I attended the SCORA annual meeting this week. I was seeking a particular answer about boats. The attendance at the meeting was the biggest in some years, a tribute to the work which the South Coast Offshore Racing Association’s Commodore has put into the organisation.
Who says women can’t lead the men?
Johanna Murphy from Great Island Sailing Club has been doing a pretty good job at SCORA, where the main decision at the agm was that the combined Cork Harbour Clubs League will run next year in May/June and September, but not in July. The turn-out on Saturdays in July this Summer was regarded as not big enough in comparison to the Friday nights, to continue with it. August is a holiday month when many boats head west. On Friday nights in July the clubs can resort to their own events.
SCORA prizewinners with Commodore Johanna Murphy (centre) Photo: Bob Bateman
Handicapping was a usual topic, ECHO handicaps are open to question. Not everyone is pleased with the current ones. The restoration of a handicapping committee is on the cards, The Queenstown Race from Dun Laoghaire for the RCYC Tricentenary was mentioned with detailed arrangements and the South Coast Racing Calendar to be drawn up in a few weeks.
So, with the meeting over I go to my purpose for being there – to ask the stalwart of the Association, its Secretary and Treasurer for many years, Michael Murphy, what is the attraction of a 40-year-old boat?
A few weeks ago at the RCYC there was a bit of celebration about his ownership of Shelly D for that length of time but no one got him to explain why he’s been a one-boat-owner for so long. I was curious, so I asked him and his answers are fascinating, worth listening to, because what he says and how he puts it, could not be conveyed adequately, solely by the written word.
So listen to him on the Podcast below.
