Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Lido

Campaigners for a heated outdoor swimming pool at the site of Dublin City Council’s ill-fated whitewater rafting course proposal have released conceptual images to visualise how it could transform the Docklands area.

Last year the two doctors behind the plans garnered more than 4,000 signatures backing their concept for the outdoor pool.

They’ve since teamed up with architects at lido specialists Studio Octopi, who provided the artist’s impressions of what the George’s Dock Lido could look like.

“We believe these images confirm the wonderful opportunity that exists for the people of Dublin to enjoy a world-class swimming facility at this publicly owned historic site,” the George’s Dock Lido Campaign says.

Their concept comprises a 50-metre Olympic-sized swimming pool, heated for use in all seasons, with a smaller “learning pool” and a diving pool with boards and platforms.

The design also features a building to include saunas, community function rooms, a restaurant, café and viewing gallery as well as “water gardens” with public seating and performance areas.

And the campaign says that sustainability is central to their concept, as the lido could be heated with water from the Ringsend incinerator via the Dublin District Heating System.

The campaign has also hit back at counter-proposal for the site that would split it between a public pool and a training area for emergency services, arguing that such a facility “would be unused for much of the year”.

Published in News Update

About the TP52 Racing Yacht

The TP52 racing yacht is a remarkable example of cutting-edge technology in the world of competitive yachting. Measuring 52 feet (15.85 metres) in length, this vessel is constructed entirely from carbon fibre, making it an incredibly light and agile craft.

The TP52 features a 6.25-metre high rig, complete with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker and a self-tacking jib. This design reduces the workload of the crew, allowing for more efficient manoeuvres and freeing up the crew to focus on the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The spinnaker rigging set-up, measuring 15.00 m2, presents a challenge to even the most experienced crews, requiring them to be fit and perfectly coordinated. Maneuvering the boat requires athleticism due to the vessel's lack of inherent stability and the high speed generated by the fully battened mainsail and jib.

The TP52's hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout, resulting in a weight of just 74kg. The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is made up of three parts, featuring an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease overall weight. The capsizing moment, which can be generated by a heavy mast tip, is also reduced through this design. The TP52's foils are constructed from either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the specific requirements of the vessel.

Overall, the TP52 racing yacht is an exceptional example of the latest advancements in yacht design and technology. Its lightweight construction, advanced rigging, and high-speed capabilities make it a top contender in the world of competitive yachting, challenging even the most skilled and experienced crews.