It is unusual to have two leading figures sharing the "Sailor of the Month (Services to Sailing)" award. And it surely unique when one is Admiral of the world's oldest yacht club, the Royal Cork at Crosshaven, in its Tricentenary Year, while the other is Commodore of the National YC in Dun Laoghaire as it marks its 150th Anniversary.

Yet both have shared an indomitable spirit in encouraging and leading their members in whatever sailing and club activity is possible through the COVID-19 crisis, and both, in turn, have seen their members support with a sense of responsible community which is a credit to both clubs, and to Irish sailing generally.

This was celebrated by a very special occasion on the morning of Saturday, August 22nd, when a small but select and carefully-choreographed gathering, hosted by Commodore Martin McCarthy at the National YC, marked the imminent start of the Fastnet 450 Race to the Fastnet Rock and Crosshaven. Afloat and ashore, it was to be a very special event which cemented the links between the clubs and their senior flag officers, and provided Irish sailing with a much-needed highlight in a difficult year.

Admiral Morehead attended from Cork – as did his predecessor Thomas G French for the first such race 160 years ago, in 1860 - and there too was the new Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor Una Power, to show her support for the increasingly important role sailing fulfills in the harbour.

ISORA Chairman Peter Ryan and SCORA Commodore Johanna Murphy at the National YC

Also, there were former NYC Commodore and current ISORA Chairman Peter Ryan - whose organisational support and loan of Yellowbrick Trackers was vital to the success of the race – and current SCORA Commodore Johanna Murphy of Cobh who, together with RCYC Rear Admiral Annamarie Murphy and Mark Mansfield, formed the core trio that put this very successful pop-up race into place.

As for the Guests of Honour, they emphasised the long and healthy links between the two clubs. One was Clayton Love Jnr, who amalgamated the Royal Cork and Royal Munster in 1967 to give it full strength for its Quarter Millennium fifty years ago, when he served as Admiral RCYC while at the same time being President of the Irish Yachting Association, which he guided into national authority status from being the Irish Dinghy Racing Association.

At the National YC for the start of the Fastnet 450 were Clayton Love Jnr – Admiral of the Royal Cork YC for its Quarter Millennial Celebrations in 1969-70, and founding President of the Irish Yachting Association – with the National Yacht Club's Carmel Winkelmann, who in the 1960s was involved in founding the NYC's Junior Section, and then played a major national role in junior training for the IYA.

And the other was the National Yacht Club's own indomitable Carmel Winkelmann, who in the 1960s led the way in setting up the pioneering junior training section in the National YC, and from that went on to play a major national role in Junior Training through the IYA.

It may have been a socially-distanced gathering of very restricted numbers, but in national sailing terms – both current and historical - it certainly packed formidable firepower, and well illustrates why we feel honoured to celebrate Colin Morehead and Martin McCarthy as our "Sailors of the Month (Services to Sailing)" for August 2020.

Alex Barry, Sandy Rimmington and Richard Leonard sailing Aquadisiacs were the overall winners of an 11-boat National 18 Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club last weekend.

The Royal Cork/Monkstown Bay trio won by a margin of three points over Barry's older brother Ewen steering FOMO crewed by Stanley Brown and Dion Barrett on 14 points. Two points back was third overall, Fifty Shades sailed by Laser ace Nick Walsh, Rob Brownlow and Eddie Rice. 

The  Aquadisiacs crew sailed a consistent seven-race series on Cork Harbour dipping only once out of the top three in a scoreline that included two race wins.

National 18 Southern Championships 2020 Results

National 18 Southern Championships 2020 Results

See National 18 Southerns photo slideshow by Bob Bateman below

Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Defence Simon Coveney TD marked the Royal Cork Yacht Club's 300th birthday at a small ceremony on Haulbowline island this weekend (Saturday 29 Aug), the Irish Naval Headquarters and home of the original 'Water Club of the harbour of Cork', as it was known back in 1720.

He was joined by the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service Commodore Michael Malone, and the Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Colin Morehead.

The Minister also visited a new Royal Cork Yacht Club Exhibition, supported by AIB, at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, another former home of the sailing club from 1854 to 1966. The exhibition, which will run until December, looks back on the history of the club over 300 years, and what life was like during its time in Cobh.

The Minister also visited a new Royal Cork Yacht Club Exhibition, supported by AIB, at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, another former home of the sailing club from 1854 to 1966

The Royal Cork, which is the oldest sailing club in the world, had to rescheduled most of its Cork300 events series planned to celebrate its 300th birthday until July 2021, as a result of Covid-19.
The National 18 Southern Championships and the AIB 1720 Southern Championships went ahead this weekend, with activity limited to the water.

The hope is to truly mark the significant occasion next summer with a Tricentenary Maritime Parade in Cobh, a Tricentenary at Home Weekend Regatta, a Powerboat Festival, an exciting world-record attempt, A Family Race to the City, a Cork300 Gala Dinner in Cork City Hall, a Wild Atlantic Way Cruise in Company along the Cork and Kerry coastline, and more events yet to be announced.

The celebrations will coincide with the Irish Navy's 75th anniversary and the final year of Seafest in Cork, making it a significant year for maritime celebrations in the county.

Commenting at the ceremony at Haulbowline, Minister Simon Coveney said, "It is a real pleasure to mark the 300th birthday of the Royal Cork Yacht Club. This is the oldest sailing club in the world and it all began here on Haulbowline Island, where the headquarters for the Irish Naval service is today, 300 years ago. The Club has grown and expanded since then - starting in Haulbowline, then moving to the Sirius in Cobh, before it's current home in Crosshaven. It is a huge part of Cork harbour's history and it is a history we are all very proud of.

"We should have been celebrating with one of the most significant maritime festivals in the history of Cork harbour this summer, certainly in my lifetime, but because of Covid-19 none of that has been possible. I am delighted we could hold a small ceremony here with the Admiral of the Club Colin Morehead, the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, and the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service Commodore Michael Malone, to recognise this very important day."

Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Colin Morehead said, "I am really proud to stand here today at the original home of the Water Club of Cork, 300 years on from when it was founded by 25 pioneering individuals, alongside Minister Coveney, the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces and the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service. It is with deep regret that we had to reschedule our celebratory events, but public health must come first. We hope that by 2021 we will be in a much better position to truly celebrate the momentous feat of having the oldest sailing club in the world here in Cork.

"I hope the public will visit the excellent exhibition at the Sirius over the coming months. As branch manager of AIB in Cobh, I am proud to have this exhibition in the town and to have it sponsored by AIB. I would like to sincerely congratulate the team at Sirius."

A number of sailing events are currently still scheduled to take place from September to November 2020, including the AIB Cork300 Autumn League which will be held over 5 weekends leading up to the October Bank Holiday. This is expected to be the largest yacht racing event on the South Coast of Ireland this year. Sailing teams from across the country also hope to compete in Cork Harbour for the title of AIB Irish Team Racing National Champion 2020 from 21-22 November.

Robert O'Leary's Dutch Gold Baltimore Sailing Club crew add the AIB Southern Championship title to their 1720 sportsboat trophy haul after an emphatic six-point win at Cork Harbour today. 

O'Leary counted a tally of eight results inside the top four to win the Royal Cork Yacht Club hosted event. The Cork ace had one poor result scored in race eight today where he finished 12th, a result that he later discarded.

The winds for the 14-boat championships came in like a lion for the opening races on Friday with some big breeze but then went out like a lamb as forecast today with the final two races sailed in light airs. O'Leary however, managed to prove himself across the wind range by making a strong recovery in today's final race nine to win it, his fourth race win of the weekend.

Second overall was Royal Cork's T-Bone (Durcan/O'Shea). Third was the Royal Cork and Howth Yacht Club entry Ropedock/Atara (Ross McDonald/English) who held second place throughout the championships until a disqualification from the final race.

1720 Southern Championships Results Overall

1720 Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club Day Three Slideshow

The overnight AIB 1720 Southern championships leader Robert O'Leary has built a five-point winning margin after five more races were sailed today at the Royal Cork Yacht Club hosted event. 

The Baltimore Sailing Club crew sailing 'Dutch Gold' are putting in a consistent performance, similar to that of three weeks ago at the 1720 Baltimore Cup which they won on countback against O'Leary's father, Anthony. 

Tight racing for Southern Championships honours in the 14 boat 1720 sportsboat fleet Photo: Bob Bateman

Dutch Gold has not been outside the top four in any of the seven races sailed so far this weekend. Today, the West Cork sailing team earned four top three results (and two wins) from five races sailed in the 14-boat fleet.

Conditions were not as windy as Day One but there were still some big gusts. Photo: Bob Bateman

Staying second overall, Howth Yacht Club's Ross McDonald in Ropedock -Atara trails by five points and is a similar margin ahead of third-placed T-Bone (Tom Durcan/).

Racing continues tomorrow and the forecast is for lighter winds.

1720 Southern Championships Overall after Seven Races Sailed

1720 Southern Championships Photo Gallery Day Two By Bob Bateman 

It's very tight at the top of the 14-boat fleet after a breezy first day of the AIB 1720 Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club yesterday.

Two races were sailed outside Cork Harbour to the South West of Roches Point in 15 - 28 knots of wind under Race Officer Ciaran MacSweeney with Interantional Race Officer Jack Roy also on board the Committee Boat.

Race One was sailed on small sails to ease the fleet into it and Rope Dock Atara had a storming victory.

Overall leaders - Rob O'Leary and his crew in Dutch Gold from Baltimore Sailing Club lead but are tied on three points with Ropedock Atara Photo: Deirdre Horgan

Race Two saw the Q flag lowered, a strengthening tide and an unexpected increase in the breeze. With big sails on it was a monster of a race and with all bar one boat falling over, there was plenty of action.

Ropedock Atara (Ross McDonald/English) Photo: Deirdre Horgan 

This time Robert O'Leary and crew took a convincing first with Atara second and they now share the points lead with a one, two each but with O'Leary winning the final race of the day he sits on top of the scoresheet under the tie-break rule.

T-Bone (Durcan/O'Shea) from RCYC

An early start this morning at 10:25 will see up to four races for the fleet.

A start at the 1720 AIB sponsored Southern Championships Photo: Deirdre Horgan 

Results are here

1720 Southern Championships Day One Photo Gallery below

Sailing in Cork took a hammering in the past week, from Storm Ellen and COVID 19, the combined effects of which destroyed a lot of work by four of the major clubs on the South Coast.

Disheartening for the sport and for club members who voluntarily put many hours of work into keeping within Government guidelines while preserving major events in the sailing calendar, but all of which effort came to naught.

Sailing Event Cancellations

Two Cork Harbour clubs, the Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven and Monkstown Bay Sailing Club, with the support of Cork Port at its new leisure boat launching facility at Ringaskiddy, made late changes to running the Laser Nationals, which were brought to an end when the Government imposed further restrictions. Those also stopped the RCYC Tricentenary Parade salute to the club's history and its planned 'At Home' this coming weekend. The RCYC had already suffered several wipe-outs of its 300th celebration plans that will now take place in 2021.

That was followed by the cancellation of Dragon Week at Kinsale which had been arranged to replace the previously cancelled international Gold Cup.

The village of Crosshaven in Cork Harbour where so many plans to celebrate Royal Cork's 300th birthday have been postponed unttil 2021. Photo: Bob Bateman

Diligent Sailing Clubs

The three clubs stayed diligently within new Government restrictions though my question to Government about the contradiction in allowing more people to congregate internally than at outdoor events, a contradiction which challenges the benefits of sport and outdoor activity, goes unanswered so far. The anger expressed privately when the Golfgate scandal was revealed, was considerable and justified, in my view.

Added to this was the situation for Cove Sailing Club, hit hard by Storm Ellen causing considerable damage to its recently-opened marina.

West Cork Whale 'Boomerang'

A bad week for sailing on the South coast, so I was looking for something to lift spirits, which came when the best-known whale in Irish waters was discovered back in West Cork. This is Boomerang, pictured here in a stunning photograph by Ronan McLaughlin, provided by courtesy of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

Boomerang is back in Irish waters Photo: Ronan McLaughlin, courtesy IWDG

Boomerang likes the waters of Cork and Waterford, but seemingly not Kerry! Identified by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, he is an adult male humpback whale, first seen off the West Cork coast nineteen years ago this month - in August of 2001.

"He is by far the best-known whale in Irish waters and his annual return most years to our local waters, is the strongest evidence we have of the importance of our inshore waters for these gentle giants," Padraig Whooley, Sightings Officer of IWDG reported on my radio programme, THIS ISLAND NATION. "Interestingly," Padraig said, "Boomerang, despite over 53 sightings in almost 20 years has never once been recorded in Kerry, only Cork and Waterford."

Maybe, I wonder, he doesn't want to challenge Fungi in Dingle?

Padraig Whooley of IWDG has more about Boomerang on the Podcast below

The Royal Cork Yacht Club has rescheduled the biggest weekend of its Cork300 tricentenary celebrations, planned for 28-30 August, in light of new government restrictions on outdoor and sporting events announced last week.

Many of the events, which included a Tricentenary Maritime Parade in Cobh, a Tricentenary at Home Weekend Regatta, and the Fastnet Powerboat Challenge, an exciting world-record attempt, had already been pushed back from earlier in the summer. A Family Race to the City on 12-13 September has also been put on hold. This follows on from the recent cancellation of Volvo Cork Week, the Great Gathering, and the inaugural Powerboat Festival.

The Crosshaven based sailing Club hopes to be in a position to reschedule most of these events, in addition to others that were previously cancelled like the Cork300 Gala Dinner in Cork City Hall and Cork300 Wild Atlantic Way Cruise in Company along the Cork and Kerry coastline, to July 2021.

The events will coincide with the Irish Navy’s 75th anniversary and the final year of Seafest in Cork, making it a big year for maritime celebrations in the county.

Small ceremony at Haulbowline

A number of small activities will still take place to mark the anniversary this weekend. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney TD and Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service Commodore Michael Malone will join the Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Colin Morehead for a small ceremony at Haulbowline, the Irish Naval Headquarters and home of the original ‘Water Club of the harbour of Cork’, as it was known back in 1720.

A new Royal Cork Yacht Club Exhibition, supported by AIB, will also open at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh this Saturday, another former home of the sailing club from 1854 to 1966. The exhibition, which will run until December, will look back on the history of the club over 300 years, and what life was like during its time in Cobh.

The National 18 Southern Championships and the AIB 1720 Southern Championships will go ahead over the weekend, but activity will be limited to the water, with the clubhouse closed to visitors.

Commenting on the rescheduled events series, Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Colin Morehead said, “It is with deep regret that we have to yet again reschedule our celebratory events, but public health must come first. We hope that by 2021 we will be in a much better position to truly celebrate the momentous feat of having the oldest sailing club in the world here in Cork.

“I am delighted to be joined by Minister Coveney and Commodore Malone at Haulbowline to mark the actual anniversary of the Royal Cork in some small way, and I hope the public will visit the excellent exhibition at the Sirius over the coming months. As branch manager of AIB in Cobh, I am proud to have this exhibition in the town and to have it sponsored by AIB.”

A number of sailing events are currently still scheduled to take place from September to November 2020, including the AIB Cork300 Autumn League which will be held over 5 weekends leading up to the October Bank Holiday. This is expected to be the largest yacht racing event on the South Coast of Ireland this year. Sailing teams from across the country also hope to compete in Cork Harbour for the title of AIB Irish Team Racing National Champion 2020 from 21-22 November.

As the event only takes place every other year, the Royal Cork has also announced dates for its 2022 Volvo Cork Week Regatta, which will be held from 11-15 July 2022. Strong interest is already being received from several one design classes to hold their championships as part of the event.

The Fastnet 450 starts today (Saturday) at 1300hrs in Dublin Bay, and sends the fleet on a 270-mile course southward, taking them all the way to the Fastnet Rock before finishing back at the entrance to Cork Harbour, clear of the coast and shoreside communities throughout the race. The 450 comes from the combined ages of the Royal Cork YC and the National YC – 300 and 150 years respectively. As both have been prevented by the pandemic from implementing anything but the most basic parts of their planned celebrations, there's an impressive amount of pent-up energy going into this one permissible pop-up offshore event, which is COVID-compliant with designated Crew Pods.

This event has come to mean so much for the ultimate well-being of Irish sailing in this frustrated season of 2020 that it would surely be for the best if we could somehow – for the time being at least - set aside the burden of expectation which many are putting on it as primarily an icon of hope, and see it instead as just a uniquely historical challenge which will provide an enthusiastic group of Irish sailors with a very welcome sporting challenge, in which everyone will live for the moment and seize the day, without risking anyone's health.

In hoping to achieve that attitude this weekend, we are helped by that sometimes much-maligned yet ever-present element in our sport, the Irish weather. After a week of some of the grimmest weather - by any metric - in Irish meteorological history, whether summer or winter, our climate seems to have decided that a few light-hearted days won't go amiss. 

Grzegorz Kalnecki's First 31.7 More Mischief from Dun Laoghaire is the smallest boat in the Fastnet 450. Her successes this year include an ISORA Race overall win. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien

Admittedly we are not going to have a high-summer weekend of firmly settled weather. And by the time the fleet are getting themselves past Hook Head tomorrow morning after a fast reaching-to-close-reaching passage in an "off the grass" southwest to west wind down the east coast, they'll know for sure that they've put in some real offshore slugging to windward from the Tuskar out past the Coningbeg, particularly when the ebb is running against the big leftover swell which – for a while – will be one of the legacies of the now well-gone Storm Ellen.

But through Sunday there'll be a modest attempt at a pet day as a weak ridge builds, and they may even get the breeze drawing off the land before the wind starts to back on the west side of the ridge, when the leaders may well be closing towards the handbrake turn at the Fastnet. The way that plays out – coupled with the inevitability of local breezes or even calm spots - is going to make for a fascinating comparison of the racing benefits or otherwise of different boat sizes and types.

The 270-mile course. The most rugged section is likely to be off southeast Ireland getting past the Tuskar Rock, Carnsore Point and the Saltee Islands. See race tracker embedded below,

For although it may seem to be a very compact fleet, with all 20 boats in the 31ft to 40ft LOA range, the difference in performance possibilities increases exponentially. And while it may not be so extreme as the variations in wind power, where a Beaufort Force 6 of 25 to 32 knots is actually exerting 200 times the pressure of a Beaufort Force 2 of 5 to 8 knots, nevertheless the windward potential of a 40 footer such as Denis and Annamarie Murphy's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo, or Chris and Patanne Smith's J/122 Aurelia, is in a different category completely to the upwind speed ability of little 'uns like Grzegorz Kalnecki's First 31.7 More Mischief from Dun Laoghaire, or Conor and Derek Dillon's Dehler 34 Big Deal from Foynes.

Simon Knowles Indian (Howth YC) is the only J/109 entered in the Fastnet 450. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien

That said, offwind flying machines like Cian McCarthy's new Sunfast 3300 Cinnamon Girl from Kinsale – which will have the formidable talents of Mark Mansfield on board - and her larger older sisters, the Sunfast 3600s YOYO (Brendan Coghlan, RStGYC) and Hot Cookie (John O'Gorman, NYC, with Maurice "The Prof" O'Connell on the strength), will be hoping that the effect of the run back from the Fastnet is maximised to optimise their gains from their startling offwind performance, captured here (yet again) in this now-famous vid of Cinnamon Girl making hay off the Old Head of Kinsale. We run it for the umpteenth time in the hope that somebody will finally reveal the names of the auteurs, for crediting it to "A Couple of Kids in a RIB" really won't do.

That famous Cinnamon Girl vid recorded by "a couple of kids in a RIB". If the "couple of kids in a RIB" could identify themselves, we'd be delighted to credit this super bit of work to them. (Update: Vid by Jack & Robert Carroll)

However, as revealed in the Kinsale-Fastnet-Kinsale race a fortnight ago, the overall winner Nieulargo (which once again has Nin O'Leary and Killian Collins on board) sails to a rating of only 1.023 when she limits herself to her non-overlapping headsail, which had her level-pegging rating-wise with Cinnamon Girl, yet The Girl finished half an hour astern on the water. And though Nieulargo may be sailing with full headsail which would put her rating up to 1.035 this time round, it still keeps her below the Sunfast 3600s around the 1.040 mark, so both Sunfast marques will have their work cut out, and Nieulargo remains a good sensible wager.

Yet, Aurelia, the Golden One should never be under-estimated, even if she is the highest-rated boat in the fleet at IRC 1.076. In the last big fleet offshore race in Irish waters – the 2019 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race – she was in consistent form to finish second overall. In fact, consistency is an Aurelia hallmark, and if ever a boat deserved an outstanding win such as the Fastnet 450 offers, then she is that boat.

Chris and Patanne Power Smith's J/122 Aurelia is one of Irish offshore racing's most consistent performers

But then, the crews of the 19 other boats all think exactly the same way about their craft, and while the compact fleet of 20 boats may be in line with COVID-19 compliance, between them they manage to represent 16 different yacht and sailing clubs, which for a race which has been put together in a fortnight, really is a remarkable achievement, and different clubs will be rooting for their own sailing gladiators.

Thus through being among the lowest-rated boats in the fleet, it's conceivable that More Mischief and Big Deal could have their day in the sun. Equally, the highly competitive racing among J Boats has really sharpened their game in the Dublin area, and there are those punters who would support the potential of Alan Algeo's J99 Juggerknot from the Royal Irish with dinghy champ Conor Kinsella in the crew, or Simon Knowles' well-prepared J/109 Indian from Howth.

Derek & Conor Dillon's Dehler 34 Big Deal from Foynes. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien

Either way, it's little short of miraculous that a competitive fleet has been recruited in such a short time. But as we've pointed out already in Afloat, the granddaddy of them all, the Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour or Kingstown to Queenstown Race of July 1860 was also a pop-up event, put together in the days beforehand by the 80-year-old Admiral of the Royal Cork, T G French, who recruited his 16 entries among the yacht racing in a week of regattas in Dublin Bay staged by the Royal St George YC.

So ad hoc was it all that the "fine old Admiral" (as Hunt's Yachting Magazine described him in its August 1860 issue) confirmed entries by visiting each of the 16 interested yacht on the morning of the start in order to confirm entries by collecting the entry fee, which was based on the size of the yacht being entered.

Admiral Colin Morehead of the Royal Cork Yacht Club will be following the example set 160 years ago by his predecessor Thomas G French through being in Dun Laoghaire for the start of the race to Cork Harbour, where he will greet them as they finish Photo: Bob Bateman

The total amount collected was a tidy £60, which was a very substantial sum of money in 1860. But instead of augmenting club coffers, it became the prize purse which went to the crew of the winning boat. And as the winner by matter of minutes was one of the smallest competitors, the 39-ton cutter Sibyl skippered by the noted amateur Henry O'Bryen, her relatively small professional crew will have hit the inns of the Holy Ground like a tsunami with their newfound personal wealth.

The fine young Admiral of today's Royal Cork, Colin Morehead, is in Dun Laoghaire this (Saturday) morning to see the fleet on its way, just as his predecessor did 160 years ago. But whether he and his host - NYC Commodore Martin McCarthy – can arrange contactless payments from entries to make up a prize purse for the winning crew is something else altogether, and in any case when the fleet reaches Crosshaven, there'll be no way that financial tsunamis of any size can hit the local hostelries under lockdown rules.

Commodore Martin McCarthy of the National Yacht Club, which is 150 years old in 2020.

For as Mark Mansfield, one of those who have determinedly put together this one and only chance of a decent mid-length offshore race in 2020 has bluntly put it:

"This is pure racing, boy. Forget about your parties before and after. This is all about those who really care very deeply about their sailing – that's the beginning and the middle and the end of it all." 

Thanks to the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association, all competitors have been provided with a Yellowbrick tracker below

The 1 pm race start may also be visible on the Dublin Bay webcam here

 

Fastnet 450 Race Entry List @ 20/08/20

First Name	Last Name	Club	Boat Name	Boat Type	Sail Number	class	IRC TCC	Echo
James	Tyrrell	Arklow Sailing club	Aquelina	J-112E	IRL 1507	1	1.061	1.055
John	Harrington	RUYC and BYC	eXcession	IMX38	IRL1880	1	1.014	No ECHO
John	O'Gorman	NYC	Hot Cookie	Sunfast 3600	GBR7536R	1	1.037	1.035
Brendan	Coghlan	George	YOYO	Sunfast3600	IRL3618	1	1.036	1.035
Rónán	Ó Siochrú	Irish Offshore Sailing	Desert Star Irish Offshore Sailing	Sunfast 37	IRL1455	2	0.952	0.97
Cian	McCarthy	Kinsale yacht club	cinnamon girl	Sunfast 3300	IRL1627	1	1.023	1.025
ROBERT	RENDELL	Howth	Samatom	XC45	GBR1345R	1	1.074	1.075
Simon	Knowles	Howth Yacht club	Indian	J109	IRL1543	1	1.007	1.015
Derek	Dillon	Foynes Yacht Club	Big Deal	Dehler 34	IRL3492	2	0.928	0.93
Grzegorz	Kalinecki	ISA	More Mischief	first 310	IRL966	2	0.911	0.92
Peter	Coad	Waterford Harbour Sailing Club	Blackjack	Pocock 37	IRL1988	2	0.917	0.92
Andrew	Algeo	RIYC / BSC	Juggerknot 2	J/99	IRL3990	1	1.01	1.02
Rupert	Barry	Greystones Sailing Club	Red Alert	JOD35	IRL6036	2	0.993	1
Flynn	Kinsman	NYC	A plus	Archambault 31	IRL977	2	0.978	0.98
John	Conlon	Arklow	Humdinger	sunfast 37	IRL1357	2	0.98	0.97
Coleman/Coleman	David/Noel	RCYC	Blue Oyster	Oyster 37	IRL3852	2	0.93	0.932
Denis & Annamarie	Murphy	Royal Cork Yacht Club	Nieulargo	Grand Soleil 40 B+C	IRL2129	1	1.023	1.035
Riome (skipper)/ co owner Leonard	David/ Mark	Kinsale Yacht Club	Valfreya	Sigma 33	IRL 4297	2	0.912	0.915
Power Smith	Chris	Royal St George Yacht Club	Aurelia	J112	IRL35950	1	1.076	1.08
dMiller	Keith	Kilmore quay	Andante	Yamaha 36	IRL375	2	0.95	0.935

Royal Cork Yacht Club has cancelled its Tricentenary Parade and 'At Home' Regatta which was to be held next weekend in Cork Harbour.

RCYC Admiral Colin Morehead told members in an advisory note this afternoon: "It is with deep regret that we announce the postponement of the Tricentenary At Home Regatta including the Tricentenary Parade until 2021.

We believe the event must continue to be true to both the traditions and the spirit of the At Home Regatta concept and the Tricentenary celebration should be worthy of that of the oldest yacht club in the world; this was to be impossible this year given the changes announced by the government earlier this week".