Displaying items by tag: sunk

9th June 2010

Ocean Youth Trust Official Statement on Lord Rank Sinking

The Ocean Youth Trust has issued a statement regarding the sinking of their only sail training vessel, the 70-foot ketch the Lord Rank.

Bronagh Cappa, Chief Executive of the trust, said:

“The Ocean Youth Trust is greatly saddened by the loss of our only vessel, the Lord Rank, but is delighted that none of the six people aboard were injured during what was a textbook evacuation.

“The Lord Rank, a 68ft Oyster ketch crewed by a fully-qualified skipper, first mate and crewman, had a perfect safety record over 19 years at sea with the Ocean Youth Trust, working with tens of thousands of young people around Ireland.

“Around 10 o’clock last night the vessel hit rocks at a particularly treacherous part of the North Antrim Coast. The RNLI and Coastguard responded promptly and the crew and three passengers were safely taken off by dinghy.

“The Lord Rank sank around 4am during a salvage attempt.

“An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the incident and we cannot comment further until that is concluded. However, we are relieved and delighted that all involved emerged completely unscathed.”

Published in News Update

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour