The arrival of Thunderchild II into Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Friday gave rise to speculation that a Dublin powerboat record attempt might be on the cards this weekend, given the 80–mph Zero Dark RIB was also berthed at the town marina.

Both vessels have set separate Cork Fastnet Cork speed UIM record times, and it is understood both have an appetite to set further record times off the Irish coast. The latest time was set last month, as Afloat reported here.

On this occasion, though, it transpires the Frank Kowalski skippered Thunderchild was simply on her way home to Cork Harbour from a voyage to Iceland and had merely stopped off for a refuel at Ireland's biggest marina.

However, John Ryan's Zero Dark RIB may yet have her eye on some UIM record times while based in the capital's waters.

The high-speed RIB has been out Dublin Bay clocking up some impressive speeds over the past two weekends.

More news on any record attempt as we have it.

Thunderchild II off Cork Photo: Bob Bateman 

Fifty-one years to the day after he was rescued from a capsized dinghy and inspired to join a lifeboat crew, Stephen Wynne is retiring as Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager, a position he has held for over three decades. Stephen will however, continue to volunteer for the lifeboat station as Deputy Launching Authority.

Recalling his own rescue by the RNLI on the 10 September 1970, Stephen said it was fitting that he chose the anniversary that inspired him to get involved with the charity as the day he would hand over the reins:

‘I was rescued from a capsized dinghy outside Dun Laoghaire by the then Coxswain, the late Eric Offer and his crew on the Waveney class lifeboat which was the first class of lifeboats operated by the RNLI capable of operating at speeds in excess of 10 knots. While I was too young to join at the time, I made a decision then when I came out of hospital that when I met the age eligibility, I was going to become a volunteer crew member.’

True to his word, Stephen joined the RNLI lifeboat community in 1975 and became a crew member in 1977. He later became a Deputy Launching Authority in 1987 and became Honorary Secretary, a position known now as Lifeboat Operations Manager, in 1990.

For the last 31 years in this role, Stephen has been responsible for managing all operational activities, authorising the launch of both the all-weather and inshore lifeboats and the day-to-day management of the station.

It is a position he has relished and one which he will miss: ‘Volunteers have always been at the heart of the RNLI and essential in saving lives at sea. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve first as a crew member, then as Deputy Launching Authority and later Lifeboat Operations Manager. My contribution over the years however, has been part of a wider team effort and I want to thank the dedicated team around me in Dun Laoghaire for all that they do - the lifeboat crew, shore crew, station officers, management and fundraisers. I also want to thank the many members of the public who always give their support so generously and donate what they can to power Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s lifesaving work.’

Peter Harty, RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager, paid tribute to Stephen: ‘Stephen is the epitome of an RNLI volunteer. Utterly dedicated to saving lives at sea, he has lived the RNLI’s core values of selflessness, dependability, trustworthiness and courage in all that he does. He joined the lifeboat community at Dun Laoghaire in 1975, after he was rescued at sea. During this time, he has provided outstanding leadership and support to operational lifesavers. We are delighted that Stephen is not lost to us as he will be remaining with Dun Laoghaire RNLI as a Deputy Launching Authority.’

Ed Totterdell, also a Deputy Launching Authority, will take up the role as the new Lifeboat Operations Manager.

A new report commissioned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council details the works required for a proposed new seasonal cruise tender pontoon in the harbour.

The plans are part of upgrades to Dun Laoghaire Harbour which expects 70 cruise liner visits in 2022 as the industry bounces back from its pandemic shutdown.

As the report prepared by consultants RPS details, the scheme involves the installation of a seasonal pontoon for use by tenders that would ferry passengers back and forth between the harbour and cruise liners at anchor in Dublin Bay.

Earmarked for Berth 4 on St Michael’s Pier, the modular pontoon would measure 40 metres in length — double that of the floating concrete pontoon that’s proposed on the Dun Laoghaire Harbour website — with a minimum width of 4.5m.

The project would also involve the construction of two separate accesses, an articulating gangway of 30m in length and self-levelling steps (10m) with a cantilevered steel bankseat platform.

As the pontoon would only be in position during the cruise season, the whole system “must be removable and able to be detached and relocated for storage during the off-season”, the report states.

In addition, the project as proposed does not entail any works that require Foreshore Licencing and/or consenting.

More details can be found in the DLR Cruise Tender Pontoon works requirements report, attached below.

Just christened by the Flemish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries last month the new state-of-the-art beam trawler, Z.98 Windroos, from Zeebrugge is the first of the new generation of Belgian beam trawlers to arrive in Ireland.

Fishing for sole, plaice, skate or monkfish the 38-metre Z.98 Windroos operates in the southern or central North Sea, the Irish Sea and the western waters or the Bay of Biscay. 

Dun Laoghaire Harbour’s strategic location as an EU port in the middle of the Irish Sea may have been overlooked by commercial fishing fleets for years but since Brexit, it appears Belgian fishermen have been quick to see the advantage of the Dublin Bay port. 

Windroos is the third brand new Belgian beam trawl vessel to be commissioned this year, after 20 years without replacements, according to Belgian fishing sources.

A beam trawl net is held open by a steel beam with two 'shoes' and pulled over the seafloor and mostly used to catch shrimps, flatfish or fish living close to the bottom.

Royal Irish Yacht Club sailor Guy Kilroy was the winner of Wednesday's DBSC Water Wag Captain's Prize Race at Dun Laoghaire that attracted a fine turnout of 31 Wag dinghies for the annual in-harbour race. 

Second was the National Yacht Club's Cathy MacAleavey and third was RIYC's William Prentice. 

Overall, after 14 races sailed for the Jubilee Cup Series, Alistair Kissane's Shindilla was crowned the winner with MacAleavey's Mariposa second and Kilroy's Swift third.

The full results are here.

A fantastic turnout of 31 Water Wags for the Captain's Prize Race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Barry O'Neill

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is recruiting for a Marine Officer to fulfil the role of Harbour Master for Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The Marine Officer will be required to maintain a safe port; ensure that all statutory, regulatory and conservancy duties are carried out; enforce harbour bye-laws and Regulations; levy rates and charges; manage port emergencies and the port environment; and ensure compliance with port security, environmental, health and safety and other relevant legislation.

The ideal candidate is expected to have a proven track record in a number of areas, including experience as a shop or port security officer, programme and project management, budgeting skills and experience leading and working with a multi-disciplined team.

It is also essential that the candidate holds a full Irish/EU driving license (category B) free from endorsement and has access to their own motor vehicle.

Further details on the position are available as a PDF on the DLRCoCo website, as is the application form.

Completed applications should be returned by email only to [email protected] not later than 12 noon on Thursday 16 September.

Latvian and Italian sailors were crowned ILCA Laser 4.7 Youth World Championships at Dún Laoghaire Harbour on Saturday following a week-long competition on Dublin Bay.

More than 230 competitors representing 31 countries competed in the largest international sporting event taking place in Ireland this year.

The event was hosted jointly by the Royal St George Yacht Club and the National Yacht Club.

With mixed weather across the week of sailing, there was stiff competition for the international sailors.

In the boys fleet, Martins Atilia of Latvia took home gold, while Greek sailor Alexandros Eleftheriadis took silver and Massimiliano Antoniazzi won the bronze medal.

The winner of the competition in the girls fleet was Emma Mattivi of Italy, followed by Croatian Petra Marednic and Italian Gaia Bolzonella in second and third place respectively.

The Irish boys were led by Rocco Wright of Howth in 49th and Dún Laoghaire’s Archie Daly in 61st place. The best of the Irish girls were Tralee’s Eimer McMorrow in 38th and Dún Laoghaire’s Anna O’Connor in 40th. 

Vilamoura, Portugal is the host for the 2022 ILCA4 Youth World Championships

Final ICLA4 Youth World Championship Results;

Girls Gold: 1st Emma Mattivi (ITA), 2nd Petra Marednic (CRO), 3rd Gaia Bolzonella (ITA), 4th Claudia Adán Lledó (ESP), 5th Annemijn Algra (NED), 6th Roos Wind (NED), 7th Johanna Böckl (AUT), 8th Gabriëla Groenewegen Van Der Weijden (GRE), 9th Giorgia Bonalana (ITA), 10th Alina Iuorio (ITA).

Boys Gold: 1st Martins Atilla (LAT), 2nd Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE), 3rd Massimiliano Antoniazzi (ITA), 4th Joan Ravie (ESP), 5th Hidde Wapstra (NED), 6th Hidde Schraffordt (NED), 7th Max Frank (NED), 8th Daniel Cardona Balsa (ESP), 9th Can Veysel Kaska (TUR), 10th Miguel Sancho (POR).

Girls Silver: 1st Cristina Castellanos (GUA), 2nd Arwen Fflur (GBR), 3rd Donna-Tinke Huijsmans (NED), 4th Léonie Baudet (SUI), 5th Isabella Mendoza Cabezas (USA), 6th Anna Vasilieva (USA), 7th Ava Anderson (USA), 8th Paula Bestard Mayol (ESP), 9th Cannelle Opstaele (BEL), 10th Mikaela Panagopoulou (GRE).

Boys Silver: 1st Benjamin Reeser, 2nd Oisín Mac Sweeney (IRL), 3rd Antonio Pascali (GBR), 4th Karel Ratnik (EST), 5th Jacob Zils (USA), 6th Keijiro Kikkawa (GBR), 7th Andrea Dubois (SUI), 8th Florian Vreeburg (NED), 9th Connor Demming (USA), 10th João Pacheco (POR).

U16 Boys: 1st Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE), 2nd Hidde Schraffordt (NED), 3rd Dionysios Kalpogiannakis (GRE)

U16 Girls: 1st Adriana Castro (ESP), 2nd Audrey Foley (USA), 3rd Signe Brinkert (NED).

Irish Girls: 1st Eimer McMorrow Moriarty, 2nd Anna O'Connor, 3rd Hannah Dadley-Young, 4th Sienna Wright, 5th Iseult Hogan, 6th Ella Dempsey, 7th Una Connell, 8th Emma Lynch, 9th Megan O'Sullivan, 10th Isabel Mc Carthy.

Irish Boys: 1st Rocco Wright, 2nd Archie Daly, 3rd Luke Turvey, 4th James Dwyer, 5th Oisín Mac Sweeney, 6th Darragh Collins, 7th Christian Ennis, 8th Oisin Hughes, 9th Russell Bolger, 10th Patrick Bruen.

Full boys results are here for and girls here

Link to Afloat's event coverage here

Photo gallery of Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds at Dun Laoghaire Harbour below

ILCA 4/Laser 4.7 World Youth competitors launched at Dun Laoghaire with 18-20 knot southwesterly winds, but the 30-knot gusts that blew through the Dublin Bay racecourses were the true test for the 229 boats taking part in the first day of the final series of racing.

With the qualifying series complete at the National Yacht Club and Royal St. George Yacht Club hosted event the sailors were divided into Gold and Silver fleets in both the boy's and girl's divisions.

229 sailors are competing from 31 different countries for the overall prize.

Another change at the top of the leader board in the Girl's fleet tonight was well earned after Emma Mattivi (ITA) scored an impressive 2, 1 today to move one point clear of Petra Marednic (CRO). Gaia Bolzonella (ITA) moved from 4th overnight top 3rd overall with a strong and consistent 1, 3 and as we look to tomorrow, its all to play for.

Tralee Bay's Eimer McMorrow Moriarty is top Irish Girl in (38th). Anna O'Connor (40th) is hot on her heels in the Girl's gold fleet.

In the boy's division Martins Atilla (LAT) moved from second to first with a solid performance to record a 1, 5. Alexandros Eleftheriadis (GRE) slipped back to second overall with a 7, 14 showing just how difficult it was to find the podium today. Massimiliano Antoniazzi (ITA) climbed several places with a 2, 4.

Rocco Wright representing Howth Yacht Club holds onto the position of top-performing Irish boy in 53rd. Archie Daly (58th) and James Dwyer (65th) make up the top three Irish boys.

Strong and gusty conditions are forecast for the penultimate day's racing tomorrow before the final day on Saturday.

The organisers say the Championships is one of the largest international sporting events taking place in Ireland this year. 

Boys results are here for and girls here

Racing continues from 10:30 am 

A second day of light and shifty moderate winds completed two more qualifying rounds at the Laser/ILCA 4.7 Youth World Championships at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

According to provisional results, the 149 boat boy's division is being led overnight by Spain's Joan Ravie followed by Alexandros Eleftheriadis of Greece with  Daniel Cardona Balsa (ESP) staying third.

The top Irish performer in the boys fleet is Howth Yacht Club Optimist ace Rocco Wright who took a seventh in race four to be 51st overall.

Ravie showed real class to take two first-place finishes to move to the of the leader board.

A lighter breeze of 8-10 kts started the day at 245 degrees and backed around through to 150 as the day progressed.

The girl's division is led by Croatia's Petra Marednic with Emma Mattiv (ITA) in second and Spain's Claudia Adán Lledó (CRO) is lying third. The top Irish girl is Anna O'Connor in 36th place in the 80-boat fleet.

The reigning ILCA 4 Girls European Champion and leader from the opening day, Annemijn Algra (NED) slipped to sixth.

229 boys and girls are competing from 31 different countries for the overall prize that is being hosted jointly by the harbour's National Yacht Club and Royal St. George Yacht Clubs. 

The organisers say it is one of the largest international sporting events taking place in Ireland this year. 

Both boys and girls divisions have completed a full schedule of four races on separate Dublin Bay race courses

Both divisions compete for another day in the qualifying series and a further three days in the finals series to eventually decide who will be crowned the 2021ILCA 4.7 World Champion.

Boys results are here for and girls here

Racing continues from 10:30 am with three final qualifying races

Park Turtle is a new startup that has set out to simplify boat parking for yacht clubs and marinas. Developed by two Dublin Bay Waszp dinghy sailors and engineers John Chambers and Charlie Cullen, Park Turtle provides a mobile phone scanning system that eliminates the use of pens, paper and excel to enable clubs to easily track boats and parking fees.

19-year-old Waszp sailor and Engineering with management student in Trinity College Dublin - Charlie Cullen, observed how frustrated sailing clubs became by the effort it took to manage boat parking and payments. The two sailors came together to solve this problem.

Now Dublin clubs at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Howth Yacht Club are trusting Park Turtle to provide the best solution in boat parking management.

Ireland's biggest yacht club, the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour is using the new Park Turtle software for managing its forecourt software Photo: RSTGYC

"After developing and testing the new programme with the Royal St George Yacht Club and Howth Yacht Club, they have found that the club spends less time inspecting boats, chasing owners and have increased parking revenues", says Cullen.

The duo pair have been working hard winning Trinity College Dublin’s Dragons Den competition earlier this year, gaining them a place in Trinity College’s prestigious Tangent Lauchbox programme for start-ups.

"Sailing clubs can lose as much as 50% of parking fees, we help by providing a contactless tagging system to automate the frustrating and back-breaking work of inspecting boats, finding boat owners and collecting payments. Ensuring members pay before they park at your club, says Chambers.

More about Park Turtle and Charlie and John’s story on their website