Where other people and places see problems, down Crosshaven way they see opportunities and solutions. Thus although the sailing world generally may be getting increasingly agitated about the fact that fibreglass boats seem to last forever and eventually present a serious disposal problem, around Cork Harbour, they're increasingly showing that the fast fibreglass boats of forty and more years ago are still fast, and with some shrewd selections and skilful re-spray work, bingo! - you've got an interesting racing proposition at a fraction of the cost of a new boat.

People have been quietly doing this for some years now, but it's during the past week with the re-appearance of the very classic refurbished Bruce Farr 727 Farrocious of 1977 vintage that the trend has come centre stage to show that Crosser is the coolest place for classics. Farrocious had been resting ashore for some years down Kinsale way, but a carefully-calculated re-spray brought her into the equation when the hyper-light mast of the Half Tonner Miss Whiplash fell asunder, and it seems that an instant purchase of Farrocious was the solution for the continuing season of the Whiplash equipe.

A skilled re-spray can work wonders. The newly-gleaming Farrocious makes her debut in Cork Harbour last week, a classic Bruce Farr design of 1977. Photo: Robert Bateman

Or at least that's the story as far as we can make sense out of it in a Bank Holiday weekend, with all minds increasingly directed towards Calves Week at Schull, and Cork Harbour being the place where the basic mantra has always been: "Whatever you say, say nothing".

Yet the camera does not lie, and Bob Bateman's pic from last Thursday evening's racing at RCYC indisputably shows three of the revivals together in the form of Richard Leonard's Bolero Class Bandit, Farrocious in her new gleaming glory, and the Young family's restored Albin Express North Star.

Add to that the most way-out of them all, Kieran Collins' mini Transpac sled, the Olson 30 Coracle IV which originated in Santa Cruz in California, and we begin to have a serious lineup of interesting boats that have lasted well and keep on winning.

Kieran Collins' Olson 30 Coracle IV – a mini TransPac sled - is possibly the only boat of her type in Europe, yet she won her class at the Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale in June. Photo: Robert Bateman

Coracle IV – the kinship with the 73ft Pyewacket which Roy Disney brought to Cork some years ago is very evident. Photo: Robert Bateman

It may take a while to get Farrocious up to speed, but the potential is there. She was originally brought to Ireland in 1977 by the late Jim Poole of the National YC in Dun Laoghaire, and current Dublin Bay luminaries such as Don O'Dowd and Brian Mathews can remember her getting into the groove in ISORA racing. On a tearing run, Don recalls, she'd do a horizon job on the entire fleet, and as Mad Jim drove her crazily on over the 15-knots plus and steady mark, she starts very positively to hum – it took a while to learn to live with this.

Bruce Farr classic – the Farr 727 plans from 1977.

Looking at her plans, it's obvious there's nothing to stop her being a flyer downwind in big breeze, but it may take a bit of doing to keep her competitive going upwind in a light breeze with a lumpy sea. Nevertheless, she's a worthy addition to the Crosshaven Classics, and it will be particularly interesting to see how she shapes up to the Albin Express North Star.

In the late 1970s, Swedish designer Peter Norlin reckoned he could produce a competitive improvement on the already all-conquering J/24 from America, and the Albin Express was the result. But by the time the production line was up and running, the J/24 had acquired cult status. Nevertheless, there were those who believed that the Albin Express did have enough little improvements to add up to a better all-around package. But though there were many of them in Scandinavia, in Ireland, the Albin Express was and is about as rare as hen's teeth. Yet the attractive Express does have her devoted aficionados, and Fiona Young with the stylishly-presented North Star is one of them, and she has just won the July League at RCYC under every handicap system in a confident style that reflects the boat's excellent handling characteristics. But with Farrocious now being added to a fascinating little fleet, future results will be of interest.

Meanwhile, those trying to make a living by selling new boats have very mixed feelings about this developing trend. Indeed, it has been suggested that every classic in this rather special group should be made exclusively eligible for a new award - the Landfill Trophy.

Steady as she goes…the Albin Express North Star runs straight and true towards overall success in the RCYC July League. Photo: Robert Bateman