Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Half tonner

Dave Dwyer’s success with Swuzzlebubble comes from a determination to acquire the classic Farr-designed half-tonner, which had been a wreck in Greece.

He comes from a Cork family that has a four-generation sailing history.

Dave Dwyer’s Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble competing at Kinsale Yacht Club's Sovereign's Cup Photo: Bob BatemanDave Dwyer’s Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble competing at Kinsale Yacht Club's Sovereign's Cup Photo: Bob Bateman

Winning the Irish Cruiser Racing Association ‘Boat of the Year’ crowns a highly successful sailing season for the yacht, its owner and the crew, in which he particularly included young sailors.

In my interview with him for this week’s Podcast, he tells the story of how he acquired Swuzzlebubble, about the preparation for its racing campaign, emphasises the importance of preserving this sector of sailing and outlines his belief in encouraging youth involvement in cruiser racing.

Dave and James Dwyer (pictured centre) with the Swuzzlebubble crew at Kinsale Yacht Club after winning the Sovereign's Cup 2023 in June Photo: Bob BatemanDave and James Dwyer (pictured centre) with the Swuzzlebubble crew at Kinsale Yacht Club after winning the Sovereign's Cup 2023 in June Photo: Bob Bateman

I started the interview by asking how he had acquired Swuzzlebubble.

Listen to the Podcast below

Published in Tom MacSweeney
Tagged under

Boats may be inanimate objects, but those who sail them seldom see them that way. The classic Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble certainly arouses special emotions, for there are senior sailors in Ireland who sailed her to success as ISORA Champion in 1980, when she was owned by the late Bruce Lyster of Dun Laoghaire’s Royal St George YC.

Forty-three years ago, she was quite a basic boat. But now, after surviving many vicissitudes and at least one unsuccessful attempt to get her to a landfill site, she is back in Ireland in a superbly re-furbished style, and her proud owners are James and David Dwyer of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Almost from the moment the first races started in the Simply Blue Sovereign’s Cup 2023 in Kinsale, it was clear that Swuzzlebubble and her crew were on a roll, and they took the title with a clean sweep of six wins, getting our Inshore Sailors of the Month for June title with it. 

Probably the coolest boat in Ireland – Swuzzlebubble making windward work in an Atlantic chop look easy at Kinsale. Photo: Robert BatemanProbably the coolest boat in Ireland – Swuzzlebubble making windward work in an Atlantic chop look easy at Kinsale. Photo: Robert Bateman

Published in Sailor of the Month
Tagged under

Probably the best looking and most successful Half Tonner ever is on the market via Afloat boats for sale as the Howth Yacht Club based Checkmate XV goes on sale for €46k.

"No expense has been spared on this incredible race machine that is faster now than ever", according to her owner Dave Cullen. 

With a full IRC refit by Corby Yachts in 2014, the current Half Ton Class European Champion comes complete with a Mills design keel and a Corby designed rudder, the hull also has a fully faired hull, keel and rudder.

AwlGrip hull and deck paint. Nautics antifouling. Deck resprayed 2020. Seadek cockpit floor. Full Harken winch and deckware package.

The boat is the winner of every major regatta in Ireland including WAVE (overall regatta winner), Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and the ICRAs. Read the full advert here.

Published in Boat Sales
Tagged under

In the end, it became a Half Tonner domination of Class Two of the ICRA Championships on Dublin Bay this weekend, where light to medium conditions played right into the hands of the optimised vintage yachts.

All three podium places went to the Howth class with, as predicted, Nigel Biggs' Checkmate XVIII taking the title on nine points with a four-point margin over Jonny Swan in King One. 

Biggs' winning crew were Dave Cullen, Daragh Sheridan, Suzie Murphy, Andy Sargent, Mark Kenny and Niki Potterton.

Third was HYC clubmate Darren Wright in Mata. 

The north Dublin club took ten of the top 12 places in the 15-boat fleet, with 2019's overall ICRA winner, the X-332 Dux (Anthony Gore Grimes), finishing fourth.

Results are here

Jonny Swan at the helm of King OneSecond in IRC2 - Jonny Swan at the helm of King One 

Third in IRC3 - Darren Wright's MataThird in IRC2 - Darren Wright's Mata

The X-332 Dux (Anthony Gore Grimes) finished fourthThe X-332 Dux (Anthony Gore Grimes) finished fourth

Published in ICRA
Tagged under

At least six Half Tonners and six X302s are expected for a newly devised Championships at Howth Yacht Club later this month.

The Irish Half Ton Cup and X302 Challenge will be sailed over three windward-leeward courses and a coastal race from August 21 & 22nd.

With July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta cancelled and leaving a void in the season, the two classes came together to produce the pop-up event.

The championships will also serve as a warm-up for September's ICRA National Championships at the National Yacht Club.

Under 18 sailors

The Half-Ton Class says it is keen to promote junior sailing and so have agreed that each boat will take an under 18 sailor as part of the crew for the event. Event rules will permit IRC crew number plus one to encourage same.

The Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions are downloadable below. Online entry is here.

Published in Half Tonners
Tagged under

The Howth Yacht Club Half Tonner 'The Big Picture' that is currently on the market has had a price drop from €55,000 to €48,000 as the 2021 sailing season kicks off.

Skipper Michael Evans says he is selling due to the purchase of a larger yacht. 

As Afloat reported previously, the immaculate MG HS30 MOD yacht has been stored indoors, well maintained, and as regular Afloat readers know has been raced locally in Howth and at regattas across Ireland.

Modifications of the Half Tonner include an extended keel to provide additional righting moment and upwind performance, a widened cockpit and a carbon bowsprit for a Code Zero. 

The yacht features a large sail inventory, including some with brand new sails. 

Read the full The Big Picture advert here

Published in Half Tonners
Tagged under

The Howth Yacht Club Half Tonner 'The Big Picture' is for sale at €55,000. 

The MG HS30 MOD yacht has been stored indoors, well maintained, and as regular Afloat readers know has been raced locally in Howth and at regattas across Ireland.

Skipper Michael Evans says he is selling due to the purchase of a larger yacht. 

The yacht features a large sail inventory, including some with brand new sails. 

Modifications of the Half Tonner include an extended keel to provide additional righting moment and upwind performance, a widened cockpit and a carbon bowsprit for a Code Zero. 

Read the full The Big Picture advert here

Published in Boat Sales
Tagged under

If sailing is a waterborne game of chess, then Nigel Biggs’ Half Tonner Checkmate XVIII is fulfilling the promise of her name with the bullet today in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta to have her on 6 points after discarding a 4th, making the Mancunian - who lists his clubs as RIYC and Howth -clear ahead by ten points of Royal Cork’s Ronan and John Downing with Miss Whiplash, while Dave Cullen (HYC) has moved into third overall after finishing with a second today on Checkmate XV.

Miss Whiplash 4253Royal Cork's Miss Whiplash (Ronan Downing) is second

Class 2 Spinnakers 4202Tricky spinnaker work in relatively big seas and a tightly bunched fleet off the Muglins Rock on Dublin Bay

Antix Beag 4195Royal Cork's Antix Beag (Anthony O'Leary)

Checkmate XV 4227Dave Cullen (HYC) has moved into third overall after finishing with a second today on Checkmate XV

Published in Volvo Regatta

Dave Cullen on where the growing vintage Irish Half Tonner fleet is racing this year

Last year it was decided in Nieuwpoort to revert to a biennial format for the Half Ton Classic Cup so there is no event this year. Instead, RORC will host next year’s event in Cowes and are resurrecting the original “Half Ton Cup” to present.

Locally, this means we are roaming Ireland instead with the active fleet which now comprises Checkmate XV, Harmony, King One, Miss Whiplash, Checkmate XVIII, The Big Picture, Cortegada and Mata (formerly Trastada) all lining up for ICRAs, Dun Laoghaire Week and Sovereigns Cup. We have also resurrected the Irish Half Ton Cup presented by Sean Flood and Chubb in 1988 and this will be competed for as part of Sovereigns Cup.

Harmony 4575Harmony

The Big Picture 4453The Big Picture

kingonehalftonKing One

Checkmate XV 4433Checkmate XV

Checkmate XVIII 4645Checkmate XVIII

Miss Whiplash Half TonMiss Whiplash Photo: Bob Bateman

"We have also resurrected the Irish Half Ton Cup"

The two Checkmates are also heading to Pwllheli in August for the Welsh IRC Championships.

Mata formerly Trastada 0657Mata formerly Trastada Photo: Afloat.ie

Half Tonner CortegadaCortegada Photo: Bob Bateman

For a bit of fun, I have chartered Gunboat Rangiriri to compete in the Italian Half Ton Cup in May in Fiumicino, Rome. Gunboat is in original configuration as are all the local boats with a fractional rig with runners and original centreboard!

Published in Half Tonners
Tagged under

Class Two is certainly heating up and expanding this year writes Dave Cullen, Skipper of championship winning half–tonner Checkmate XV. The quality of the fleet must make it one of the most competitive with boats ranging from €15k to €150k all in with a fighting chance of the podium.

At the bottom of the rating band, Sigma 33s make up the numbers and the top end is dominated by J97s and Elan 333s.

Such are the numbers that a number of boats might find themselves unhappy participants in Class One which happened in Sovereigns Cup two years ago.

The fleet is diverse and includes a sizeable X302 fleet from Howth YC including the stalwart podium winner DUX, Maximus and Viking to name but a few.

J97 Lambay RulesStephen Quinn’s J/97 Lambay Rules is at the top of the Class Two Rating Band Photo: Afloat.ie

Half Tonner CortegadaCork's George Radley adds his latest 'half' Half Tonner Cortegada to the Class Two fleet this season. Photo: Bob Bateman

checkmate half ton champion1David Cullen's Checkmate from Howth Yacht Club is the 2015 Half Ton champion

Harmony Half tonnerPopular Half tonner Harmony from Howth (Jonny Swan) is on the Class Two circuit Photo: Bob Bateman

Half tonner Big pictureAnother quality Half tonner campaign from HYC, The Big Picture (Michael and Richard Evans). Photo: Afloat.ie

The Half Ton class is formidable and apart from the locals of Checkmate XV, Harmony, King One and The Big Picture, visiting boats planning on basing campaigns here include Nigel Biggs latest Checkmate XVIII ex Dick Dastardly, Paul Wayte from Swansea's HB31 Headhunter and the highly optimised Miss Whiplash returns to Dublin owned by Paul Pullen visiting from Swansea. Demolition from Falmouth is also likely to appear. George Radley adds his latest 'half' Cortegada to the pile of quality competitors.

X302 DuxThe X302 fleet from Howth YC includes stalwart DUX Photo: Afloat.ie

Throw in DB1s, J80s, Corby 25 & 26s and the start line really shapes up with a sharp competitive fleet.

It's easy to predict the half tonners as dominating with light to medium conditions suit them for sure. The same applies with the Corbys. Throw in an extra few knots and the X302s pick up their heels as do the Sigma 33s which are never too far behind. Movistar Blue and Lambay Rules like a breeze too so the field is really wide open.

Sigma 33The Sigma 33 class, formerly a stand alone one design class, have joined DBSC Cruisers Two division this year, boosting numbers on Dublin Bay to 19 Photo: Afloat.ie

Biggs CheckmateCheckmate XVIII – the old Emiliano Zapata, ex Dick Dastardly, ex French Beret, ex Concorde from 1985 is undergoing a refit in North Wales, launching early May

On Dublin Bay, there will be a reported 19 boats in this year's DBSC Cruisers two fleet boosted by eight Sigma 33s who join the division. 

As to predictions, any of the boats in the class can win but need to arrive on the line in good shape and well prepared. Rub your hand over the bum of any of the Class leaders and you will see the efforts put in as the best winning ingredient for race wins is boat speed.

I think a prediction is futile without a weather forecast so I would say for lighter traditional Dublin summer conditions, any of the half tonners or the Corby 25 will feature in a windward–leeward race, Lambay Rules (J97) prefers a reach round the cans races whilst a well sailed Sigma 33 has a real chance if they can stop the mighty Dux in breezy conditions.

Having answered the question like a politician would, if it was predictable none of us would bother, so place your bets and see how it fared out in October. I'll put a tenner on Biggsy though!

Dave Cullen of Howth Yacht Club is Skipper of Half–Tonner Checkmate XV and won the 2015 Half Ton Classics Cup with a race to spare

Published in Half Tonners
Page 1 of 2

Irish Fishing industry 

The Irish Commercial Fishing Industry employs around 11,000 people in fishing, processing and ancillary services such as sales and marketing. The industry is worth about €1.22 billion annually to the Irish economy. Irish fisheries products are exported all over the world as far as Africa, Japan and China.

FAQs

Over 16,000 people are employed directly or indirectly around the coast, working on over 2,000 registered fishing vessels, in over 160 seafood processing businesses and in 278 aquaculture production units, according to the State's sea fisheries development body Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

All activities that are concerned with growing, catching, processing or transporting fish are part of the commercial fishing industry, the development of which is overseen by BIM. Recreational fishing, as in angling at sea or inland, is the responsibility of Inland Fisheries Ireland.

The Irish fishing industry is valued at 1.22 billion euro in gross domestic product (GDP), according to 2019 figures issued by BIM. Only 179 of Ireland's 2,000 vessels are over 18 metres in length. Where does Irish commercially caught fish come from? Irish fish and shellfish is caught or cultivated within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but Irish fishing grounds are part of the common EU "blue" pond. Commercial fishing is regulated under the terms of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), initiated in 1983 and with ten-yearly reviews.

The total value of seafood landed into Irish ports was 424 million euro in 2019, according to BIM. High value landings identified in 2019 were haddock, hake, monkfish and megrim. Irish vessels also land into foreign ports, while non-Irish vessels land into Irish ports, principally Castletownbere, Co Cork, and Killybegs, Co Donegal.

There are a number of different methods for catching fish, with technological advances meaning skippers have detailed real time information at their disposal. Fisheries are classified as inshore, midwater, pelagic or deep water. Inshore targets species close to shore and in depths of up to 200 metres, and may include trawling and gillnetting and long-lining. Trawling is regarded as "active", while "passive" or less environmentally harmful fishing methods include use of gill nets, long lines, traps and pots. Pelagic fisheries focus on species which swim close to the surface and up to depths of 200 metres, including migratory mackerel, and tuna, and methods for catching include pair trawling, purse seining, trolling and longlining. Midwater fisheries target species at depths of around 200 metres, using trawling, longlining and jigging. Deepwater fisheries mainly use trawling for species which are found at depths of over 600 metres.

There are several segments for different catching methods in the registered Irish fleet – the largest segment being polyvalent or multi-purpose vessels using several types of gear which may be active and passive. The polyvalent segment ranges from small inshore vessels engaged in netting and potting to medium and larger vessels targeting whitefish, pelagic (herring, mackerel, horse mackerel and blue whiting) species and bivalve molluscs. The refrigerated seawater (RSW) pelagic segment is engaged mainly in fishing for herring, mackerel, horse mackerel and blue whiting only. The beam trawling segment focuses on flatfish such as sole and plaice. The aquaculture segment is exclusively for managing, developing and servicing fish farming areas and can collect spat from wild mussel stocks.

The top 20 species landed by value in 2019 were mackerel (78 million euro); Dublin Bay prawn (59 million euro); horse mackerel (17 million euro); monkfish (17 million euro); brown crab (16 million euro); hake (11 million euro); blue whiting (10 million euro); megrim (10 million euro); haddock (9 million euro); tuna (7 million euro); scallop (6 million euro); whelk (5 million euro); whiting (4 million euro); sprat (3 million euro); herring (3 million euro); lobster (2 million euro); turbot (2 million euro); cod (2 million euro); boarfish (2 million euro).

Ireland has approximately 220 million acres of marine territory, rich in marine biodiversity. A marine biodiversity scheme under Ireland's operational programme, which is co-funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Government, aims to reduce the impact of fisheries and aquaculture on the marine environment, including avoidance and reduction of unwanted catch.

EU fisheries ministers hold an annual pre-Christmas council in Brussels to decide on total allowable catches and quotas for the following year. This is based on advice from scientific bodies such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. In Ireland's case, the State's Marine Institute publishes an annual "stock book" which provides the most up to date stock status and scientific advice on over 60 fish stocks exploited by the Irish fleet. Total allowable catches are supplemented by various technical measures to control effort, such as the size of net mesh for various species.

The west Cork harbour of Castletownbere is Ireland's biggest whitefish port. Killybegs, Co Donegal is the most important port for pelagic (herring, mackerel, blue whiting) landings. Fish are also landed into Dingle, Co Kerry, Rossaveal, Co Galway, Howth, Co Dublin and Dunmore East, Co Waterford, Union Hall, Co Cork, Greencastle, Co Donegal, and Clogherhead, Co Louth. The busiest Northern Irish ports are Portavogie, Ardglass and Kilkeel, Co Down.

Yes, EU quotas are allocated to other fleets within the Irish EEZ, and Ireland has long been a transhipment point for fish caught by the Spanish whitefish fleet in particular. Dingle, Co Kerry has seen an increase in foreign landings, as has Castletownbere. The west Cork port recorded foreign landings of 36 million euro or 48 per cent in 2019, and has long been nicknamed the "peseta" port, due to the presence of Spanish-owned transhipment plant, Eiranova, on Dinish island.

Most fish and shellfish caught or cultivated in Irish waters is for the export market, and this was hit hard from the early stages of this year's Covid-19 pandemic. The EU, Asia and Britain are the main export markets, while the middle Eastern market is also developing and the African market has seen a fall in value and volume, according to figures for 2019 issued by BIM.

Fish was once a penitential food, eaten for religious reasons every Friday. BIM has worked hard over several decades to develop its appeal. Ireland is not like Spain – our land is too good to transform us into a nation of fish eaters, but the obvious health benefits are seeing a growth in demand. Seafood retail sales rose by one per cent in 2019 to 300 million euro. Salmon and cod remain the most popular species, while BIM reports an increase in sales of haddock, trout and the pangasius or freshwater catfish which is cultivated primarily in Vietnam and Cambodia and imported by supermarkets here.

The EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), initiated in 1983, pooled marine resources – with Ireland having some of the richest grounds and one of the largest sea areas at the time, but only receiving four per cent of allocated catch by a quota system. A system known as the "Hague Preferences" did recognise the need to safeguard the particular needs of regions where local populations are especially dependent on fisheries and related activities. The State's Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, based in Clonakilty, Co Cork, works with the Naval Service on administering the EU CFP. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Department of Transport regulate licensing and training requirements, while the Marine Survey Office is responsible for the implementation of all national and international legislation in relation to safety of shipping and the prevention of pollution.

Yes, a range of certificates of competency are required for skippers and crew. Training is the remit of BIM, which runs two national fisheries colleges at Greencastle, Co Donegal and Castletownbere, Co Cork. There have been calls for the colleges to be incorporated into the third-level structure of education, with qualifications recognised as such.

Safety is always an issue, in spite of technological improvements, as fishing is a hazardous occupation and climate change is having its impact on the severity of storms at sea. Fishing skippers and crews are required to hold a number of certificates of competency, including safety and navigation, and wearing of personal flotation devices is a legal requirement. Accidents come under the remit of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, and the Health and Safety Authority. The MCIB does not find fault or blame, but will make recommendations to the Minister for Transport to avoid a recurrence of incidents.

Fish are part of a marine ecosystem and an integral part of the marine food web. Changing climate is having a negative impact on the health of the oceans, and there have been more frequent reports of warmer water species being caught further and further north in Irish waters.

Brexit, Covid 19, EU policies and safety – Britain is a key market for Irish seafood, and 38 per cent of the Irish catch is taken from the waters around its coast. Ireland's top two species – mackerel and prawns - are 60 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, dependent on British waters. Also, there are serious fears within the Irish industry about the impact of EU vessels, should they be expelled from British waters, opting to focus even more efforts on Ireland's rich marine resource. Covid-19 has forced closure of international seafood markets, with high value fish sold to restaurants taking a large hit. A temporary tie-up support scheme for whitefish vessels introduced for the summer of 2020 was condemned by industry organisations as "designed to fail".

Sources: Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Marine Institute, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Department of Transport © Afloat 2020