Displaying items by tag: Noel Butler

18th February 2023

Irish Clubs Contingent Celebrate Success at RS Aero US Midwinters

Dublin Bay Frostbites regulars Roy Van Maanen (Greystones SC) and Noel Butler (National YC) both finished second in their respective fleets at the RS Aero US Midwinters in Florida last weekend.

Varied conditions tested sailors in all wind strengths in very pleasant Florida temperatures across the race week held at Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa.

Butler had a consistent performance in the shifty breeze on day two in the 7 fleet, scoring 3,2,3 to secure his podium, while Van Maanen enjoyed a game battle with Philip Myerson of Cedar Point YC in Connecticut for first in the 5 fleet, with the US sailor coming up trumps this time out.

The Irish contingent also competed in the Florida State Championship, with Butler taking third place and Van Maanen placing a more than respectable sixth.

And in the Round the Bay Long Distance Race on 8 February, Butler narrowly missed out on first place — under 10 seconds on handicap — to make it a trifecta of podium finishes.

Noel Butler and Roy Van Maanen (right) at dinner with fellow RS Aero sailors during the race week | Credit: Noel Butler

Butler commented on social media: “Delighted to finish 2nd 7 rig in the RS Aero Class North America Midwinter Championships and 3rd in the Florida State Championships

“Thanks to organiser Ryan Schenck and all at the beautiful Davis Island Yacht Club for the hospitality and a great event.

“Thanks to the Cedar Point Yacht Club RS Aero sailors for providing charter boats and driving them all the way from CT to FL and back!

“Thanks to the Hummingbird Gang (Jeff Dunmall, Madhavan Thirumalai, Boris Mezhibovskiy, Roy Van Maanen) for the epic accomodation, food and fun!”

Both are back in action in Ireland this weekend, with the INSS RS Aero Super Series on Saturday and the DMYC Frostbites on Sunday.

Published in RS Aero

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5th February 2023

NYC’s Noel Butler Goes Stateside for 2023 Florida RS Aero Winter Series

Noel Butler of the National Yacht Club is Stateside this week for the 2023 Florida RS Aero Winter Series in Tampa.

Davis Island Yacht Club — known for its steady winter winds ranging from 8-15 knots on any given day — is hosting the weeklong event that comprises the Florida State Championships on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February, the Round the Bay long-distance race on Wednesday 8 February and the Midwinters over the weekend of 10-12 February.

In the meantime, Butler’s absence will give his fellow competitors in the Viking Marine DMYC Frostbite Series a chance to reshuffle the leaderboard.

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7th June 2022

National Yacht Club's Noel Butler on the RS Aero Podium in Italy

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) PY dinghy overall leader Noel Butler was on the podium at the weekend at the third Italian RS Aero event of the season on the beautiful Island of Elba.

The event was dominated by national champion Filipo Vincis from Sardinia, with Davide Mulas also from Sardinia in second.

Butler, of the National Yacht Club, finished third and Greystones/RStGYC’s Roy Van Maanen finished fourth in a small but very competitive fleet and very light and tricky conditions.

Both Irish sailors will be back in action as usual in DBSC racing on Tuesday evening in Scotsman’s Bay.

At the end of the month, Van Maanen, Daragh Sheridan of Howth (the recently crowned Irish national champion) and Butler will compete in the RS Aero World Championships in Cascade Locks in the Columbia River Gorge near Portland, Oregon, USA.

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15th November 2021

Impromptu Dockside Trophy Presentation for DBSC RS Aero Winner Noel Butler

National Yacht Club sailor Noel Butler could not attend the AIB DBSC prizegiving in Dun Laoghaire's National Maritime Museum on Friday evening last to collect his trophy. Still, his winter Turkey Shoot shipmates made sure the Windmill Leisure and Marine Perpetual Trophy got to the multi-champion dinghy ace promptly by presenting it to him dockside on Sunday morning, before the second race of the 2021 Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay.

It's the second year in succession. Butler, a former Laser II World Champion, has won the trophy for his PY performance in his RS Aero 'Orion' dinghy.

Butler is sailing on the J/97 Windjammer for the Turkey Shoot, another winning yacht from Friday night's ceremony. The Lindsay Casey skippered boat from the Royal St. George Yacht Club won DBSC's Premier award: the Waterhouse Shield, for the best yacht in a handicapped series across all DBSC fleets.

Read more about Friday's prizegiving at the National Maritime Museum here.

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29th September 2013

Butlers Win Fireball Munsters at Lough Ree Yacht Club

#fireball – Noel and Ed Butler enhanced their overnight Fireball lead at the Munsters in Lough Ree to take the title with a 5pt margin writes Cormac Bradley. Adding a 1, 3 to their score of 4pts they had the luxury of swapping roles for the last race, Noel taking to trapezing.

Another combination entered the winner's enclosure for Race 6, Team Rumball, Kenneth & Alexander and with a 4th in Race 5, this elevated them to 3rd overall.

Barry McCartin, recently back from Australia and Conor Kinsella had a 5, 2 to secure 2nd overall. These three sailed most consistently over the weekend, allowing them a comfortable points margin over fourth placed Conor Clancy and Stephen Campion, who weren't too shabby with a 2, 2, 5, 5, 7, 8 results sheet.

Niall McGrotty and Neil Cramer had a much better day with a 2, 5, Neil Colin & Margaret Casey had a 4th in the last race and Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe scored another 3rd.

Smyth &Bradley scored two 9ths to hold onto 5th place overall, but in the words of a (in) famous Scot it was a squeaky bum session as Murphy & Voye closed to 3pts.

Three boats contested the Silver fleet, Evans/Caulfield from Sligo, Power/Barry and Chambers/McGuire from Dun Laoghaire. The title went West by a margin of 6pts from Power/Barry.

1. Butler/Butler 15061 8pts
2. McCartin/Kinsella 15093 13pts
3. Rumball/Rumball 15058 15pts
4. Clancy/Campion 14807 21pts
5. Smyth/Bradley 15007 30pts
6. Murphy/Voye 14908 33pts
7. McGrotty/Cramer 14938 35pts
8. McKenna/O'Keeffe 14691 36pts
9. Miller/Donnelly 14713 40pts
10. Colin/Casey 14775 42pts

6 excellent races were set by Race Officer John Leech and his team, each of just about one hour duration. Courses were adjusted continuously to fit in with the 1 hour constraint.

Hospitality by LRYC was superb with soup and rolls after racing and a great meal on Saturday night. The prize giving was held outside today such was the mildness of the weather.

We convene again in DL in 2 weeks time for the rescheduled Leinsters, to be hosted by DMYC with the Class AGM down for the Saturday evening. Volunteers for the committee will be needed!

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14th July 2010

20 Confirmed for Fireball Leinsters in Howth

The Fireball Leinster Championship at Howth YC this weekend has 20 confirmed entries to date, including the current National Champions and pre-event favourites Noel Butler and Shane McCarthy from Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. The southside pairing has already won the Open Championship at Killaloe and the Ulsters at East Down. Other leading contenders include Simon McGrotty of Skerries, Neil Colin of DMYC and Kenneth Rumball of the Royal St.George.

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil