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A Harbour Seal photographed at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinnipeds, they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Baltic and North seas. Photo: AfloatA photograph of a Harbour Seal taken at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, this species can be found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are the most widely distributed species of pinnipeds and can be found in the coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Baltic and North Seas. Photo: Afloat

Displaying items by tag: Sigma 33

The Sigma 33 Elandra was out racing for the first time yesterday (27th April) with its mainly all-women crew on Belfast Lough. Victoria and Martin Dews have made Elandra available to encourage women to grab the chance to race or sail in a predominantly female crew. Victoria has been instrumental in creating opportunities for women to retain and deepen their interest in sailing

Royal Ulster’s Opening Day at Bangor was the perfect opportunity to compete for the first time together and their third place overall on handicap in the YTC 2 fleet was a good start. Elandra was second over the line behind another Sigma, Squawk, (Paul and Emma Prentice). Victoria was pleased with the result. “Yesterday’s race was a great experience for our crew. The conditions were perfect for our first outing, and we really gelled as a team, despite our varied backgrounds and experience levels. I'm really chuffed at our 3rd place. We have a lot to learn, though! Again, we will be wearing our ‘lucky’ headbands, knitted especially by Martin’s mother”.

Elandra plans to participate in the first of the Northern Ireland Inshore Points series on 18th May, a race around the Copeland Islands off Donaghadee, about six miles east of Bangor.

Royal Ulster’s Opening Day results at BangorRoyal Ulster’s Opening Day results at Bangor

Published in Women in Sailing
Tagged under

Victoria Dews, the owner of Sigma 33 Elandra based in Belfast Lough, possesses many of the characteristics associated with the name Elandra, such as a strong personality, energy, charisma, and focus. She is a great advocate of Women on Water, an initiative that aims to encourage more women to participate in sailing. Victoria has put together an all-female crew comprising a diverse mix of sailors to compete in this year's Northern Ireland Inshore Points Series and local club Ladies' races on board Elandra.

Victoria recognises the need for ongoing opportunities to retain and deepen women's involvement in sailing. She hopes that by providing a platform for women to develop their sailing skills in a supportive environment, she can inspire more women to pursue their passion for sailing.

"Victoria recognises the need for ongoing opportunities to retain and deepen women's involvement in sailing"

The crew ranges from those who recently discovered the sport through initiatives like WOW-WE to seasoned sailors with years of experience.

The Sigma 33 Elandra crew Photo: Wesley CrawfordThe Sigma 33 Elandra crew Photo: Wesley Crawford

Lee Stevenson, a seasoned sailor from the Bangor clubs, Royal Ulster, and Ballyholme, will drive the boat. Fiona Hicks, a well-known sailor from Royal Ulster and Strangford Lough YC, will skipper the boat. Jennifer Bryce, a GP14 dinghy sailor from Donaghadee SC and Newtownards SC, and Rebecca Nightingale, a seasoned foredeck sailor, will also be part of the crew. Christina Cunningham, an experienced dinghy sailor and past crew in the Clipper Round the World Race, will be in charge of the main and sail trim.

Sigma 33 Elandra Crew

Christina Cunningham Christina Cunningham 

Sandra HalliwellSandra Halliwell

Rebecca NightingaleRebecca Nightingale

Fiona Hicks on the helm of an RS EliteFiona Hicks on the helm of an RS Elite

Elandra's first race will be on Royal Ulster's Opening Day on 27th April. The crew also plans to participate in Ladies' Races, with at least a 60/40 ratio of female to male crew. Martin, Vicki's husband, will occasionally be aboard. Victoria is excited about the potential of this venture to promote gender diversity and inclusivity in sailing and is eager to see the impact it will have.

Published in Sigma

While Scottish crews were in command at the 20-boat Sigma 33 Irish National Championships hosted as part of the 2019 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, four years later, it is a Howth Yacht Club crew that lifted the title at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Sunday afternoon.

After four epic days of sailing on Dublin Bay, Stephen Mullaney's Insider crew, with six wins from seven races, was six points clear of Alan Harper's Leaky Roof II from Cove Sailing Club in Scotland. Third was the Northern Ireland yacht Squwak skippered by Paul Prentice from Ballyholme Yacht Club.

Stephen Mullaney's Insider crewStephen Mullaney's Sigma 33 Insider crew from Howth Yacht Club

The ten-boat Sigma 33 class sailed a number of courses over the four-day 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: AfloatThe ten-boat Sigma 33 class sailed a number of courses over the four-day 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: Afloat

There was praise for the organisers of Ireland's largest sailing event, who managed racing for a fleet of 400 boats on three of the four days of the regatta despite being in the full grip of the northern jetstream. Winds from a southerly quadrant blew hard again on Sunday to bring a blustery ninth edition of the biennial event to a successful close at lunchtime. 

The next Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta will be sailed from July 10th–13th, 2025.

Published in Volvo Regatta
Tagged under

In this post lockdown era, there are so many events on offer that sailors keen to compete in the big competitions are spoilt for choice, and this has never been so true as with the Sigma 33 class this season.

This year’s Irish and Class Championship will be included in Royal Ulster’s Bangor Town Regatta in late June; but for some, it may not be possible to do more than one regatta. There’s the Scottish Series in early June and the coinciding Howth’s Wave Regatta; on 25th June the regatta of the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, home to several of the class Cork Week in July (for which there are already a total of 89 entries), and for some who are lucky enough to race in more than one class, the Squib Nationals at Kinsale on the same date as Bangor Town Regatta.
But Paul Prentice, Class Captain for Northern Sigmas is hopeful of reaching what he calls the ‘Magic15’. He says “There was a good base of a class of at least 10 for the cancelled BTR 2021.

The 'Insider' crew, winners of the 2021 Irish Sigma 33 ChampionshipsThe 'Insider' crew, winners of the 2021 Irish Sigma 33 Championships Photo: Mark Mackey

There are some who have let the entry rollover, and with the passage of time, some have been sold, so reducing the possible entry. Despite this, we are hoping for a good turnout this year in what are some of the best racing waters in the British Isles. I am keen to see who will enter”.

At the moment there are 14 on Paul’s wish list, several of whom have actually entered, others who are planning to come.

Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and Kirsty Robertson) from Cove SC, ArgyllLeaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and Kirsty Robertson) from Cove SC, Argyll

Last year’s Irish champions, Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin’s Insider from Howth will I understand be racing, as will of course runners up Paul and Emma Prentice’s in the local Squawk. Several who finished at the top in the 2019 Irish Championships at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta have expressed interest. Winner Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and Kirsty Robertson) from Cove SC, Argyll, runner up James Miller in Mayrise based at Helensburgh, third-placed Busy Beaver (Mark Bradshaw and Jack Gallagher from Fairlie) and fourth-placed Sea Pie of Cultra (Jerry Colman Manx S & CC) are all looking hopeful. Another welcome visitor will be Avril Banks in Quattro from Pwllheli Sailing Club in North Wales. Also, Donald McLaren’s Sigmatic from Helensburgh is planning to make yet another trip across the North Channel and locals Michael and Chris Johnston from Ballyholme are keen to enter Impulse.

Hopefully, there’ll be an additional local showing from Belfast Lough from Meka 2 owned by Jim Shields of Carrickfergus and Kevin Byers and Michael Russel’s Signet from Ballyholme.

So there are the makings of a really competitive fleet, with top-class one-design racing.

Published in Sigma

Class 1 IRC at Kinsale Yacht Club’s White Sails October/November series has been seeing changes at the top with Valfreya (M. Leonard & D. Riome’s Sigma 33) taking back first place after winning on Sunday and now on four points overall.

Tom Roche’s Salona 45, Meridian, is second on 6 and Sammy Cohen’s First 32, Gunsmoke II, third on 9.

In ECHO handicap, Valfreya also leads, with Gunsmoke second and Meridian third.

Class Two ECHO is led by Martin Hargrove’s, Deboah, on 4 points, with Patrick Beckett’s, Miss Charlie, second on 6 and Denis Buckley’s, Ailleacht, third on 8. Miss Charlie was the only boat racing IRC 2 on Sunday.

Published in Kinsale

What started off as a challenge in Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough by Gordon Patterson's Sigma 362, Fanciulla, a heavy 36-footer, to Gavin Vaughan's new Jeanneau 349, a 34-foot light displacement boat, in a race to Glenarm which lies on the east County Antrim coast about 25 miles north of Belfast Lough, became an event in itself. As it turned out, the winner was David Eccles' Sigma 33 Mungo Jerrie.

As the idea took hold, it was opened up to other cruisers in the club. On a misty low visibility Saturday morning last weekend (18th September), the atmosphere was only broken by the occasional foghorn, seven yachts usually berthed in marinas, and had gathered on the club moorings at Cultra the night before, readied for a start.

Some of the fleet on their way to Glenarm after the Belfast Lough startSome of the fleet on their way to Glenarm after the Belfast Lough start

The fleet ranged in length from 25 to 46 feet, and luckily, minutes before the start, a gentle breeze cleared the mist, and spectators ashore were able to watch the first offshore keelboat start at the Club since 1981.

May 1928 had seen the inauguration of the North Channel Race between RNIYC and the Clyde Cruising Club. This event had graced the fixture list for the next 53 years (apart from the war years) until eventually becoming part of the highly competitive NIOPS (Northern Ireland Offshore Points Series). After that, many of the Royal North cruising fraternity took part in Cruise in Company events on an ad hoc basis to such places as Glenarm, Rathlin Island, Campbelltown or Portpatrick. This year's event was planned to encompass the racing and cruising aspirations of the club's growing class of large keelboats.

The Glenarm Sailing Challenge's Denis Todd (left)) presents the trophy to David EcclesThe Glenarm Sailing Challenge's Denis Todd (left)) presents the trophy to David Eccles

David Eccles Sigma 33 Mungo Jerrie was first across the start line, followed by Alikadoo (Nigel Kearney) and Pegasus (Jonathan Park). The minimal breeze meant that progress was painfully slow to the mouth of the Lough before a more reliable southerly breeze filled in, filling the spinnakers. Several boats lost the competitive spirit and instead enjoyed the spectacular views of the Gobbins coastal path and Island Magee under engine before hoisting their sails again in the gradually strengthening winds. By late afternoon all had arrived in Glenarm.

Among the first to arrive were Charles Kearney's Maticoco, followed by Pegasus and Alikadoo. A Capella of Belfast (Julian & Patricia Morgan) was next to across, closely followed by Mungo Jerrie, the first to have sailed the entire course.
Fanciuilla (Gordon Patterson), the only other boat to have sailed the entire course, was next to finish, and then Gavin Vaughen's Toucan 6 completed the list of those who had started in the morning mists of Belfast Lough.

The Glenarm Chalenge fleet in Glenarm MarinaSome of the Glenarm Challenge fleet at Glenarm Marina

Afterwards, the party adjourned to The Bridge Inn in Glenarm to finish the evening. A steady westerly breeze allowed all boats to return to Belfast Lough the following day, determined to do it all again next year.

Gordon Patterson had said before the event, "the perpetual Cup will be named in honour of whoever wins between us on scratch handicap. Gavin would be the favourite as he would normally give the Sigma a little under two mins an hour, but if conditions are favourable, we are confident". As it turned out, the Sigma took the honours.

Published in Belfast Lough

Howth Yacht Club's 'Insider' co-skippered by Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin topped the nine boat fleet to win the 2021 Sigma 33 Irish Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The HYC crew beat former class champion Squawk skippered by Paul Prentice of Ballyholme Yacht Club by three points with visitors occupying the top three places overall after five races sailed and one discard.

Third overall was Waterford Harbour's Flyover (Marchant Roche McDonald).

Up to seven clubs were represented in the nine boat fleet bringing visitors from Ballyholme Yacht Club in Belfast Lough to Dunmore East Harbour on the south coast to Dublin Bay.

Results are here.

Prof O'Connell of North Sails Ireland shot the vid below of Insider sailing upwind.

Sigma 33 Irish champions - 'Insider' co-skippered by Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin Photo: Mark MackeySigma 33 Irish champions - 'Insider' co-skippered by Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin Photo: Mark Mackey

Second overall - Squawk skippered by Paul Prentice of Ballyholme Yacht ClubSecond overall - Squawk skippered by Paul Prentice of Ballyholme Yacht Club Photo: Mark Mackey

Waterford Harbour's Flyover (Marchant Roche McDonald)Third overall - Waterford Harbour's Flyover (Marchant Roche McDonald) Photo: Mark Mackey

Published in Sigma

Visitors occupy the top three places overall after three races sailed at the 2021 Sigma 33 Irish Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Howth Yacht Club's 'Insider' co-skippered by Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin leads the nine boat fleet by three points from Waterford Harbour's Flyover (Marchant Roche McDonald) on seven points. 

Third is former class champion Squawk skippered by Paul Prentice of Ballyholme Yacht Club.

Up to seven clubs are represented in the nine boat fleet bringing visitors from Ballyholme Yacht Club in Belfast Lough to Dunmore East Harbour on the south coast to Dublin Bay.

Results are here.

Racing continues today.

Published in Sigma

These days the description cruiser-racer has come to have so many interpretations that it can be meaningless, and even the best of them can disappear into the "boats with a lid" category. But when David Thomas created the design for the Sigma 33, the requirements for a genuine cruiser-racer were taken very seriously, and few boats tick as many proper cruiser-racer boxes as the Sigma 33.

It's particularly the case with this attractively-priced version, Pepsi (on sale through Leinster Boats), which in many successful seasons in Scotland was almost invariably well up in the racing frame. But while she gets racing in Dun Laoghaire, her current owners have put the emphasis on cruising reliability, not least through up-grading in 2017 to a Yanmar 3Ym30 diesel which delivers power through one of those impressive Featherstream props, also from 2017 when the auxiliary power system was further improved with a new diesel tank.

With additions like this – plus a new suit of Q Sails in 2019 - you'd expect the boat to be in good order, and you wouldn't be disappointed – "turnkey condition" may be a phrase beloved of estate agents, but it can be applied to boats too, and this is definitely one case where it's right on target.

The most attractive aspect of the Sigma 33 is that she so successfully fulfils the potential of her size. The accommodation – good in port and effective at sea - doesn't feel crowded even with somebody for each of the seven berths, yet she is only one step up the size scale from Half Tonners, and thus is an easily handled proposition with a small crew.

If you've spent the lockdown WFH, and are beginning to find your surroundings slightly grubby and all-too-familiar, taking over Pepsi would be one very effective and instant answer. She's fresh as a daisy - and the new season and distant horizons call.

Full advert here

Published in Boat Sales
Tagged under

Royal Ulster Yacht Club has extended its Early Bird entry discount for June's Bangor Town Regatta. The move comes after consultation with some of the competing classes who haven’t quite finalised their racing calendar for this year.

As a result, the Early Bird discount has been extended and will now run until 14th March.

The current entry of 63 continues to grow with the largest class at present being the Sigma 33s who are racing for the Irish Championship within the event.

Online entry is here

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For all you need on the Marine Environment - covering the latest news and updates on marine science and wildlife, weather and climate, power from the sea and Ireland's coastal regions and communities - the place to be is Afloat.ie.

Coastal Notes

The Coastal Notes category covers a broad range of stories, events and developments that have an impact on Ireland's coastal regions and communities, whose lives and livelihoods are directly linked with the sea and Ireland's coastal waters.

Topics covered in Coastal Notes can be as varied as the rare finding of sea-life creatures, an historic shipwreck with secrets to tell, or even a trawler's net caught hauling much more than just fish.

Other angles focusing the attention of Coastal Notes are Ireland's maritime museums, which are of national importance to maintaining access and knowledge of our nautical heritage, and those who harvest the sea using small boats based in harbours where infrastructure and safety pose an issue, plying their trade along the rugged wild western seaboard.

Coastal Notes tells the stories that are arguably as varied as the environment they come from, and which shape people's interaction with the natural world and our relationship with the sea.

Marine Wildlife

One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with Marine Wildlife. It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. And as boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify, even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat. Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse, it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to our location in the North Atlantic, there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe. From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals, the Marine Wildlife category documents the most interesting accounts around our shores. And we're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and video clips, too!

Also valuable is the unique perspective of all those who go afloat, from coastal sailing to sea angling to inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing, as what they encounter can be of great importance to organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG). Thanks to their work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. But as impressive as the list is, the experts believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves, keep a sharp look out!

Weather

As an island in the North Atlantic, Ireland's fate is decided by Weather more so than many other European countries. When storm-force winds race across the Irish Sea, ferry and shipping services are cut off, disrupting our economy. When swollen waves crash on our shores, communities are flooded and fishermen brace for impact - both to their vessels and to their livelihoods.

Keeping abreast of the weather, therefore, is as important to leisure cruisers and fishing crews alike - for whom a small craft warning can mean the difference between life and death - as it is to the communities lining the coast, where timely weather alerts can help protect homes and lives.

Weather affects us all, and Afloat.ie will keep you informed on the hows and the whys.

Marine Science

Perhaps it's the work of the Irish research vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager out in the Atlantic Ocean that best highlights the essential nature of Marine Science for the future growth of Ireland's emerging 'blue economy'.

From marine research to development and sustainable management, Ireland is developing a strong and well-deserved reputation as an emerging centre of excellence. Whether it's Wavebob ocean energy technology to aquaculture to weather buoys and oil exploration, the Marine Science category documents the work of Irish marine scientists and researchers and how they have secured prominent roles in many European and international marine science bodies.

Power From The Sea

The message from the experts is clear: offshore wind and wave energy is the future. And as Ireland looks towards the potential of the renewable energy sector, generating Power From The Sea will become a greater priority in the State's 'blue growth' strategy.

Developments and activities in existing and planned projects in the pipeline from the wind and wave renewables sector, and those of the energy exploration industry, point to the future of energy requirements for the whole world, not just in Ireland. And that's not to mention the supplementary industries that sea power projects can support in coastal communities.

Irish ports are already in a good position to capitalise on investments in offshore renewable energy services. And Power From The Sea can even be good for marine wildlife if done properly.

Aside from the green sector, our coastal waters also hold a wealth of oil and gas resources that numerous prospectors are hoping to exploit, even if people in coastal and island areas are as yet unsure of the potential benefits or pitfalls for their communities.

Changing Ocean Climate

Our ocean and climate are inextricably linked - the ocean plays a crucial role in the global climate system in a number of ways. These include absorbing excess heat from the atmosphere and absorbing 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere by human activity. But our marine ecosystems are coming under increasing pressure due to climate change.

The Marine Institute, with its national and international partners, works to observe and understand how our ocean is changing and analyses, models and projects the impacts of our changing oceans. Advice and forecasting projections of our changing oceans and climate are essential to create effective policies and management decisions to safeguard our ocean.

Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute, said, “Our ocean is fundamental to life on earth and affects so many facets of our everyday activities. One of the greatest challenges we face as a society is that of our changing climate. The strong international collaborations that the Marine Institute has built up over decades facilitates a shared focusing on our changing ocean climate and developing new and enhanced ways of monitoring it and tracking changes over time.

“Our knowledge and services help us to observe these patterns of change and identify the steps to safeguard our marine ecosystems for future generations.”

The Marine Institute’s annual ocean climate research survey, which has been running since 2004, facilitates long term monitoring of the deep water environment to the west of Ireland. This repeat survey, which takes place on board RV Celtic Explorer, enables scientists to establish baseline oceanic conditions in Irish waters that can be used as a benchmark for future changes.

Scientists collect data on temperature, salinity, water currents, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean. This high quality oceanographic data contributes to the Atlantic Ocean Observing System. Physical oceanographic data from the survey is submitted to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and, in addition, the survey contributes to national research such as the VOCAB ocean acidification and biogeochemistry project, the ‘Clean Atlantic’ project on marine litter and the A4 marine climate change project.

Dr Caroline Cusack, who co-ordinates scientific activities on board the RV Celtic Explorer for the annual survey, said, “The generation of long-term series to monitor ocean climate is vital to allow us understand the likely impact of future changes in ocean climate on ecosystems and other marine resources.”

Other activities during the survey in 2019 included the deployment of oceanographic gliders, two Argo floats (Ireland’s contribution to EuroArgo) and four surface drifters (Interreg Atlantic Area Clean Atlantic project). The new Argo floats have the capacity to measure dissolved ocean and biogeochemical parameters from the ocean surface down to a depth of 2,000 metres continuously for up to four years, providing important information as to the health of our oceans.

During the 2019 survey, the RV Celtic Explorer retrieved a string of oceanographic sensors from the deep ocean at an adjacent subsurface moored station and deployed a replacement M6 weather buoy, as part of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network (IMDBON).

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the IMDBON is managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann and is designed to improve weather forecasts and safety at sea around Ireland. The data buoys have instruments which collect weather and ocean data including wind speed and direction, pressure, air and sea surface temperature and wave statistics. This data provides vital information for weather forecasts, shipping bulletins, gale and swell warnings as well as data for general public information and research.

“It is only in the last 20 years, meteorologists and climatologists have really began to understood the pivotal role the ocean plays in determining our climate and weather,” said Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann. “The real-time information provided by the Irish data buoy network is particularly important for our mariners and rescue services. The M6 data buoy in the Atlantic provides vital information on swell waves generated by Atlantic storms. Even though the weather and winds may be calm around our shores, there could be some very high swells coming in from Atlantic storms.”