Displaying items by tag: House of Keys

12th February 2024

What's Next for Former Isle of Man Flagship? - House of Keys to Discuss

As 3FM radio reports, what's next for the Isle of Man Steam Packet ferry the Ben-My-Chree?

The ropax is the the former flagship of the Manx Government owned company which after 25 years last year was replaced by newbuild Manxman when entering service in August.

The question was being asked by Central Douglas, Member of House of Keys (MHK) Chris Thomas, following the ferry’s placement into a reserve vessel where it remains berthed in Douglas as referenced recently in separate Irish Ferries story.

During a sitting at this week’s House of Keys, the MHK is to ask the Treasury Minister, Dr Alex Allinson about the future role of the 1998 built ferry which had served the island’s main and only year-round operated route of Douglas-Heysham.

The Ben-My-Chree also served seasonal routes; Douglas-Belfast/ Dublin though Afloat highlights the latter link to the Irish capital was conducted in the earlier years. The vessel carried 630 passengers, 275 cars and 90 freight trailers.

Mr. Thomas wants to inquire how the 12,747 gross tonnes Ben-my-Chree can be used and what plans does the Steam Packet Company have for the almost 125m long vessel.

Published in Ferry

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Questions About New Flagship Manxman to be Tabled at House of Keys Sitting

Since the Isle of Man Steam Packet’s newbuild flagship ferry entered service in August, how many times has its predecessor the ropax Ben-My-Chree been drafted in to carry out its sailing roster.

As 3FM reports, this question is to be asked in the House of Keys today by Jason Moorhouse MHK, as part of a trio of Steam Packet related questions tabled for the Manx Treasury Minister, Dr Alex Allinson.

In recent months there have been numerous occasions where weather related conditions have forced the £78m Manxman from not sailing the Douglas-Heysham route leading the 1998 built Ben-My-Chree to cover the service so to maintain operations.

Further questioning from the Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK will inquire about the difference in fuel consumption between the 948 passenger Manxman and the 630 capacity Ben-my-Chree.

As both ferries operate the same Isle of Man-England route and running in similar conditions, the question of how long each crossing took will also be asked at the sitting.

Published in Ferry

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The Kingstown to Queenstown Yacht Race or 'K2Q', previously the Fastnet 450

The Organising Authority ("OA") are ISORA & SCORA in association with The National Yacht Club & The Royal Cork Yacht Club.

The Kingstown to Queenstown Race (K2Q Race) is a 260-mile offshore race that will start in Dun Laoghaire (formerly Kingstown), around the famous Fastnet Rock and finish in Cork Harbour at Cobh (formerly Queenstown).

The K2Q race follows from the successful inaugural 'Fastnet 450 Race' that ran in 2020 when Ireland was in the middle of the COVID Pandemic. It was run by the National Yacht Club, and the Royal cork Yacht Club were both celebrating significant anniversaries. The clubs combined forces to mark the 150th anniversary of the National Yacht Club and the 300th (Tricentenary) of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Of course, this race has some deeper roots. In 1860 the first-ever ocean yacht race on Irish Waters was held from Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) to Queenstown (now Cobh).

It is reported that the winner of the race was paid a prize of £15 at the time, and all competing boats got a bursary of 10/6 each. The first race winner was a Schooner Kingfisher owned by Cooper Penrose Esq. The race was held on July 14th 1860, and had sixteen boats racing.

In 2022, the winning boat will be awarded the first prize of a cheque for €15 mounted and framed and a Trophy provided by the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world.

The 2022 race will differ from the original course because it will be via the Fastnet Rock, so it is a c. 260m race, a race distance approved by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club as an AZAB qualifier.

A link to an Afloat article written by WM Nixon for some history on this original race is here.

The aim is to develop the race similarly to the Dun Laoghaire–Dingle Race that runs in alternate years.

Fastnet 450 in 2020

The South Coast of Ireland Racing Association, in association with the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay and the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork, staged the first edition of this race from Dun Laoghaire to Cork Harbour via the Fastnet Rock on August 22nd 2020.

The IRC race started in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday, August 22nd 2020. It passed the Muglin, Tuscar, Conningbeg and Fastnet Lighthouses to Starboard before returning to Cork Harbour and passing the Cork Buoy to Port, finishing when Roches's Point bears due East. The course was specifically designed to be of sufficient length to qualify skippers and crew for the RORC Fastnet Race 2021.