Displaying items by tag: Cove Sailing Club

18th September 2023

Tonga Tops Cove Sailing Club's Friday Night IRC Racing

David and Richard Marshall headed the Wednesday night dinghy league series at Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour in their Rankin R30. Second was Owen O’Connell in Rankin R61, and third was Maurice and Frances Kidney in their R12.

Rankins filled the top six positions, a notable achievement for the revived fleet due to the commitment of supporters of this notably famous Cobh dinghy.

In cruisers, as the season ended for evening sailing, the Friday night IRC winner was Shipman 28, Tonga, Gary Mills. Second, Pat Mustard, George Radley Jnr and third, the Sigma 33, Musketeer, Billy Burke.

The Whitesail ECHO handicap winner was Sigma 38, Kernow, Ian Scandrett, second Barossa, the Shipman 28, Maurice Kidney and Gerry Holland, and Déjà vu, Brian Curtis.

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Cove Sailing Club

28th August 2023

Cove Sailing Club Opens Entry for September's Cobh-Blackrock Race

Cove Sailing Club has opened online entry for the annual Cobh-Blackrock Race for cruisers and dinghies on Saturday of next week, September 9.

Rankins continues to lead the Wednesday night dinghies league. David and Richard Marshall are on top with 21 points, second Owen O’Connell on 25 and third Maurice and Frances Kidney on 30.

Friday cruiser racing ‘Kites IRC’ leader is ‘Tonga’ (Gary Mills), on 14 points from George Radley Junior’s ‘Pat Mustard’ on 29 and Billy Burke’s ‘Musketeer’ third on 32.

George Radley Junior’s ‘Pat Mustard' Photo: Bob Bateman

First and third are the same in ECHO, with Nicholas O’Rourke’s ‘Bright Wings’ second.

Ian Scandrett’s ‘Kernow’ leads Whitesail on 11 points, Maurice Kidney and Gerry Holland’s ‘Barossa; is second on 18 and ‘Déjà Vu’ (Brian Curtis) third on 27.

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19th August 2023

Royal Cork's Tommy Dwyer Takes Rankin Brothers Cup at Cove Sailing Club Regatta (Photo Gallery)

Noted Royal Cork Yacht Club dinghy ace Tommy Dwyer swapped his National 18 for a smaller Rankin dinghy last weekend (August 12th) and, together with grandnephew Harry, won the Rankin Brothers Cup Cove Sailing Club regatta in Cork Harbour.

Nine Rankins took the starting gun for a two-race contest in what was described as a 'very competitive fleet'.

Maurice and Frances Kidney were second in R12, and Daniel and Grace O'Connell were third in R61.

Cove Sailing Club regatta also held racing for mixed PY dinghies, and there was a great turnout of Optimist junior sailors, with RCYC and MBSC sailors joining in.

Bob Batemans's Cove Sailing Club Regatta 2023 Photo Gallery

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12th August 2023

Rankin Brothers Regatta Cup Race Moved to Sunday at Cove Sailing Club

The highly anticipated Rankin Brothers Regatta Cup, which was set to take place this Saturday at Cove Sailing Club, has been postponed due to the anticipation of high winds. Instead, the dinghy event will now take place on Sunday afternoon in Cork Harbour.

The annual regatta is known as the "big event of the season" for the Rankin Class and draws in sailors from all over Cork Harbour.

Despite the delay, participants and spectators alike are still eagerly looking forward to the exciting competition and camaraderie that the event always brings.

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9th August 2023

Big Rankin Dinghy Event at Cove Sailing Club This Weekend

The Rankin Class “big event of the season” is scheduled to be raced this Saturday at Cove Sailing Club – the Rankin Brothers Regatta Cup. First Gun will be at 2.30 pm.

The revival of the traditional, historic Rankin Class at Cobh, a two-person 12-footer dinghy, is an example of what the Class describes as “ordinary sailors with a love of the sport reviving a traditional, beloved local boat.” The Class members located Rankin dinghies in various places, which were unused, refurbished them and found new owners. They put a huge commitment into the Class for “basic and enjoyable sailing with an emphasis on family involvement.”

At present, Rankins are dominating Wednesday night dinghy league racing at Cove SC. Owen O’Connell is leading in Rankin 61 on 28 points from R30 (David and Richard Marshall) on 29 with Rankin 12 (Maurice and Francis Kidney) 3rd on 32. Three other Rankin comprise the top six in a mixed fleet, including Lasers, RS 400s, Fevas and Topaz.

The Class says it wants to encourage more people, including those new to sailing, to consider joining the Rankins and to look at their web page for more details here

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31st July 2023

O’Connell’s R61 Rankin Leads the Wednesday Dinghy League at Cove Sailing Club

Ian Scandrett’s Sigma 38 won Friday evening’s Whitesail cruiser race at Cove Sailing Club. Second was Brian Curtis in his Sun Odyssey and third was the Dehler 34 (Allen/Leahy).

Owen O’Connell’s R61 Rankin now leads the Wednesday Dinghy League.

Overall the Rankins still hold the top three places. R30 (David and Richard Marshall) are second and R12 (Maurice and Frances Kidney) third.

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17th July 2023

Rankins Still Hold Top Three Places inCove Sailing Club’s Summer Dinghy League

John Cotter’s Miracle won the eleventh race of Cove Sailing Club’s Wednesday night summer dinghy league. Cathal and Ruadhán Jackson were second in their RS Feva XL. Kate and Tadgh Scannell were third in an RS 400. Overall, on 45 points, Maurice and Frances Kidney in RankinR12 are league leaders, with David and Richard Marshall in RankinR30 second on 49. Rankin61 (Owen O’Connell) is third on 52. Rankins still hold the top three places.

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11th July 2023

Rankins Continue to Dominate at Cove Sailing Club League in Cork Harbour

At Cove Sailing Club, Rankin dinghies continue to dominate the fleet, holding the top three positions.

Maurice and Francis Kidney lead on 39 points in R12, one ahead of David and Richard Marshall on 40 in R30.

Owen O’Connell’s R61 is third on 47.

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3rd July 2023

Rankins Lead Cove Sailing Club Wednesday Night Dinghy League

Rankins lead the Wednesday night dinghy league at Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour. David and Richard Marshall are on top with 12 points after nine races, of which they have won three. Owen O’Connell is next on 18 points. Maurice and Frances Kidney are third on 22.

Eoin Jones leads the club’s Optimist League, which has had 10 races, on 12 points.Ruadhán Jones is second on 14 and Theo Carney third on 17.

The Cruiser Friday night Spinnakers League ECHO handicap leader is ‘Pat Mustard’ on nine points, helmed by George Radley Jnr. Second is ‘Tonga’ (Gary Mills), one point behind on ten and third ‘Bright Wings’ (Nicholas O’Rourke) on 12.

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27th June 2023

Scandrett’s Kernow Leads Cove Sailing Club Cruiser League

Friday night cruiser racing under ECHO handicap at Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour is led by Ian Scandrett’s Kernow. Maurice Kidney/Gerry Holland are second sailing Barossa, Robbie Allen/Damien Leahy third in Rana.

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.