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Displaying items by tag: 24mR

With four straight wins, Britain's Megan Pascoe won Sunday's Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

As Afloat reported previously, Saturday's first day of racing in the one-person keelboat event was lost to strong winds. 

The National Yacht Club hosted championships attracted sailors from the UK and Netherlands, including the previous world champion Pascoe.

Second overall at the Irish 2.4mr Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour was Steve Bullmore from Spinnaker SC (GBR 1039) Photo: AfloatSecond overall at the Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour was Steve Bullmore from Spinnaker SC (GBR 1039) Photo: Afloat

British sailors also took second and third overall, with Steve Bullmore from Spinnaker Sailing Club winning silver and John Patrick from Blue Circle Cruising & SC taking bronze in the 13-boat fleet.

Sneek sailed by Dutch sailor Pieter Visser (NED 59), competing at the Irish 2.4mr Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: AfloatSneek sailed by Dutch sailor Pieter Visser (NED 59), competing at the Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

Results below

Published in National YC
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The first day of racing at the Irish National 2.4mR one-person keelboat Championships at Dun Laoghaire Harbour has been cancelled today due to strong winds. 

The championships have attracted sailors from the UK and Netherlands, including the previous world champion Megan Pascoe.

"Sailing today has been cancelled due to the high westerly winds, so we are really looking forward to getting out racing tomorrow," regatta organiser Maureen Prendergast told Afloat.

 

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Belfast Lough Sailability has had a lot to celebrate in recent months with sailors taking part in the 2022 President’s Cup, Hansa Irish Championships and 2.4mR Irish Nationals.

In August, Belfast Lough Sailability hosted the 2022 President’s Cup which incorporated the Hansa Irish Championships and 2.4mR Irish Nationals. The event was organised in partnership with Carrickfergus Sailing Club, with significant planning, sponsorship and organisation required.

The President’s Cup is the only event of its kind where people with disabilities and able-bodied sailors sail together in competition and the helm of each boat must have a disability.

The event has representation from the four provinces across Ireland. Team Ulster consisted of competitors from Belfast Lough Sailability, Foyle Sailability and Lough Erne Sailability.

With favourable weather conditions, the 47 competitors across 25 boats were able to showcase their skills gained through training and delivered a colourful and eventful spectacle for supporters and spectators.

Boats at Carrickfergus Sailing Club which co-hosted the 2022 President’s Cup with Belfast Lough SailabilityBoats at Carrickfergus Sailing Club which co-hosted the 2022 President’s Cup with Belfast Lough Sailability

Racing was competitive, with Team Ulster successfully retaining the 2022 President’s Cup. The region also hailed success in the Hansa Irish Championships, with Sophie McClenaghan of Belfast Lough Sailability taking the Best Girl Helm (U18) trophy and Willie J Thompson (also Belfast Lough Sailability) the boys’ equivalent. Meanwhile, Belfast Lough’s John Patrick took first place in the 2.4mR Irish Nationals.

David Todd, chair of Belfast Lough Sailability said: “Sailing is an activity that is enjoyed by a variety of people but is not readily accessible to most of the community and certainly not to those members of the community with disabilities.

“Belfast Lough Sailability, based at Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, offers access to the sea to those in the community who would not normally have that opportunity and promotes equality of opportunity by providing education and training to people with disabilities in a safe and enjoyable environment.”

The spokesperson added: “This was a very successful event but it’s not all about winning. The benefits of having the opportunity to participate in an event representing your province or in a national event are far reaching for each participating individual. Competitors — both helms and crew — will benefit from increasing their skills through training and education to sail competitively. This includes significant positive impact on each individual’s confidence and self-esteem.

“They will aspire to represent their club, county, province and country at other levels of competition. They will also inspire others with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in the healthy sport of sailing; and to undergo training and education to increase their skills.”

Published in Belfast Lough

John Patrick (left) from Belfast Sailability was the winner of the  2.4mR National Championships held at the National Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour at the weekend.

A small fleet of five competitors (from a total fleet of eight boats in the country) raced for both Open and Para titles. 

The National's Ed Totterdell was the Race Officer with four races sailed on Saturday and two on Sunday, all inside the harbour.

The open event was won by John Patrick from Belfast Sailability with Patrick Hassett in second and Oisin Putt in third place both from NYC.

The Para event was won by Patrick with Oisin second.

John Patrick (right) from Belfast Sailability was the winner of the Open Division of the  2.4mR Nationals held at Dun Laoghaire Harbour and receives his prize from National Yacht Club Commodore Conor O’ReganJohn Patrick (right) from Belfast Sailability was the winner of the Open Division of the  2.4mR Nationals held at Dun Laoghaire Harbour and receives his prize from National Yacht Club Commodore Conor O’Regan

Patrick Hassett (right) is congratulated by National Yacht Club Commodore Conor O’Regan for his overall win of the 2.4mR Nationals (Para division) at Dun Laoghaire HarbourPatrick Hassett (right) is congratulated by National Yacht Club Commodore Conor O’Regan for his overall win of the 2.4mR Nationals (Para division) at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Published in National YC
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Ireland was outclassed as British boats took the podium places at the International 2.4mR one-person keelboat Irish Open Championships at Kinsale Yacht Club today.

Megan Pascoe, a past World and European champion in the class, dominated the four-race event with four straight wins and was followed by Katherine Hedley with four seconds. Brian Harding was third.  The top Irish sailor was John Patrick in sixth place overall.

Five UK visitors travelled to Kinsale for the championships.

With Saturday's racing washed out as Afloat reported here, the pressure was on to complete all racing today in the ten-boat fleet.

It is the first time the event was held on the south coast with last year's championships held on Carlingford Lough. 

Sunday dawned with a flat calm but racing soon got underway with London 2012 Olympic Race Officer Jack Roy in charge.

Races were each of 40 minutes duration in the 10-knot winds from the northwest.

At the first start, the wind took a big shift moving from NW more into the north and so Roy abandoned that start to allow the course be moved.

Results are here.

The boat is primarily used for racing and the class holds highly competitive national events in many countries. In some countries, it features mainly as a class for sailors with a disability.

The 2.4mR is ideal for adapted sailing since the sailor does not move in the boat, and everything is adjustable from right in front of the sailor. Both hand-steering and foot-steering are possible.

Scroll down for photo gallery by Bob Bateman

2.4mR Kinsale2Top Irish sailor John Patrick against the backdrop of Charles Fort

2.4mR Kinsale2Adam Billany

2.4mR Kinsale2Katherine Hadley2.4mR Kinsale2Sunlight and shadows

2.4mR Kinsale2Adam Billany

2.4mR Kinsale2Katherine Hadley

2.4mR Kinsale2Adam Billany

2.4mR Kinsale2Georgina Griffin

2.4mR Kinsale2Patrick Hassett

2.4mR Kinsale2

2.4mR Kinsale2Winner Megan Pascoe

2.4mR Kinsale2Brian Harding and Adam Billamy

2.4mR Kinsale2Gina Griffin

2.4mR Kinsale2

2.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale2A group of GBR visitors with Donal Hickey

2.4mR Kinsale2Sailability Leader in Kinsale Donal Hickey2.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale2The Race team Jack and Rosemary Roy, Commodore David O’Sullivan and Mel McIlwaite2.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale22.4mR Kinsale2

Published in Kinsale
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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020