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Displaying items by tag: Lough Neagh Rescue

On Sunday 5th June lifeboats went to the aid of a jet ski with two people on board in difficulties on the River Blackwater which flows into the south western corner of Lough Neagh. It was towed to Maghery where the casualties were handed over to the Coastguard team.

And on the same day the Lifeboats were tasked by Belfast Coastguard to attend a vessel with five people on board that had broken down on its way from Ardboe on the western shore of the Lough to Sandy Bay Marina on the east. By the time the Lifeboats attended the scene the casualty vessel had managed to start the engines and were able to make their own way back to Sandy Bay, escorted by the Lifeboats.

On Thursday 9th there was another call out to a vessel with two on board which had broken down near Kinnego Bay in the south of the Lough and it was towed back to the Marina

And on 11th June, the lifeboats and shore crew were tasked to search for a vessel that had lost steering on the River Bann. But as information was limited both the Upper and Lower River Bann (which flow into both the North and South ends of the Lough) were searched.

The casualty vessel with two on board was located on the Lower Bann and after a side tow was secured, the vessel was brought to the jetty at the lock gate where it was inspected for damage and the steering problem was resolved. With steering and propulsion checked a crew member remained onboard the casualty vessel whist the lifeboat escorted it from the River Bann to its mooring in Ballyronan marina.

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On Monday, May 2 Lough Neagh Rescue was alerted by Belfast Coastguard to reports of an overturned Jetski in Antrim Bay on the Northeast corner of what is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles and Ireland.

Two casualties were taken from the water onboard the lifeboat and then were transferred to Antrim Marina where they received medical attention before being handed over to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Also at the scene was the Lough Neagh Coastguard Rescue Team which is based at Kinnego Marina on the Southeast corner of the Lough.

Lough Neagh Rescue is a voluntary search and rescue organisation based on the shores of Lough Neagh.

Published in Rescue

Seven people were rescued from two vessels that ran aground on Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland on Saturday night (12 September).

Lifeboats and shore crew were quickly tasked by Belfast Coastguard to the scene at Coney Island, where the vessels were in just 1-2 feet of water.

Their position in the shallows — plus an onshore wind creating a lot of swell — made access difficult, according to Lough Neagh Rescue.

The team decided to carry out a lee shore rescue, with two crew entering the water to rig a tow on the first casualty vessel, with three on board. This boat was bright to safety in Maghery, east of Dungannon.

Next, Lough Neagh Rescue launched its swift water boat from the slip at Maghery to bring the four people on the other grounded vessel to safety.

With all seven back ashore, rescue crews returned to the grounded boat to try to remove it from the rocks — an effort that was eventually successful. Once refloated, the boat was taken under tow to safe mooring at Maghery.

Lough Neagh Rescue also launched last night (Sunday 13 September) to a broken-down vessel on the Blackwater River.

Two people on board the vessel, which was half-way between the Maghery and the M1 motorway bridge, were taken onto the lifeboat while a rescue team member set up a tow for the stricken vessel.

Published in Rescue

Scottish Series Background

Although the format of the Scottish Series varies little from year to year, it is interesting to see some of the changes which the event has seen over the years:

  • CYCA handicap class added to IOR (1976)
  • IOR level rating classes to reflect the popular sizes and World Championships being held in the UK
  • Separate one design class for Sonatas (1980 to date)
  • Campbeltown dropped with offshore races direct to Tarbert (1982)
  • Unique light displacement CYCA class - the forerunner of today's sportboats (1982)
  • Computer results system introduced in 1982 and now recognised as the best in the UK
  • Separate one design class for Sigma 33 (1987 to date)
  • Separate one design classes in certain years for Impalas, Sigma 38, Melges 24 and Cork 1720
  • Inner triangle to shorten courses for smaller classes (1986)
  • Points loading for offshore race reduced from 2 to 1.5 to 1
  • First racing in Scotland under Channel Handicap (1988)
  • Second racecourse for smaller classes (1989)
  • Discard introduced
  • Windward leeward races - two per day (1993)
  • Sportboat classes with no overnight races (1994)
  • Marquee on quayside for main social events (1995-2008)
  • Restricted Sail Class (1998)
  • Third racecourse for sportboats with up to three races per day (1998)
  • Day feeder races (2002)
  • Overnight and day feeder races discontinued (2005)
  • Stand-alone Tarbert Inbound and Outbound passage races introduced (2005/6)

With all these changes, some things have stayed the same:

  • Huge support from Ireland every year since 1975
  • A magnificent effort ashore and afloat from the volunteer helpers of the Clyde Cruising Club, Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club and Tarbert Loch Fyne Yacht Club
  • Results and communications service at the forefront of technology
  • The best competition and the best social scene in the country
  • An overall Series winner, the roll call including many of the top sailors in Scotland and beyond.

Scottish Series 2025

The dates for the 2025 edition of Scotland's biggest sailing event at Tarbert are: 23 –26 May 2025

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