The south coast regatta season is in full swing, and Kinsale was the place to be at the weekend for sailing activities and a spectacular fireworks display set off from the commanding position of James Fort at Kinsale Harbour.

The country's 'oldest' regatta drew in crowds of spectators for the regatta and for the smaller-than-hoped-for SCORA fleet heading to Baltimore. 

When it's August Bank Holiday, it's Kinsale Regatta Photo: Bob Bateman

Adding to the spectacle was the arrival of the 55m superyacht, Adela that been a contender for some superyacht racing titles with victories in the St Barths Bucket, RORC Caribbean 600, Antigua Superyacht Challenge and the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta over the past five years.

Fireworks viewed from Charlesfort were a spectacular sight at Kinsale Harbour on Saturday night Photo: Bob Bateman

As readers of Afloat are aware, West Cork's Calves Week Regatta is scheduled to begin on Tuesday with Cork Harbour's Cobh Regatta taking place the following weekend.

The 55m long and 250 tonne superyacht Adela dwarfs local vessels at Kinsale Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

The presence of the superyacht at Kinsale marina and the historic Ilen, Ireland's last trading ketch, at the town quay, added to the festive maritime summer scene in Kinsale.

It was an exciting and eventful weekend on the south coast. See Bob Bateman's photo gallery from Kinsale below. 

Kinsale Yacht Club Regatta 2023 Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

This week's Calves Week Class Zero entrant, the J122 Jelly Baby, won Sunday's seven-hour SCORA Kinsale to Baltimore Race.

Just three boats, all from Royal Cork Yacht Club, made the line for the race, postponed until Sunday due to weather. 

The Brian Jones skippered big boat won in both IRC and ECHO with Kieran O'Brien and Fiorentina Carroll's MG335, Magnet second in both handicap divisions. Third was Ronan Twomey's Rosmarina.

As Afloat reported previously, Jelly Baby will be in a five-boat battle for Class Zero honours at Calves Week that starts on Tuesday, August 8th.  

In its 224th year this August weekend, Kinsale Regatta is claimed to be “the oldest regatta in Ireland.”

The varied regatta programme includes sailing for both Cruisers and Dinghies.

There will be racing for Cruiser Classes 1,2, and 3 and White Sail on both Sunday and Monday. There will also be racing for Dragons, Squibs, Lasers, Toppers, Optimists and Mixed Dinghies on both days and a Sailability event on Monday

All starts, and finishes will be off Pier Head. First Gun for Cruisers on Sunday is at 2 p.m. Dragons at 2.05 p.m.; Squibs at 2.10 p.m.; Lasers and Mixed Dinghies at 2.15 p.m.; Toppers at 2.20 p.m.; Optimists at 2.25 p.m.

On Monday, the start time for all Classes will be an hour earlier, and the Sailability event will start at 1.30 p.m.

“For all Kinsale sailors staying local this weekend, the oldest regatta in Ireland is an event to take part in,” according to Kinsale Yacht Club.

The regatta is sponsored by Hamilton Shipping and Cully & Sully.

Kinsale Yacht Club’s annual Race to Baltimore, also a South Coast Offshore Racing Association (SCORA) event, will start on Saturday morning with First Gun at 10.55. This is also a feeder race to West Cork for Calves Week.

Sixteen yachts raced at Kinsale Yacht Club on Friday night (July 21) for the Bertoletti Trophy.

This race commemorates the late KYC steward Mario Bertoletti who served at the club from the 1970s for over 30 years.

John Godkin and his crew on Godot, the Dufour 44 DD, won the trophy with a corrected time for the course of 40 minutes and 40 seconds. Stephen Lysaght’s Elan 333, Reavra Too, was second on corrected time of 46 minutes 20 seconds, and third was John Whelan’s Wheels Sun Odyssey 42i.

Kinsale Yacht Club returned to club cruiser monthly league racing after the Sovereigns Cup dominated activities, with racing in the Blue Haven Group Summer Series.

Dan Buckley’s ‘Justus’ a J109, won the first race in IRC1 and ECHO handicaps from Stephen Lysaght’s ‘ Reavra Too’ an Elan 333, with Finbarr O’Regan’s ‘Artful Dodjer’ another J109 third, the same placings in ECHO.

Samuel Cohen’s ‘Gunsmoke,’ a First 32, won Class 2 from Patrick Beckett’s ‘Miss Charlie’ with ‘No Notion’ (O’Regan/O’Sullivan) third. ‘Gunsmoke’ also won in ECHO from ‘Miss Charlie’. Nigel Dann’s ‘Val Kriss’ was third. IRC 3 fleet winner was ‘Swift’ (Paul Cotter/Dominic Falvey), second was ‘Apache’ (Alan Mulcahy) and third Padraig O’Donovan’s ‘Chameleon’.

ECHO handicap Fleet 3 winner was ‘Toroloco’ (Raymond Hanley), second Martin Hargrove’s ‘Deboah’ and third ‘Swift.’

Although the biennial Sovereigns Cup might be the big focus at Kinsale Yacht Club this week, another aspect of the club was boosted over the weekend - its commitment to inclusiveness in sailing.

The West Cork club welcomed Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality and Disability, Anne Rabbitte, to launch its new Sailability fleet of access dinghies and a new Whaly Safety boat on Saturday.

Sailability Ireland is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation to promote wider participation and has provided the resources to purchase specially-adapted boats.

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality and Disability, Anne Rabbitte, with Kinsale Yacht Club's Sailability promoter Donal Hickey Photo: Bob Bateman

Kinsale has been a big supporter of disabled sailing through the years, as Afloat's Tom MacSweeney previously reported in his podcast with Kinsale's Sailability promoter Donal Hickey.

Kinsale Yacht Club's new Sailability fleet of access dinghies afloat at the Kinsale Harbour slipway with thew new yellow hulled Whaly Safety boat in the background Photo: Bob Bateman

"People of different abilities can sail a boat. Sailability makes sailing available for people with disabilities. It gives equality and opportunity through the attraction of the sport and the sea," says Donal Hickey, who organises the Sailability programme at Kinsale and is a strong exponent of what the sport can provide for disabled people.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern speaking at the Sailability launch Photo: Bob Bateman

Listen to Tom MacSsweeney's 2019 podcast here and see photos from Saturday's Sailability launch at KYC by Bob Bateman below

Sailability Launch at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman 

James Matthews, David Good, Harry Lewis and Fergal O’Hanlon of the host club were the overall winners by three points of the O'Leary Life Irish South Coast Dragon Championships sailed at Kinsale Yacht Club from 26th – 28th May.

A fleet of thirteen boats took part, including visitors from the Royal St.George YC, Glandore Harbour YC and Royal Irish YC.

The prevailing high-pressure system resulted in great racing with easterly winds for the three days under the direction of PRO, John Stallard.

Going into the final race, only one point separated Phantom (Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring & David Williams) from TBD (James Matthews, David Good, Harry Lewis and Fergal O’Hanlon).

TBD (James Matthews, David Good, Harry Lewis and Fergal O’Hanlon) were the overall winners of the Dragon South Coasts at Kinsale Photo: David Cullinane

Following the start of the final race, Phantom remained on a starboard tack and head inshore, whereas TBD tacked early onto port and headed further out to sea.

The port tack proved to be the winning tack for TBD as the was ahead of Phantom at the weather mark and held her lead for the rest of the race. The final results were TBD in first place (11 points),Phantom in second place (12 points) and Little Fella in third place with 15 points.

Overall results are below

Dan Buckley's J109 Justus leads after one race sailed at the La Bougie Early Summer Cruiser Series at Kinsale Yacht Club.

After last week's cancellation, the series got underway last night in breezy conditions in Kinsale Harbour.

Justus now leads Class One IRC from Cian McCarthy's Sunfast 3300, Cinnamon Girl. Third is John Godkin in the Dufour 44 DD, Godot. 

Cian McCarthy's Sunfast 3300, Cinnamon Girl under spinnaker at Kinsale Yacht Club's Early Summer Cruiser Series Photo: Bob Bateman

In IRC Class Two, Gerald & Matilda Campbell are in first place on the Elan 31, Cirrus. Second is David O'Sullivan's J80 No Notions with Patrick Beckett's Tofinou 8, Miss Charlie, third.

IRC Two racing at Kinsale Yacht Club's Early Summer Cruiser Series with the J80 No Notions (left) and Patrick Beckett's Tofinou 8, Miss Charlie Photo: Bob Bateman

Alan Mulcahy's Albin Express Apache is the IRC 3 leader in Kinsale Yacht Club's Early Summer Cruiser Series Photo: Bob Bateman

Kinsale Yacht Club's Richard Hanley in his Saoirse Ukraine message on the hull of his GK 24 competing in the West Cork club's Early Summer Cruiser Series Photo: Bob Bateman

Early Summer Cruiser Series at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

Full results below

Former Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett of the Irish Naval Service, who retired as head of the Defence Forces in September 2021, has been saluted by Kinsale Yacht Club at the weekend for his distinguished award from the French Government of 'Commandeur de la légion d'honneur', France's highest honorary decoration to foreigners. 

Mellet received notification of the French award last August.

The physical honour will be bestowed on him on 14th May at a ceremony in Collins Barracks, Dublin, followed by a reception at the French Embassy.

Mellet received the Kinsale recognition at a packed West Cork clubhouse – where he is already an honorary member – at the KYC Axiom Spring Series Prizegiving.

Mellett became head of the Defence Forces in September 2015; he was the first Navy officer to take the post.

The Mayo man, who learned to sail at Rosmoney and around Clew Bay’s islands, has served several times overseas with the UN and has a PhD in ocean governance.

He is passionate about the sea and its potential, and about its future in an era of climate change. He has spoken in several recent issues about climate breakdown as our greatest threat and climate justice as a major global issue.

He spoke to Afloat about some of the issues he has dealt with – from the Defence Forces' response to the Covid-19 pandemic to diversity and inclusion in the military in a Wavelenths interview with Lorna Siggins in August 2021 here

Royal Cork Yacht Club Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble was the Spinnaker 1 - IRC fleet overall winner after four races sailed at Kinsale Yacht Club's Axiom Spring Series.

After a fortnight of cancellations due to big winds and fog, the KYC league concluded on Saturday, but again, the weather attempted to thwart plans and the finale was sailed in mist.

A special prizegiving at KYC was well attended and included a special announcement from the club vice commodore, Anthony Scannell, who said entries for June's Simply Blue Sovereign's Cup were now at 85 boats.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern (left) addresses the Axiom Spring Series prizegiving at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

The light winds were very much to the liking of the David and James Dwyer co-skippered Half Tonner lead, who won by a single point from their Crosshaven clubmates, Paul and Deirdre Tingle, in the X4 Alpaca on six points. Third overall was the ECHO winner, the Jones family's J122, Jelly Baby on seven. Ten competed.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern (left) and sponsor Tom Roche of Axiom (right) with the Axiom Spring Series Kinsale Yacht Club IRC One Division top three overall Photo: Bob Bateman

Quarter Ton Anchor Challenge Wins IRC Two

In IRC Two Spinnaker, Conor Phelan's RCYC Farr Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge came from third overall to win thanks to wins in races three and four to be two points clear of Kieran Kelleher and Colman Garvey's Dubois Quarter Tonner Diamond on five. KYC's Under 15 J/24 'Kinsailor' crew took third place on seven. Seven competed.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern (left) and sponsor Tom Roche of Axiom (right) with the Axiom Spring Series Kinsale Yacht Club IRC Two Division top three overall Photo: Bob Bateman

Apache and Magnet share the White Sails spoils

One of the most intense battles took place over four races in the ten-boat white sail division between Alan Mulcahy's Apache and Kieran O'Brien's MG335, Magnet.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Matthias Hellstern (left) and sponsor Tom Roche of Axiom (second from right) with the Axiom Spring Series Kinsale Yacht Club White Sails Division top three overall Photo: Bob Bateman

Magnet's ECHO handicap was adjusted after the first race.

Overall, it worked out that the spoils were even; Apache-winning IRC and Magnet-winning ECHO.

Mulcahy's Albin Express crew were also winners of KYC's March League, so they become the south coast form white sails boat in 2023.

Alan Mulcahy and his Albin Express crew from Apache are congratulated by Axim sponsor Tom Roche for their White Sails win in the Kinsale Spring League Photo: Bob Bateman

The event is the year's first event to count for SCORA season points.

Axiom Private Clients Spring Series 2023 Prizegiving Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman