Belfast is the only port on the island of Ireland which is ready to construct offshore wind farms, according to a new study published by Wind Energy Ireland.

The national ports study published at the body’s annual offshore wind energy conference in Dublin today was produced by Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions.

It claims to be the most detailed analysis ever conducted on the readiness of Irish ports for the development of offshore renewable energy.

The report includes a thorough analysis of the existing infrastructure available at 13 ports and harbours on the island of Ireland and their plans for expansion to meet the needs of offshore wind.

The ports and harbours examined in the report were, in alphabetical order: Belfast D1, Belfast Harland & Wolff, Bremore, Cork Dockyard, Foynes Island, Galway, Killybegs, Larne, Moneypoint, Port of Cork (Ringaskiddy), Ros an Mhíl, Rosslare Europort and Shannon-Foynes.

“We want to build Irish offshore wind farms in Irish ports,” Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe said.

Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe Photo: Joan Shannon

“Our members – both ports and developers – are absolutely united on this. That is the best way to create jobs at home and to deliver offshore wind energy at the lowest possible price,” he said.

“But we cannot build 7 GW of offshore wind energy by the end of 2030 if we only have a single port on the island suitable for building offshore wind farms,” Cunniffe added.

“We need to be able to build more than one offshore wind project at the same time if we are to have any chance to deliver the carbon emissions cuts that the Government wants and that climate action requires,” he said.

“We know Minister Eamon Ryan is taking this seriously,” Cunniffe said.

“Last year’s Government policy statement on offshore wind and commercial ports, combined with the new Offshore Wind Delivery Task Force, show an increased focus on delivery from the Department of Transport, the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) and other State agencies,” he said.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan

“But with only eight years to deliver 7 GW of offshore wind energy, there is growing concern throughout industry that projects may have to be built from outside of Ireland or will need to wait for availability in Belfast,” he said.

The report recommends:

Funding: Support from the Irish Government would help de-risk the level of upfront investment and plug any funding gaps. This could be in the form of direct funding from the exchequer, a low-interest loan scheme or access to funding vehicles such as the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and the European Investment Bank.

Clarity: Huge uncertainty remains about when offshore wind farm construction will start as developers seek clarity on the emerging offshore planning system and next year’s offshore renewable auction. Clarity on timescales would help developers and give confidence to investors looking at the detailed infrastructure plans brought forward by ports.

Planning: There is a risk that ports will struggle to get a foreshore survey licence on time or may spend years in the planning system. Wind Energy Ireland has previously highlighted the need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to instruct An Bord Pleanála to prioritise planning applications related to renewable energy, including port infrastructure, to give the country the best chance of hitting our 2030 target.

“Our ports have the ambition, the determination and the imagination to provide first-class infrastructure for the construction of offshore renewable energy projects,” principal officer and lead author Sarah Gibson said.

“Ports like Rosslare, Cork Dockyard and Shannon-Foynes have already put in substantial work getting ready for offshore wind,” she said.

“Ports and developers both want this to happen. Ireland can be a base from which to build a generation of fixed-bottom and floating wind energy projects, creating thousands of jobs and ensuring that investment stays in Ireland,” she noted.

“But it won’t just happen by itself. It will need Government, ports and renewable energy developers working together to make this ambition a reality,” she said.

The report was co-funded by a number of Wind Energy Ireland members: Belfast Harbour, DP Energy, ESB, Inis Offshore Wind, Ocean Winds, Ørsted, Source Energie and RWE.

The report can be accessed here.

Three Belfast Lough yachts had great results at West Highland Week, which ended on Friday last, two from Carrickfergus Sailing Club on the north shore and another from Royal Ulster Yacht Club on the opposite side.

The best result came from Gareth Martel’s First 40.7 from Royal Ulster who, after a ninth in the 20-strong feeder race fleet from Oban, was first in Class 2, counting three wins, the Croabh 1 race, Lynn of Lorne race and the Oban to Tobermory passage race. Another trophy to add to Pippa’s Ailsa Craig offshore race prize earlier in the season.

Gareth Martel’s First 40.7 from Royal Ulster 

From Carrickfergus in Class One, Bruce Douglas’s J133 Spirit of Jacana was third overall of 13 starters, counting second places in Croabh races 1 and 2 and in the Sound of Mull race. Also from CSC White Pearl, an Elan Impression 434 (D Mitchell) raced in the ten-strong Class 2 and finished fifth, with second in the Lynn of Lorne Race 1 as her best result.

White Pearl, an Elan Impression 434 (D Mitchell) Photo: via CSC Facebook

Royal Ulster’s Classic offshore overnight Ailsa Craig race will start from the club line at Bangor in Belfast Lough on Friday evening (17th) with the first warning signal at 19.00 hrs. On a good day, the Craig can be seen from the Club.

With a forecast of light winds, the course will probably be round the rock at the mouth of the Clyde and back to the club, about 80 miles.

At the moment there are four competitors, all of whom may be using it as a warm-up for the Bangor Town Regatta a week later, but given the unstable weather at present, some prospective entrants may be waiting until the last minute to make a decision.

On the other hand, they may be saving their energies for those four days of racing.

Brian and Ryan Wilson's Corby 29, Elixir

Johnny Ritchie’s Dufour Classic 41, Mingulay from the host club, will join on the starting line, visitors Michael Eames in his Sunfast 3200 All or Nothing from Strangford Lough Yacht Club, Stuart Cranston’s Ker 32 Hijacker from Down Cruising Club, and Bryan and Ryan Wilson’s Corby 29 Elixir from across the Lough at Carrickfergus.

Tyrena (Dr W E "Darty" Glover), winner of the first RUYC Ailsa Craig Race in 1962. She was a 39ft Charles A Nicholson design, built Berthon Boat Company of Lymington in 1959

Winner of the inaugural race in 1962 was the late Darty Glover in the 11-ton sloop, Tyrena and the late Dickie Brown of Portaferry was the winner the following year in the famous hard chine Black Soo, a van de Stadt design. Another memory is that of John Taylor who now lives in New Zealand, who recalls racing in the first race in what he describes as a “fair old southwesterly hammering in the channel”.

And the winner of the Fiftieth Anniversary event was Kenneth Halliwell’s She 31, She of the North. Many of those who had raced in 1962 turned out again for that event fifty years later. Among these was Darty Glover, then in his Eighties, who had travelled from Australia and John Taylor from New Zealand.

Cowes, Isle of Wight: 11th June 2022. Russell Peters and his crew of James Grant and Greg Wells snatched a narrow lead at the end of the third day of the Brewin Dolphin RS Elite International Grand Prix.

Northern Ireland Dragon ace Simon Brien from Belfast Lough is lying fifth having won a race on the opening day of the event. 

Peters who is representing the host club, the Royal Yacht Squadron, was finally able to discard his second black flag disqualification from his scoreline, and is now a slender two points ahead of Hayling Island’s Ossie Stewart.

The second discard came into force when the fleet had completed nine out of the ten race series. Russell Peters sailing Riff Raff has scored five first places, a third and then a ninth in the ninth race, discarding two black flags. With the wind forecast to go light and shifty on Sunday for the last race of the regatta, anything could happen.

The Brewin Dolphin RS Elite International Grand Prix fleet race downwind in Cowes Photo: Paul Wyeth

Commenting on the coming showdown he said, “it could be a bit tense tomorrow, I think the conditions will be better than predicted.” Talking about his string of wins he said, “we seem to have good speed, if we can get off the line cleanly and go the right way the boat is quick.”

Olympic medallist Ossie Stewart, crewed by his son Tom and Geoff Carveth, has been a consistent performance throughout the regatta, with a string of top four places until the ninth race when he slumped to 14th. Currently in third place overall is Tom Hewitson also from Hayling Island, twenty points behind Stewart.

With just the one race scheduled for Sunday, the final day of the regatta, there is likely to be some very tactical match racing between Peters and Stewart with all to play for.

The Solent laid on its sparkling best today, with sunshine and a good breeze in the 15 to 20 knot range, Russell Peters describing it as “fabulous conditions, it was so good to be out there.

Results:

1. Russell Peters Royal Yacht Squadron 17pts
2. Ossie Stewart Hayling Island S.C. 13pts
3. Tom Hewitson Hayling Island S.C. 29pts
4. Martin Jones Royal Yacht Squadron 41pts
5. Simon Brien Royal North of Ireland Y.C. 43pts
6. Paul Fisk Emsworth S.C. 53pts

Belfast Lough-based Artemis Technologies, the global leader in green maritime innovation, has launched to market the world’s first commercially viable 100% electric, high-speed foiling workboat range.

The first commercial vessels to be built in Belfast in many decades, are billed as the greenest workboats on the planet, have a range of 60 miles and top speed of 34 knots and can be recharged in one hour and create little wake.

The launch represents a £12 million investment in R&D and is the first in a series of zero-emission vessels to be developed by Artemis, led by two-time Olympic sailing champion Iain Percy, that will create 1,000 jobs over the next decade.

The announcement coincides with the publication of a Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) report for Maritime UK that put the value of the sector to the UK at £116 billion.

Developed and built in Belfast, the zero-emission vessels are the greenest workboats on the planet and represent a £12 million investment in research and development.

With a top speed of 34 knots and a range of 60 nautical miles at 25 knots cruise speed, the vessels produce incredible energy savings of up to 90% compared to conventional fossil fuel workboats.

Powered by the revolutionary Artemis eFoiler propulsion system, the workboats fly silently above the water, ensuring an exceptionally comfortable gliding experience no matter the sea conditions and creating minimal wake, making them an ideal solution for traditionally busy waterways.

As Afloat reported previously, aimed specifically at the global workboat and crew transfer market, Artemis Technologies’ electric foiling workboat range ensures robustness and reliability that has been developed and tested on the world’s most advanced marine digital twin simulator located in Belfast.

The company, which currently employs 60 people, is developing a range of green transport solutions which it anticipates will create 1,000 jobs over the next decade.

Artemis Technologies is a spin-off from the Artemis Racing team that competed in the America’s Cup of which its founder, two-time Olympic champion Dr Iain Percy OBE is a four-time veteran.

He said: “Combining our experience from the worlds of high-performance sailing, motorsports and advanced manufacturing, the electric propulsion system that we’ve designed and developed is an absolute game changer for the industry in terms of range, costs savings and minimal wake created.

“With hydrofoils that lift the boats out of the water, we are dramatically reducing drag. This is coupled with a submerged electric drivetrain that is exceptionally efficient, as proven through rigorous testing with our partners, confirming what we had discovered through our own onshore digital simulations.

The minimal wake caused by Artemis Technologies’ unique electric foiling system ensures optimal protection for the marine environment while virtually eliminating noise and air pollution

“The ride comfort of a hydrofoiling vessel through a large seaway has to be experienced to be believed, offering a completely smooth journey whatever the sea state.

“This will allow engineers in crew transfer vessels or port operations to get to their destination and deliver their services without discomfort.

“This is only the beginning. As our vessels transform the commercial workboat and city-to-city passenger ferry sectors over the coming years, Belfast and the UK will be at the forefront, creating thousands of jobs across the supply chain and heralding a green shipbuilding revolution.

“With the global small boat market worth $70 billion, we are immensely proud to launch our first range of zero-emission vessels for the workboat sector, from which we have already received significant pre-market interest.

“This is a hugely significant milestone not only for us but in global decarbonisation efforts with the International Maritime Organization requiring emissions to be halved by 2050.”

Artemis Technologies’ full workboat range includes an 11.5M multi-purpose workboat and a 12M crew transfer vessel. A 24M crew transfer vessel is also currently under development.

The launch comes as a new Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) report, commissioned by Maritime UK, puts the economic impact of UK maritime at £116 billion. With Northern Ireland’s maritime industry directly contributing more than £2 billion to the UK economy, a bigger impact than Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber combined.

Maritime UK chair Sarah Kenny said: “As an island nation, maritime surrounds all of us, and its impact is felt in every community across the UK.

“We saw that during the pandemic, through the provision of vital supplies, and we are seeing it now as we bounce back. With maritime driving the net zero agenda and providing skilled jobs in all corners of the country.

“Artemis Technologies’ launch today shows our heritage as maritime pioneers will continue long into the future. But continued collaboration with government, and investment, will be the key to realising our full potential.”

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE said:

“The talent and expertise at Artemis Technologies is leading the way in maritime decarbonisation and playing an important role in helping Northern Ireland and the UK reach our Net Zero targets.

“Artemis is making a positive contribution to the UK’s economy, supporting innovation and job growth through the development of zero-emission technology.

"I am delighted that such amazing technology has been developed in Northern Ireland and to have been able to see the eFoiler technology up close during a recent showcase in Belfast.

“The launch of this range of green vessels by Artemis Technologies is a truly positive step in the fight against climate change.”

Leo Hambro, Commercial Director, at Tidal Transit, which operates a fleet of purpose-built offshore wind crew transfer vessels in waters around the UK and overseas said:

“Having worked closely with Artemis Technologies, as part of the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), funded by the Department for Transport, today’s launch marks a sea-change in how workboat operators will view electric foiling boats.

“Given the remarkable range, incredible speed and comfortable ride, this workboat is truly a game-changer for our sector as it looks to cut carbon emissions across the industry.”

There has been a surprisingly mixed reaction to the news that next weekend, in celebration of the Royal Platinum Jubilee, the sailing-mad town of Bangor on Belfast Lough will be conferred with City Status. Joy has not been unalloyed. Apart from the classic Bangorian’s default reaction of “What’s it going to cost us?”, the time-honoured “Bangor-by-the-Sea” has had its own neat and evocative power of expression over the years.

It’s a title that trips easily off the tongue, much more so than “City of Bangor”. It tells you exactly what the place is all about. And while some famous cities undoubtedly exude glamour, far more of them have a distinctly gritty workaday image, emphasised in this instance by the fact that while Belfast was the smokey place where Bangorians commuted each day to work, their home town was the fresh-aired haven where they gladly retreated each evening, a healthy place where in summer they went sailing, played golf, made an attempt at tennis, or simply enjoyed the benefits of sea air and the fact that it wasn’t a city, Belfast or otherwise

You knew where you were with “The Town of Bangor”. But the sudden imposition of the title of The City of Bangor on a place that’s exactly the same as it was last week has evoked some sardonic responses. Not least was the assertion that it should have been given to the one of the more disadvantaged alternative places that were promoted for the honour but failed to make the cut, less favoured towns such as Coleraine or Ballymena, “for they need it a lot more than we do”.

“Bangor-by-the-Sea” as it is now, quite big enough and actually a city for 1,500 years

Outsiders may find this reaction a bit ungracious. But in Bangor, there are those who know that, in thinking they’re conferring city status on Bangor, the modern authorities are deluded with their own self-importance. For they’re simply enabling the contemporary conurbation to revert to the city status which it held 1,500 years ago, when Bangor was an active monastic city of European significance.

Indeed, it had such staying power that when the Mappa Mundi – the World Map - of Hereford Cathedral was created towards 1300AD, only four places were marked and named in Ireland – Dublin, Bangor, Armagh and Kildare. Other monastic cities such as Clonmacnois and Derry, which had also been setting the international pace when Bangor was getting up to speed, were no longer significant. Yet Bangor – despite having proven a natural base for the Vikings – had survived to be the only place of importance on Belfast Lough.

At the time of the Hereford map, Carrickfergus on the Antrim shore was just a rocky islet behind which storm-beleaguered boats could find shelter at high water, while Belfast was no more than mudflats at the mouth of the very shallow River Lagan. Thus Bangor with its two north-facing bays – sheltered in the prevailing southwest wind - was the continuing natural centre of maritime and urban activity.

This seems to have partially been because while Clonmacnois had prospered for centuries as a place of such importance in learning that it drew people in, while Derry was never the same once Columcille had departed to convert the Scots in 563AD, Bangor was in for the long haul and outward-looking, thanks to continuing two-way missionary connections with Europe, notably to the Swiss, Austrian and North Italian Regions.

The voyaging Irish monks from the ancient Monastic City of Bangor had a greater impact in the heart of Europe than any other Irish seat of learning

They also sent missionaries to what is now the Glasgow area, but that may have been a mixed blessing, as subsequently the rough Scots began to move in on the Bangor area to such an extent that the Stuart king James VI of Scotland, aka James 1st of England, granted Bangor port status in 1620, with all the trading monopolies which that conferred.

However, by that time Carrickfergus was the primary fortified port on what had generally become known as Carrickfergus Bay. Yet it was only a matter of time before it became Belfast Lough, as the rapidly-growing township at its head was becoming such a major commercial and industrial force that in 1888 it was finally conferred with the much-sought City of Belfast status when such titles really meant something.

Bangor meanwhile was developing in fresh directions. For a while, one of the bigger landlords in the little town tried to turn it into a cotton-manufacturing centre, and up to 300 people were employed in the North Down equivalent of the Dark Satanic Mills around Bangor Bay. But the coming of the railway from Belfast in 1865, with links throughout Ireland, was transformational.

For a while, it led to attempts to turn Bangor into a classic Victorian seaside resort. This worked to a certain extent for some time. In fact, it had a certain validity until sun-centred package holidays changed everything. But meanwhile it generated an underlying tension, for Belfast’s very rapid industrial growth meant that by 1900 it was the most atmospherically-polluted city in the world, and for many people this meant that Bangor was much more useful as a healthy-aired dormitory town well clear of Belfast’s grime, rather than somewhere with gaudy hospitality tendencies trying to generate an unreliable income from budget-limited visitors.

This in turn changed the geography of sailing development on Belfast Lough. We have records of recreational sailing in the Belfast-Holywood-Cultra-Carrickfergus upper part of the lough before 1800, and the oldest known image of this sailing is the painting of Belfast Regatta in 1829, when the race area was between Belfast and Carrickfergus

“Belfast Regatta” of 1829 – the full title reads: “Race Won 19 June 1829, at the Belfast Regatta, by the ‘Ariel’, John McCracken Esq., against the ‘Crusader’, Sir Stephen May, and the ‘Zoe’, Marquis (sic) of Donegall. From the painting by Andrew Nicholl, Ulster Museum.

But with improving rail and road connections to Bangor, the now rapidly-growing former monastic city by the sea began to play an increasing role in the Lough’s sailing development, and though the town’s Royal Ulster Yacht Club (founded 1866 just one year after the railway opened) is historically best-known for its direct links to Thomas Lipton’s five America’s Cup Challenges between 1899 and 1930, in terms of ground-breaking sailing development its input into the new-fangled concept of One-Design keelboat classes through its key role in the Belfast Lough One Design was something of global significance.

There’s a reminder of all this in the April 2022 Edition of Classic Boat magazine, where Tom Cunliffe writes of the restoration by craftsman boatbuilder Alastair Garland of the New Forest in Hampshire of Uandi, the 24-footer which started life in the mid-1890s as one of the new Belfast Lough No 1 ODs designed initially by William Fife in 1895.

Alastair Garland’s restored 1897-built 24ft LOA Belfast Lough OD in Hampshire.

In Uandi’s case, she was built for T V P McCammon of Holywood in 1897 by A Hutchinson & Co, whose yard was on North Twin Island in Belfast. Her sail number in the growing class was 7, but their time as the No I class was very brief, for enthusiasm was such that they’d become the No II Class by 1897 with the arrival of the 37ft boats which became the No I class through Force Majeur, and indeed by 1899 the little boats of 1895 origins had become the No III Class thanks to the arrival of new 31ft Mylne-designed sloops which elbowed their way into becoming the No II Class, better known as the Stars.

The first design for a Belfast Lough OD - the 24 footers which eventually became Class III - was this remarkably modern set of lines first sketched by Wiliam Fife in 1895.

The new class getting up to strength, racing at RUYC Regatta 1898. Photo courtesy RUYC

All the joys of a running finish at the 1898 regatta…….Uandi on left, with the new RUYC clubhouse under construction in the background. Photo: Courtesy RUYC

Be that as it may, the original 24-footers first mooted in 1895 were of huge historical significance, and all power to Alastair Garland for recognising this and providing himself with a very attractive little day sailer while he’s at it.

However, he’s wrong on one count – Uandi is not the sole survivor of the class. I happen to known where the very restorable hulk of one of her sisters is hidden in plain sight in Ireland, but have so far failed to persuade classic boat enthusiasts that a very important yet manageable Fife creation is waiting for what will undoubtedly be an expensive but very worthwhile restoration, for the boats are a joy to sail in their own right.

Regatta Day 1898, and the new boats look very well, but after a gybe finish this foredeck is busy and the spinnaker is still up there behind the mainsail. Photo courtesy RUYC

Who knows, but maybe some classics enthusiast in the new City of Bangor might feel that this particular restoration is now a doubly-worthwhile project, for all the stories about Bangor’s new status lead with the fact that it’s now home to the leading marina in Ireland.

This is not something which was achieved easily. A month ago, we published a piece  about how Bangor’s anchorages sometimes suffered from severe onshore gales. When it was re-posted on the Ballyholme Yacht Club website, it drew a sad response from Richard Thompson about how the great northeasterly gale of 1976 had resulted in the total loss at Ballyholme of his 26ft Swallow Class Philomela, a boat I once owned myself for several happy year.

But Richard’s point went further than that, for out of a fleet of 80-plus boats moored in Ballyholme Bay, 41 had either been totally lost or very severely damaged. It proved to be a pivotal point which resulted in massive developments about the planning of which I’ve only a sketchy notion, but the fact that Bangor now has a marina of top international standard speaks for itself.

It seems that after the 1976 storm, two Bangor councillors who had long thought the town badly needed a decent yacht harbour tried to encourage local officials to explore what might be possible through special grants and development support from the recently-joined European Union, or EEC as it was then. But the prospect of Brussels bureaucracy and paperwork generally was daunting in the extreme.

However, it happened that at the time the late Hugh Kennedy  was the very active Rear Commodore of RUYC, and he took his family holidays every August in Baltimore in West Cork. There, one of his neighbours at high summer was the late Peter Sutherland, an EU Commissioner among many other things, highly regarded as a man who knew his way around all the corridors of power and could get things done. Hugh wondered if it would help if he could arrange an informal summertime meeting between the Bangor marina proposers and Peter Sutherland, and apparently it took place, and very successful it was too.

Thus in looking at today’s Bangor Marina, the jewel in the crown of Northern Ireland’s newest city, you can’t help but wonder if it all began to become reality with a friendly handshake in the back bar of Bushe’s Bar in Baltimore. But beyond that, there’s no need to feel any special obligation to Brussels. For back in Bangor’s Monastic City days 1,500 years ago, Bangor gave some enduring and priceless gifts of faith and civilisation to Europe, so the building of Bangor Marina marked payback time.

Be that as it may, the new city status is going to pose some immediate acronym problems. At the end of June, the town, the marina, and the yacht clubs of Bangor are going to co-operate in staging the successful biennial Bangor Town Regatta, known to everyone by the neat title of BTR. That can hardly be retained now. Yet City of Bangor Regatta becomes COBR, which is quite a mouthful, and inevitably will become COBRA. Do you think the promo “Let’s do COBRA” will have wings?

Action stations at Bangor Town Regatta, usually known as BTR. With Bangor’s new city status, will this year’s event from 23rd to 26th June become COBRA 22?

Crowds gathered recently at Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough for the second open evening to be held by the charity Safer Waters.

Safer Waters is a unique service in Northern Ireland, established in 2020 to provide a Safety Boat service for water-based community events. The service supports events such as sailing, swimming, paddle boarding and windsurfing that have no safety cover of their own or may need additional resources. It will also supplement sailing clubs in events where multiple safety cover is required, such as the huge Irish Youth Sailing Championships at Ballyholme in April, where Safer Waters provided six safety boats.

Although it is Bangor Marina based, the volunteers will serve all communities by travelling by sea and road to coastal or inland water locations.

Safer Waters Mike Meharg (right) with l to r Robin Gordon Training Officer, Johnathan Mitchell Rostering Officer, George King, Vice Commodore, and Karen Dugan Secretary

Using the Open Evening as a recruitment drive was a successful move as from those who attended three have decided to join and two more look possible.

Commodore Mike Meharg, whose day job is a long-haul pilot, explained that there are tasks other than manning the safety boats, such as beachmaster for events, and helping with Risk Assessments and other safety-related issues.

Safer Waters is an RYA Regional Training Centre (RTC) running courses such as Powerboat Level 1 through to Yachtmaster Offshore.

At the moment Safer Waters uses RIBs owned by members as grant aid for new craft is a slow process. One way money can be raised for the charity is through www.smile.amazon.com where a percentage of purchase costs go to Safer Waters.

Mike Meharg was delighted with the response, “This evening’s Safer Waters Open meeting was an opportunity to meet people and raise awareness of who we are and what we do. As well as an introduction to our organisation, our visitors experienced a run to Helen’s Bay along the coast from Bangor in a 300 horsepower RIB and even had a go driving it under an instructor’s supervision. A memorable evening for all concerned and one that hopefully raised our profile and gained us a few new members”.

The next Open Evening will be on Wednesday, 25th May at Bangor Marina, meeting outside the gates.

Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough recently hosted the Squib Northerns and a fleet of 18 enjoyed five races under Race Officer Scott Rogers and his team in challenging conditions over the two days.

Overall winners were Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan from Royal North of Ireland YC on Belfast Lough.

Gordon Patterson (left) with crew Ross Nolan (right)

Competitors from as far away as Holyhead in Wales, Kinsale, Lough Derg, Dublin Bay and the Isle of Wight joined the northern locals in the event which saw four boats notching up wins but apart from Race 2 which Patterson discarded, Fagin finished consistently in the first six to win by one point from Granat (David Stewart and Brian Hare) from Royal Irish.

In light winds on the Saturday morning, race 1 got underway with Granat taking 1st place, closely followed by Simon Watson’s Volante from the home club.

After a wind shift, race 2 got under way with the sailmaker Dick Batt from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in the Isle of Wight taking first in Squib followed by the consistent Volante, Batt scored another first in Race 3, first making him the overnight leader. Second in that race was KYC’s Stephen Stewart in Second Chance. So, it was all to play for on the Sunday.

Squibs race downwind at the Northern Championships at Killyleagh

Major wind shifts resulted in postponements on Sunday morning and when racing did get under way it was the Royal North boats on form with Gregg Bell and Jayne Kearney in Prodigal taking a win closely followed by the host club’s David Hanna in Blue and the Royal Irish Granat. So, it was all down to the last race and in a steady consistent breeze Patterson and Nolan led from the start to take a well-deserved first, closely followed by clubmates John Miller and Gary Watson in Tamerlane. Overall runners up were Stewart and Hare with Bell and Kearney third.

This event was a valuable rehearsal for the big 56 boat National Championships in Kinsale in June with eight Northern competitors travelling to that event in which the racing will take place between the Old Head of Kinsale and the Sovereigns Islands.

And Killyleagh Yacht Club would like to thank everyone for their generosity in donating £600 to the Wave Project which is a charity which helps young people reduce anxiety and improve confidence through Surf Therapy.

Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat was launched on Thursday 19 May, to assist a yacht taking water onboard approximately 12 miles North East of Bangor, County Down.

The volunteer crew of Donaghadee Lifeboat were requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard on Thursday at 3.22 pm to reports of an 8-metre yacht in difficulty at the mouth of Belfast Lough.

The yacht, with 3 people onboard, left Stranraer at 9.45am and was en route to Bangor when it requested assistance from the Coastguard due to taking on water. They reported that they could see Kilroot Power Station but were unable to narrow down their position.

In moderate sea conditions but good visibility Donaghadee Lifeboat Saxon, launched at 3.33pm and proceeded at full speed toward Belfast Lough. Meanwhile, Irish Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter 118, which had been on another callout further North, were able to offer assistance in locating the yacht.

To help find them, the crew of the yacht set off a red flare, enabling the crew of the lifeboat to determine their position and consequently Saxon was on scene at 4.11pm followed shortly by the Search and Rescue helicopter.

As the vessels own pump was doing a sufficient job at keeping the water at bay, the crew on the lifeboat established a tow-line to the stricken yacht and proceeded to tow at a speed of approximately 5 knots to the safe haven of Bangor Marina, arriving shortly after 6pm.

The lifeboat refuelled and returned to Donaghadee Harbour and were available for their next callout shortly after 7pm.

Earlier in the week on Tuesday 17 May at 5.55 am, the volunteer crew were launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard after reports from a member of the general public who reported sightings of a man in a small boat holding onto a lobster pot just North of Ballywalter Harbour. The lifeboat launched into moderate/rough conditions and proceeded at full speed toward the casualty, who’s outboard engine had broken down. It transpired that the casualty had contacted a family member with a boat to assist, the lifeboat stayed on scene until the assisting vessel arrived and returned to Donaghadee Harbour at 7.20 am.

Philip McNamara, Donaghadee Lifeboat Coxswain commented ‘Two positive results this week from our callouts – a credit to the member of the public who called in the the small punt holding onto the lobster pot, we would always encourage the public to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if they are worried, the earlier we are launched the more likely a positive result.

We were happy to ensure the remaining safe passage of the 8 metre yacht into Bangor Marina, again the importance of asking for help as earlier as possible to ensure a positive outcome played a big part in this callout, also having the relevant equipment onboard to help us locate you is essential. As always the crew’s quick response and skill were superb, and I extend my thanks to them.’

The first Northern Ireland athlete selected for Mary Peters Trust funding is Belfast-based sailor, Lauren McDowell, who has received a £500 bursary.

Each of the ten athletes will be selected by Lady Mary and her Trust to receive a £500 bursary from Hughes Insurance to support them on their journey and realise their sporting potential.

Lady Mary Peters said: “I am proud that my Trust has chosen to partner with Hughes Insurance again on our 2022 bursary programme. Northern Ireland is a hotbed for sporting talent and last year’s scheme saw ten incredibly talented young athletes supported on the journey to reaching their goals.

“I am delighted that Lauren has been recognised. Her talent and perseverance are evident from her many sporting accolades, and I hope that this bursary will help her to realise her dreams.”

Lauren, 18, from East Belfast, has achieved multiple wins for sailing. These include the second female boat at the Royal Yachting Association’s British Youth Nationals in 2022, second Female team 29er in the 2021 Irish national championships, fifth female team 29er in the 2021 UK National Championships and fifth Female Team 29er in the 2021 Royal Yachting Association’s Youth National Championships. She will also participate in the upcoming 29er World Championships in Spain.

A 29er is a two-person, single trapeze dinghy with an asymmetric spinnaker. Designed By Julian Bethwaite and First Produced In 1998, the high-performance vessel is able to reach high speeds quickly due to its aerodynamic hull.

Lauren, who has been sailing for nine years, balances training in yacht clubs around Ireland with studying for her A-levels.

Commenting on her bursary, she said: “I feel honoured to receive this bursary from the Mary Peters Trust and Hughes Insurance. It is a real privilege to have my hard work and dedication recognised and to know that I have been chosen from a large selection of candidates right across the country.

“My greatest achievement to date was second female boat at the Royal Yachting Association’s British Youth Nationals in April 2022 and I simply can’t wait to represent Ireland in the 29er World Championships in Spain this year.

“I love competition and adventure and sailing provides me with both. Having the support of the programme is incredibly important and this funding will help me to get extra coaching sessions in the run-up to the World Championships.”

With the sailing season underway across the UK, many young athletes like Lauren are currently taking to the water to train and compete.

Bethany Carroll, Marketing Executive at Hughes Insurance said: “At Hughes Insurance, we are ‘here for the journey’ and as such, we’re delighted to renew our partnership with the Mary Peters Trust, which allows us to continue to support many of Northern Ireland young athletes on their sporting journeys.

“Last year’s bursary programme saw ten talented young athletes receive funding to help them on the path to realising their potential and it has been a privilege to meet with them and hear about their tenacity and achievements.

“We hope that this funding will help Lauren and the other athletes who will be selected this year to excel, and we are excited to follow their development in the years to come.”

The Mary Peters Trust is the only province-wide organisation to provide support to young athletes from all recognised sports. Along with Hughes Insurance, it is also supported by Alchemy Technology Services, who this year became a podium partner to support the Trust’s activities throughout 2022.

The further nine successful bursary recipients will be announced throughout 2022.