Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: August Bank Holiday

#NavalService - L.E. Róisín, leadship of a pair of 'Róisín' or OPV80 class offshore patrol vessels will be open to the public in Co. Donegal this August Bank Holiday weekend.

The OPV is berthed at Rathmullan Pier, Lough Swilly where Naval Service crew yesterday provided guided tours of the 80m OPV. Further tours will be made available between 13:30 - 17:00 today and during tomorrow's Bank Holiday Monday.

Afloat had previously monitored L.É. Róisín during the annual Zeebrugge Navy Days, where foreign navies join those of their host, the Belgian Navy which has a base location within the commercial port that includes a ferry service to Hull in the UK. The three day event took place in late June early July in which public tours of the Irish Naval Service OPV took place. 

L.É. Róisín was built by Appledore Shipyards, Bideford in the UK and was commissioned into service in December 1999. The same yard located in north Devon is now under different owners, Babcock Marine which is currently at the final stages of completing the newbuild OPV90 L.É. George Bernard Shaw, an enhanced version of the L.É. Róisín.

As for the construction of L.É. Róisín, Naval Service engineers stood by at all stages of the build.

The OPV80 class was built to a design that optimises patrol performance in Irish waters (which are the roughest in the world), all year round. For that reason a greater length overall (78.8m) was chosen, giving her a long sleek appearance and allowing the opportunity to improve the conditions onboard for her crew.

On board facilities include more private accommodation, a gymnasium and changing /storage areas for boarding teams.

Published in Navy

#MaritimeFestivals - Stormy Stan sailed into Arklow aboard tall ship Ruth recently as part of the build up to Arklow RNLI’s Gathering of the Fleet Maritime Festival.

This August Bank Holiday weekend, Arklow RNLI and Arklow Harbour will play host to vessels of all shapes and sizes from tall ships such as Ruth to Naval Service vessels, vintage and prototype RNLI lifeboats, emergency service vessels and visiting boats from all around the UK, Ireland and further afield for the fundraising festival, which is now over 50 years old and continues to go from strength to strength.

Boat trips, kayaking and windsurfing opportunities will be up for grabs, as well as the special attraction of the Thundercat Experience, where visitors can head out on the water aboard a Thundercat racing boat.

There will be aerial attractions too, with a flying visit by the Garda Air Support Unit and the regular Air Sea Rescue Display with the Irish Coast Guard's Rescue 117 helicopter.

And that's not to mention the activities or landlubbers such as the carnival, food and craft stalls, live music, model boats, emergency service demonstrations and vintage vehicles.

Arklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Mark Corcoran said: "This weekend really is a must for maritime enthusiasts and all the family. Almost all of the events are free. This is our opportunity to put something back in our town.

"Without our communities continued support we couldn’t continue, so make sure to come down to Arklow this August Bank Holiday weekend for the Gathering of the Fleet-Arklow Maritime Festival."

He added: "There really is something for everybody, so put it in the calendar."

Full details of the festival will be available on the festival's Facebook page, where anyone with a vessel who wants to take part in the festival can make contact. There is also an opportunity for any novice or experienced sailors to arrive at the festival aboard a tall ship – e-mail [email protected] for further details.

Published in Maritime Festivals

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020