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Displaying items by tag: Bronze Age

#Diving - A Bronze Age sword has been plucked from the River Shannon in Co Offaly by a local diver, according to the Irish Independent.

And it's only the latest in a series of historical finds by members of the Shannonside Sub Aqua Club in Banagher, which has previously fished out Viking and Celt weaponry from the river.

The latest find is thought to be some 3,500 years old, and was only discovered by accident when diver Michael O Ruairc was in a routine search and rescue exercise.

The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.

Published in Diving

#BronzeAgeBoat - Dover's replica Bronze Age boat has been moved to a secure location after being vandalised, according to Kent Online.

It's reported that a tent covering the vessel on the port town's Roman Lawn was damaged, and saw marks were made on one side.

The incident comes just days ahead of the launch of a campaign to fund works on the historic boat - a half-size replica of one built some 3,500 years ago - to make it seaworthy after it sank in the Dover docks last year.

A similar project in Cornwall saw the fruit of its own restoration work this past March, when their 50ft Bronze Age boat was set afloat in Falmouth.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Cornish boat is crafted from two giant oak logs and using tools similar to what boat builders of the time world have used in the post-Neolithic era.

Published in Historic Boats
14th March 2013

Bronze Age Boat Is Afloat!

#BronzeAgeBoat - After nearly a year of hard work by a team of volunteers in Cornwall, a pioneering heritage project to recreate an ocean-going boat from the Bronze Age finally saw its results take to the water recently.

The 50ft long, five-tonne vessel was crafted out of two giant oak logs using the tools and methods that the first boat builders would have had to hand some 4,000 years ago.

“It has been incredible to see this whole project take shape in the Museum building over the past 11 months," said Andy Wyke of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

Volunteers led by shipwright Brian Cumby worked in collaboration with leading Bronze Age boat expert Prof Robert Van de Noort and his colleagues at the University of Exeter to produce the finished article, which was successfully paddled in Falmouth Harbour much to everyone's delight and relief.

“There have been doubters, professionally, who questioned the feasibility of this vessel crossing the seas," said Prof Van de Noort. "This project has proven that it was possible.”

The boat is now on display at the museum's pontoon in Falmouth.

Published in News Update

About Match Racing

A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.

In yacht racing, it is differentiated from a fleet race, which almost always involves three or more competitors competing against each other, and team racing where teams consisting of 2, 3 or 4 boats compete together in a team race, with their results being combined.

A match race consists of two identical boats racing against each other. With effective boat handling and clever use of wind and currents, a trailing boat can escape the grasp of the leader and pass. The leader uses blocking techniques to hold the other boat back. This one-on-one duel is a game of strategy and tactics.

About the World Match Racing Tour

Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body – World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion. Previous champions include Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Taylor Canfield (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Bertrand Pace (FRA), Jesper Radich (DEN), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Ian Williams (GBR). Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD23million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors