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Displaying items by tag: A35

#scottishseries – Waterford and Dublin Bay yachts top the leaderboard of class two at Scotland's premier sailing regatta, the Silvers Marine sponsored– Scottish Series at Tarbert, as the annual event enters its final round this afternoon. Rob McConnell's A35 Fools Gold from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club leads IRC Two by a single point from the National Yacht Club's J109 Something Else, skippered by John and Brian Hall. In fourth place overall in the 14–boat fleet is former ICRA National Champion, the J109 Storm, skippered by Pat Kelly of Howth Yacht Club. Full class two results are downloadable below.

Other Irish interest from the Clyde includes Stephen Quinn's Lambay Rules lying third overall in IRC 4 where nine boats are competing.

Here's the latest available PR from the Scottish series after Day Two (Saturday): After a great second day of sailing there's still everything to play for in Silvers Marine Scottish Series. Super Saturday lived up to its name, conditions were challenging with a light southerly blowing 10 – 12 knots, but the sun shone and it was a spectacular day showing Argyll at its best.

There were plenty of thrills and spills and in IRC Class 2 Alistair Shires of Sloop John T became the first casualty of the event, after an onboard incident. Alistair swapped the waters of Loch Fyne for hospital but we're delighted to say he's fine and will be back onboard in the near future.

In IRC Class 1 Silvers Marine Scottish Series main sponsor Jamie McGarry is now leading the table having had a great day on Loch Fyne. Rod Stuart and William Ram's Aurora is just two points adrift of the top spot with Steven Cowie's Zephyr falling to third. With two races tomorrow we're looking forward to some more fierce competition on the water.

IRC 2 sees a change at the top with Sloop John T taking the top spot. The conditions suited the boat perfectly and this coupled with good tactics and handling saw them rewarded. Something Else remains in second and Kevin Aitken in Animal keep a hold of their third spot.

Moving onto the IRC Class 4 and the start of the Crewsaver course and it was Roddy Angus' Trastada who had the best day and really found their pace. They're seeing their hard work paying off following a major boat optimisation. Craig Latimer's Wildebeest V falls to second following an OCS and McVey / Darge and Black's Phoenix rises to third. The racing in this class is very tight and tomorrow's racing will be very interesting.

In CYCA Class 5 Geoff and Norman Howison's Local Hero appears to be in a class of their own. They stay well ahead of Howard Morrison in Enigma and Ian Macdonald's Significant who had an excellent day.

It's still Alan Dunnet's Valhalla of Ashton at the top of CYCA Class 6 leading Stargazer in second, while Andy Malcolm's Nemo was finding pace in third.

CYCA Class 8 Restricted Sail. The Jochr in the pack pulled a lead of two points ahead of Windhound and North Star in third. There are no discards in this class yet and Windhound could still hang in there but will have to discard a retrial.

CYCA Class 9 Restricted Sail sees Stephen Owen in Halcyon hanging on to first while John Roberts' Poppy leapfrogs Clive Reeves' Lyrebird to take third.

Sigma 33 Class and its still Harper and Robinson's Leaky Roof 2 at the top of this tightly grouped section. Gallagher and Bradshaw's Busy Beaver worked hard to take second place from James Miller's Mayrise.

In National One Design Sonata Series Steve Goacher's Eric the Boat took three firsts today to see him dominate this class. Cochrane and Galbraith's Old School, lying in second, secured three seconds while D Matthew's White Magic holds onto third.

Ovington Boats maintain their lead in the VX Class ahead of Jono and Benji Shelly's Robber's Dog, who was let off the lead, in second and Duncan Hepplewhite's Zhik who was barking up the wrong tree today in third.

The J70 Scottish Championships table stays the same with Ian Aitken in boats.com in first, Paul Heys and S Hawthorn's Jacuzzi in second and Christopher Hawforth's Django in third. These boats enjoyed a great day's sailing and Loch Fyne certainly suited them.

It's tight at the top of the Hunter 707 Class with just three points separating the first three boats. M Fleming and D Smith's Rammie leads with Carl Allen's More T Vicar with T Clark and S Parker's Black Sheep in third.

Published in Racing

Irish solo sailing fans may be interested in the annual Solo Racing Festival at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble on Saturday 12th March.

Given the Figaro race is coming to Dun Laoghaire in August a talk on the Artemis Academy with John Thorn (Figaro 2) will be of particular interest.

Owen Clarke's designer Merfyn Owen, who lives in Hamble will be attending as well as colleagues from their brokerage partners Boatshed Performance.

So whether your interest be solo sailing or short-handed sailing in general they will be there to answer questions on design, construction, as well as sale/purchase and charter of offshore performance yachts.

The Race Fair is  an open house from 10.00 for race organisers to meet and greet potential skippers from; Global Ocean/Class 40, Mocra, UK mini group, RORC, SORC, Biscay Challenge, AZAB. Floating boat show, 8 boats including the OC class 40, 2 minis, A35, J105, Figaro 2, Sunfast 3200.

There is a Book Signing, Alex Bennett signing copies of High Seas High Stakes and showing Fuji DVD Mike Golding is opening the talks at 11,00.

Followed by:

Winning Mind Set with Ian Brown, sports psychologist
Global Ocean race with Oliver Dewar
Two Star/Ostar with John Lewis, RWYC
30m trimaran design with Nigel Irens (Idec, Sodebo)
Artemis Academy first term report with John Thorn (Figaro 2)
Route du Rhum with Marco Nannini, (class 40)
all in the spendid riverside setting of the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble.

More HERE.

Published in Solo Sailing

Naval Visits focuses on forthcoming courtesy visits by foreign navies from our nearest neighbours, to navies from European Union and perhaps even those navies from far-flung distant shores.

In covering these Naval Visits, the range of nationality arising from these vessels can also be broad in terms of the variety of ships docking in our ports.

The list of naval ship types is long and they perform many tasks. These naval ships can include coastal patrol vessels, mine-sweepers, mine-hunters, frigates, destroyers, amphibious dock-landing vessels, helicopter-carriers, submarine support ships and the rarer sighting of submarines.

When Naval Visits are made, it is those that are open to the public to come on board, provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate up close and personal, what these look like and what they can do and a chance to discuss with the crew.

It can make even more interesting for visitors when a flotilla arrives, particularly comprising an international fleet, adding to the sense of curiosity and adding a greater mix to the type of vessels boarded.

All of this makes Naval Visits a fascinating and intriguing insight into the role of navies from abroad, as they spend time in our ports, mostly for a weekend-long call, having completed exercises at sea.

These naval exercises can involve joint co-operation between other naval fleets off Ireland, in the approaches of the Atlantic, and way offshore of the coasts of western European countries.

In certain circumstances, Naval Visits involve vessels which are making repositioning voyages over long distances between continents, having completed a tour of duty in zones of conflict.

Joint naval fleet exercises bring an increased integration of navies within Europe and beyond. These exercises improve greater co-operation at EU level but also internationally, not just on a political front, but these exercises enable shared training skills in carrying out naval skills and also knowledge.

Naval Visits are also reciprocal, in that the Irish Naval Service, has over the decades, visited major gatherings overseas, while also carrying out specific operations on many fronts.

Ireland can, therefore, be represented through these ships that also act as floating ambassadorial platforms, supporting our national interests.

These interests are not exclusively political in terms of foreign policy, through humanitarian commitments, but are also to assist existing trade and tourism links and also develop further.

Equally important is our relationship with the Irish diaspora, and to share this sense of identity with the rest of the World.