After a few negative years, resulting in some despondency about the future of cruiser racing, the annual meeting of SCORA, the South Coast Offshore Racing Association, had a more positive atmosphere, with a good attendance of skippers, boat owners and club representatives and quite a few practical suggestions about driving the racing scene forward.

SCORA Commodore Kieran O’Connell, who is also Rear Commodore for Keelboats at the Royal Cork YC in Crosshaven, has been talking up the levels of participation in the racing scene, so I was interested to find out if this was the case at the meeting.

In fact, it seemed to be so and was reflected with a wide-ranging debate, from developing Class 4 for the smallest boats, to bring more people into racing, to the length of races, a desire for more racing amongst Cork Harbour sailors outside of the harbour confines, developing more inter-club racing and how to bridge the gap where young sailors are lost to the sport, between dinghy racing and cruisers.

2017 Scora winners at RCYC Photo Bob Bateman

This practicality was reflected in a debate about the often contentious issue of boat handicaps. There was general agreement that the concentration on handicapping should primarily be at club level, where it could best be used to stimulate more participation locally and strengthen the clubs. Where boats wanted a national handicap to race in other locations, that would have to take account of and dealt with, but the emphasis should be in the clubs.

There was also a desire expressed for longer duration races, because shorter races discouraged participation.

Encouraging young people to move on from dinghies to cruiser racing was debated. “We are not getting enough young people from dinghies into cruiser racing,” was a generally agreed view. There is no obvious solution to this, but it was agreed that to encourage younger sailors into cruisers they had to be given specific roles aboard boats, not just brought onto a boat “to sit on the rail.”

Some things don’t change, but this meeting indicated that there is a lot of positive change and a better future ahead, it seems, for cruiser racing, which SCORA Commodore Kieran O’Connell says is on the increase, with more boats racing in the past season than previously.

Listen to Kieran O’Connell on my weekly Podcast below

The 2018 Notice of Race for Volvo Cork Week, which will take place at the Royal Cork Yacht Club from the 16th to the 21st of July, 2018 has been published (and is downloadable below)

A Super Early Bird entry rate until December 30th where a lucky 10% of entries received before the deadline will get a full refund on their entry fee.

2016 saw a revived interest in the Club’s biennial regatta, which has been going strong since 1978. For its 40 year anniversary in 2018, RCYC is launching an all new format where competitors can pick a choose which element of the week that they wish to attend, giving the options for one, two, or three days racing, or go all in for the full Volvo Cup.

Cork Week organiser Kieran O'Connell told Afloat.ie 'We are also holding a number of One Design Class Championships during the week with racing for these classes on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st. If your class would like to be part of this, and benefit from the great entertainment that will be laid on for the week, please get in touch'.

The Beaufort Cup returns in 2018 and with entry level already surpassing 2016 it is gearing up to be a great success. Three English teams have already committed to take on the challenge and there’s also interest from Wales, America, France and Northern Ireland. Download the Beaufort Cup Notice of Race here.

The new Offshore Series on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th will attract boats from all over to compete in the challenging over night Fastnet race and in the shorter day race Wreck series for the smaller boats.

The online entry system is now live and RCYC is running a Super Early Bird entry until December 30th where a lucky 10% of entries received before the deadline will get a full refund on their entry fee.

Connor Phelan's Jump juice will be among the winners saluted tonight at the South Coast Offshore Racing Association (SCORA) agm and prizegiving that will be held in the Royal Cork Yacht Club at 7.45pm writes Bob Bateman.

Cruiser–racer fortunes are on the up in Cork harbour according to SCORA Commodore Kieran O'Connell who gave a recent confident forecast that fleet numbers are on the 'way back'.

Tom McCarthy's Whistling Dixie was third in ECHO White Sails division. Photo: Bob Bateman

Conor Phelan's Jump juice is among the winners at SCORA tonight Photo: Bob Bateman

As well as Phelan's Class Zero and One victory, among tonight's other highlights is Tom Roche's first in ECHO in the same division with Kinsale Yacht Club entry Meridian.

RCYC entry Bad Company (Desmond, Ivers) was the IRC two winner with Waterford Harbour yacht Slack Alice skippered by Shane Statham second.

Kinsale Yacht Club entry Meridian (Tom Roche) Photo: Bob Bateman

Dan Buckley's Justus (yellow spinnaker) was third in IRC Zero Photo: Bob Bateman

A full list of prizewinners are below.

Among the matters for discussion at tonight' meeting will be the perennial question of Class Bands for handicapping. This is because the IRC certs change and consequently bands need updating on a regular basis.

Waterford Harbour Sailing Club's Flyover, a Sigma 33, skippered by David Marchant was the IRC 3 winner Photo: Bob Bateman

Agenda

1. Finance
2. SCORA Leagues
3. Combine club league in Cork
4. Class handicap bands for 2018
5. ICRA Training Grants
6. ICRA Crew Point
7. AOB
8. Prize Giving

List of 2017 prizewinners: Scora league

Jump juice             Connor Phelan         1^st IRC 0/1           2^nd Echo

Meridian               Tom Roche               1^st Echo 0/1        2^rd Echo  

Justus                     Dan Buckley               3^rd IRC 0/1           3^rd Echo        

Slack Alice             Shane Statham         2^nd IRC 2             3^rd Echo

Bad Company     Desmond,Ivers           1^st IRC 2             2^nd Echo

Artful Dodger       Finbarr O Regan       1^st Echo 2             3^rd IRC

Cracker                 Denis Byrne               3^rd Echo 3

Ye Gotta Wanna Dave Lane and Sinead Enright             3^rd IRC 3

No Gnomes         Leonard Donnery       2^nd IRC 3           2^nd Echo

Flyover               David Marchant         1^st IRC 3             1^st Echo

Nieulargo            Denis Murphy          1^st IRC W/S 1       2^nd Echo

Indulgence           Aidan Heffernan       1^st Echo W/S 1     2nd IRC

Magnet                 Kieran O Brien             3^rd IRC W/S 1    3^rd Echo

Prometheus         Paul Murray                 1^st IRC W/S 2      

Bandit                   Richard Leonard         2^nd IRC W/S 2    2^nd Echo

Whistling Dixie   Tom Mc Carthy            3^rd Echo W/S 2

Aramis                   Pat Vaughan              1^st Echo W/S 2     2^nd IRC

Scora Cork Harbour league

Alpacca                Paul Tingle                         1^st all in IRC

No Gnomes         Leonard Donnery             1^st all in Echo

Indulgance           Aidan   Heffernan             1^st W/S IRC

Sea Dragon           Frank Caul                         1^st W/S Echo

There is a possibility that Cork Harbour could see more active inter-club racing next season.

Following the successful initial inter-club racing this past season between Monkstown Bay and Cove Sailing Clubs, there are to be meetings with the RCYC about the possibility of the Crosshaven-based club joining the existing duo next season, reports Tom MacSweeney. That would probably be based around Friday night whitesail racing. MBSC cruisers race whitesail only and the concept also has good support in Cobh. The RCYC reserves Fridays for whitesail only. The initial consideration is towads perhaps one race a month, starting from a central point in the harbour. That was tried for general cruiser racing a few seasons ago but wasn’t successful.

While the three clubs support each other’s annual ‘At Home’ regattas, the possibility of an all-harbour-clubs league throughout the season would add to the revived interest in cruiser racing which was discussed here.

A ‘Great Ocean Race,’ the possibility of the oldest single-handed Transatlantic race, the Transat, having one of its legs into and form Cork; a ‘Great Gathering’ of cruisers with ‘feeder’ events form several countries, a ‘Water Club Invitational Cup’ event that would recall the start of sailing in Cork Harbour by the ‘Water Club’ – are amongst the plans being developed at the RCYC in Crosshaven to mark its 300th anniversary in 2020. The Naval Service will be involved, fittingly as the original founders of what has become the RCYC, were based at Haulbowline. A Presidential visit and Salute by Naval vessels visiting during the sailing season of 2020, a Classic Gathering and events to involve the harbour communities are amongst the plans.

“In 1720, interest in the sport of sailing had progressed so much that 26-year-old William O’Brien, the 9th Lord Inchiquin and five of his friends got together to formalise their activities and in so doing established ‘The Water Club of the Harbour of Cork.’ This club is known today as the Royal Cork Yacht Club and it is the oldest yacht club in the world,” says the RCYC history. As people in Cobh will tell you, they enabled Crosshaven to establish its credentials when the then RCYC in Cobh merged with the Royal Munster YC at Crosshaven. Monkstown has also laid claim to helping the RCYC maintain that long history.

There was a competitive air to today's Royal Cork Yacht Club racing in light westerly breezes at Cork Harbour writes Bob Bateman.

Topper and Laser dinghies enjoyed short course racing as part of the final round of RCYC's winter frostbite series for junior sailors who enjoyed the season's junior prizegiving at the clubhouse too this weekend.Tight racing for Toppers Photo: Bob Bateman

Overall, it was a very positive scene that echoes the sentiments of RCYC Rear Admiral Kieran O'Connell who has blown the bugle for cruiser racing in the harbour. Likewise, dinghy numbers are also positive as recently described by RCYC Rear Admiral, Stephen O'Shaugnessy here.

The keelboat course for the fourth race of the O'Leary Insurance Group Winter League was from a committee boat start under race officers Clem and Wendy McElligott.

The course sailed was No8 (S) No10 (S) EF4 (P) (East Ferry) No20 (P) EF2 (S) No10 (P) Corlbeg (S) and a Finish at Cage.

This event is an all–in league including the. start. Overall results are worked out for IRC and ECHO as well as separate class divisions.

Racing in the fourth race of the O'Leary League today. Photo: Bob Bateman

In IRC One division, the X302, No Excuse, has had three different helms in the series so far and Tom Crosbie, sailing with son Patrick and brother Andrew, still leads by a point. Kieran Collins skippering the Olson 30, Coracle IV, seems to have to work very hard to sail to his handicap but the recent American yacht was rewarded today with a win overall in IRC to be placed second overall.

Equally competitive were the white sail fleets with two Impalas on five points each in WS 2 ECHO.

The smaller boats sailed over the bank on the beat from EF4 to No 20, off Cobh, to dodge the worst of the ebb tide.

Full results are here

Addtional reporting from RCYC

The November Frostbite dinghy Series and Bill Jones Memorial Trophy came to a conclusion this afternoon with two races completed by PRO David O’Brien and his team – Celine McGrath and Stephen O’Shaughnessy.  The morning started with very light breeze but filled in and the sailors had 8 – 13 knots on the Curlane Bank with an ebbing tide.

Caoimhe Foster caused an upset to Chris Bateman’s string of series bullets in the first race, however, Chris returned to his winning ways in the second race of the day to secure 1st Place in the Radial Fleet.  Caoimhe Foster was 2nd and Conor Walsh 3rd.

In the 4.7 Fleet – only 3 points separated the top two going into the final day and Atlee Kohl held his three point lead by securing a first and third.  Conor Horgan kept his 2nd overall and Tom Good from Kinsale Yacht Club came 3rd.

This is the first year that there have been Topper 4.2 rigs racing in the Frostbites.  Well done to Joe O’Sullivan 1st, Fearghal Desmond 2nd and Vicky McDonnell Lettice 3rd.

The Topper 5.3 Rigs were the largest fleet competing in the Frostbites and it was great to see a strong fleet join us from Kinsale.  In the Silver Fleet another win for the Foster house with Cillian Foster taking home 1st, Oisin MacSweeney 2nd and Neil O’Leary 3rd.  In Gold Fleet – Jonathan O’Shaughnessy finished with a five point lead to come 1st, Dorothy Matthews 2nd and David Jones 3rd.

The prize giving was held in the Upstairs Bar directly after the sailors had some hot chocolate and thawed out!.  Stephen O’Shaughnessy thanked all the sailors with particular mention to the visiting sailors from Kinsale Yacht Club.  

The Junior Laying Up Supper celebrated a fantastic year afloat for Royal Cork youth sailing on Saturday.

Afloat.ie's photo gallery is below.

Interest in keelboat racing is increasing. Cruiser racing is on the way back! So says the Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Rear Admiral for Keelboats, Kieran O’Connell, writes Tom MacSweeney.

Clubs around the coast have experienced a fall-off in racing numbers at cruiser events over the past few years. ‘Keelboats,’ a traditional Class description, have changed fundamentally in design as cruiser/racers have evolved since they were first labelled as ‘keelboat racing’.

“There was a decline, numbers have been down, but this season there has been an improvement and an upsurge in interest,” O’Connell told the prizewinning club racers (See Afloat's Gallery here) at the annual presentation of prizes when he pointed to the turn-out for the Autumn series/October League and what has been a surprisingly big entry for the November/December Winter League which is still underway at the club, in which an average 30 yachts are on the water.

Cruiser racing on the up – Cork Harbour has seen strong turnouts for its Winter sailing season. Photo: Bob Bateman

“This is encouraging and indicates that interest and participation in cruiser racing is on the up. It has turned around after a few difficult years.”

Kieran O’Connell is also Commodore of the South Coast Offshore Racing Association (SCORA) which combines Southern clubs planning events for the annual sailing calendar.

To general applause, he told the RCYC cruiser racers that he intended to stay in office to steer ‘keelboat’ racing for a while yet. That is good news for the cruiser racing, as he has put a lot of work into orchestrating its revival.

More in the weekly Sailing Column in the Cork Evening Echo.

A yacht that went aground during racing in the O'Leary Insurance Winter League in Cork Harbour yesterday was successfully recovered by fellow competitors and Royal Cork Yacht Club officials writes Bob Bateman.

The 38–foot yacht that was competing in the White Sails division of the league when it hit a rocky area area known as 'Chicago Knoll' in the vicinty of Roches Point.  

Although there was a rising tide, a lee shore presented further potential difficulties for the stricken boat. The RNLI were called at 1.30pm.

Some quick thinking by RCYC's Michael Murphy got a line on to the yacht. Sails were taken down and furled and RCYC Rear Admiral Kieran O'Connell took a halyard from the tip of the yacht's mast in an effort to pull the yacht over to release her. Happily, it was a tactic that worked and Blue Oyster floated off the rocky area without any 'structural damage', according to an RNLI report.

Crosshaven RNLI, assisted in escorting the Blue Oyster back to the Royal Cork marina.

Meanwhile, conditions for race three, at the halfway point of the series, dawned with mist and zero wind. However, by start time a 10–knot south westerly breeze had filled in.

Scroll down for a gallery of images below.

Racing started off a committee boat at Corkbeg and the all–in fleet sailed to cage (P), No3 Buoy (S), Wno6 (P), Cage (S), No9 (S) No5 (S) and a finish at Cage.

Jelly Baby won the IRC race Photo Bob Bateman. Scroll down for photo gallery

Leading the race saw the J109 Jelly Baby Brian Jones, with Nigel Young of North sails onboard, leading at the Cage buoy followed by 1720 T Bone Tom Durcan/Clive O'Shea then Paul and Deirdre Tingle's Alpaca. Jelly Baby went on to win today's race IRC division.

Last year the O'Leary Family presented the Club with the perpetual Irish Mist trophy to honour the memory of Archie O'Leary, a past Admiral of the Royal Cork.

This trophy will be awarded for the best performing boat under IRC of the League.

Last night's Royal Cork Yacht Club keelboat prizegiving celebrated a buoyant sason in Cork Harbour for the annual leages and Trophy races writes Bob Bateman.

Peter Deasy skipper of Bad Company (Deasy Ivers Desmond) was the winner of the Stack Polly Trophy awarded to RCYC boat of Year in Club events.

Quarter Ton sailor Paul Gibbons was awarded The Doyle Family Trophy (international events). Conor Phelan was the winner of the Club boat of the Year at National events.

Among those in the Crosshaven clubhouse for the presentation last night were Admiral John Roche, Rear Admiral Kieran O'Connell and some RCYC league sponsors including Nigel Young of North Sails sponsor of the Sunday morning leagues and Evie Conway of Union Chandlery, sponsor of RCYC's June League.

The crews will gather again early next month when Rugby commentator Alan Quinlan, who played for played for Munster, will be guest speaker at a separate kelboat dinner on December 2nd. 

Scroll down for Bob Bateman's prizegiving gallery below

Paul Gibbons (right) won The Doyle Family Trophy (international events)

Peter Deasy (right) of Bad Company (Deasy Ivers Desmond)  was the winner of The Stack Polly Trophy

Conor Phelan was the winner of the Club boat of theYear at National events

Kieran and Liz O'Brien and the crew of Magnet with the Breffni McGovern Trophy

Kieran Collins skipper of Coracle with the Clytie Cup

Brian Jones from the 1720 Cosmic

Dave Lane of the J24 Ya Gonna Wanna

Gary Rhodes from the 1720 Heroes and Villians

Pat Vaughan skipper of Aramis

Kieran O'Brien

Ria Lyden skipper of Ellida

Paul Tingle skipper of Alpaca

Oisin MacSweeney from Scribbler II

Denis Byrne from Cracker

Clem McElligott from Seahawk

Clive O'Shea from the 1720 T Bone

Royal Cork's annual Topper and Laser dinghy Frostbite League commenced on November 9 in chilly but bright conditions with fifty five dinghies competing. After seven races sailed, Joe O'Sullivan leads the Topper 4.2 fleet, Jonathan O'Shaughnessy leads a 23–boat 5.3 fleet. Conor Horgan is top of a 13–boat Laser 4.7 fleet.

There was great support from Kinsale Yacht Club who joined the Royal Cork contingent on the water under the watchful eye of Ciaran McSweeney, PRO.

It bodes well for the Munster club that has seen a surge in dinghy sailing.

The has seen the RCYC Laser group finish five days of performance coaching over two weekend's with coaches Michal Gryglewski, Cian Byrne and Tom McGrath. The Topper mid term clinic came to a close after four days with Adam D’Arcy, Eoghan O’Regan and guest coach Alan Ruigrok.

The fleets are looking forward to two more Sundays on the water before the prize giving on Sunday 26th November

Results can be found here