Displaying items by tag: Kinsale
After three races sailed in the Squib Class at Kinsale Yacht Club's Custom Rigging Frostbite Series, a father and son duo sailing Mucky Duck lead the 12-boat fleet on seven points.
The O'Sullivan's, Micheal and Michael take a four-point advantage over Colm Dunne and Fiona Ward sailing Allegro lie second on 11 points and share the same points as Matthias Hellstern and Colm Daly in third place.
The series kicked off on the 29th of January under race officers John and Valerie Stallard and runs for six weeks, with races starting each Sunday at 11.55 hrs, but the opening races were delayed awaiting a light westerly wind.
Squibs, Lasers, Toppers and Mixed Dinghies sail the series.
Results below
Squib Class at the Kinsale Yacht Club Frostbite Series Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
Kinsale Lifeboat Involved in Rescue of Dogs Stranded at Sea Cliff
Kinsale RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew along with the assistance of four coastguard units rescued two stranded dogs on Bank Holiday Monday (2 January).
The dogs had gotten into difficulty at the bottom of a cliff near Nohoval Cove in West Cork and were last seen by their owners the previous day.
Kinsale RNLI’s lifeboat Miss Sally Ann Baggy II, helmed by Jonathan Connor, was launched just before 10am and reached the bottom of the cliff near New Foundland Bay shortly after in difficult sea conditions.
Irish Coast Guard units from Oysterhaven, Kinsale, Summercove and Crosshaven were also tasked.
Due to a southwesterly surge, it proved challenging to veer the lifeboat in, so a decision was made to hold position and send two crew members into the water and swim to the base of the cliff.
With the help of the coastguard units and a specialist tracking device that was on the dogs’ collars, the two dogs were rescued uninjured and reunited with their owners shortly after midday at Oysterhaven Coast Guard station.
Speaking following the callout, Kinsale RNLI helm Jonathan Connor said: “This was a multi-agency response from our volunteers and our colleagues in the coastguard. Unfortunately, one of the three dogs involved died but we were glad to be able to reunite the two others with their owners.
“We would remind dog owners to ensure to look after their own personal safety and don’t get into danger trying to attempt a rescue themselves. We would advise keeping dogs on a lead if close to cliff edges.
“If your dog does go over a cliff and into the water or gets stuck in mud, don't go in after them. Instead move to a place your dog can get to safely and call their name and they may get out by themselves.
“If you're worried about your dog, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
Kinsale Young Sailors Honoured and Planning for 2023
Kinsale Yacht Club honoured its Under 25 team and presented them with awards for their achievement to mark the success of the club’s project which, through the support of members, bought a J24, which they named Kinsailor and sailed successfully during the past season.
At the J24 National Championships raced in Foynes YC, they won the Under 25 section, took the silver prize for second overall and finished eighth of the 20 boats racing that included top sailors in the Class. At the J/24 Europeans 2022 sailed out of Howth Yacht Club, they finished third, taking the bronze prize. Micheal O Suilleabháin who was a team leader was named Afloat Sailor of the Month (International Keelboats) for September and former Club Commodore.
Dave O’Sullivan, who led the development of the Under 25 team, was chosen as KYC Club Member of the Year.
Altogether a very successful project, and there is more to come, O’Sullivan told the gathering to honour the Under 25s.
Next season Kinsailor will race in the club’s premier event, the Sovereigns Cup, next June and the team have eyes on international competition, as Dave O’Sullivan told me. He paid tribute to ICRA for their guidance in developing Under 25 racing and said there is now so much support, the club could crew two boats, though it will be staying with one, at least for the immediate future!
Listen to an interview with Dave O’Sullivan at the Kinsale function below
Today’s largest sailing superyachts are so much a world unto themselves that they lead a sort of independent and supra-national existence. The name of Argentine-born designer Juan Kouyoumdjian (an ancestor was Armenian) may be best known in Ireland for his direct creative connection to George David’s Rambler 88. But in terms of big boat development, Rambler 88 is now history and small with it, while of late Juan K has been working in conjunction with Kinsale-based designer Rob Doyle on some decidedly large-scale projects.
In fact, they’re on such scale at 54 metres LOA that it’s difficult to grasp their size, particularly when you know they’re going to step just one cloud-piercing mast which will be well north of 130 metres in height. That will inevitably restrict their cruising areas, as there are many major sea-channel-spanning bridges which they won’t be able to pass under. But at the moment, there seems to be something of an arms race in the top stratum of sailing superyachts to have the boat which can list the largest number of non-negotiable bridges. So as far as the Argo 54 is concerned, that’s all right then.
The beautifully-made aluminium hull was launched last week in the heart of Dutch suburbia, and with consummate skill was negotiated down a canal seemingly no wider than the River Dodder in Dublin, until more open water was reached and the voyage to the completion yard in Greece could get under way.
As we said, it’s not so much international as supra-nationals, and at next week’s METS in Amsterdam, the movers and shakers in this extremely rarefied world will be getting together to negotiate superyacht deals for sums significantly larger than the GNP of some of the smaller Polynesian island nations. And in the midst of it all, there’ll be Kinsale brains and talent at work, moving way-out dreams along the first steps towards reality.
Union Hall RNLI Receives $500 From Irish Emigrants in San Francisco
The volunteers at Union Hall RNLI received a cheque recently for over $500 from a group of Irish emigrants in the USA.
Volunteer fundraiser Pamela Deasy travelled to Kinsale recently and met John Farley, who resides in San Francisco, and his friend John O’Mahony, a volunteer deputy launching authority at Kinsale RNLI, to receive a cheque on behalf of McCarthy’s Bar in San Francisco.
McCarthy’s Bar is owned by Eileen McCarthy from Drinagh in West Cork, and its patrons last year raised over $5,000 in aid of the Kinsale lifeboat, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.
John is a lifelong supporter of the RNLI with first-hand experience of their work after he, his sister and his niece were rescued a number of years ago when their boat broke down off the Old Head of Kinsale.
Deasy said: “On behalf of all our team, we wish to thank Eileen and John for thinking of us in Union Hall. This donation will help us greatly.
“With three callouts in the last two weeks, this donation will help with training costs for our volunteers, as it costs roughly €1,557 per crew member annually.”
South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club’s 'Ric O Shea' Wins Squib Nationals 2022 at Kinsale (Prizegiving Photos Here!)
The fleet set out in classic Kinsale weather with 20 knots and waves. The championships were both decided on the water in the final race at the Bandon Co-op Squib National Championships.
After the many black flags of yesterday, the fleet got off first time with just an individual recall flag showing. Once again it was RicO’Shea who took an early lead and were well off into the distance (more on that later) however it was the Irish fleet who really had the hang of the big weather and it was going to be a hard-fought race throughout with Fagin, Allegro and Outlaw and Fuggles all battling for the win.
Fantastic surfing on the downwind legs was had by all and in the end, it was Bacchante VII, Joe Henry and Roly Wilson who took the win ahead of local Kinsale Commodore, Matthias Hellstern and Colm Daly in Fifty Shades.
The team of Sean Murphy and his father Paul in Fuggles took a well-deserved third to assure that as crane driver the fleet would be lifted out in a super-efficient manner.
Ric O Shea were unfortunate to be one of the receivers of the individual recall flag.
Overall a fantastic week was had by all, with superb racing organised by the Race Offer, Peter Crowley, and his team on SpareTime and all the fleet are hugely appreciative of their time and effort in ensuring a great week of racing.
The Bandon Co-op Irish National Champions 2022 are local team Outlaw, Ian Travers and Keith O’Riordan, second went to Royal North of Ireland team Fagan, Gordan Patterson and Ross Nolan whilst Kinsale’s Allegro, Colm Dunne and Rob Gill took the bronze.
The Squib National 2022 was won by South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club’s Ric O Shea, Tom Jeffcoate and Mark Hogan. Second place went to Lucky Counts, Jono Brown and Chris Agar from the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club ahead of team mate Spoof, Micky Wright and Alex Porteous in third.
Squib Championships Kinsale 2022 Prizewinners Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
The third day of the Bandon co-op Squib National Championships at Kinsale Yacht Club gave the competitors the chance to do boat repairs and check out the settings of the competition as the race officer, Peter Crowley, was forced to raise the postponement flag.
The forecasted rain has not appeared but despite some promising sunshine the clouds have kept the much hoped-for sea breeze away and ultimately the decision has been made to postpone Race 4 until tomorrow.
Evening entertainment will go ahead as scheduled on the balcony of the Club.
Sunshine and sunscreen were both needed today in the Squib National Championships after Sunday's freezing cold conditions.
Day Two had two races scheduled and the combined fleets ran out of Kinsale harbour this morning with their colourful mace sails and spinnakers spectacularly enhancing the harbour.
Race one (race 2 of the series) started with a wind showing an easterly wind with about 8 knots, there was a very quick right shift that favoured those who had headed out to sea and Lady Penelope, Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Carley, who rounded the windward mark first and took a convincing lead. Following them around was another Burnham boat, Surprise (Duncan Grindley and Julia Batchelor) and Kinsale's Ian Travers and Keith O Riordan in third. Some changes occurred the following leg with David Wines and Keith Davies in White Magic eventually grabbing second place ahead of Surprise who took third place.
Between races, the race officer took the opportunity to shift the course round a number of degrees to track the wind which had swung further south. The Squib fleet was less well behaved this time around and the black flag had to be raised to curtail their enthusiasm. The second attempt at this start got the wise gurus of the fleet heading towards to the picturesque “Old Head Lighthouse” before tacking onto port.
This time it was Mark Hogan and Tom Jeffcoate who RicO’Shea’d off the start line alongside Spoof, Micky Wright and Alex Porteous and reached the windward mark ahead of the fleet. Unfortunately for Spoof, the windward mark isn’t the finish line and RicO’Shea sailed clear for the win whilst Spoof was able to hold off the challenge from Mike Budd and Mark Greaves in Harry VI down what felt like a very long run to the finish. The top Irish boat, Fagan was 5th in this 2nd race the earlier best in the Irish was Outlaw who came sixth in the trickier earlier first race.
Overall leaders in the Squib national championships is currently RicOshea leading Lady Penelope with the Irish fleet leaders being Fagin with KYC locals Outlaw and Allegro in close pursuit.
See Squib Nationals Photo Gallery Day Two by Bob Bateman Below
Burnham Squibs Lead after Day One of Kinsale National Championships (Photo Gallery Here)
Day one of the Bandon Co-op Squib National championships in Kinsale started in a strong 16kt northern breeze with significant gusts.
The Traditional Practice race gave visitors a good beat and run across the racecourse before Race 1 officially got underway.
The record will show that it was Kinsale locals Colm Dunne and Rob Gill won the ‘Practice’ race in Allegro.
They stayed out to the right side and came home ahead of Portsmouth’s Joe Henry and Roly Wilson in Bacchante VII. 3rd were last year’s UK national champions in Harry VI, Mike Budd and Mark Greaves.
After a short break things got serious and the fleet launched off the start line at the first attempt.
The wind had eased slightly to 14kts and Race officer Peter Crowley and his team set a 3-round windward /leeward course.
First to the windward mark was Lady Penelope, Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Carley who held the lead from start to finish and won Race 1 of this year’s Combined Championships, a number of the hot favourites were in their slipstream with a number of positional jockeying going on showing that the rest of the week is sure to be a hotly contested event.
The final run sorted the positions and it was the UK’s RCYC from Burnham that had the podium 1,2,3.
Following Lady Penelope was Lucky Counts, Jono Brown and Chris Agar whilst 3rd was Spoof helmed by Micky Wright and crewed by Alex Porteous.
The Irish Championship leader overnight is Allegro, followed By Outlaw with regatta Director Ian Travers and Keith O Riordan, and local Commodore Matthias Hellstern helmed Fifty Shades with Colm Daly crewing.
Results are here
Squib Photo Gallery Day One by Bob Bateman
The Bandon Co-Op-sponsored week-long British & Irish Squib Nationals getting underway this weekend in Kinsale - with the first racing on Sunday, June 19th - is an eloquent example of the imaginative thinking that is needed to get sailing back to post-pandemic normality. Or maybe it’s some sort of new normality.
Whatever, the notion that we can emerge from paralysis by combining formerly constrained major fixtures seems to be working in this case, with 58 top entries. They’re drawn from all the Squib racing centres in Ireland and the main ones in England and Wales, the furthest travelled being from Suffolk on the East Coast and Portsmouth in the south. Their efforts, in particular, look like being rewarded, as the ten-day forecasts are suggesting that next week will see a fair effort at real summer in Ireland, but across in England, they’ll be under their own private low-pressure area, with much rain to match.
Kinsale meanwhile may well be firmly in line next week for the contest for Central HQ of the Land of Milk and Honey and Sunny Summertime Stakes. And that - combined with the picturesque port’s reputation for hospitality and the sponsorship of a multi-faceted locally-based agri-business – will give some idea of the developing flavour of an event in which the notable camaraderie of the Squib class will interact dynamically with the special venue’s unique sense of itself.
For although the Squib Class in Ireland – headed by the affable Class President Robert Marshall of Killyleagh on Strangford Lough – seems to be a by-word for amiable sport, that’s just a matter of keeping to the spirit of this attractive little 19th keelboat. In fact, they race at least as competitively as anyone else, but it’s regarded as distinctly un-Squibbish to give the impression of trying too hard.
Thus in order to deal with a fleet of 58 hot crews determined to get in as much competitive racing as they can while appearing to be simply going out for some agreeable sailing with a spot of racing thrown in, Organising Committee Chairman Ian Travers and his team, with Fiona Sugrue-Ward looking after communications, have been building up a formidable corps of volunteers to ensure that all the various logistical challenges are calmly met, while the legendary Peter Crowley – former RCYC Admiral and ISA President – is in the key role of Senior Race Officer.
As for the competition, while there were restricted-movement British Nationals at Abersoch in Wales and an Irish Championship at Killyleagh in 2021, the mood for the class in Ireland going into the winter lockdown was set at the Freshwater Regatta on Lough Derg in October when – after some great sport – “See you in Kinsale in June” was the parting greeting, and so it has come to pass.
On current form, Gordon Patterson & Ross Nolan of Royal North of Ireland YC at Cultra on Belfast Lough with Fagin seem to be continuing their good form of 2021 as we look at 2022’s early results. But Dick and Pam Batt of Chichester Harbour – no strangers to racing with the Irish fleet – are always a force to be reckoned with, as are Kinsale’s Colm Dunne & Rob Gill, and Ian Travers himself.
But after the pandemic shrinkage, 58 boats is a large and strong fleet. It’s going to be fascinating seeing who emerges from the pack. And if we sought a vivid example of the colourful diversity of Irish sailing, we need look no further than next week, when the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race all round our coast, and the Bandon Co-Op Squib Championship at Kinsale, are taking place at precisely the same time.
Squib entry list here