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Displaying items by tag: Glenarm Race

The Vaughan family in the Jeanneau 349 Toucan win the second Glenarm Race in Northern Ireland.

The chance to end the season on a high rewarded those who took part in the Royal North of Ireland annual Glenarm event in late September as the brisk Northerly kept them on their toes in a lively race.

The club lies at Cultra on the southern shore of Belfast Lough, and the destination Glenarm is a few miles north of Larne Harbour on the East Antrim Coast.

Nine boats entered the event he which is open to both racing crews and those who prefer the camaraderie of a cruise-in-company. The Vaughan family in the Jeanneau 349 Toucan, Gordon Patterson’s Sigma 362 Fanciulla, Woo Kearney in the Sigma 33 MaDeCoco and Johnny Parkes Oceanis Clipper 323 Pegasus left Cultra start line at 10:00. While Toucan made the decision to cross the Victoria shipping channel at the earliest opportunity preferring the relative shelter of the Co. Antrim side of the Lough they made it out of the Lough first, heading northeast to make the most of the tidal gains. They held firmly onto the first position until the finish off Glenarm.

The other three hugged the Co. Down coast on the way up the Lough. Next to finish was Fanciulla and having suffered a huge tear in their main sail and damage to their jib, this was no mean feat. However, it was MaDeCoCo that clinched second position from Fanciulla on corrected time, followed by Pegasus in fourth.

Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club's Glenarm Race resultsRoyal North of Ireland Yacht Club's Glenarm Race results

The five boats taking the cruise-in-company option timed their departure from Bangor Marina at 11:00, heading straight for Glenarm under engine and arriving amongst the finishing racing fleet. The strong Northerly against the north-flowing ebb resulted in a fairly bouncy sea state for those motoring, but they did have more time to appreciate the stunning east Antrim coast, and all enjoyed the hospitality on arrival.

A barbeque had been arranged by Conor Haslett at the Marina, and the winner’s trophy was awarded to the Toucan crew in front of a crowd of family and friends.

Published in Belfast Lough

The Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School is based on Dun Laoghaire's West Pier on Dublin Bay and in the heart of Ireland's marine leisure capital.

Whether you are looking at beginners start sailing course, a junior course or something more advanced in yacht racing, the INSS prides itself in being able to provide it as Ireland's largest sailing school.

Since its establishment in 1978, INSS says it has provided sailing and powerboat training to approximately 170,000 trainees. The school has a team of full-time instructors and they operate all year round. Lead by the father and son team of Alistair and Kenneth Rumball, the school has a great passion for the sport of sailing and boating and it enjoys nothing more than introducing it to beginners for the first time. 

Programmes include:

  • Shorebased Courses, including VHF, First Aid, Navigation
  • Powerboat Courses
  • Junior Sailing
  • Schools and College Sailing
  • Adult Dinghy and Yacht Training
  • Corporate Sailing & Events

History of the INSS

Set up by Alistair Rumball in 1978, the sailing school had very humble beginnings, with the original clubhouse situated on the first floor of what is now a charity shop on Dun Laoghaire's main street. Through the late 1970s and 1980s, the business began to establish a foothold, and Alistair's late brother Arthur set up the chandler Viking Marine during this period, which he ran until selling on to its present owners in 1999.

In 1991, the Irish National Sailing School relocated to its current premises at the foot of the West Pier. Throughout the 1990s the business continued to build on its reputation and became the training institution of choice for budding sailors. The 2000s saw the business break barriers - firstly by introducing more people to the water than any other organisation, and secondly pioneering low-cost course fees, thereby rubbishing the assertion that sailing is an expensive sport.