Displaying items by tag: Michael O’Suillebhain

1st April 2024

Michael O’Suillebhain & University College Cork are “Sailors of the Month (Intervarsity Keelboats)” for March

It’s more than 18 months now since Michael O’Suillebhain did some skilled helming to bring Kinsale YC’s J/24 Kinsailor onto the podium in the J/24 Europeans at Howth. But his skills were as sharp as ever as he led the Kinsale squad to victory in the hard-fought intervarsity Keelboat Championship this Easter weekend at the same venue, even if this time they were racing the host club’s multi-purpose flotilla of J/80s.

The overall memories of the 2023 season are of general recollections of June’s good weather being virtually completely blotted out by the foul conditions that prevailed in July, August and September. But though we went into the 2024 Easter Weekend with mostly pessimistic weather forecasts, things were much better than expected, and University College Cork gallantly led the charge at Howth in making the best of them.

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Michael O’Suillebhain Gets Junior 'Sailor of the Month' Award for October

Junior all Ireland winners on the podium. Sailor of the month Michael O'Suilleabhain and Michael Carroll with second placed Rian Geraghty-McDonnell and Harry Durcan and Loghlen Rickard and Nathan Van Steenberge third

If you accept that West Cork begins at Kinsale, then West Cork has made a clean sweep of Irish Sailing’s All-Ireland Titles for 2017. Before Fionn Lyden of Baltimore put his stamp on the Seniors’ historic silver salver at Mullingar in the second weekend of October, a week earlier as the new month was being ushered in, young Michael O’Suillebhain of Kinsale was successfully dealing with a wide variety of conditions in Schull to clinch the Junior Title.

Crewed by Michael Carroll and racing in the Fastnet Marine & Outdoor Education Centre’s TR3.6 dinghies with the Centre’s own David Harte as PRO, the event logistics were supported by an enthusiastic team of helpers who kept the show on the move through wind, rain and mist - a marvellous community effort, typical of the Schull spirit.

And for those who would argue that West Cork doesn’t really begin until you’re west of the Old Head of Kinsale or even further down the coast, we hear what you’re saying, but would point out that O’Suillebhain is one of the great West Cork family names.

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil