#glensailing – The Glens are celebrating 50 years sailing and racing together as a class in Dublin Bay Sailing Club, writes 'Glenshane' skipper Pete Hogan. As a very successful season draws to a close for the 12 or so Glens in Dublin Bay there seems all prospects that the fleet can continue for a further 50 years.

The story of the Glens is worth repeating. Designed by the celebrated Scottish Marine architect Alfred Milne in 1945 the Glens were built by the Bangor boatyard over the following 20 years. Possibly 39 Glens, at least, were built which gives them claim to be Milne's most successful design and also one of the last of Alfred Milne Senior's designs. The firm still exists. He also designed the Dublin Bay 21's and the 24's which were recently in the news on Afloat.ie

At first the Glens were confined to the North but started appearing in Dublin over 50 years ago. Glenluce G67 celebrated last year being 50 years in the sole ownership of the O'Connor family. They started racing together as a class under DBSC organisation in 1964 and have been racing ever since.

Glens are classic little yachts, retaining their looks up to today as reminders of what sailing boats looked like before the era of plastic mouldings, high freeboards and self-draining cockpits. 25 ft. long with a full keel and sensible sail plan they represent state of the art pocket cruisers of the period.

Glens were often compared to Dragons. They are heavier, shorter and carry a bit more sail. But they were never allowed to become the development class which the Dragons became and never made the seismic shift into fibreglass construction. Their handy size however, has allowed them to survive just as the 17's in Howth survive and thrive. There is a mini wooden boat building fraternity centred on the Glens and their needs. The Brennan boatbuilding family in Dun Laoghaire, all three generations of it, being its mainstay.

Moored out in front of the Royal St George YC and each painted a distinctive different colour, the Glens have become as iconic a fixture in Dun Laoghaire as the bandstand, Teddy's ice cream shop or the fishermen casting their lines from the pier. Long may they continue.

The Glen keelboat. Illustration by Pete Hogan

Anyone interested in getting involved in the Glen Class in Dublin could contact Pete on 087 930 9559 or click HERE

#GuinnessTanks - The current Guinness TV advert campaign 'Made of More' is apt given additional fermentation tanks bound for St. James Gate Brewery in central Dublin, arrived by cargoship to Dun Laoghaire Harbour late last month, writes Jehan Ashmore.

To recap, Diageo began last year a €153m upgrade to refurbish the historic city-centre brewery, however due to low-bridge heights restrictions, this led to use of alternative roads to transport the cylinder-shaped tanks from Dun Laoghaire Harbour instead of Dublin Port.

This latest batch of stainless steel fermentation tanks on board Wilson Goole (1995/2,446grt) are understood to each weigh up to 30 tonnes. The previous 'project' cargo unloaded in Dun Laoghaire was during late 2013 and was tasked to Thamesteel I (1989/1,984grt) see report HERE, which features a telescopic wheelhouse and she departed directly from Rotterdam.

On this occasion, Wilson Goole also departed the Dutch port but her route included en route call to Follafoss, Norway followed by a short-cut through Scotland involving a transit of the Caledonian Canal. Upon arrival to Dun Laoghaire she docked at the Carlisle Pier.

The Norwegian operated vessel also features a telescopic bridge which overlooked four of the six cylinder tanks mounted as deck-cargo while the remaining two were stowed in the hull. For drawings of the vessel's cargo-hold layout, click  here.

The majority of the project's tanks where handled in 2013 during a spate of deliveries to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in which three shipments docked between mid-February to late March.

In that timeframe, Blue Tune (2010/3,845grt), Keizersborg (1996/6,142grt) and Myrte (2008/6,120grt) also berthed at the Carlisle Pier. Following unloading of the tanks, their final leg of the journey to reach the brewery involved night-time convoy operations to minimise disruption and avoid traffic congestion.

Blue Tune's call in 2013, represented the return of cargoship trading activity after an absence in the harbour of more than two decades.

At the moment the port has no other commercial customers, until Stena Line as previously reported resume sailings over the festive and new year periods.

#Seabourn/Windstar – Seabourn Cruises ulta-luxury Seabourn Legend that called to Dun Laoghaire Harbour yesterday, is making her final cruise to Irish and UK ports before her transfer to Windstar Cruises next year, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Her sale along with a pair of sisters to Windstar Cruises, will see the intimate 212 guest superyacht-like vessel renamed Star Legend enter service in April 2015.

By coincidence, the fourth and final caller to Dun Laoghaire this season will be Windstar Cruises sail-assisted five-mast cruiseship, Wind Surf which is due to visit this week. She has become the harbour's most frequent caller since the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company re-launched in promoting the cruise business in 2011.

Returning to Seabourn Legend and under the command of Captain Dvergastein, the 9,975 tonnes vessel took a pilot before entering the embracing harbour arms of Dun Laoghaire (see previous report). She is on a 15 day 'Route of Britannia' cruise which had departed from the Pool of London,  from where the 134m vessel transited through Tower Bridge.

She had visited St. Mary's, Scilly, and as previously reported on Afloat.ie, Waterford City Quays, marking an historic record-breaking total of three callers visiting on the one day. Today, she is in Belfast, where she is reunited with Hamburg which too had formed the trio meeting in the south-eastern city along with Silver Cloud.

The Seabourn Legend has an almost full occupancy booked for this cruise and this evening she is bound for ports along the western isles of Scotland and also a call to Greenock.

Following her Clydeside call, she is to return through the Irish Sea with further calls to the Isle of Man, France and Belgium before terminating her cruise back in London.

As to be expected with an upmarket cruise operator, Seabourn Cruises offers a very high standard in cuisine. They are a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world's most prestigious gastronomic societies devoted to fine dining, in which The Restaurent on Deck 3 is the place to be.

Among the other facilities there is the Veranda Café Lounge and nearby outdoor pool plus a pair of whirlpools. Also on that deck is the beauty salon, spa and gym. There is The Club bar and piano lounge, Casino, Show Lounge, Library / Video, Boutique and Card room.

As for accommodation, there are six categories of suites, in which there are a pair of owner's suites (54sq m) located on Deck 6. Features include living room with semi-circular couch, ocean view, dining area, forward-facing private veranda, bedroom with one queen size bed only, a walk-in closet and alcove closet. There is a bathroom with tub, shower and vanity plus a guest bath.

In addition the Owner Suites come equipped with two flat-screen TVs with DVD players, Bose Wave CD stereo system and there is complimentary Wi-Fi / internet service.

#waterwags – With a fine breeze from the west of about seven knots off Dun Laoghaire, the Water Wag Race Committee decided to hold two races, each consisting of two laps of the harbour and a final beat, on a windward-leeward course. The races were part of a short series of three evenings for the Sri Lanka Tankard (Division 1A), The Sri Lanks Mug (Division 1B), and the Meldon Cup (Division 2.)

Twenty four Water Wags showed up at the start line. This number is equal to the largest Water Wag turn out of the 2014 season and exceeds the number in the Dublin Bay Sailing Club dinghy fleet on the previous Tuesday evening, which consisted of five Fireballs, five IDRA14s, four Lasers, three Dublin Bay Mermaids, two RS400s, one OK, and one other boat. A total of 21 dinghies.

In the first Water Wag race, with a tight starting line and a short first beat, the favoured course was close to the ferry terminal, and Moosmie led the fleet initially by taking this route.

Race 1 Results:
Div. 1A. Mollie Cathy MacAleavey & Con Murphy. (husband and wife.)
Div. 1B. Marie Louise, John Magner.
Div. 2. Kate & Guy O'Leary. (mother and son.)

In race 2, using the experience of the previous race, the leading Water Wags believing that the ferry terminal side of the harbour was favoured followed each other like sheep, however, on the final lap Swift taking a risk and took the option of the harbour mouth side jumped 3 places to take the gun.,

Race 2 Results:
Div. 1A. Swift, Guy & Jackie Kilroy. (husband and wife.)
Div. 1B. Marie Louise, John Magner.
Div. 2. Kate & Guy O'Leary.

#LargestUKliner - In a major coup for Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, the largest ever cruiseship built exclusively for the UK market, P&O Cruises 143,000 tonnes newbuild Britannia, is to visit in her first season in 2015, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Britannia is due for delivery in Spring and is to make her first call to Dun Laoghaire in mid-July.

The giant five-star luxury cruiseship with a 3,600 passenger capacity and more than 1,700 crew, is one of a record 22 cruise callers to visit Dun Laoghaire.

The significant increase in cruise calls is clear, as only four calls are scheduled this year, the most recent been the distinctive five-mast cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf which called at the weekend.

The port's developing cruise industry business, expects to deliver 100,000 cruiseship visitors and crew generating a boost to the local economy and hinterland in 2015.

To secure the ports long-term viability over the next 10-15 years, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company's Masterplan adopted in 2011 includes several large scale projects, among them plans for a dedicated new cruise-berth costing €15m.

Such a facility would be capable of berthing the 'next generation' of very large cruiseships within the harbour.

In the meantime the majority of larger ships have to anchor offshore and bring passengers ashore by tenders. This is time-consuming process for cruise operators and subjected to weather conditions.

The cruise industry is a key area of development of the 'regional' port which in recent years has seen a decline in Stena Line's HSS fast-ferry services to Holyhead. This season is the fourth consecutive year of the summer-only operated route.

#CruiseYacht- Cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf (14,000 tonnes) with her impressive five 164-ft masts docked today in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and during the port's third cruise season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The flagship of Windstar Cruises five-strong fleet as reported yesterday has a capacity for 310 guests and towering above her passenger decks are the masts that set seven triangular shaped computer controlled self-furling sails that total 26,000 sq m.

She sailed overnight from an anchorage call off Dunmore East and her visit to Dun Laoghaire Harbour is a fly-cruise turnaround, likewise to her two previous calls last year.

On that final visit last July during the 'heatwave', as she departed her sails were furled -out (click link for photo) which was an added bonus to those strolling the harbour piers.

Wind Surf relies mostly on engine power (hence the funnel between the second and third masts), has four Wartsila diesel-electric generating sets and a pair of electrical propulsion motors that deliver 12 knots. This can be increased by combining her sails to achieve 15 knots with a favourable wind. During joint-power operations she has a sea-water hydraulic ballast system to limit heel when sailing.

As to be expected the 187m flagship has luxurious amenities and a crew of almost 200 on board the vessel that was launched as Club Med 1 a quarter-century ago for original owners Club Med. She was last extensively renovated in 2012. Her sister was in Irish waters this week when Club Med 2 called to Cobh.

Both vessels throughout their careers have cruised mostly in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, however last year was a first for operators Wind Star and Club Med to visit Irish ports. This evening she may or not 'self-furl' her sails, but will certainly motor out of the harbour bound for Douglas, Isle of Man.

#dlharbour – Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company have recently formed a local stakeholder group called Dun Laoghaire International Sailing Events, (DLISE) involving the major yacht clubs in the area, the Harbour Company, and DLRCoCo. The aim of the group, according to the Harbour company newsletter is to attract major international sailing events to the Harbour, which will 'increase the profile of the Harbour Internationally and have a positive impact on the local economy'.

#Harbours(Amendment)Bill- As previously reported the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2014, recently announced by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport (DTTAS) Leo Varadkar, will allow five designated Ports of Regional Significance.

The ports designated under the bill are Drogheda, Dún Laoghaire, Galway, New Ross and Wicklow which are to transfer to local authority ownership at a future date, in line with Government policy to strengthen local government.

These five ports play an important role through tourism, leisure amenity, and regional trade. The Government has decided that their future is best secured under strong local governance.

The draft legislation builds upon Minister Varadkar's ongoing reform of the State commercial ports sector as announced in last year's National Ports Policy.

On the Department of Transport (click for website), there is a copy of the General Scheme of the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2014 available HERE and a copy of the Regulatory Impact Analysis is also available through this LINK.

During 2013 and early 2014 the Department conducted two significant consultation phases – the first commenced in August 2013 and the second in December 2013. The draft Regulatory Impact Analyses accompanying these consultation phases together with relevant submissions can be found using the links also available on the DTTAS website page as to above links given.

Among the copies of the letters published from the five ports is the request in full for the increase to Dun Laoghaire port limits which is contained within the consultation submission letter to DTTAS.

#CruiseDunLaoghaire – Dun Laoghaire Harbour's third cruise season will begin with Island Sky, the 118 passenger vessel is sailing overnight from Waterford under command of Swedish master, Captain Karlsson, and is due in the morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

On this Noble Caledonia operated cruise there are 87 passengers on board and she is one of four callers for the 2014 season, which is considerably less than the scheduled 14 callers last year.

Having said that Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company can look forward in welcoming the return of impressive five-masted cruiseship, Wind Surf, which twice called in 2013 and in which cruise passengers embarked at the port having flown in from the US.

The Windstar Cruise vessel as previously reported on Afloat.ie is likewise of Island Sky visiting Waterford Estuary this year, though today she headed upriver to the city quays, while the wind-assisted vessel is to anchor this summer off Dunmore East.

As for Island Sky's arrival tomorrow morning, she is to pick up a pilot from a Dublin Port cutter prior to entering Dun Laoghaire Harbour where she is to berth alongside Carlisle Pier.

She is a sister of Sea Explorer which notably arrived without passengers nor embarked, as the former Renaissance Cruises vessel went into lay-up in March 2013, prior to resuming a new career cruising in northern Europe. 

The old mailboat and former conventional car-ferry terminal pier is where the immacutely painted Serenissima, a classic former Norwegian 'Hurtigruten' Harald Jarl built in 1960 became the first caller to Dun Laoghaire in 2013. She also was the first to actually dock within the harbour and on the same day saw the historic first call of Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 that anchored offshore.

This season's line-up may not be as extensive, yet Dun Laoghaire Harbour's visit of Island Sky is a first so is Seabourn Cruises luxury mega-yacht style Seabourn Legend.

Under the National Ports Policy launched last year by Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, Dun Laoghaire Harbour along with four other ports where classed as having 'regional significance'.

In Dun Laoghaire's case the development of the harbour is to refocus in meeting local requirements that focus on tourism, cruise liners and marine leisure activity.

#dlmarina – A year after yacht clubs reacted to a cut in Dun Laoghaire Harbour's swinging moorings, the Royal St. George, has vacated it s long held east bight moorings at the request of the Dun Laoghaire harbour Company and relcoated to the town marina.

The harbour company requires the east bight area to facilitate visiting cruise ships, a new area of revenue for the harbour.

The Royal St.George, the country's biggest club, says 'As opposed to doing a partial withdrawal over the 2014/2015 seasons we have agreed a new facility with Dun Laoghaire Marina in their West Bight section'.

It is intended that all Royal St George boats on the East Bight will relocate. Moorings in front of the club house are currently unaffected. The club says it has agreed a very favourable rate with the marina and takes into account the notified increases for mooring charges.

A launch service between the club and the Marina will be available and currently a scheduled service is being drawn up, this will be the only point of access to the West Bight.

The initial agreement between the club and the marina is for a period of 4 years.

The club website advises 'the West Bight berthing rate exclusive to RSGYC members will be €170 p/ meter vs. the Marina's advertised rate of €217.50 p/ meter'  This rate is available from Lift In – Lift Out and only to RSGYC members that availed of moorings in the last few years.

For 2013 Royal St.George mooring rates were €147 p/ meter. With the increases from the Harbour Co for 2014 the rate would be in the region of €155 p/ meter, the club estimates.

The west bight marina facility will only be accessible from the RSGYC club house pontoons and will be served by the Launch Service with one pickup/ drop off point on the West Bight which will increase efficiency.