the world.

Original Tricentenary plans had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic.

Special trophies have been commissioned for the Regatta. "As always, the At Home' is open to members of visiting clubs," says the RCYC.

The Tricentenary sailing programme is here.

More here from Afloat's W M Nixon this morning, and check back for photos from Afloat's Bob Bateman as celebrations unfold on Afloat's dedicated Cork300 section here.

John Ryan's planned arrival into Dublin Bay this evening by high speed RIB was scrubbed shortly after his UIM record bid started at Cork Harbour this morning.

Ryan told Afloat "We lost the middle engine, we'll be a no show today".

It's a frustrating scenario for the record-breaker given the current favourable weather forecasts and flat seas.

As Afloat reported earlier, the Royal Cork skipper was due to depart Cork Harbour at 11 am in the 85-mph RIB.

As regular Afloat readers will know, Ryan broke his own existing Cork Fastnet Cork speed record in a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 7 seconds (Subject to ratification by UIM) last week as reported here.

The Zerodark team are expected to set a new date for the Cork-Dublin run and other Irish powerboat record attempts too.

Royal Cork Yacht Club member John Ryan and his ZeroDark RIB team are underway in a bid to set a new time powerboat record time between Cork and Dublin today.

Ryan told Afloat the bid is due to depart Cork Harbour at 11 am although sea fog may change plans. 

As regular Afloat readers will know, Ryan broke his own existing Cork Fastnet Cork speed record in a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 7 seconds (Subject to ratification by UIM) last week as reported here.

The ZeroDark RIB was built by Ophardt Maritim in Duisburg, Germany and she arrived by road into Cork last week.

Designed by Andrew Lee of Norson Design specifically for the German Special Forces as a craft to be utilised for high-speed covert operations.

She has an aluminium hull and is the fastest of its type in the world and can reach speeds in excess of 85 knots.

Subject to a succesful record run to Dublin, the RIB is due to dock at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, according to Ryan.

A high-speed RIB capable of 80 knots has arrived in Cork Harbour for several 'days of testing' and to 'show its speed capabilities', according to posts on social media.

The RIB, say posters, is here to attempt the Cork Harbour to Fastnet Rock speed record.

The black RIB reportedly 'gently stretched' its speed to 74 knots on a short test run.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, in August 2020, Frank Kowalski's Safehaven Marine in County Cork set a new World powerboat record for Cork - Fastnet Rock – Cork averaging 44.6 knots.

Safehaven Marine set a new over 50ft class Cork to the Fastnet Rock and back UIM World powerboat record in their 23m long XSV20 ‘Thunder Child II’ in a time of 2hrs 36 minutes averaging 44.6kts, recording a maximum speed of 53kts on the run. 

The UIM World powerboat records are categorised in three sizes which, if the RIB crew attempts a bid, will be for the 30-50ft record, a separate one to Kowalski's time.

Here's a video of the newly arrived 12-metre RIB vessel off Roches Point posted on social media below.

The vintage quarter tonner Diamond (Dorgan/Losty /Marshall) was the Spinnaker IRC division winner of Cobh People's Regatta in Cork Harbour on Sunday.

The Ed Dubois design beat the Jones family J109 Jelly Baby and third was Sean Hanley's Luas.

Cobh People's Regatta results 

Spinnaker IRC 1.Diamond, Dorgan/Losty /Marshall  2. Jelly BabyJones family, 3. Luas Sean Hanley

Standard class 1. DejaVu Brian Curtis, 2 Spindrift 3. Second chance, Jim O 'Meara

White sail -1st Magnet, Kieran O Brien, 2. Mazu, Denis Ellis 3. Big Deal

Cobh People's Regatta photo gallery

The South Coast Offshore Racing Association (SCORA) will run a Cork Harbour to Dunmore East offshore race next Saturday, August 21st.

The offshore body is also considering a race back to Crosshaven the following day.

The plan is for a first gun at 7.00 am between No 3 Buoy at Roches Point at the entrance to Cork Harbour.

According to SCORA Commodore Daragh Connolly, seven boats plan on racing to Waterford.

SCORA aims to foster links with a burgeoning Waterford fleet and build on the regular WHSC attendance at Kinsale Yacht Club for its April league and Sovereign's Cup. Connolly notes how the WHSC crews also travel to RCYC for Autumn Leagues and Cork Week. 

A strong SCORA team this year also includes Kinsale's David Cullinane and Schull's Michael Murphy to promote offshore interest on the south coast.

A fine turnout of revived Rankin dinghies raced in a Cork Harbour mist and drizzle to commemorate the class founders in Saturday's Cobh People's Regatta. 

Fiona O'Connell's Rankin R21 was the overall winner of the 29 boat fleet after two races sailed, scoring a 3 and a 1.

Ewan and David O'Keeffe were second in R5.  Third was Richard Marshall in Rankin R30.

The packed regatta schedule included cruiser racing for the Titanic Trophy on Friday night.

It was followed by the Optimist Spit Bank Challenge plus racing for a fast dinghies fleet and lower handicap dinghies too.

Cruiser Racing involving other harbour clubs will be on Sunday, with the first gun at 1330.

A Rankin is a traditional wooden dinghy that was built in Cobh, of which it’s believed there were 80 and of which The Rankin Dinghy Group has traced nearly half.

The name of the Rankin dinghies is revered in Cork Harbour and particularly in the harbourside town of Cobh.

Maurice Kidney and Conor English are driving the restoration of the Rankin dinghies in Cork Harbour. They have discovered that Rankins were bought and sailed in several parts of the country.

Fiona O'Connell's Rankin R21was the winner

 Ewan and David O'Keeffe were second in R5

Third was Richard Marshall in Rankin R30

Rankin Dinghies Race at Cobh People's Regatta Photo Gallery below