A former Irish Sailing Chief has added his voice to the growing concerns of sailors in Dun Laoghaire to a recently published Harbour Masterplan that Waterfront Yacht Clubs say threatens sailing in the port, Ireland's biggest sailing centre.

The plans, along with the loss of the winter ferry service from the port were featured on RTE News this week.

The Harbour company, who published the designs last month, say the masterplan can create 'a thousand jobs' but a former Irish Sailing Association (ISA) President, Roger Bannon has blasted both the plan and a supporting promotional video (below) as 'grandiose nonsense'.

"The Masterplan will position Dun Laoghaire Harbour as a marine, leisure and tourism destination of international calibre", says Gerry Dunne, Chief Executive Officer, Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company.

"We need to spend an average of €5m a year on maintaining and developing the Harbour infrastructure. The Masterplan will involve investment of more than €230m, over the next 10-15 years and will result in 1000 sustainable jobs in areas such as tourism, marine service companies, select retail, and food and beverage." says the CEO.

But Bannon, a Dun Laoghaire sailing champion, says a plan is needed but the focus instead should be on something a lot more realistic.

"Sure we want a development plan for Dun laoghaire and its Harbour but let's look at something realistic and practical over a 10 year period which we know will work and stay away from this impossible grandiose nonsense.

Mr Leo Varadkar, T.D., Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport visited the Harbour Board in June to view the Masterplan model and the plans.

During the visit the Minister said he was aware of the very keen local interest in the future development of the harbour. The yacht clubs, who occupy 50% of the harbour waterfront, say the future of the harbour is in marine lesiure.

Bannon's full comments are below:

"What a load of aspirational twaddle. High on sweeping statements and low on specifics. Sounds more like a plan to occupy people in highly paid jobs while nothing will ever happen.

Sure we want a development plan for Dun laoghaire and its Harbour but let's look at something realistic and practical over a 10 year period which we know will work and stay away from this impossible grandiose nonsense.

There are plenty of examples of cost effective developments in many cities around the world, such as Vancouver and Boston, where marine facilities and other resources similar to Dun laogahire have been brilliantly exploited for the general benefit of everyone.

Heaven forbid that our public servants might learn something from others facing the same dilemma elsewhere in the world. Should someone tell the Harbour Board that counting on residential development to generate funding may not work?

Finally, I do not understand how the Harbour Board can take it upon itself to come up with such a plan without integration with local planning for the whole of Dun Laoghaire. Was the video made by DreamWorks?"

Dun Laoghaire Yacht Clubs are voicing concerns about the impact on sailing if a 'cruise ship jetty' is constructed as part of the recently published harbour masterplan.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club, Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, National Yacht Club, Royal Alfred Yacht Club
Royal Irish Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club. are also concerned about access to the water if a proposed 'pedestrian walkway' in front of the waterfront clubs was completed.

The clubs have engaged 'professional help' to prepare a submission to outine the concerns.

Also seen as a problem is the 'lack of sufficient facilities in the masterplan for hosting significant international sailing events'.

A survey in 2009 by the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) calculated a €3million spend by participants connected with the 500-boat Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta. The clubs have previously stated they see the harbour's future as a leisure facility.

A masterplan model was on display by the Harbour Company in the month of August.

Writing to members in the current edition of the National Yacht Club's newsletter commodore Paul Barrington says the clubs 'hope to further engage with the harbour [company] to find a mutually acceptable way forward'.

Water Rat: Harbour Plan is a Curate's Egg

 

 

Visitors to Cork Harbour Open Day should note that asides motoring or taking the train to Cobh, there's also the option of going downriver by boat to view the maiden cruiseship call of Queen Elizabeth, writes Jehan Ashmore.

There's also the option of departing Cork-city centre to Cobh by taking an excursion on the River Lee on the passenger-tender Spirit of the Isles. Sailings depart the city's Penrose Quay, which is on the same side to the railway (Kent) station.

Sailings will operate this Saturday and Sunday and for the remaining weekends throughout September. The boat's Saturday schedule departs the city at 11am and arrives at Cobh's Kennedy Quay at 12.15pm.

In addition there is a Lower harbour tour off Cobh on Saturdays and Sundays, departing Kennedy Pier, Cobh - 12.30pm and returning to Kennedy Pier at 1.45pm. The boat then departs Cobh at 2pm to return to Cork with an arrival time of 3.15pm. For both this Saturday and Sunday sailing schedules, fares and further information go to www.corkharbourcruises.com

In the late 1980's the Spirit of the Isles then named Ingot operated excursions for several seasons from Dun Laoghaire's East Pier to Dalkey Sound and Killiney Bay.

Returning to the third annual Cork Harbour Open Day there will also be a free shuttle-service running in the lower harbour calling at Ringaskiddy, Monkstown, Cobh, Aghada and Crosshaven. The fast-ferry RIB operator 'Whale of a Time' is providing the free service which is sponsored by the Port of Cork Company and National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI). For further information visit http://www.whaleofatime.net/Home.html 

Lighter winds saw Peter O'Leary and David Burrows drop to fifth place overall and Italians Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini continue at the top of the leaderboard after three more races at the Star European Championships in Dun Laoghaire.

The weather gods finally allowed a full day of racing at the Championship at Dun Laoghaire as a moderate westerly breeze allowed three races. It is hoped to have two races tomorrow ahead of the forecast of yet more heavy winds that have dominated the championship so far.

With their form unchanged since Sunday, Italians Negri and Voltolini extended their overall lead in the 26-boat fleet, counting one win plus a third place while discarding their eighth place in race six.

Polish 2008 World champion and past Finn Olympic Gold medallist Mateusz Kusznierewicz with Dominik Zycki also showed good pace, with a fifth place and a win yesterday while discarding a ninth in the hunt for the overall lead. Canada's Richard Clarke with Tyler Bjorn also moved up a place to third overnight as the final two races are slated for Friday – weather permitting.

Star European Championship 2011 at Royal St. George YC, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

(Provisional overall standings after six races):

1st ITA Diego Negri & Enrico Voltolini
2nd POL Mateusz Kusznierewicz Dominik Zycki
3rd CAN Richard Clarke & Tyler Bjorn
4th FRA Guillaume Florent & Pascal Rambeau
5th IRL Peter O'Leary & David Burrows
6th POR Afonso Domingos & Frederico Melo

Is your lifejacket safe? That's the question the RNLI is asking sailors this Sunday at Dun Laoghaire marina. And If last year's clinic's statistics is anything to go by then the answer is most likely no.

Over 90% of lifejackets tested at Ireland's two biggest sailing centres failed simple checks carried out by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute in 2010. From 91 jackets tested in Cork and Dublin, 83 failed a free inspection. More here.

This year the Dun Laoghaire marina initiative with the RNLI aims to get more boat owners, sailors and crews to avail of the free test carried out at the clinic.

The Dun Laoghaire offshore lifeboat will be in the marina's Emergency Berth to allow you to get an close up inspection
and there will be RNLI personnel available to discuss any safety advice or search and rescue questions you may have.

 The RNLI will also be taking bookings for a free onboard visit to your boat by the local Sea Safety Officer.

Will your lifejacket work when you need it? Do you know how to make sure it's a correct fit? Do you know how to look after it? All these questions and more will be answered by trained RNLI Sea Safety advisors.

You can learn the importance of choosing, fitting and the maintenance of a lifejacket from 11am to 4pm in Dun Laoghaire at the Lifejacket Clinic with RNLI Sea Safety Team. Likely topics as follows:

Which one?
There are many different types of lifejackets and buoyancy aids on the market. We can help you decide which one is best suited to your needs.

What size?
Size matters! A lifejacket or buoyancy aid will only work properly if it is properly fitted. We can show you how to adjust the lifejacket to a proper fit and why crotch straps are an essential part of the kit.

Looking after it.
It is essential to look after the buoyancy aid or lifejacket properly. With proper maintenance and regular servicing, your lifejacket will last longer and you can ensure it remains reliable. At our lifejacket clinic you can find out what checks to carry out on your lifejacket and how to care for it.

When to wear it?
RNLI volunteer crew wear a properly fitting lifejacket with crotch straps whenever the go afloat on the lifeboat, no matter what the weather. The RNLI believes that lifejackets are useless unless worn. All too often, RNLI crews recover people from the water who were not wearing lifejackets, and have not survived. A lifejacket can buy you time for the rescue services to get to you.

Ireland's Peter O'Leary and David Burrows lie third and only six points off the overall lead held by Italian's Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini after the first two races of the Star European championships in Dun Laoghaire.

The staging of the Contintental Championship of the Olympic Class, in which Ireland has reasonable aspirations of taking an Olympic medal next year, is being run by the Royal St. George Yacht Club under Howth race officer David Lovegrove.

Star racing in big breeze on Dublin Bay yesterday. Photo: Gareth Craig. More pics on the Afloat Gallery here.

Ireland's other entry in the 27-boat fleet, Max Treacy and Anthnoy Shanks, of the host club lie 12th.

Second overall is France's Guillaume Florent and Pascal Rambeau. Britian's double Olympic gold medallists Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, despite leading the first race for a time this afternoon, have posted an eighth and a seventh to lie eighth overall.

Racing on Dublin Bay continues tomorrow – under the threat of gales – until Friday.

Italians Negri and Voltolini delivered two consistent results of a race win and a second place in the 27-boat fleet from 17 nations.

The Italians leaders were the 2006 European champions and overcame challenging post-frontal weather conditions that delivered 20-degree wind-shifts at times on an otherwise smooth race course off Seapoint on the south shore of Dublin Bay.

France's Guillaume Florent and Pascal Rambeau also had a consistent day with a second and third while the home fleet delivered a strong showing as Olympic veterans

Star European Championship 2011 at Royal St. George YC, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

(Provisional overall standings after two races):

1st ITA Diego Negri & Enrico Voltolini
2nd FRA Guillaume Florent & Pascal Rambeau
3rd IRL Peter O'Leary & David Burrows
4th FRA Xavier Rohart Pierre & Alexis Ponsot
5th CAN Richard Clarke & Tyler Bjorn
6th POR Afonso Domingos & Frederico Melo

Plans for an SB3 flotilla to escort Volvo Ocean Race Chinese entry, Team Sanya in to Dun Laoghaire harbour today were scuppered when winds reached gale force for a time this afternoon.

Regular Dun Laoghaire fleet Sunday racing was to feature the Sanya arrival at 4.30pm but the SB3 club race was cancelled following squalls and torrential rain that also drew a halt to the Star European championship on Dublin Bay.

The Mike Sanderson skippered yacht is berthed alongside the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Team Sanya is a refurbished version of the Telefónica Blue boat from the 2009 race.

The yacht will be engaged with promotional work on Dublin Bay tomorrow with sponsor Discover Ireland.

It was electric and certainly no picnic, that's the verdict after 28-knot gusts put paid to the first days racing of the Star European's on Dublin Bay this afternoon.

Howth Race Officer David Lovegrove opted to send the 27-boat fleet back ashore ahead of the gale that was followed by torrential rain and squalls, a decision, say Royal St. George YC organsiers, that met with the approval of competitors from 17 nations.

Dun Laoghaire's Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks before racing was cancelled yesterday. Photo: Gareth Craig.

By 4pm though the gales and rain had dsisappered and sunny ideal 10-knot conditions returned to Dun Laoghaire,  unfortunately just too late for the Stars to resume racing.

Fresh to strong conditions are expected to continue for the early part of the week. Two races are scheduled for tomorrow, starting at 11.30am.

Greath Craig's pics are below and more on the Afloat gallery here.

Barry McCartin and Conor Kinsella, representing Cushendall Sailing Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and UCD Sailing Club are the 2011 Irish National Fireball Champions after another commanding performance on the water. However, this time their talent wasn’t directed at getting small numbers on their score card but rather making sure that having gone into the overall lead that they didn’t lose it.

At the end of Day 2 McCartin & Kinsella were tied on 11pts with Simon McGrotty & Ruairi Grimes of Skerries Sailing Club, with the latter combination on top of the pile and they had a twelve point cushion on the next two boats who were both tied on 23pts – Mike Murphy & Alex Voye & Noel Butler & Stephen Oram.

A keen start in the Fireballs. Photo Gareth Craig. More from Gareth on the Afloat Gallery here.

The forecast, which has been the subject of much debate at this regatta (and many others no doubt) was mixed. XC Weather had been predicting 9knots with gusts of 12 – 14. The Sea Area forecast from Met Eireann had talked about Force 4 to 5, but at least they were agreed on direction – WNW! While both had the direction right, the Race Management Team of Neil Murphy, Richard Kissane, Stuart Kinnear and others had enough material to work with to set two exceptionally good Olympic courses to exploit the breeze and relatively flat waters in the inner reaches of Dublin Bay. While there was more than 9knots of the water, there wasn’t the Force 4 to 5 either, though some of the breeze brought in with the rain squalls were providing a handful and the top reach of the last triangle of the 2^nd Olympic was sailed two-sailed by most.

In Race 7 of the series, McCartin/Kinsella scored a 3 to McGrotty/Grimes’s 5^th – fifteen – love to McCartin/Kinsella. The race was won by Kenny Rumball & Seamus Moore who were not having their best regatta, followed by Clancy/Rowan. In 4^th was Butler/Oram, with Creighton/Bradley in 6^th – the stronger breeze being to the latter’s advantage.

In Race 8, McGrotty/Grimes fell back to 6^th, a position that most combinations would envy, but not helpful in the penultimate race of a series that was getting very tight at the top. McCartin/Kinsella scored a 4^th – thirty –love to the series’ leaders! Rumball/Moore won again, but their charge to the front of the fleet was going to be a case of too little, too late. Butler/Oram took 2^nd, Kissane/Bradley 3^rd, Creighton/Bradley 5^th.

The leading pack at the front of the third race, a windward/leeward was made up of the usual suspects with two notable absentees – McCartin/Kinsella & McGrotty/Grimes. The former decided that they were going to be ultraconservative and sail their opposition down the fleet to make doubly sure of their win – a bit like Nadal serving an ace on Championship Point – just to put a final “classy” nail in the coffin.

While the Championship leaders played around at the back of the fleet, scoring an 18^th and 13^th respectively, Butler/Oram, Kissane/Bradley, Clancy/Rowan, Rumball/Moore and Creighton/Bradley hared around the course. All of these got a finish, except for Rumball/Moore who were ruled OCS, thus finishing off their event in much the same way as it had started – in disappointment.

The consequence of Butler/Oram’s late charge on Day 3 is that they closed the overnight gap to a single point. Rumball/Moore’s two wins propelled them from 10^th to 7^th, Clancy/Rowan’s 2, 8, 3, saw them jump from 6^th to 4^th, while Creighton/Bradley, with a 6, 5, 4 went from 12^th to 9^th at the expense of Miller/Donnelly, Bracken/O’Hara & McGrotty/Cramer.

The Silver fleet, of course has a competition within the competition and on Saturday evening Ben Malone & Matthew Bennion held a 10pt advantage over Ian O’Gorman & Glen Fisher. While both had been timed out of Friday’s third race, Malone/Bennion produced a “tight” set of results of 13, 14, 16 and two 17ths to O’Gorman/Fisher’s 15, two 16ths, 17 and 23^rd.  In third was Peter Armstrong and Peter Collins of Sligo Yacht Club sailed the wooden Fireball that made its debut at the Sligo Worlds (15060).

Malone/Bennion more than doubled their lead over O’Gorman/Fisher in Sunday’s racing to score a comfortable win. Armstrong/Collins were comfortably third.

At the closing prize-giving, thanks were offered to Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club for hosting the event and in particular to Neil Colin and Margaret Casey who in addition to being members of the Fireball Class committee are members of DMYC and were principally involved in organizing the event. They also sacrificed their Saturday sailing to provide rescue cover when there was a problem with resources. Thanks were also afforded to the Race Management Team of Neil Murphy, Stuart Kinnear and Richard Kissane and to Valerie Kinnear who processed the results.

Prizes in the form of “part-vouchers” from P&B, towards a jib, and from North, towards a spinnaker, were awarded to the mid-fleet boat in the Gold and Silver fleets respectively and won by Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer (jib) and Cearbhall Daly & Mark Browne (spinnaker).

Glass prizes from Dublin Crystal were awarded to the 1-2-3 in both the Gold and Silver fleets.

Day two report: After two days and 6 races the 26-boat Irish Fireball Nationals are set up for a very interesting last day. At the top of the scoreboard, tied on 11pts are Simon McGrotty & Ruairi Grimes and Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella. In joint third on 23pts are Mike Murphy & Alex Voye and Noel Butler & Stephen Oram. In fifth place, and first lady is Diana Kissane crewed by Finbarr Bradley with 33pts and a point astern of them are Conor Clancy & Francis Rowan.

Friday saw a day of inconsistent breeze which led to much frustration for both the the Race Management Team and the competitors. Despite an XC Weather forecast of 9knots on the web, there was nothing like that when the fleet left Dun Laoghaire harbour for an 11:55 first warning signal. Indeed many boats had to paddle their way out to the outer reaches of the harbour before any worthwhile breeze could be had. This trend was to be repeated on the race course! A windward leeward opened the proceedings for the day and was won by McCartin/Kinsella, with Murphy/Voye, McGrotty/Grimes, Smyth/O’Reilly and Butler/Oram in the top 5 places. It says much for the snakes and ladders aspect of the race that on rounding the first weather mark, Smyth/O’Reilly were probably closer to 5^th from the back.

Race 2 saw a second windward/leeward course set in what initially looked like steadier breeze. However, the wind went light again and the finishing order saw Diana Kissane & Finbarr Bradley win followed by McGrotty/Grimes, McCartin/Kinsella, Boyle/Flahive and Murphy/Voye.

Race 3 was an Olympic course and was started in what looked like the best breeze of the day. Light again but it had a healthier look about it. A tight bunch of 4 boats contested the front end of the race with Clancy/Rowan building a very significant lead which ultimately was to play havoc with the rest of the fleet. Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer were among those to throw a 6 at the right time as they finished 2^nd, McCartin/Kinsella took third to show remarkable consistency, while McGrotty/Grimes were 4^th, with Murphy/Voye 5^th. The remainder of the fleet were “timed out” such was a) the length of Clancy/Rowan’s lead and the fickleness of the wind which saw beats become runs and vice-versa. One competitor was heard to remark that in 37 years of competitive sailing he couldn’t ever remember being timed out of a race.

There was much discontent and many long faces in the DMYC clubhouse yesterday evening and two protests were lodged with the Race Committee challenging the fairness of the racing.   We had sailed in contrasting conditions starting in sunshine but enduring torrential rain, thunder and lightning, fickle winds and varying fortunes before the day was out.

Saturday morning was in stark contrast to the day before. Overnight a W/NW had established itself and the Sea Area Forecast for the Irish Sea was for Force 4/5 winds. The Committee Boat for the Dublin Bay Cruiser Challenge had recorded gust of 32 knots on the water so the decision was taken to postpone racing for an hour.

When the fleet did go to sea many people had decided that discretion was the better part of valour and only 18 boats made their way to the start line. Having applied for relaxation of Rule 42 for this event, the wind conditions warranted the flying of the flag to signal that pumping was permitted.

Another two windward/leewards were sailed in exhilarating conditions before the Race Committee decided that the wind had abated enough to set an Olympic course. It was a good call on both counts.  Post the racing the Race Management Team were able to advise that the wind had got up to about 26 knots for short bursts but that in general the wind strength was in the high teens touching the twenties until the final triangle of the last race when the flag to stop pumping was flown (< 12 knots).

 

By that stage race wins had been shared between McGrotty/Grimes (2) and McCartin/Kinsella. Murphy/Voye also had a very good day scoring two 2nds, while Butler/Oram also had a better day with a 2^nd and two 4^th. Creighton/Bradley should have had an even better day but a crash tack on the finish of the last race saw them drop 3 places when a capsize evolved and a broken kicker fitting at the base of the mast saw them drop back in the middle race after a storming charge off the start line.

The two protests lodged with respect to the fairness of the races have been heard and were dismissed (hence this report), but a third protest has been lodged concerning an incident between two boats on the water.

Tomorrow will be interesting and XC Weather is currently (18:53 Saturday 27^th) predicting an average wind strength of 9knots WNW with gust of between 12 and 14 knots from 10:00  to 16:00 for Dun Laoghaire.

Cormac Bradley.