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21st July 2009

Irish Sea Shipping

Shipping News & Views from the Irish and Celtic Seas since 1995.

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21st July 2009

Irish Ships and Shipping

The aim of the Irish Ships and Shipping site is to record ships and shipping of Irish interest with photos, details and stories from all interested parties. Of particular interest would be any photos or stories of Irish Shipping Ltd., its ships, and the men who worked them

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21st July 2009

North West Charter Skippers Association

The Northwest Charter Skippers Organisation was inaugurated in January 2002, and was formed to enhance and develop Charter Boat Services through the interchange of Information, between our membership and through the promotion of a fleet of fully licensed, Insured, and well equipped Modern Sea Angling Vessels adopting best practice and providing a high quality service in Sea Angling and general tourism charters to the Northwest Coast of Ireland, our Slogan being Service with Safety.

When you choose a member of the association you can be assured that the operator is fully licensed and insured and will have the experience and qualifications to provide the Service you require at prices you can afford.

The association does not provide a booking service, we provide links to angling sites and information pages submitted by our members. The information listed is produced by the individual members of the organisation and the owners of the relevant web sites. Top class fishing aboard quality charter boats in North West Ireland.

Enjoy the very best in Sea Angling Charters.

North West Charter Skippers Association

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17th July 2009

Achill-Belmullet Powerboat Club

Our Powerboat club, which is based on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, was established in June 2008.

In May of that year a group of boating enthusiasts from the Achill and Belmullet areas came together to take part in a local fun boating weekend on Achill, which was organised by a local enthusiast.

From the success of this event and the huge interest shown and also considering the increasing amount of boating activity around the island, it was clear that Achill would be a prime location for the establishment of a Powerboat Club.

After liaising with and receiving a substantial amount of advice and help from Denis Dillon (National Powerboat Officer) for the ISA, our club ‘Achill-Belmullet Powerboat Club’ was born!

Our aim is to provide powerboat users in the west and others in the vicinity with the following facilities:
To come together and enjoy their mutual interest through participating in organised fun-filled events and outings.
To share their knowledge and experience with others.
To extend their expertise in boating through taking part in various training days that are organised within our club.
To plan and develop a Clubhouse with mooring and marina facilities as to cater for all types of leisure craft.
To plan for the future of boating for the West Coast of Ireland.

(Details courtesy of Achill-Belmullet Powerboat Club)

Achill-Belmullet Powerboat Club

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17th July 2009

Glenans Irish Sailing Club

Glenans Irish Sailing Club is a non-profit sailing school affiliated to, but now independent of the larger French Les Glénans sailing school. They offer courses in cruisers, catamarans, dinghies and windsurfing. The sailing bases are on Collanmore Island in Clew Bay, and at a converted railway station in Baltimore, Co. Cork.

As a non-profit organisation, Glenans members have a great commitment to sailing. Properly known as Glenans Irish Sailing Club (GISC), it was founded in 1969 when the first base in Baltimore was opened. The club operates largely using volunteer instructors, backed by a small professional staff on the bases and in the Baltimore office.

The club provides instructor courses approved by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA). Sailing courses are available from May to October, with some weekend courses outside the main period. Course participants automatically become members of the club.

GISC Office – The Station House, Baltimore, Co. Cork. Tel: +353 (0) 28 20630. fax: +353 (0) 28 20312, email: [email protected]

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17th July 2009

West Cork Sailing Centre

West Cork Sailing & Powerboat Centre – 1998 to 2009

In 1998 we discovered an old breezeblock shed next to Adrigole pier and slipway. We thought the location of a building by the edge of a sheltered harbour, surrounded in hills and mountains was perfect for a sailing school.

So, West Cork Sailing Centre was set up and our first 8 dinghies bought. We operated for two years from the old shed, with no running water. Customers enjoyed the atmosphere, quality of equipment and expert tuition, and recommended us to their friends and family to provide us with more bookings.

In 2000 we got planning permission for our new centre and construction started in December of 2000. Paddy Bat and his team of builders worked hard to complete the building for June of 2001.

The luxury of hot showers, toilets and underfloor heating was wonderful.

The new building has lecture room, offices and cafe area, so The Boat House Cafe was opened for passing customers to enjoy a cappuchino while watching the boats sail by. In 2002 we received our Wine Licence.

2004 was a very busy summer and one of our children was very ill, so we closed the cafe to passing trade at the end of the summer and the comfortable dining area is now for our sailors only. We provide a buffet lunch with lovely home made soup to our sailors every day.

In 2004, the fleet increased to 40 boats and a team of ten instructors working in the summer. The cafe is now known as the Bistro and is now only open to our customers or parties. This gives our customers their own relaxing lounge room to catch up on the days events at lunch time and at the end of the day.

The local area has taken a great interest in the development of sailing and to try and increase the availability of boats to the area we have linked up with Bere Island Sailing Club with three 20ft Sun 2000's from Jeaneau, which are in our fleet. We also take care of Beara Community Schools fleet of six Toppers.

2005 and our dream boat joins the fleet – A Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37 Legende. She is just perfect for comfortable sail training. So, we now offer the ISA Cruising Scheme training courses – Yachtmaster, Day Skipper and Competent Crew. The centre also became RYA approved to provide dinghy, keelboat, powerboat and cruising RYA certificates to our UK customers.

In September 2006 the Commercial Yachtmaster Intensive training course was launched and the centre is now busy throughout each winter training complete beginners to become Yachtmasters on a six-month course.

It is now 2008 and we have a total fleet of 50 boats, kayaks, dinghies, keelboats, powerboats and yacht.

The future is bright, as we plan to build the West Cork Adventure Centre with high ropes, low ropes, indoor climbing, archery, underground mazes, orienteering, climbing and much more. All inconjunction with the development of accommodation designed specifically for the outdoor enthusiast. So watch this space as this new dream develops.

We are open to new projects and ways of developing sailing within the area, so if you have any ideas please get in touch.

We hope to see you on the water with us soon.

Gail and Niall Mac Allister

THE NEW BUILDING HAS:
DINING ROOM- with Balcony overlooking harbour and Hungry Hill
HOT SHOWERS - peel your wet suit off in a hot shower!
HEATED CHANGING ROOMS - luxury
HEATED CLASSROOMS - with French doors out to pier
HEATED DRYING ROOM - dry wet suits

Open Hours: September to June – 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and July to August – 10am to 5pm, every day

West Cork Sailing Centre, The Boat House, Adrigole, Beara, Co Cork. Tel: + 353 (0)27 60132, Email: [email protected]

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17th July 2009

Strangford Sailing Club

Strangford Sailing Club, Strangford, Co. Down, N. Ireland. Tel: (028) 4488 1404

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17th July 2009

Strangford Lough Yacht Club

Strangford Lough Yacht Club is situated in Whiterock Bay in Killinchy, between Comber and Killyleagh. It is in an area of outstanding beauty and on the finest sailing waters in Ireland.

SLYC hosts a variety of dinghies and keelboats which race competitvely during the sailing season. These include Rivers, Glens, Clippers, Flying Fifteens, Sonatas, Cruisers and a large dinghy fleet.

Strangford Lough Yacht Club boasts a large number of facilities for our members and visitors.

The club house has a bar and restaurant facilities, along with many other facilities for the boat owners. Situated in Whiterock, the Club commands unbeatable views across Strangford Lough. The Club provides a very active social, educational and sailing programme that maximises the facilities of the club.

Strangford Lough Yacht Club, Whiterock, Killinchy BT23 6PY, N. Ireland. Tel: 02897 541883, fax: 02897 541883, email: [email protected]

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17th July 2009

Royal Ulster Yacht Club

Royal Ulster Yacht Club is located in Bangor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland on the south shore of Belfast Lough.

The Club was established in 1866 as the Ulster Yacht Club, on the impetus of Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. In 1869 it received a Royal warrant. The land for the clubhouse was purchased in 1897 and built by architect Vincent Craig (brother of James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon).

The 'boating grocer', Sir Thomas Lipton, being blackballed from the Royal Yacht Squadron, launched his America's Cup bid from the RUYC in 1898. Lipton continued to sail from the Royal Ulster until 1929; his legacy being the Lipton Room.

Today the Club's patron is Her Majesty The Queen (a position Her Majesty has held since 1953) and the Commodore is Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

RUYC was visited by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 1961, with Prince Philip competing in the Regatta. Prince Philip returned to the Club in 2006.

The club is one of the clubs on the lough that form part of the Belfast Lough Yachting Conference.

(Details courtesy of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club)

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17th July 2009

Quoile Yacht Club

The Quoile Yacht Club was founded in Downpatrick at the Quoile Quay, on the then tidal Quoile River, in 1958. When, in 1962, the Ministry of Agriculture built a barrier at Castle Island, to alleviate the regular damaging flooding to which Downpatrick was subjected in times of high tide and heavy rain, they agreed to relocate the club to the seaward side of the barrier. The site was excavated and levelled, and a slipway provided. Thus the Club was reborn on its present site, with sheltered deepwater moorings, space for caravans, clubhouse and parking. After 40 years of investment and improvement the Quoile can boast the best facilities on Strangford Lough.

Quoile Yacht Club, 21 Castle Island Road, Downpatrick, Co. Down BT30 7LD, N. Ireland. Tel: 028 4461 2266, Club Secretary email: [email protected]

(Details courtesy of Quoile Yacht Club)

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Page 9 of 15

About The Middle Sea Race

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney–Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a 'must do' race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2007 was the 28th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25–30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has rissen sharply to 68 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as "the most beautiful race course in the world".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record – competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

In 2006, Mike Sanderson and Seb Josse on board ABN Amro, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, the super Maxis; Alfa Romeo and Maximus and the 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race overall winner, Hasso Platner on board his MaxZ86, Morning Glory.

George David on board Rambler (ex-Alfa Romeo) managed a new course record in 2007 and in 2008, Thierry Bouchard on Spirit of Ad Hoc won the Rolex Middle Sea Race on board a Beneteau 40.7

The largest number of entries was 78 established in 2008.

Middle Sea Race History

IN THE BEGINNING

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner, CEO of Turner Communications (CNN) has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?"

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 – won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on Rumegal, and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with Moro di Venezia.

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on Penduik. Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by Mistress Quickly in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi Helisara IV. Later came Marvin Greene Jr, CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known Nirvana (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose Sagamore was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

THE COURSE RECORD

The course record was held by the San Francisco based, Robert McNeil on board his Maxi Turbo Sled Zephyrus IV when in 2000, he smashed the Course record which now stands at 64 hrs 49 mins 57 secs. Zephyrus IV is a Rechiel-Pugh design. In recent years, various maxis such as Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Maximus and Morning Glory have all tried to break this course record, but the wind Gods have never played along. Even the VOR winner, ABN AMro tried, but all failed in 2006.

However, George David came along on board Rambler in 2007 and demolished the course record established by Zephyrus IV in 2000. This now stands at 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

At A Glance - Middle Sea Race 2024

First held: 1968

Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club

Start

The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 19 October 2024.

Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10-minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 21 October 2024

Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)

Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start.

Course

Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.

Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)

Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, United States, Jason Carroll

Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth