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Displaying items by tag: BOATWARDEN

I wrote a few weeks ago about the importance of protecting your boat and marine equipment.
Since then I have been talking to a man who has developed a unique system to prevent thieves stealing outboard engines, of which thefts there has been a huge increase in the past 18 months, according to Gardai.
Kevin Hennessy describes his company as “a small Irish tech operation.” He is based in Youghal on the East Cork coastline, not far from the studios of Community Radio Youghal where my radio programme, THIS ISLAND NATION, is produced and which you can hear below.
Kevin’s company may be a “small tech operation” but it is setting international headlines with the development of a digital padlock to protect outboards and foil thieves, who seem to have been operating in organised gangs to steal engines.
Kevin, a boating enthusiast, began with BOATWARDEN and has now created OUTBOARDWARDEN. In his premises I saw an impressive system monitoring boat security in several parts of the world. His new system has been adopted by one of the biggest engine distributors in Britain and is this week being introduced at the world’s largest marine equipment trade show in Amsterdam. This is METSTRADE, where over 20,000 professionals from 112 countries gather.
Kevin Hennessy describes what his company has achieved.
A padlock on an outboard is not easy to develop I said to him when I began interviewing him.
You can hear how he overcame that difficult developmental challenge by listening to THIS ISLAND NATION Podcast below.

Published in Island Nation

Irish Sailing

The Irish Sailing Association, also known as Irish Sailing, is the national governing body for sailing, powerboating and windsurfing in Ireland.

Founded in 1945 as the Irish Dinghy Racing Association, it became the Irish Yachting Association in 1964 and the Irish Sailing Association in 1992.

Irish Sailing is a Member National Authority (MNA) of World Sailing and a member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

The Association is governed by a volunteer board, elected by the member clubs. Policy Groups provide the link with members and stakeholders while advising the Board on specialist areas. There is a professional administration and performance staff, based at the headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Core functions include the regulation of sailing education, administering racing and selection of Irish sailors for international competition. It is the body recognised by the Olympic Federation of Ireland for nominating Irish qualified sailors to be considered for selection to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Irish sailors have medalled twice at the Olympics – David Wilkins and Jamie Wikinson at the 1980 games, and Annalise Murphy at the 2016 games.

The Association, through its network of clubs and centres, offers curriculum-based training in the various sailing, windsurfing and powerboating disciplines. Irish Sailing qualifications are recognised by Irish and European Authorities. Most prominent of these are the Yachtmaster and the International Certificate of Competency.

It runs the annual All-Ireland Championships (formerly the Helmsman’s Championship) for senior and junior sailors.

The Association has been led by leading lights in the sailing and business communities. These include Douglas Heard, Clayton Love Junior, John Burke and Robert Dix.

Close to 100 sailors have represented Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership of Irish Sailing is either by direct application or through membership of an affiliated organisation. The annual membership fee ranges from €75 for families, down to €20 for Seniors and Juniors.