Displaying items by tag: St Davids

9th March 2024

Major Rescue in Irish Sea as Lifeboats Respond to Fishing Vessel Mayday

RNLI lifeboats from Ireland and the UK launched to a Mayday distress call from a fishing vessel taking on water on Friday (8 March).

The 24-metre Irish trawler had five crew onboard and was some 21 nautical miles northwest of Strumble Head near Fishguard in south Wales when HM Coastguard tasked the charity's Welsh lifeboats just before midday.

The all-weather lifeboats and volunteer crew from St Davids, Fishguard, Newquay made best speed to the scene.

HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter R936 from Caernarfon also tasked to assist and was first to arrive on scene, lowering a water pump to the vessel.

With no casualties reported, Newquay lifeboat was stood down en route. St Davids’ Tamar class lifeboat Norah Wortley arrived at 1.10pm with sea conditions rough in a Force 5-7 easterly wind. Fishguard RNLI’s Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII arrived at 1.35pm.

With no engine damage and the coastguard pump sufficiently reducing the water level, it was decided the fishing vessel would be escorted the 35 nautical miles west to Ireland.

St Davids RNLI escorting the trawler as Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrives | Credit: RNLI/St Davids

Kilmore Quay RNLI’s Tamar class lifeboat Victor Freeman was tasked by the Irish Coast Guard to complete the escort and launched at 2.10pm. At this point, the Fishguard lifeboat was stood down and returned to Wales.

St Davids RNLI escorted the trawler a further 20 nautical miles west-southwest towards Tuskar Rock until the Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrived at 3.20pm and took over the escort, getting the vessel safely into port around 6pm.

Will Chant, RNLI coxswain for St Davids RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat said: “This rescue was a good, fast response from all crews, which with an incident of this nature was exactly what was required.

“Fortunately the salvage pump from the helicopter was all that was required in order to quell the problems on board the trawler, and after that it was a straightforward but long job of escorting the vessel to safety.

“Our crew even received ‘welcome to Ireland’ messages on their mobile phones, such was the distance from home.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.