Rosslare RNLI lifeboat was launched in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday 29 June 2011) to go to the aid of a 40 ft yacht that was badly damaged following a collision with a three masted 100 ft Norwegian Tall Ship ten miles south east of Rosslare Harbour. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO.

The lifeboat launched at 2.38am and was on scene at 3.32am. Reports had been received from Dublin Coast Guard that the yacht was in urgent need of assistance after being damaged on collision with another vessel and was taking on water.

Arriving on scene the volunteer lifeboat crew saw debris in the water and noticed a considerable amount of damage to the yacht on the port side. They immediately assessed the state of the crew on both vessels, fifteen were onboard the Tall Ship and a single crewmember onboard the yacht.

The casualty vessel - Photo: RNLI

On establishing there were no injuries three lifeboat crew boarded the yacht and cleared some of the debris from the water. Due to the damage the lifeboat crew took the yacht under tow back to Rosslare Harbour and the Tall ship made its way on to Waterford.

The Irish Coast Guard Helicopter from Waterford arrived on scene and provided a strong search light overhead for the crews to work in. Conditions were good with a slight swell.

Commenting on the callout, Rosslare Deputy Launching Authority Dave Maloney said, " While there was damage to one of the vessels thankfully there was no serious injury to any person. The priority for the lifeboat crews was to ensure that there was no danger to anyone and that the vessel was taken back to shore as quickly as possible due to the threat of sinking.”

Afloat's latest Tall Ships News HERE

The yacht once owned by the late former Taoiseach Charles Haughey will be only Irish entrant in the Tall Ships Races at Waterford later this month.

The Irish Times reports that Celtic Mist will take part in the first leg of the race to Greenock in Scotland before it is fitted out for its new life as a research vessel for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

The IWDG's Simon Berrow confirmed that it has accepted the Haughey family's offer of the yacht as a gift to support its study and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoise in Irish waters.

He said the group first had to explore the feasibility of running such a large vessel before it could accept the "very generous offer".

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

There were concentrated faces last night in Cork Harbour where the Royal Cork fleet had a windy evening of racing in the Union Chandlery June League.

Brian Heffernan's Dufour 365 Aisling was first in the in White Sail division. Class 3 went to Jimmy Nyhan and Maritta Buwalda in their Quarter Tonner Outrigger. Class 2 winners were Paul and Deirdre Tingle's First 31.7 "Alpaca" and in Class one the honours went to Robert O'Leary in his modified 1720 Antix Beag.

Concentration this morning now turns to the first race of the ICRA National Championships being held in Crosshaven.

The wind was southwesterly at about 20 knots gusting to 30. Race officers set an excellent course (No.70). It was a clean start at the top of the tide, with a beat to the cage.

Those that kept to the south made the right call. It was then a run to No.7 where we gybed and headed for No.13 Some were brave enough to carry spinnakers with some interesting results both good and not so good. A number of Irish Naval ships at anchor off Spike Island.

After No.13 the fleet had a fetch back to No.9 and then a beat back to Cage. With the tide now ebbing it paid to go down the middle. We rounded Cage once again with a run back to No.7 more spinnakers up this time. After rounding No.7 the fleet had a nice beat home.

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUE + SAT SERIES 2 (RACE) 07/06/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Rita Curley/Lynch; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Oona P Courtney; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Echo B & H Lynch; 2, Rita Curley/Lynch; 3, Aura I Malcolm TUESDAY SERIES 2 (RACE) 07/06/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Mojo Stanley/Callen; 2, Blue Velvet C & K Kavanagh; 3, Harlequin Clarke/Egan; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Shadowfax P Merry; 2, Klipbok E Dalton; 3, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Gelert J Flynn; 2, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; 2, Investwise G May; 3, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Mr. Punch NiBhraonain/Wilson; 2, Arcturus McAuliffe/McDermott; 3, Ile Molene Byrne/Stanley; Squib HPH: 1, Shadowfax P Merry; 2, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; 3, Puffin E Harte

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. WEDNESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 01/06/2011 Class 1 IRC: 1, Tiger Hughes/Harris; 2, Trinculo M Fleming; 3, Makutu Doyle/Others; Class 1 HPH: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Makutu Doyle/Others; 3, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 2 IRC: 1, Sunburn I Byrne; 2, King One D Cullen; 3, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; Class 2 HPH: 1, C'est la Vie Flannelly/Others; 2, Indigo Eadie/Ritchie; 3, Sunburn I Byrne; Class 3 IRC: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Hard on Port F O'Driscoll; 3, Starlet Bourke/Others; Class 3 HPH: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Midnight Sun Howard/Others; 3, Jibberish O'Kelly/Others; White Sails HPH: 1, On the Rox J & C Boyle; 2, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche; 3, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; White Sails IRC: 1, Alphida H Byrne; 2, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 3, On the Rox J & C Boyle

Dublin Bay local Adam Hyland has won the Optimist Leinster Championships on home waters this afternoon in blustery conditions that saw the series completed in the comparative shelter of Scotsman's bay in the lee of Dun Laoghaire's East pier as winds across Dublin Bay hit 25 knots from the West. Howth Yacht Club sailors Sean Waddilove and Robert Dickson were second and third respectively.

The Championships hosted by the National Yacht Club also featured racing in the Junior and Regatta fleets. The juniors was won by Ronan Cournahane and regatta racing by Eva Millar.

Results below.

Series Place	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Prize Age	Club	Series Points	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4
1	1413	Gold	Adam HYLAND	14	RStGYC	7	1	3	52	3
2	1437	Gold	Sean WADDILOVE	14	SSC/HYC	8	5	1	2	52
3	1355	Gold	Robert Dickson	13	HYC	11	2	15	8	1
4	1443	Gold	Sean Gambier-Ross	14	KYC	13	4	7	52	2
5	1407	Gold	Conor O'Beirne	13	RStGYC	18	12	6	6	6
6	1441	Gold	Eoin Lyden	14	RCYC / BSC	20	11	5	18	4
7	1433	Gold	Jil McGinley	14	RCYC	24	9	10	5	52
8	1305	Gold	Sandy APLIN	13	RStGYC	26	32	14	3	9
9	1440	Gold	Harry Whitaker	14	RCYC/BSC	26	35	11	7	8
10	1307	Gold	Anna Kelly	13	RCYC/BBSC	29	10	8	12	11
11	1438	Gold	Sean Donnelly	14	NYC	36	23	9	4	52
12	1315	Gold	Fergus Flood	13	HYC	37	19	4	14	52
13	1316	Silver	Ross Quirke	14	NYC	39	7	28	25	7
14	1444	Gold	Sophie Browne		TBSC/RCYC	40	15	16	9	52
15	1420	Gold	Megan Parker	13	SSC	41	18	18	23	5
16	1425	Gold	Douglas Elmes	13	RCYC/WHSC	41	16	19	10	15
17	1335	Gold	Scott Levie	14	LDYC	42	8	40	22	12
18	1415	Silver	Caitlin Waters	15	RStGYC	50	25	32	15	10
19	1410	Gold	Daire Cournane	13	RCYC/KYC	56	3	52	1	52
20	1314	Gold	Alexandra Walsh	14	RStGYC	56	17	23	52	16
21	1369	Gold	Adam D'ARCY	13	RCYC	57	30	22	13	22
22	1340	Gold	Alacoque Daly	13	TBSC	58	27	24	20	14
23	1436	Gold	Daniel Raymond		NYC	63	13	31	19	52
24	1446	Silver	Stephen Judge	13	RIYC	64	21	37	24	19
25	1298	Gold	Bill Staunton	14	SSC	65	24	20	21	52
26	1352	Silver	Cara MC DOWELL	13	MYC	66	26	27	27	13
27	1439	Gold	Peter McCann	14	RCYC	68	14	2	52	52
28	1234	Gold	Mark Bolger	14	RStGYC	69	28	13	28	52
29	1442	Gold	Cliodhna Ni Shuilleabhain	13	KYC	70	41	12	17	52
30	1422	Gold	Chloe Eggers	14	RStGYC	75	6	17	52	52
31	1361	Gold	Aoife Hopkins	13	HYC	76	20	40	16	52
32	1332	Silver	James O'Connor	13	RStGYC	76	22	38	33	21
33	961	Silver	Claire O'Sullivan		RCYC	81	34	35	30	17
34	1427	Silver	Jacob MARTENSSON	14	RIYC	81	31	36	26	24
35	1360	Silver	Nicole Hemeryck	13	RIYC/WHSC	82	33	29	52	20
36	1349	Gold	Conor KNEAFSEY	14	NYC	84	42	25	34	25
37	1243	Silver	Charley Breen	13	RCYC	88	40	33	29	26
38	1358	Silver	Erica Markey	13	HYC	94	45	39	32	23
39	1225	Gold	Peter Healy	14	KYC	102	39	52	11	52
40	1375	Gold	Richard Hogan	13	HYC	102	29	21	52	52
41	122	Silver	Fionn O'REGAN	14	DSC	103	38	34	31	52
42	1392	Silver	Cian BUCKLEY	14	MYC	104	43	26	35	52
43	1154	Gold	Ciaran Finnegan	13	WHSC	107	37	52	52	18
44	1389	Silver	Laura COLEMAN	13	RIYC	124	44	43	37	52
45	1303	Silver	D.J. MCGOVERN	14	MYC	129	36	41	52	52
46	1278	Silver	Eoghan O REGAN	13	RCYC	140	52	52	36	52
47	1313	Silver	Alex Kavanagh	13	HYC	146	52	42	52	52
48	768	Silver	Julia GEOGHEGAN	13	RIYC	156	52	52	52	52
48	1218	Silver	Emer Rafferty			156	52	52	52	52
48	1359	Silver	Isabel CAHILL	13	HYC	156	52	52	52	52
48	1402	Silver	Lucy McCutcheon	14	RStGYC	156	52	52	52	52

Junior Division

Series Place	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Prize Age	Club	Series Points	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4
1	1411	Gold	Ronan Cournane	12	RCYC/KYC	7	1	5	1	13
2	1408	Gold	Kate Lyttle	12	RStGYC	8	3	11	3	2
3	1346	Silver	Philip McDowell	12	MYC	11	12	8	2	1
4	1012	Gold	Niamh Henry	12	RStGYC	12	4	4	4	5
5	1343	Silver	Colin O'SULLIVAN	12	MYC	15	8	2	5	9
6	1282	Silver	Oskar Cahill	12		15	5	3	7	7
7	1372	Gold	Isabelle Delamer	12	HYC	19	6	9	14	4
8	1347	Silver	Ben Walsh	12	SSC	21	2	14	13	6
9	1266	Gold	Scott O'Sullivan	12	KYC	22.5	7	7.5	8	18
10	1341	Gold	Ewan MCMAHON	12	HYC	24	9	1	15	14
11	1290	Silver	Harry Durcan	12	RCYC	25	13	6	11	8
12	1421	Gold	Evie Byrne	12	NYC	28	10	12	6	16
13	1302	Gold	Harry Craig	12	RStGYC	31	21	7	22	3
14	1217	Gold	Rebecca O SHAUGHNESSY	12	RCYC	32	11	10	16	11
15	1445	Silver	Hugh Perrette	12	NYC/SDC	43	14	19	10	21
16	1342	Silver	Darragh KELLY	12	SDC	44	57	13	9	22
17	1148	Gold	Eoghan O'Buachalla	12	TBSC	44	23	16	12	16
18	1119	Silver	Conor LEE	11	GBSC	47	15	18	17	15
19	1246	Silver	Johnny Durcan	12	RCYC	55	20	17	18	57
20	1143	Silver	Richard McGinley	11	RCYC	56	16	27	20	20
21	1399	Silver	Daniel Hopkins	11	HYC	58	17	31	57	10
22	1324	Silver	Heather SPAIN	12	NYC	65	30	24	24	17
23	1291	Silver	Amy CARROLL	11		65	25	22	19	24
24	1382	Silver	Conor Byrne	12	NYC	67	22	20	25	57
25	1403	Silver	Jamie O'GRADY	11	HYC	71	19	26	26	27
26	1357	Silver	James McCann	11	RCYC	75	18	57	31	26
27	1297	Silver	Luke MCGRATH	11	RCYC	76	28	25	57	23
28	1404	Silver	Alex O'GRADY	11	HYC	77	31	23	23	31
29	8	Silver	Emma Parker	10	SSC	78	57	29	21	28
30	1275	Silver	Nell STAUNTON	11	SSC	80	24	57	27	29
31	1294	Silver	Tom KEAL	10	RCYC	86	29	28	29	57
32	1192	Silver	Rachel Eggers	11	RStGYC	89	27	30	57	32
33	1244	Silver	Alix Buckley	11	SSC	90	57	21	57	12
34	1153	Silver	Ronan WALSH	11	RCYC	117	32	57	28	57
35	1435	Silver	Patrick RIORDAN	12	RIYC	139	57	57	57	25
36	1089	Silver	Harry BELL	10	RNIYC	140	26	57	57	57
37	1397	Silver	Lucy DONWORTH	12	RCYC/BSC	144	57	57	57	30
38	1293	Silver	Killian MCHUGH	12	GBSC	144	57	57	30	57
39	698	Silver	Shane O'Brien		SDC	171	57	57	57	57
39	885	Silver	Imogen MCNAMARA	11	RIYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	934	Silver	Jane Bolger	10	RStGYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	989	Silver	Lucy WATERS	11	RStGYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	996	Silver	Gavin Roche Griffin	11	RStYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1195	Silver	Grace O'Beirne	11	RStGYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1196	Silver	Oisin LYONS	11	GBSC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1233	Silver	Sarah CUDMORE	11	rcyc	171	57	57	57	57
39	1253	Silver	Sarah LEVIE	11	LDYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1255	Silver	Ros Morgan	12	SSC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1280	Silver	Gemma MC DOWELL	11	MYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1296	Silver	Phoebe NORWOOD	12	RIYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1309	Silver	Helen O'Beirne	11	RStGYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1354	Silver	David O'REILLY	11	GBSC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1364	Silver	Dara Donnelly	12	NYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1379	Silver	Max Kavanagh	10	HYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1384	Silver	Sally BELL	12	RNIYC	171	57	57	57	57
39	1423	Silver	Tom SHANAHAN	12	NYC	171	57	57	57	57

Regatta Division

Sail No	Helm	Prize Age	Club
0	Eva MILLAR	9	RNIYC
683	Micheal O'SUILLEABHAIN	9	KYC
697	Eoin LYONS	9	GBSC
720	Mairead MCHUGH	10	GBSC
778	Rosa GEOGHEGAN	11	RIYC
786	Caoimhe Totterdell	10	NYC
795	Cormac BUCKLEY	10	MYC
819	Cian MURPHY	10	NYC
838	Conor WALSH	8	RCYC
844	Robert KEAL	0	RCYC
960	Siofra COLLINS	10	GBSC
998	Louis MILLAR	11	RNIYC
1009	Kate D'ARCY	10	RCYC
1018	Jamie MCMAHON	9	HYC
1034	Peter SHANAHAN	10	NYC
1081	Peter FAGAN	11	NYC
1133	Cliona COYLE	11	NYC
1150	Patrick COYLE	13	NYC
1173	Megan CAHILL	11	HYC
1182	Clare GORMAN	10	NYC
1196	Michael CARROLL	10
1204	Brian FOX	13	TBSC
1208	William SPAIN	11	NYC
1236	Finn MATTHEWS	12	GBSC
1242	Alison MAGUIRE	11	RIYC
1254	Emily Whitaker	10	RCYC/BSC
1269	Guy Withinshaw WITHINSHAW	10	NYC
1274	Nicola FERGUSON	11	RIYC
1283	Ella HEMERYCK	10	RIYC/WHSC
1321	Katie-Jane Marshall	10	NYC
1348	Ella DUFFY	11	NYC
1394	Neasa O'CONNELL	9	RstGYC
1396	Morgan Lyttle	9	RStGYC
6102	Rory COLLINS	8	GBSC
GBR3280	Emma WILLIAMS	9	RStGYC

The Fireball Worlds are now only two weeks away! The regatta officials have been announced! A title sponsor has been secured! New boats are in the final stages of preparation and new sailing combinations have been honing their skills and teamwork over the winter!

This morning, Friday 27th May, the entry stands at 58 boats, spread across 9 nations and 3 continents. The spread of countries covers Ireland, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Shetland Islands, France, Czech Republic, Canada and Germany, with the continents being Europe, Australia and North America.

The home contingent boasts 28 boats, followed by GBR with 17 boats, France and Switzerland have three entries each, Canada and the Czech Republic 2, with Australia, the Shetlands and Germany each having one. However, there is a late attempt to get a second Australian entry to the event and in fact with entries being open right up to the eve of the regatta, there is always the prospect that more boats may still declare. I also know of one entry that isn't on the list yet as the crew was only secured last weekend and the boat is still being finished out.

So which names stand out in the entry list thus far?
Tom Gillard and Sam Brearey are the current European Champions having won that title in the Czech Republic in Pavlov last October. They gave a very convincing display in that regatta and have shown good form in the UK regattas they have sailed to date. Tom has also "dabbled" recently in the Scorpion scene in UK with success. Also on the podium in Pavlov was Jaroslav Verner of the Czech Republic who has entered for Sligo with a different crew. From further afield and the sole Aussie thus far, is Ben Schulz, sailing with Phillip Bowley, who finished 5th in the 2010 Worlds in Barbados. Ben is the current Secretary of Fireball Australia.

As the largest Fireball fleet internationally, the UK fleet always brings quality to these events and the entry list for Sligo reflects that continuing trend. Defending champions Chips Howarth and Vyv Townend are not entered, but the British contingent is like a "Who's who" of the class there.

Vince Horey, 11th in Barbados races with Andy Thompson, Matt Burge & Richard Wagstaff, 2nd in Barbados sail together again in Sligo, Simon Potts, 3rd placed crew in Barbados teams up with David Wade, 6th placed helm in Barbados and 6th placed crew in Barbados, Tim Saunders, current UKFA Chairman, teams up with Alan Krailing. For those who follow the Fireball scene in the UK and internationally, these are almost household names!

Messrs Jospe & Egli are perennial competitors at international regattas and they are joined by Messrs Tipton & King. Both combinations contested the Barbados event.

European Commodore Maja Suter is part of a 3-boat Swiss representation which also includes another Fireball stalwart in Ruedi Moser. The French contingent has a similar profile with 3 boats and Jean-Pierre Nouel (Monsieur Cantona) their most travelled competitor.

Of the Irish contingent, the names that will be vying for first home boat will include, on current form, Graeme Grant & Hugh Butler, Noel Butler & Stephen Oram, Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella and Kenny Rumball & Seamus Moore. Much will depend on the weather, but a 28 boat contingent is great news for the host fleet and bodes well for an interesting session of racing.

Sligo here we come!

A combination of an impossibly tight deadline, the high cost of entry and an appalling vista for sailing sponsorship in Ireland this season has halted any chance of an Irish entry into the La Solitaire du Figaro race when it sails in to Dun Laoghaire harbour on August 10th.

Competitive race entry costs ranged from anywhere between €60-250,000.

As late as February National Yacht Club organisers were touting the possibilities of two Dublin entries in to the race. It was a scenario that would have added extra spice for an Irish audience during the Figaro's only foreign stopover at the Irish east coast port.

A 71 boat fleet is expected to stay in Dun Laoghaire for four days and the National Yacht Club is staging a special festival around it.

Latest La Solitaire du Figaro news here

 

Howth Yacht Club TUE + SAT SERIES 1 (RACE) 24/05/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Rita Curley/Lynch; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Leila R CooperTUESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 24/05/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Trick or Treat A Pearson; 2, Yellow Peril N Murphy; 3, Gold Dust Walls/Browne; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Geppetto O'Reilly/McDyer; 2, Trick or Treat A Pearson; 3, Haemoglobin Mullen/O'Dea; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Whipper Snapper M Cantwell; 2, Puffin E Harte; Squib HPH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Whipper Snapper M Cantwell; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Northside Dragon J Bourke; 2, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; 3, Jabberwocky S Knowles; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; 2, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan

You just can't beat the gleaming look of a varnished yacht, can you? A fine 30-foot example is for sale in Cork through Crosshaven Boatyard at €32,900. Wavetrain is a one-off IRC racing yacht that has become a successful and regular competitor at events all over Ireland and the UK. She has been well maintained and comes with spares and extras.  Click here for all the details of this 1988 Channel including spec, pics and video.