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A Sigma 33 One Design keelboat racing on Dublin Bay Photo: AfloatA Sigma 33 One Design keelboat racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Displaying items by tag: Sigma 33

Bangor Town Regatta entry is now open and it’s the Sigma 33s who lead the way with five entries already for the June event writes Betty Armstrong.

With Charles Hurst Jaguar Land Rover as headline sponsors, the event incorporates the Sigma British and Irish championships, so Class 6 is already showing considerable interest.

It is also part of the RC35 Celtic Challenge.

The 2018 regatta was a resounding success so with this year repeating the tried and tested four-day formula out of the Quay Marina Bangor, 2020 should be no different.

"This year repeating the tried and tested four-day formula"

There’s racing for ten classes ranging from the biggies to the smaller RS Elites, and Waverley and Fairy dayboats.

The Sigmas listed include the well-known local successful Squawk (Emma and Paul Prentice) as well as Mark Bradshaw’s Busy Beaver from Fairlie, James Miller’s Mayrise (Helensburgh), Insider owned by Stephan Mullaney of Howth and Partisan (Dan Lewis).

Sigma 33s 3712Sigma 33s will race for National Championships honours at Bangor Town Regatta in June Photo: Afloat

Jay Colville’s Forty Licks from East Down and RUYC comes with history, having clocked the same points as Rockabill VI in Division 0 in last year’s Frank Keane BMW ICRA Nationals in Dun Laoghaire.

Murray McDonald’s Port Edgar based Hunter 707, Autism on the Water, races in Class 3. It represents an internationally recognised charity that provides growth in the awareness of Autism and helps Autistic people access sailing and boating in general.

Phil Davis’s RUYC regular Giggle, completes the list so far.

Published in Belfast Lough

Scribbler, my Sigma 33 yacht, was hauled ashore this week. Now she stands in her cradle in Castlepoint Boatyard in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour for her out-of-the-water winter rest. It is the annual end-of-season ritual. There are owners who don’t any more do an off-season haul-out. They winter on a marina, or on sheltered moorings and only haul for a hull-clean prior to the start of the new season. There are the particularly fortunate owners who can ‘winter’ their boats close to their homes, nicely at hand for the off-season maintenance work!

I come from the ‘old school’ thinking that it is best to ‘give the boat a dry-out.’ GRP, the plastic boats, benefit from it, I was told from the first boat purchase I made. Not everyone agrees these days but, whatever the off-season decision for your boat, the atmosphere that is about is definitely ‘end-of-season,’ with Autumnal and October cruiser Leagues concluding this weekend at clubs around the country.

More boats will be hauled ashore over the next week or so. There are the hardy souls in cruisers who sail on into December, when the weather can often be magnanimous, the dinghy sailors who do so year-round and the Lasers who ‘frostbite’.

As Scribbler was ‘laid-up’ this week I got to thinking about the perennial questions – why do we have boats, why do we go out in them and, of course, are they worth the expense and the effort needed to keep them going?

One of the best – and humorous – answers to those questions which I have heard came from Bro. Anthony Keane, who has been so much involved in the restoration of the famous Ilen. From Leitrim originally, he has been a monk at Glenstal Abbey since 1965 and his study of theology and wood in which he is quite an expert, as shown in the Ilen project, has enabled him to enjoin the topics with the maritime sphere and boating. I’ve admired the content of speeches he has made at the various stages of Ilen’s restoration and its launch and reported them here.

He was particularly outstanding at the launch of the restored Dublin Bay 21, Naneen, in Kilrush last month when I recorded his dissertation on why we have boats and go to sea. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to broadcast it, which has come with this week’s ‘hauling’ reflections.

Bro. Anthony’s thoughts on boats are worth listening to!

Listen to the Podcast below

Published in Tom MacSweeney
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Scotland's Leaky Roof 2 sailed by Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson & Kirsty Robertson from Cove Sailing Club were winners of the Sigma 33 Irish Open Championships sailed as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2019.

In fact, Scottish visitors took the top three places in the 20-boat Championsship fleet with James Miller's Mayrise from Helensburgh Sailing Club second overall and Fairlie Yacht Club entry Busy Beaver Mark Bradshaw and Jack Gallagher third. 

The top Irish boat was Stephen and Des Mullaney's Insider from Howth Yacht Club with the distinctive Sail Number 'IRL4444' in fifth place overall.

Sigma 33 insider 3617Stephen and Des Mullaney's Insider from Howth Yacht Club

Sigma33 fleet 3715

Sigma33 fleet 3657

Sigma 33 Legless again 3625

Published in Volvo Regatta
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Scottish crews are in command at the 20-boat Sigma 33 Irish National Championships hosted as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

After four races sailed and one discard, James Miller's Mayrise of Helensburgh Sailing Club leads Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson & Kirsty Robertson) of Cove Sailing Club by three points. 

In third place overall is Fairlie Yacht Club's Busy Beaver (Mark Bradshaw & Jack Gallagher).

Best of the Irish is Paul & Emma Prentice's Squawk from Ballyholme Yacht Club in fourth place but you have to go as low tenth to find the first Dublin Bay boat, Joe Conway's Elandra from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Sigma 33 Leaky Roof2 1855Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson & Kirsty Robertson) of Cove Sailing Club

Racing continues tomorrow.

Published in Volvo Regatta
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“We write to remind you that, due to the age of your vessel, Underwriters require an update of the last survey and valuation report, to be carried out ashore by a qualified marine surveyor who carries professional indemnity cover, prior to your policy’s next renewal date.”

The insurers of my yacht Scribbler issued their demand and so, my lovely boat in which I have had so much enjoyment and trusted her so much and she has responded so well to looking after me and all aboard, has been subjected to the poking and prodding of the surveyor and a detailed 22-page report has issued which concludes that: “the vessel has been constructed to a high standard and the boat’s present condition is considered very good for the boat’s age.”

That is 33 years this year and the conclusion, which pleases me, is a tribute to the Sigma 33 builders, Marine Projects of Plymouth and the care and attention that has been lavished on her.

At present, she is getting TLC following her health check-up and one of those checks included an examination of the keel bolts.

That got me to thinking about whether enough attention is given to this important part of the boat and how, when we have been well heeled-over during strong wind conditions when racing, so much about the safety of the boat and all aboard is dependent upon the “righting moment” and the keel.

How much attention do owners give to that vitally important part of the boat and its structure?

There have been many changes over the years from traditional long-keeled boats, integral keels to bolted-on keels and so on and, in the modern conception of offshore yachts, swinging keels.

Doing a bit of research about keels I learned that World Sailing is launching an In-Build Validation Scheme to look at the fabrication of the keel and attachment in yachts and, though this is primarily being developed to address what is described as “the increasing loss of keels on offshore sailboats,” it is an interesting thought, is it not, to consider one’s keel.

World Sailing is to produce its Validation Scheme this August and it will then be discussed at the organisation’s annual conference.

What will it all mean for those of us whose primary engagement is club sailing or coastal cruising and even more for those who cruise abroad and for the offshore racers?

That remains to be seen, but for my beloved Scribbler, who’ve looked after her for so many years, we’ve checked all keelboats and, as she ages to maturity over the years ahead, we’ll be implementing a keel bolt replacement programme as decided necessary while she remains giving us sailing enjoyment.

Very important to mind the bit of the boat that keeps you upright!

• Listen to the Podcast below

Published in Tom MacSweeney
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This year the Sigma 33 class is celebrating the launch of the first boat forty years ago.

With 408 boats built between then and 1991, the boats proved a great success, not only for builders Marine Projects in Plymouth but also a generation of one design keelboat sailors across the UK and Ireland.

"the class works hard to keep the boats one design philosophy"

With the class working hard to keep the boats one design philosophy, it is still proving a very popular boat with 20 boats frequently making the start line in most of the bigger regattas.

Last year for the first ever UK and Irish Sigma 33 Championships at the Royal St. George Yacht Club on Dublin Bay a record fleet gathered at Dun Laoghaire.

Sigma 33 3233Sigma 33s racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat.ie

Currently, there are 16 boats entered for the July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and in an effort to push this to 26 the Irish East Coast Class Association has offered to refund the entries for two boats if the total entry reaches 26 by the close of the early bird entry date of March 31st.

Leaky Roof 2 Sigma 33 3871Scottish visitor Leaky Roof 2 was the winner of the 2018 UK and Irish Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat.ie

Rupert Sigma 33 3955Philip (left) and Richard Lovegrove sailing the Sigma 33 ‘Rupert’, winners of the Waterhouse Shield for the best performing DBSC cruiser-racer in 2018. Photograph: Afloat.ie

Entries can be made on the VLDR website here 

The cost of entry is €220.00.

If the total entries reach 26 by March 31st a draw will take place the following week in which the additional entries received will be included. €220.00 will be refunded to the two boats drawn.

Published in Sigma
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It looks to be all good news for the Sigma 33 class in 2019 with another strong entry of 16 boats entered to date for next July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, over six months before the event.

It promises to be another competitive regatta for the fleet and one of the biggest one-design cruiser classes at the event as the biennial festival itself promises a record entry to date with over 228 boats signed up across 32 competing classes.

The regatta of 2018 at the RSt.GYC will live long in the memory for the class as one of the most competitive and enjoyable racing experienced by the fleet during the Class and Irish Championships in June 2018, thanks to the perfect weather and the PRO David Lovegrove who ran 10 great races over the three days.

"Entries for the last two for Sigma 33 events in Dun Laoghaire have been about 20+"

The Class Championships were won by Alan Harper “Leaky Roof 2” from Scotland and the Irish Championships by Paul & Emma Prentice “Squawk” Royal Ulster Yacht Club. Incidentally, both winners have already entered the 2019 regatta. An indication that Dun Laoghaire 2019 is going to be as competitive as ever for Sigma 33’s.

Entries for the last two for Sigma 33 events in Dun Laoghaire have been about 20+ and 2019 competitors are expected to match these levels which is an exciting prospect for the Class and particularly the 140+ competitors.

In addition, the fleet will have a new Class Captain with Joe Conway from RIYC “Elandra” due to take over on 14th January 2019 at the AGM in the RIYC.

Published in Sigma
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7th September 2018

Dirty Boats & Dirty Ports

Hello and welcome to the weekly MacSweeney Podcast ….

It’s been a week with interesting topics, from dirty boats to dirty ports, the pleasant sight of island-racing dinghies but the nastier tale of what submarines might be doing off the West Coast…

The dirty bottom of Scribbler, my Sigma 33, wasn’t pleasant. The amount of underwater hull growth this year has been heavier than in previous Summers, despite two coats of anti-foul and monthly scrubbing since she was launched in late April… A green weed adhered to the bow and the rudder and other boat owners in Cork Harbour told me that they had the same problem and, as we all know, hull growth slows down speed through the water. Now, I know that some of the most dedicated racers haul regularly or dry-sail …. But that’s not really feasible for ordinary folk who race weekly club events …Higher water temperatures during this Summer have been blamed by some owners….. I’d like to know if the same “dirty hull” problem has been encountered in other areas of the coast…. Or could it be the quality of anti-foul?

Another problem, identified to me by some visitors from national and foreign climes this Summer, is the lack of rubbish disposal for visiting cruising boats in small harbours and anchorages around Ireland. Mostly, visitors have told me, marinas have this sorted but I’ve heard stories of visiting crews wandering around smaller harbours or little ports off which they’ve anchored, with a rubbish bag looking for a place to dispose of it …And, in a plane on the way back from Norway during the week, I read a missive from one British cruising sailor: “Dear Ireland, why do you make cruising sailors suffer. This matter is much talked about among visiting yachts,” he said and suggested there would be some who wouldn’t bother to visit Ireland because of it. Paul Heiney was writing in the UK magazine Sailing Today, where he said he had a “stunning trip amongst the rugged beauty of Ireland” – but was highly critical of the lack of rubbish disposal facilities.

Listen to the Podcast about another disposal problem, along the coastline from Donegal to Galway and why the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group wants to know what submarines are doing off our West Coast …and also how one Cork Harbour club made a clean sweep of all the trophies at another club….

Published in Tom MacSweeney
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Dermot Clarke and Patrick Maguire's Sigma 33 Gwilli Two of the Royal St. George Yacht Club was the winner of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Cruiser 2 Coastal Race to Greystones Harbour in County Wicklow yesterday by the narrowest of margins.  

After nearly two hours of racing in 20–knots, Gwili Two won by less than one foot at the finish from clubmate Richard Lovegrove in the sister ship, Rupert. In a clean sweep for the Sigma 33 design under IRC rating, Henry Leonard's & Bobby Kerr's Leeuwin from the Royal Irish Yacht Club was third. 

Paddy Maguire Adrienne Jermyn Daragh CafferkeyGwilli Two skipper Paddy Maguire (left) is presented with the Class's Nightcap Trophy by Greystones Sailing Club's Darragh Cafferkey. DBSC Cruiser Two Captain Adrienne Jermyn (centre) won the ECHO prize on Helterskelter

Ten boats started the annual race and seven boats finished. The Gwilli Two crew were presented with the Class's Nightcap Trophy by Greystones Sailing Club's Darragh Cafferkey.

Under ECHO handicap, Adrienne & Averil Jermyn's Helterskelter won from Aztec with Utopia (Brendan and Gerard Healy) third.

Published in Sigma
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Scottish visitors dominated a ten race series to take all three places on the podium of the Sigma 33 Class UK and Irish Championships 2018 on Dublin Bay this weekend.

The Royal St. George Yacht Club event attracted 23 entries, some 161 competitors from five countries. It was a record fleet for the Dun Laoghaire Club's first ever staging of the UK and Irish Championships. The event was run with support from BMW and UK Sailmakers Ireland.

Sigma 33 Leaky roof II 3872Sigma 33 Champion Leaky Roof II (Alan Harper) had eight results in the top five Photo: Afloat.ie

Sigma 33 flags 3987England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were represented at the Sigma 33 Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat.ie

Consistent sailing from Alan Harper's Leaky Roof II – with eight results in the top five – meant the Cove Sailing Club entry continued her overnight lead to take the title by five points. 

Sigma 33 start 3202(Above and below) The start of one of ten Sigma 33 races Photos: Afloat.ie

Sigma 33 Start 3222

15 visiting boats from 13 clubs and eight Dublin Bay boats enjoyed the well-run championships that saw a full series sailed in light sea breezes since Friday. 

Second overall was Grant Simpson's Miss Behavin from Helensburgh SC. Third was Busy Beaver skippered by Mark Bradshaw of Fairlie YC.

Top Irish boat was Paul Prentice's Squawk from Royal Ulster who took fifth overall with a final race win.

Sigma 33 Gwilli two 3815Paddy Maguire's Gwilli Two from the Royal St. George Yacht Club was the top Dublin Bay boat at the Sigma 33 Championships Photo: Afloat.ie

The top Dublin Bay boat was Gwili Two skippered by Paddy Maguire of the RStGYC in tenth place.

Sigma 33 4264 3937British visitor Andy Laming's Afrita of St Mawes from St Mawes SC Photo: Afloat.ie

Sigma 33 Rupert 3951Dick Lovegrove's Rupert from the host club Photo: Afloat.ie

Sigma 33 Rajah 3838Clyde Cruising Club's Rajah skippered by Roy Summers was eighth overall

Sigma 33 Whit Mischief 3239John Doyle's Whit Mischief from Arklow SC looks for clear air after a start Photo: Afloat.ie

Results are provisional. Click here 

See all Afloat's Sigma 33 coverage in one handy link here

Published in Sigma
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Page 2 of 6

How to sail, sailing clubs and sailing boats plus news on the wide range of sailing events on Irish waters forms the backbone of Afloat's sailing coverage.

We aim to encompass the widest range of activities undertaken on Irish lakes, rivers and coastal waters. This page describes those sailing activites in more detail and provides links and breakdowns of what you can expect from our sailing pages. We aim to bring jargon free reports separated in to popular categories to promote the sport of sailing in Ireland.

The packed 2013 sailing season sees the usual regular summer leagues and there are regular weekly race reports from Dublin Bay Sailing Club, Howth and Cork Harbour on Afloat.ie. This season and last also featured an array of top class events coming to these shores. Each year there is ICRA's Cruiser Nationals starts and every other year the Round Ireland Yacht Race starts and ends in Wicklow and all this action before July. Crosshaven's Cork Week kicks off on in early July every other year. in 2012 Ireland hosted some big international events too,  the ISAF Youth Worlds in Dun Laoghaire and in August the Tall Ships Race sailed into Dublin on its final leg. In that year the Dragon Gold Cup set sail in Kinsale in too.

2013 is also packed with Kinsale hosting the IFDS diabled world sailing championships in Kinsale and the same port is also hosting the Sovereign's Cup. The action moves to the east coast in July with the staging of the country's biggest regatta, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta from July 11.

Our coverage though is not restricted to the Republic of Ireland but encompasses Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Irish Sea area too. In this section you'll find information on the Irish Sailing Association and Irish sailors. There's sailing reports on regattas, racing, training, cruising, dinghies and keelboat classes, windsurfers, disabled sailing, sailing cruisers, Olympic sailing and Tall Ships sections plus youth sailing, match racing and team racing coverage too.

Sailing Club News

There is a network of over 70 sailing clubs in Ireland and we invite all clubs to submit details of their activities for inclusion in our daily website updates. There are dedicated sections given over to the big Irish clubs such as  the waterfront clubs in Dun Laoghaire; Dublin Bay Sailing Club, the Royal Saint George Yacht Club,  the Royal Irish Yacht Club and the National Yacht Club. In Munster we regularly feature the work of Kinsale Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven.  Abroad Irish sailors compete in Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) racing in the UK and this club is covered too. Click here for Afloat's full list of sailing club information. We are keen to increase our coverage on the network of clubs from around the coast so if you would like to send us news and views of a local interest please let us have it by sending an email to [email protected]

Sailing Boats and Classes

Over 20 active dinghy and one design classes race in Irish waters and fleet sizes range from just a dozen or so right up to over 100 boats in the case of some of the biggest classes such as the Laser or Optimist dinghies for national and regional championships. Afloat has dedicated pages for each class: Dragons, Etchells, Fireball, Flying Fifteen, GP14, J24's, J80's, Laser, Sigma 33, RS Sailing, Star, Squibs, TopperMirror, Mermaids, National 18, Optimist, Puppeteers, SB3's, and Wayfarers. For more resources on Irish classes go to our dedicated sailing classes page.

The big boat scene represents up to 60% of the sail boat racing in these waters and Afloat carries updates from the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA), the body responsible for administering cruiser racing in Ireland and the popular annual ICRA National Championships. In 2010 an Irish team won the RORC Commodore's Cup putting Irish cruiser racing at an all time high. Popular cruiser fleets in Ireland are raced right around the coast but naturally the biggest fleets are in the biggest sailing centres in Cork Harbour and Dublin Bay. Cruisers race from a modest 20 feet or so right up to 50'. Racing is typically divided in to Cruisers Zero, Cruisers One, Cruisers Two, Cruisers Three and Cruisers Four. A current trend over the past few seasons has been the introduction of a White Sail division that is attracting big fleets.

Traditionally sailing in northern Europe and Ireland used to occur only in some months but now thanks to the advent of a network of marinas around the coast (and some would say milder winters) there are a number of popular winter leagues running right over the Christmas and winter periods.

Sailing Events

Punching well above its weight Irish sailing has staged some of the world's top events including the Volvo Ocean Race Galway Stopover, Tall Ships visits as well as dozens of class world and European Championships including the Laser Worlds, the Fireball Worlds in both Dun Laoghaire and Sligo.

Some of these events are no longer pure sailing regattas and have become major public maritime festivals some are the biggest of all public staged events. In the past few seasons Ireland has hosted events such as La Solitaire du Figaro and the ISAF Dublin Bay 2012 Youth Worlds.

There is a lively domestic racing scene for both inshore and offshore sailing. A national sailing calendar of summer fixtures is published annually and it includes old favorites such as Sovereign's Cup, Calves Week, Dun Laoghaire to Dingle, All Ireland Sailing Championships as well as new events with international appeal such as the Round Britain and Ireland Race and the Clipper Round the World Race, both of which have visited Ireland.

The bulk of the work on running events though is carried out by the network of sailing clubs around the coast and this is mostly a voluntary effort by people committed to the sport of sailing. For example Wicklow Sailing Club's Round Ireland yacht race run in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club has been operating for over 30 years. Similarly the international Cork Week regatta has attracted over 500 boats in past editions and has also been running for over 30 years.  In recent years Dublin Bay has revived its own regatta called Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and can claim to be the country's biggest event with over 550 boats entered in 2009.

On the international stage Afloat carries news of Irish and UK interest on Olympics 2012, Sydney to Hobart, Volvo Ocean Race, Cowes Week and the Fastnet Race.

We're always aiming to build on our sailing content. We're keen to build on areas such as online guides on learning to sail in Irish sailing schools, navigation and sailing holidays. If you have ideas for our pages we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]