Two young Irish sailors are set to play leading parts in this year’s running of the biennial Newport to Bermuda Race.

Luke Galvin and Eoin McKeon - both ‘graduates’ of the Irish National Sailing School in Dun Laoghaire – will compete in the prestigious offshore from June 21st.

The duo will sail under the burgee of Oakcliff Sailing, the Long Island, NY-based sailing centre where Luke has worked for the last three years and is now shore manager.

“I learned to sail in Dun Laoghaire, initially at the INSS and later on the Royal Irish Yacht Club Mills 31, Raptor,” explained Luke (20). “When my family was moving back to the US in 2022, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to continue sailing in New York City. Luckily for me, one of the Raptor crew, Paddy Boyd, introduced me to the head of Oakcliff Sailing and that initial connection has allowed me to make a career in the sport.”

Founded in 2010 as a non-profit sail training centre, Oakcliff is now the official training hub of the US Sailing Team, 11th Hour Racing, NYYC American Magic, IYRS and the World Match Racing Tour.

“We’ll have a fleet of boats competing in the run down to Bermuda,” said Luke, “the largest of which will be the OC86 and JV66. I’ll be running bow on the maxi.” Oakcliff executive director Dawn Reilly, the first American to sail in three America’s Cups and two Whitbread Round the World races, will be at the helm of OC86.

Oakcliff's OC86 on which Luke Galvin is bowman in the 2024 Newport to Bermuda Race Photo: Oakcliff Sailing

Over on the JV66, Eoin will be competing in his second Bermuda race, having crewed on the 86 in the 2022 event. “I’m really looking forward to this event,” said Eoin. “Last time out, it was a baptism of fire but I’ve spent the last few weeks with the JV66 and feel much more comfortable about the challenge this time.”

Eoin will be competing in his second Bermuda race on Oakcliff's JV66 Photo: Photo: Oakcliff Sailing

The 636-mile biennial Newport Bermuda Race is the world’s oldest regularly-scheduled ocean race, and one of just two of the world’s regularly scheduled races held almost entirely out of sight of land, the second being the Transpac. Founded in 1906, this is the 53rd running of the event and has attracted 163 entries.

The Irish sailors are quick to point to their days in the Coal Harbour in Dun Laoghaire as key to their entry to the sport. “I think it’s fair to say that neither of us comes from what you might describe as a traditional sailing background,” said Luke. “Our parents weren’t sailors and nobody we knew owned a boat, but we were allowed to learn the ropes at the INSS and develop out from there. The next chapter of our sailing story might be the race to Bermuda but I think it’s fair to say that none of us would be here if it wasn’t for the start we got in the sport from the Rumball family at the INSS.”

Racing on Dublin Bay as part of the crew on the Mills 31 Raptor under skipper Fintan Cairns Photo: Afloat

“I also owe a great debt to Fintan Cairns and the entire Raptor crew,” he added. “They gave me a slot on their bow for two summers and the lessons I learned there were foundational for everything that’s followed.”

For more about Oakcliff sailing click here and more about the INSS here

Kenny Rumball of the Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School is holding a Sea Survival Course on Tuesday, 11th June, from 6-9 pm and Sunday, 16th June, from 9.30 am-5 pm. Experience what it is like to board a liferaft – in full kit and lifejacket! The common refrain from students is they didn’t realise how hard it was.

Kenny combines a wealth of offshore racing knowledge into the course, and successful participants receive the World Sailing Offshore Safety Sea Survival Certificate. This covers the requirements of World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations 6.01 for categories 0, 1 and some category two offshore races.

 Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School Sea Survival Course - you’ll be instructed in personal survival techniques, group techniques and spend plenty of time boarding and righting liferafts!

A key part of the syllabus deals with what to do in an emergency, but there’s also a great emphasis on preventing the emergency first! Should the worst occur you’ll be instructed in personal survival techniques, group techniques and spend plenty of time boarding and righting liferafts!

Finally, the course syllabus is updated with modern advancements and technology, such as AIS MOB beacons. Kenny has first-hand experience in this, having received the RORC Seamanship Trophy for the recovery of a fellow crew mate on the 2018 Round Ireland Race.

The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School’s team are available on 01 2844195 or [email protected] for any enquiries. Full information about this course can be found here.

Yacht Week is looking for talented skippers and hosts to work in the Mediterranean this summer.

Dun Laoghaire Sailing School, the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School, has teamed up with the Yacht Week to get Irish sailors working in the Med this Summer.

Yacht Week – Training Academy

Quarterdeck provides a tailored week-long Academy that polishes current sailing or cooking skills in order the Yacht Week, along with several other private charter partners, in destinations such as Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, British Virgin Islands, French Polynesia, and many more. For Skippers, this week is essentially an intensive week focused on yacht handling under power, specifically perfecting rafting & med-mooring.

Yacht Week and INSS Team Up for Summer -  Line Raft 

This is the perfect opportunity if you're looking for something to do during the Summer or looking to get into the yacht charter business. There's an alumni network of over 1000 previous Yacht Skippers that help to open doors to sailing opportunities all over the world.

How It Works

What does a Yacht Week host do?

Working as a host for Yacht Week means cooking delicious meals, showing guests the incredible local delights, and dancing the night away with them under the stars in our world-class locations. You’ll learn all the tips and tricks of how to cook onboard a sailing yacht and how to give your crew an amazing week of holiday. This is the perfect opportunity if you are passionate about hosting and cooking and up for your next adventure!

What does a Yacht Week skipper do?

We are looking for talented skippers to work for us next summer! Guide your guests through their adventure. Sail from island to island, discover hidden bays for majestic swim stops, and share your expert local knowledge.

To apply you will need to hold or be working towards holding the following documents: Recognised Skippers License, Basic First Aid Certificate, VHF Certificate.

Experienced Sailor but don't have a Licence?

Are you a salty sea dog? Is an official qualification the only thing stopping you from having the best job in the world? Usually, the transition from keelboats to yachts is easy for experienced keelboat sailors. If you have any experience sailing keelboats, it isn’t a big leap to yachting. If you have been sailing for a few years you may only need a week or two of practice to fine-tune your yacht handling and obtain the necessary licence.

The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School in Dublin works with Yacht Week to assist sailors in getting familiar with handling yachts under power and obtaining the required recognised licences. Email [email protected] with your sailing experience to see if you’d be eligible for this option.

For more information on Yacht Week email: [email protected]

For more information on Skipper Training by the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School email: [email protected]

Dublin City Centre looks magical at night!

The INSS.ie RIB Rides and Winter Lights has had a cracking first weekend exploring the river Liffey and Christmas lights.

Over 40 participants of all ages joined the crew on passage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Dublin Port and past O’Connell Bridge before returning to the harbour.

The programme is running as part of the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School's contribution to the Failte Ireland Winter In Dublin campaign.

INSS RIB Trip passing Sir John Rogerson's Quay on Dublin's River Liffey

Crews witnessed the operations of the busy Dublin Port in the twilight, including car transporters, ferries and bulk transporters all at work.

After heading under the East Link Bridge, the vista of Silicon Docks comes into view – this part of the city has really transformed over the last ten years, and the view is unforgettable.

Dublin City Council have gone to great lengths to have an excellent lights display on the Samuel Beckett Bridge.

The Samuel Beckett Bridge as seen from an INSS RIB

One participant remarked that the Christmas lights seem to have been set up with the best view from the river itself – and it certainly looks so, the highlight being the fantastic lights display on the Customs house.

CUSTOM HOUSE VIDEO

Keen to make the trip all that more memorable, the crews stopped each day upriver of O’Connell Bridge for a hot chocolate pit stop.

The trips are running over the next two weekends – Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 3-6 pm and there are still a few places remaining onboard.

All are very welcome.

Full details and booking is available here

The Shanahan team racing Cup returns for the 2023/24 season in a new format at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Hosted by the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School in conjunction with Gonzaga College SJ, the event will be run over three Wednesdays, November 29th 2023, January 17th and February 7th 2024.

The winner will be the school with the best results over the three events, however, schools do not need to enter all three events in order to participate.

The organisers hope that the format change will give schools more race time before regional and national championships. It will also give less experienced sailors a greater opportunity to represent their school, and if the weather doesn’t co-operate, the format avoids the need to try and find suitable dates to reschedule.

RS Feva sailing

Fiachra Etchingham of Gonzaga College has been the driver of this competition since its inception. “The competition, supported by the Shanahan family, aims to promote friendly competition between schools and be as inclusive as possible, catering for sailors of all abilities”.

A team can enter by contacting the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School’s office on 01 2844195 or by email to [email protected].

Schools will initially be limited in sending up to two teams per school to facilitate as many schools as possible in entering teams up to capacity constraints. Should additional spaces for schools be available as the entry closing date approaches, more than two teams per school will be accepted.

The 2022/2023 academic year Shanahan Cup eventually took place last February, after poor weather delayed earlier attempts. The Cup was won by St Michael’s College holding off tough competition from 9 other teams.

A short video from the last event gives an idea of some of the fun for school students:

Explore the Winter Lights on the River Liffey Like Never Before with the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School this Christmas!

There's no better way to embrace the festive spirit than embarking on a Christmas Rib Trip along the River Liffey! As the sun sets and the city starts to twinkle, step aboard with the Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School and set off on a one-of-a-kind adventure that promises to make your Christmas unforgettable.

The journey departs from the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School’s clubhouse on the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire

Dates & Times: 3-6 pm

• Saturday 2nd December
• Sunday 3rd December
• Friday 15th December
• Saturday 16th December
• Sunday 17th December

Prices are €40 per adult and €20 per child. The adventure is suitable for children aged 7 years and up.

What's on the Itinerary?

The journey departs from the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School’s clubhouse on the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire. The crew will kit all participants in insulated waterproof gear and lifejackets, after which a safety briefing will be delivered on board the school’s licenced Passenger RIBs by your qualified commercial skipper. Then it’s off towards the Port!

The crew will kit all participants in insulated waterproof gear and lifejackets

You'll spot the Energy Plant at Poolbeg as skylines come alive. Gliding up the Liffey, you'll enjoy the Dublin Winter Lights festival from the river. Pass by famous landmarks, including the Samuel Beckett Bridge, the Customs House and the Convention Centre. You may even spot the Spire! To make your trip even more enjoyable, you'll be treated to festive treats and hot chocolate s on board.

Pass by famous landmarks, including the Samuel Beckett Bridge, the Customs House and the Convention Centre in a city centre RIB run

A Memorable Journey for All

The Christmas Rib Trip is perfect for families, couples, friends, or solo adventurers looking for a unique experience. Places can be booked online on the INSS.ie website – Booking Link here.

Is your class or event looking to stand out from the crowd next year?

If so, please get in touch with Kenny Rumball ([email protected]) and the team from MarineServices.ie to book Sailmon tracking and video analytics for your event in 2024.

The 1720 class adopted the live tracking system for their National Championships this year in Waterford Harbour Sailing Club. Sailmon and Marine Services provided the entire system, including the all-important MAX min trackers, drone for video analytics and online and on-site support from the Netherlands and here to be able to produce in the club after sailing each day video highlights integrated with the data from the trackers.

The Sailmon Max

Dave Love, president of the 1720 class, commented after the event; 'The 1720 Sportsboat Class were delighted with Sailmon at our 2023 Nationals. There was superb viewing in the clubhouse after sailing, and created real focal point for all crew to chat about the day's racing. It also helped friends, family, and the wider 1720 fleet keep involved in the racing. We used a lot of the data on the speeds of the relative boats as prizes within the fleet, which made for fun sailing. We'll be using this service again in 2024.'

MarineServices.ie and Sailmon, can provide different packages and can tailor this to the requirements of each class.

Kenny Rumball gives his idea of how it can work for each class, ‘There is already a lot of work for organisers of sailing events and also classes to consider when running and regional or national event. Allow us to take the work out of it for you and let us do the job of enhancing your sailing event with top-class tracking. All we need is booking 6 months in advance with an anticipated number of boats. All we need after that is an entry list…. We can provide all the other ancillaries, drones, support RIBs and extra features as required.’

Join the revolution and put your class on par with some of the major international classes and names out there, including Melges 32s, SB20s, RS21s, British Sailing Team, J70, Cowes Week, Cape 31s, Nacra 17, the list goes on and on!

With some commitment and pre-planning we can be fully prepared and set up for and epic 2024 of live tracking and integrated video analytics for all sailing in Ireland!

The RS Sailing Super Series is about to kick off in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, bringing together sailing enthusiasts from various RS classes and the highly popular Waszp class.

With an action-packed schedule, this series promises an exhilarating display of skill, teamwork, and competitive spirit.

Organised by the Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School (INSS), the RS Sailing Super Series is set to take place on the West Pier, offering participants and spectators a captivating view of the races against the sparkling backdrop of the sea.

Waszp sailing at Dun Laoghaire

Mark your calendars for the following dates: November 25th, December 16th, January 27th, February 24th, and March 23rd.

One of the highlights of this series is the multitude of races planned per morning, ensuring an abundance of thrilling moments for both participants and fans. The racing action begins early, with the goal of concluding the races by 12:00 noon, allowing sailors to make the most of the day.

To make things even better, registering for the RS Sailing Super Series is a breeze.

Visit the official event website hosted by the RS Sailing Club and complete your entry online.

This streamlined process ensures a hassle-free experience for participants, enabling them to focus on preparing for the exhilarating races ahead.

The RS Sailing Super Series offers an incredible platform for sailors across various RS classes and the Waszp class to showcase their skills and compete against fellow enthusiasts. From seasoned sailors to up-and-coming talents, this event welcomes participants of all levels, fostering a vibrant environment of camaraderie and healthy competition.

So mark your calendars, sailing enthusiasts, for the RS Sailing Super Series is just around the corner. 

Are you in search of an exhilarating aquatic adventure this October? Look no further! The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School are thrilled to introduce an exclusive offer that promises to make your weekend unforgettable.

October Exclusive Season Finale: Boat Trip Excursions

Embark on an exciting boat ride along the enchanting Dublin Bay for just €20 per adult and €5 per child.

These captivating excursions take place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. throughout October. It's the perfect opportunity to gather your family and friends for a memorable outing.

Embark on an exciting boat ride along the enchanting Dublin Bay for just €20 per adult and €5 per child.

Why Choose an Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School?

Their boat trips are designed to accommodate adventurers of all ages, with commercially licensed skippers and vessels meeting the Department of the Marine's MSO requirements.

Dalkey Island:  A site of ancient and historic remains on Dublin Bay

What's on the Itinerary?

Commence your adventure by meeting at their West Pier headquarters, where you'll be provided with the latest waterproof overalls (just in case of a splash!) and equipped with life jackets. Then, you depart from the heart of Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Begin your INSS adventure on Dublin Bay with waterproof overalls (just in case of a splash!) and equipped with life jackets. Then, you depart from the heart of Dun Laoghaire Harbour

This journey offers a fresh perspective on the West and East Piers, guiding you to Dun Laoghaire Baths, Sandycove, where you'll see the iconic 40 Foot, Coliemore Harbour, Dalkey Island, and Killiney Beach, where you may spot the Sugarloaf Mountain and Bono's house! This enchanting voyage unveils a unique view of some of Ireland's most breathtaking coastal vistas.

Wildlife Encounters:

Keep an eye out for the chance to witness dolphins, seals, and seagulls in their natural habitat. You are bound to come across these animals throughout the voyage so don't forget to have the cameras at the ready!

A Touch of History:

Dun Laoghaire Baths:  Recently reopened after an €18 million refurbishment, featuring a new 35-metre-long jetty and a statue of Roger Casement.

Sandycove 40ft:  Wave to the swimmers! -This iconic location has been a year-round swimming spot for over 250 years.

Dalkey Island:  A site of ancient and historic remains, with artefacts dating back to the Mesolithic era!

Killiney Beach:  Located about 10 miles south of Dublin city, easily accessible via the nearby Dart line, which you will be able to spot from the boat!

Wicklow Sugar Loaf:  A distinctive conical-shaped mountain dominating the Wicklow skyline, viewable from afar!

Whether you're a seasoned sailor or someone who's never set foot on a boat before, these boat trips are the ideal introduction to the world of water adventures, ensuring that everyone can participate and enjoy. To secure your spot on one of the highly sought-after boat trips, please click here. Don't delay; seats are limited, and this exclusive October offer won't last forever!

Sports Capital Grants 2023 - Is your club or training centre looking for a boat to provide disabled access to sailing?

With deadlines due at the end of the week, there is still time to get your quote from Marine Services.ie who are the leading dealers in Ireland for:

• RS Sailing Dinghies
• Airfloat Modular Pontoons
• Selva Outboard Engines
• RS Electric RIBs
• Vanguard RIBs

There is still time left for you to get a competitive quote before Friday’s deadline. Don’t hesitate to contact [email protected]

From our enquiries, we have seen a lot of clubs and training centres have asked for the option of sailing craft that are suitable for disabled access to our fantastic sport.

For this solution, look no further than the RS Venture Connect.

The RS Venture Connect has a lifting bulb keel for exceptional security and seaworthiness

This is the self-righting keelboat version of the RS Venture, with a lifting bulb keel for exceptional security and seaworthiness.

It's large, self-draining cockpit makes the RS Venture Connect perfectly suited to unforgettable family adventures afloat. And it offers training centres a secure, multi-person boat for confidence-inspiring tuition.

Designed with plug & play parasailing equipment options, the RS Venture Connect can be set up for almost any disability – and changed between sessions as required. From able-bodied to sip/puff electronic control, the RS Venture Connect does it all.

The RS Venture Connect has twin rudders for exceptional control in all conditions 

The RS Venture boats the following features

• Exceptionally stable and self-righting
• 130kg keel with lead bulb and aluminium alloy fin
• Removable keel hoist post and winch for easy keel lifting & lowering
• Twin rudders for exceptional control in all conditions
• Self-draining cockpit – transom drain tubes quickly clear spray and rainwater
• Non-slip grip surfaces throughout the entire cockpitDurable Dacron mainsail and furling jib for training or cruising
• Connect R race spec Mylar mainsail and high denier Dacron jib
• Asymmetric gennaker spinnaker option
• Trapeze pack option – for training or young sailor fun.

Para Sailing – Plug in and Play

• Full range of options which can be added or removed as required
• Allows the same boat to be used for either able-bodied or disabled sailing
• Reconfigure the boat quickly to suit virtually anyone
• A significant step forward and a huge advantage for many sailing centres
• Twin forward-facing side-by-side seats
• Easy communication between sailors
• Adjustable seat position and footrests for various-size sailors
• Plenty of additional cockpit space for an instructor or coach
• Twin joysticks for steering from the centreline or either of the twin seats
• Manual joystick or sip/puff steering
• Electronic mainsheet control
• Battery and electronic control box fitted in aft locker – removable
• Brings all key sheets and control lines within reach of seated sailors
• Adjustable height and reach for various sizes of sailors

For a quote or for more information, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected]