#RESCUE - The Evening Echo reports on the 'miracle rescue' of a man who fell from his boat in Cork Harbour after he was spotted by telescope.

The incident happened on Saturday, when the 37-year-old man from Carrigaline went overboard from a RIB near Haulbowline Island. It is understood that the man was struck by the RIB after he entered the water.

With no other boats in the area at the time, it was by a sheer stroke of luck that he was spotted from a mile away by a man looking out through a telescope at Fort Camden in Crosshaven.

A rescue effort was quickly mobilised, with the Cork Pilot boat and Crosshaven lifeboat both speeding to the scene.

The man, who was found seriously injured, was taken to the Crosshaven lifeboat station from where he was rushed to hospital.

An RNLI spokesperson said the man was "incredibly lucky to have been spotted from shore".

The injured man's family have since praised the telescope user, who is as yet unknown, for his quick thinking in ensuring the rescue of the father-of-two. The Evening Echo has more on the story HERE.

It's the second dramatic rescue in Cork in the past few weeks, coming after brave volunteers from the Baltimore RNLI halted a runaway RIB heading for a busy pier, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Cork Harbour's Dave Hennessy is getting ready for his seventh Round Ireland race in two weeks time. The two times winner of the 704-mile offshore race in the vintage Granada 38 Cavatina gives some advice on what's involved in a successful circuit of Ireland.

Well we are off again on our seventh Round Ireland Yacht Race, this time with the very grateful sponsorship of CH Marine on board. We were asked for some ideas on tactics for the race, as we have been lucky enough to win it twice in the past.

Tactics

I think tactics play a small part in this race.The choice of boat would be the first consideration. It is a 704–mile offshore race around Ireland. The boat needs to be able to sail to her handicap over a wide range of conditions over a six day period by night and day. Cavatina is a 1979 design, weighs nine tons, has a long, sharp overhanging bow, a narrow enough stern, and like many heavy displacement boats, can keep moving in light conditions as well as coming into her own in heavy winds. In this year's fleet we seem very much the tortoise among the hares but we have been there before! The overall Fastnet winner in 2005 was a French" tortoise" beating us into second place overall by 22 minutes.

Seamanship

The next 'tactical' issue is crew. We are 12 years campaigning Cavatina offshore and have almost the same crew lining out every year. Our average age would be in late 50s but the group bring a range of skills to the boat – experience, stamina, good humour, sailing ability, mechanical, electrical skills.

The 'good humoured' crew of Cavatina go for their seventh Round Ireland race later this month. Photo: Bob Bateman

We managed to finish the '07 Fastnet where 240 of the 300 entrants were forced to retire.This is fair testimony to the crew's seamanship. I recall a bad night a few years ago approaching Inistrahull off the north coast under spinnaker with a rising gale forecast. We needed to drop the kite, gybe to avoid Scotland, but when we went to ease the halyard we found it had jumped the sheave and jammed solidly in the block at the masthead.

There was no way under the conditions to go up the mast. There was talk of shooting it with a flare even, but it was John Murphy who had the idea to ease the sheets as the boat slid down a wave, causing the kite to rise and the halyard to sit right on the sheave once again.The plan worked, kite came down for a few hours, went up again meaning we reached the fair tide at Rathlin and went on to win that race overall!

Sail Wardrobe

Another "tactical" issue to plan for is your sail wardrobe.You need to look at your boat's strengths and weaknesses in order to sail at your best in all conditions. Eric Lisson is shrewd in this regard and saw that the point of sailing from being close hauled to when you can carry a kite on a tight reach was critical for us. With Des McWilliam they came up with a Code Zero which we are only supposed to carry up to 15-knots apparent. This sail has won races for us. We also have a big overlapping furling Genoa.This means we can easily "change gear" when other crews are dragging headsails on deck or putting off marginal calls. Our main is quite small and is only reefed when it really blows.This again is a setup I feel lends itself well to offshore racing.

Cavatina passes along the Wicklow coast at the start of the 2010 Round Ireland. Photo: Bob Bateman

Victualling

Yet another issue to deal with at the planning stage is food.The crew need to be fed well to sail at their best over that time length. We pre-cook and freeze 6 main meals which are eaten in evening.We cook an FIB (full Irish breakfast) in the morning, usually served in sandwiches. Proper clothing is also essential. Thanks again CH Marine. We finished in Wicklow one year with two crew definitely hypothermic who would have been no good to us if there was another 50 miles in the race!

Lady Luck

Probably the most honest thing i can say re on the water tactics is that it is mostly luck.There are 4 tidal gates to negotiate. You sprint to Tuskar to find that gate open or closed. You slog to windward to Fastnet along the south coast, beating into the bays, risking being becalmed, or you take a chance on a long starboard tack to the south to avoid light winds.You push to reach the North Channel between Rathlin and Scotland with the gate open.This is the most critical piece of luck. We made it last year only to be completely becalmed towards Belfast Lough managing 6 miles in 10 hours! We didn't win that race! The final gate is approaching Wicklow itself. Many is the boat has come to a halt in view of the town lights, trying to sail against five knot tides in light night airs.

So if it is really down to luck why do so many do it? Yes it is a challenge heading off south past Wicklow Head into the "unknown" but for me it is the indescribable sense of achievement in "completing the circle". DO IT!

Good luck to crew of Eric Lisson, Ian Hickey, Lennie Donnery, Sean Hanley, Kelly and Dave Hennessy!

#1720 – With no wind expected for Cork Harbour today Mark Mansfield retained his 1720 national title after two days of competition in Cork Harbour. See our earlier reports from 1720 Day one and 1720 Day two for results and action photos from Bob Bateman.

#1720 – After two days of racing at the CH Marine 1720 National Championships and six races sailed the leader on 10 pts is Terry English and Mark Mansfield's Gut Rot crewed by Mike Budd, Bernard Fitzpatrick and Joe Bruen writes Claire Bateman.

Lying second is Anthony O'Leary's Wet n' Black crewed by Dan O'Grady, Derick Moynan, Eoin Leahy and David Whitaker. The Holyhead SC Ricochet of Steve, George and Tom Forester-Cole with Hannah Peters, Kelvin Matthews and Mark Lees in third place being very competitive and taking wins in two of the six races despite sailing in unfamiliar waters.

On a day when the weather was suited for sun hats and sun cream the wind much more benign with a steady southerly breeze 7 to 8 kts occasionally going to 10 to 11 kts PRO John Moynihan was able to set windward leeward courses a mile east of Roche's Point and got in four excellent races on the day.

At the conclusion of Race Six today the Racce Officer had an unenviable task when six of the flying 1720s bore down on the finish line, within seconds of one another in a tightly knit bunch more like the start than a finish of a race. Some spectacle to watch.

#1720 –A single point separates first and fourth place overall after two high speed races of the CH Marine sponsored 1720 National Championships writes Claire Bateman.

Defending champion Mark Mansfield, who is always formidable in strong winds, lies fourth overall after counting a 2 and a 4 in the 15-boat fleet while Finbarr Jeffers leads from Anthony O'Leary on an equal five points. Scroll down the page for more photos and results.

It was well worth waiting for the winds to abate in Cork harbour yesterday because by 5pm the first race of the championships got off to a cracking start in blustery high winds

Racing over windward leeeward course on the Eastern Bank off Aghada and with the weathermark close to the Spit the fleet enjoyed two great races and provided plenty of thrills and spills with even the heavy weather experts, Anthony O'Leary and defending champion Mark Mansfield both experiencing broaches inspite of the use of smaller jibs and kites. Photos of the action below.

#cruiseliners – The Seven Seas Voyager cruise liner departed Cork harbour last night after treating 708 well-heeled passengers to the sights of Cobh and the surrounding harbour area. This European cruise liner has an overall lengh of 670–ft and a beam of 94.5 ft. She has a top speed of 20 knots and 447 crew.

#CRUISING – Long term captain and Cork harbour yachtsman Philip Scully (55) of Crosshaven has died while on passage from Antigua in the West Indies to the UK it was reported earlier today.

The Owner of Starry Night, the well travelled Oyster 82, has advised of the sudden death on board of the long term captain Philip Scully.

According to reports, the yacht was on its way to the UK from Antigua when Philip started feeling unwell. He and the crew had full time support from Dr Spike Briggs of Medical Support Offshore Limited (MSOS) and advanced medical supplies and equipment on board. Despite this and great efforts from the crew he died in the early hours of 22nd May.

As the sad news broke at Royal Cork Yacht Club senior member Donal McClement (who is cruising in Spain) led tributes to the professional sailor. "He was a consummate professional, always careful and fastidious. Any owner who had him as a skipper had the most reliable and trustworthy guy you could possibly have".

Former Admiral Hugh Mockler spoke about Philip's love of Cork Harbour and Crosshaven in particular. "Philip always took the opportunity to sail back into Crosshaven whenever he got the chance".

The rest of the crew onboard Starry Night are well and the weather conditions are good.

The yacht is now on its way to Bermuda and relevant authorities have been informed.

Philip had connections with Irish sailing as far back as the One Ton Cup in the 1980s. He was also previously skipper of the late Bernie Cahill's Oyster yachts that were based in Schull, West Cork.

Philip Scully. Photo: Bob Bateman

#PORTOFCORK – Port of Cork is host to a United Nations capacity building programme on international trade TrainForTrade Port Training Programme focussing on 'Modern Port Management' which kicked off yesterday (Tuesday, 22nd May 2012) and which will run in the city for two weeks, until 1st June.

The programme, which sees 28 delegates attending from countries across the globe including Ghana, Indonesia, Maldives, Namibia, South Africa, Pakistan and Tanzania, has been organised by UNCTAD in cooperation with Port of Cork (PoC), Dublin Port Company (DPC), Belfast Harbour Commissioners (BHC), and with the support of Irish Aid.

The TrainForTrade programme was set-up to facilitate sustainable economic development in developing and transition countries through training and capacity development and is run by UNCTAD, whose mandate is to work for development-led globalisation, where the development paths are sustainable and inclusive.

At the Port Training Programme, delegates will participate in workshops and will learn best practice examples from a wide selection of Port of Cork's operational areas including strategic planning, financial management, economic and commercial management and administrative and legal management. Workshops will also be given by representatives from Dublin Port Company, Irish Aid, UCC and Dublin City University throughout the two week programme.

Speaking about the conference, Port of Cork Harbour Master, Captain Pat Farnan commented "We are delighted to be hosting this exceptional conference with UNCTAD both to showcase our world class port facilities here in Cork and also to extend our knowledge of port operations to these delegates. Together with Dublin Port Company, Belfast Harbour Commissioners and Irish Aid, we recognise the importance of helping these countries to develop sustainable commercial port operations for themselves and I am certain this training programme will play a substantial part in achieving that goal.

"All of the delegates attending this conference are involved in port management in their respective countries and it is our goal that they will take their learning's back to their colleagues at home to train others to ensure that this valuable knowledge is passed on", he continued.

#CORK HARBOUR – The world's second largest natural harbour in the world (after Sydney, Australia) sprang to life yesterday with a variety of sailing and boating activity from Crosshaven, Monkstown and Cobh writes Claire Bateman.

Sunshine, breeze and a harbour alive with boats 'twas like old times. A forecasted promise of a warm day after our long spell of winter like weather brought many boats out on the water yesterday.

Whether it was currachs getting in some practice for the ocean to City Race or 1720s getting in time on the water with some of the more experienced 1720 top notchers sailing on other boats to spread the expertise in handling these lively ladies.

Indeed it seemed like 1720 yesterday that we were watching the very first trials of the 1720 in Cork Harbour in 1994 and the excitement engendered and that now appears to be making a strong return. Details of the 1720 debut were written up in Afloat's Mid April edition of 1994.

Also on the water were Optimists receiving training including sailing downwind heeling to leeward like old pros despite the fact that maybe even six months ago they hadn't even sat in a boat on their own.

Frank Doyle's End Game leading the fleet at the start of CSC Titanic Race. Picture Robert Bateman

To top it all off Cove Sailing Club had organised The Titanic Race and the excellent fleet was joined by members from the Royal Cork Cruiser fleet and they made a splendid sight starting off Cuskinny at the Number 13 buoy under, Race Officer Adrian Tyler, on a flood tide and a sea breeze of about 10 knots.

Not to be forgotten were the boats motoring and sailing for the sheer pleasure of being on the water with a bit of heat in the sun and the many angling boats whose occupants were also enjoying the bonus of the fine weather.

Last but not least was the beautiful seal that popped up in front of the boat enjoying a fine meal of fresh fish but proved to be rather uncooperative when the camera was produced and didn't appear to like the sound of the diesel approaching.

Hopefully the forecast will prove correct for the fine warm weather we are to enjoy for the near future and will tempt sailors to get in their entries for forthcoming events and in particular Cork Week 2012 which is rapidly approaching and has such a variety of racing combined with a whole new look for shoreside family entertainment.

More Cork Harbour photos from yesterday below

#SUPERYACHT – The 81-metre long super motor yacht 'AIR' cut a dramatic pose as an early season caller to Cork Harbour yesterday.

This black hulled Dutch-built Feadship was launched in March last year and it is available for charter at the reported rate of €750,000 per week.

The largest yacht ever to be built at the Koninklijke De Vries yard, AIR has a sleek and elegant exterior with modern lines, a unique matte black steel hull, and an aluminium superstructure. She measures 265.7 feet in length and has a beam of nearly 39 feet.

Extremely spacious, the vessel can accommodate 12 guests in 7 roomy staterooms including an impressive split level owner's suite, two guest cabins on the upper deck, one cabin on the main deck, and three on the lower deck. The owners' observation lounge offers a breathtaking view over the eight-meter long pool on the main deck's forward area.

More on the onboard luxury, inlcuding the helicopter pad and 102-inch pop-up movie screen, here

Below video from Kinsale harbour mouth