The Royal Cork Yacht Club has hosted its inaugural Sponsors & Members Corporate Lunch. An Tánaiste, Simon Coveney TD, and Patrick Coveney, CEO Greencore, both Club Members and avid sailors, were the Club’s special guests and they also took part in a post-lunch panel discussion with MC Rory Fitzpatrick asking the questions.

The sold-out lunch was the first in the newly refurbished dining room of the oldest yacht club in the world. Chair of Events & Communications, Annamarie Fegan said “The event was a resounding success, with next year’s lunch already filling up fast. We took the opportunity to launch our Corporate Membership which has garnered great interest too.”

An Tánaiste Simon Coveney TD with Patrick Coveney CEO Greencore and RCYC Admiral Pat Farnan Photo: Robert Bateman

There was a charitable element to the day, with €2,350 raised for Crosshaven RNLI. Royal Cork Admiral, Pat Farnan, said “The lunch was a fantastic opportunity for our sponsors and members to connect with each other and we are also delighted to support the RNLI who do great work to keep us all safe. We are extremely grateful to our speakers, Patrick and Simon, for giving their time and I would like to thank our Committee who organised the event and last but not least, a big thank you to all who attended.”

During the lunch Colin Morehead, Vice Admiral of the Club and Chair of the Cork 300 Committee, gave everyone an insight into the Clubs plans for 2020, when the Royal Cork Yacht Club will celebrate its 300th Anniversary as the oldest yacht club in the world. It will be an event like no other and designed as a celebration not just for the Royal Cork YC but for everyone with a passion for sailing. The website for the Cork300 is now live here

Mark Whitaker CEO of Johnson & Perrott, Colin-Morehead RCYC Vice-Admiral and David Thomas, MD Volvo Car Ireland Photo: Robert-Bateman

Rory Fitzpatrick and John O'Donovan Photo: Robert Bateman

Ted Crosbie and Andrew Crosbie Photo: Robert Bateman

More than 150 young sailors with hopes of 'Olympic glory' will get the chance to take the first steps towards fulfilling their dreams at the Irish Sailing Youth National Championships at the Royal Cork Yacht Club later this month from 25-28 April at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour.

The competition is the one time every year when the best of Irish youth sailing come together to test their skills and ability to perform under intense competition conditions – with the added pressure of being under the spotlight for the selectors from Irish Sailing Performance.

The youngsters from throughout Ireland will compete across five different classes of boat during the weekend – the Laser Radial, Laser 4.7, 420, Topper and Optimist. These five classes have been identified, say Irish Sailing, as those that develop the necessary experience sailors need to successfully develop their skills from junior through to the Olympic classes and competing internationally.

As well as racing, there are three evening talks from members of the Irish Sailing Team. Those attending will be treated to 'inspirational talks' from Katie Tingle, who now partners Olympic silver medallist Annalise Murphy in the 49erFX as they seek Olympic qualification this year.  Royal Cork's Tingle should have plenty to talk about as she will have made her international 49erFX debut in the class the week previous at the World Cup in Genoa starting on April 14.

49er sailor Séafra Guilfoyle, a silver medallist at the 2014 Youth World Championships and current partner of Ryan Seaton, who was a finalist at the Olympic Games in London 2012, and Rio 2016; and James O’Callaghan, Irish Sailing’s Performance Director, who will discuss resetting and refocusing during competition with Jessie Barr, Olympic athlete and Sport Ireland sports psychologist.

The occasion also is one of the few times where families and friends competing in the different classes can gather together in one location to share their experiences, learning and generally have some fun.

Sean Evans, Irish Sailing’s Olympic Laser Radial Academy Coach said “The Irish Sailing Youth National Championships are Ireland’s largest Youth regatta and our sport’s primary talent spotting event of the year. All the young sailors that are competing over the weekend have every chance of being selected for the Irish Sailing Academy. Sailors who demonstrate their proficiency at these championships can be chosen for squads that will be competing abroad and may even give something back by coaching and training others as well”.

Finn Lynch, just back from placing 4th in the Laser Class at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma said “I've great memories of the Youth Nationals, competing with my mates for the right to represent Ireland, racing was always great and the competition was fierce!”.

The Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, showcasing the best up-and-coming talent in Ireland, will take place from 25th-28th April at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Crosshaven.

Andrew Crosbie crewed by Stephen and Rebecca O'Shaughnessy were the winners of Saturday's Royal Cork Yacht Club sixth PY1000 river race writes Bob Bateman.

The Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) handicap dinghy race took place on the Owenabue river in Crosshaven Cork, in front of the Royal Cork Yacht Club with a 1300 first gun.

There was a very light easterly wind for the start and the combined fleet, under race officer John Crotty, were given a downwind start over a windward leeward course. 

A downwind start for the light air sixth edition of the PY river race Photo: Bob Bateman

Race Officer John Crotty and assistants Photo: Bob Bateman

There was a large number of entries from many different types of boats like RS400 & 200, Laser, GP14, Topper, Mirror, National 18s and this year the fleet also included a Star keelboat entry (Anthony and Robert O'Leary).

Second overall Robert (left) and Anthony O'Leary with organiser Alex Barry (centre) Photo: Bob Bateman

Before long, the wind shifted on the course to westerly and the Race Officer was forced to shorten the race. 

Lots of different dingy types contested the race Photo: Bob Bateman

In the last six years, a variety of different dinghy designs took home the title: 2014 RS400, 2015 Laser full Rig, 2016 Laser full Rig, 2017 Laser radial, in 2018 it was a 420 but this year there was another winning design when the local National 18 reigned supreme.  Second were the O'Leary's in the Star with third place going to Jamie Dwyer in a National 18 who had led the for the majority of the race.

On the water judging from International Judge Michael O'Connor

The race had a prize pool of €1000 with a minimum guaranteed €700 going to first place. The event chairman was Alex Barry.

Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman below

Royal Cork Yacht Club will run its sixth edition of the Horizon Energy Group sponsored PY1000 river race on March 30th.

The Portsmouth Yardstick handicap dinghy race takes place on the Owenabue river in Crosshaven Cork, in front of the Royal Cork Yacht Club with a 1300 first gun.

'We already have a large number of entries from many different boats like RS400 & 200, Laser, GP14, Topper, Mirror, National 18 (Ultra, Ultimate and Classic) just to name few', says event chair Alex Barry'.

In the last six years, a variety of different dinghy designs took home the title: 2014 RS400, 2015 Laser full Rig, 2016 Laser full Rig, 2017 Laser radial and 2018 was a 420

The race will have a prize pool of €1000 with a minimum guaranteed €700 going to first place. The Notice of race is downloadable below.

Winter sail training for the Royal Cork Yacht Club Under 25 Keelboat Academy sponsored by EY is continuing in Cork Harbour this February writes Bob Bateman

Primarily using the club's 1720 sportsboats, the Academy is made up of 16 and 25 year-olds who get the chance to experience local sailing in the harbour plus a chance to compete nationwide at Summer events.

As Afloat.ie reported recently here, EY has sponsored the U-25 squad and as part of that North Sails Ireland provided a new spinnaker.

Last season Royal Cork put teams in for match racing events as well as Wave regatta in Howth YC, Volvo Cork Week, the 1720 Nationals and Europeans.

Winter sail training for the Royal Cork Yacht Club Under 25 Keelboat Academy is continuing in Cork Harbour, Photo Bob Bateman

Hello and welcome to my weekly Podcast …. Tom MacSweeney here ….

The Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven is launching a new initiative to bridge the gap between dinghy and keelboat racing following the success of its Under 25 Academy which was established last year.

RCYC Admiral, Pat Farnan, says that the Academy has proven to be “a great success” and its members, who represented the club in three events last year, as well as taking part in club racing activities, will be entering a number of further events this year.

“They are actively seeking funding to help them achieve their goals,” he says and announces that Ernst & Young are going to be sponsors. “This initiative is very encouraging for the club in helping to bridge the gap between dinghy and keelboat racing,” he tells members in his annual report.

There was an increase in the number of cruisers racing last season at the RCYC. Seven new boats joined the club fleet and three existing Skippers brought new boats into racing.

There has been an increase in club membership and it has also been a good year for dinghy and junior sailors at the Cork club with an increase in membership adding to an already record number of junior sailors.

There was another strong turnout for final race six of the O'Leary Insurance Group sponsored Winter Series at Royal Cork Yacht Club yesterday writes Kieran O'Connell.

Course 74 was set by the Race Officer for a strong North Westerly wind with severe gusts. During the starting sequence, a heavy squall came through. The crew work and boat handling in very testing conditions was impressive, as seen from the committee boat 'Harmony'.

An 'official' request by the RCYC Committee boat

The course began with a fast reach off the start line at Cage to Corkbeg - followed by a beat to windward to No. 8.

As the lead boats of Nieulargo, Jelly Baby, Coracle IV, Antix Beag and the Under 25s 1720 began to show their pace on the next leg to No. 9, a full-on beat to No. 20 under the cathedral at Cobh was next on the course, with a stiff breeze on the nose.

Following on the downwind leg against the tide to No 13, where a gybe brought the fleet once again back to CorkBeg Mark and on to Cage Mark to complete Round 1 in 65 minutes for the lead boat 'Nieulargo'.

Round 2, spinnakers hoisted once again on the dead downwind run heading towards the outer harbour mark No. 3. Symmetric spinnakers gained over their asymmetric counterparts.

The final leg was a beat to windward to the finish line at the Cage Mark 

Kieran Collins' winning Olson 30 under spinnaker Photo: Bob Bateman

Big Congratulations to Kieran Collins and all team on Coracle IV on winning the overall league and the Irish Mist Trophy presented by the O'Leary family in memory of Archie O'Leary, a former RCYC Admiral.

Full results can be found here

With one race left to sail, Kieran Collins's Olson 30 Coracle IV of the host club has moved into the overall lead of the O'Leary Insurances sponsored  Royal Cork Yacht Club League in Cork Harbour writes Bob Bateman. After five races sailed and a single discard applied today, Collins, on nine points, leads clubmate Anthony O'Leary in the modified 1720 by two points. Third overall in the 26-boat fleet is Denis Murphy's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo, just one point behind O'Leary's Antix Beag in the IRC all–in division.

Collins's Olson 30 is a vintage American design that arrived into Cork Harbour last season. The Olson 30 was designed by George Olson of Santa Cruz, California around 1978. Olson was a surfer and surfboard shaper who decided to design a 30' ultralight displacement boat. More on this boat type here

The lightweight flyer, the Olson 30 Coracle IV now leads at Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman

Today's harbour course was '70x' in a 25-knot south-westerly, set roughly between the harbour Forts and Cuskinnny.

Nieulargo was first over the line today followed by the J109 Jelly Baby.

Jelly Baby (Jones Family) crossed the finish line Photo: Bob Bateman

Antix Beag ( IRC rating .994) leads Coracle iv (.970) into the finish Photo: Bob Bateman

Granada 30 Cavatina is eighth in IRC all in in the 26-boat fleet. Photo: Bob Bateman

Results here

The Royal Cork Yacht Club Junior Laying Up Supper 2018 was held on Saturday 24th 2018 in the clubhouse with parents and junior Sailors making up the 168 attendees. The end-of-year dinner was dispersed with the Class Captains giving an overview of their respective fleets activities during 2018.

Rear Admiral Dinghies Brian Jones congratulated all the sailors and took the opportunity to thank all who provided time, expertise and resources to assist in club events and coaching during the season. A particular note of thanks was expressed for the class captains and respective committees for their hard work during the season.

Optimist sailors who have moved on to other fleets being presented with mementoes Photo: Bob Bateman

Presentations were made to the Optimists based on their overall performance for the year. The Laser fleet, rather than give mementoes to the sailors leaving, made a donation to the Crosshaven RNLI, which was very well received. All the active Mixed Dinghy sailors received action photos from events during the year. It was noted that the Topper fleet had significantly grown in numbers year-on-year and that a committee was being formed to help the Class Captain manage such a large fleet.

Royal Cork's junior Committee

Various tokens of appreciation were also awarded during the evening for good services rendered in the season including our light-hearted Parent Darwin awards for the biggest blooper of the year – a few notable contenders this year!

A memorial trophy, in the memory of a deceased Junior fleet stalwart, Frank Thompson, was presented this year to worthy recipients Pat & Deirdre Horgan who have done an incredible amount of work within the club and particularly in the junior fleet where they have been class captain three times between the two of them, helped with numerous events, race results management and photography services.

The climax of the evening was the award of the Pyewacket Trophy. Originally donated by Roy Disney, this magnificent trophy is awarded to the sailor who has achieved the best results during the season both in home waters and abroad. With the success of Royal Cork sailors in 2018, this was always going to be difficult and the sailors under consideration for the award were as follows: James Dwyer-Mathews (Optimist), David Jones (Topper), Atlee Kohl (Laser), Chris Bateman (Mixed Dinghy) and Jack Fahy (Wildcard).

After much deliberation, Atlee Kohl was crowned the 2018 Pyewacket Trophy winner. 

All fleets will be taking a much deserved Christmas break before the coaching programs kick back in in the new year.

The annual Topper and Laser Frostbite Series concluded following racing each weekend during November. Fifty-one sailors registered and we were delighted to welcome sailors from around Cork Harbour and further afield. The weather varied from light on week one to gusting up to 25 knots on week two. The third week saw racing cancelled due to the weather conditions but on the final day 31 sailors launched to race on the Curlane Bank.

It was still all to play for after race 7 as a second discard came into effect after 8 races. PRO Ciaran McSweeney got a third race completed before sending the fleets ashore for hot chocolate and the prizegiving.

The Laser 4.7 Fleet was won by Cathal O’Regan who beat club mate Jonathan O’Shaughnessy on countback. Harry Pritchard secured third after a bullet in the final race of the series.
In the Laser Radial Fleet the winner was Micheal O’Suilleabhain (Kinsale YC/Royal Cork YC) with a net score of 7 (never falling out of the top three spots across the league). Sophie Crosbie was 2nd with Chris Bateman in 3rd.

The Topper 4.2 Fleet was won by Fearghal Desmond (Royal Cork YC/Dingle SC) with Vicky McDonnell Lettice 2nd and Joe O’Sullivan taking 3rd.

The Topper 5.3 Silver Fleet was won by Anna Keal and the Gold Fleet winner was Oisin MacSweeney who had consistent results across the series. Second was Hugh Lynch who counted two bullets and a second on the final day of racing. Eoin Horgan held off clubmate David Jones by one point to secure third place.