Volunteers at Red Bay RNLI saved a swimmer on Monday evening (13 June) after she got into difficulty 200m from the shore at Cushendall in County Antrim.

The inshore lifeboat helmed by Emmet Connon and with three crew members onboard, was on a training exercise in Red Bay when at 7.35 pm, a crew member standing on the shore outside the lifeboat station spotted a swimmer in great difficulty. He immediately raised the alarm and the crew on exercise diverted the short distance to the scene.

Weather conditions at the time were good, with an overcast sky and calm seas.

On arrival, the crew observed that the swimmer was struggling to stay afloat. Two crew members jumped into the sea and went to her aid before rescuing the casualty from the water and bringing her onboard the lifeboat where casualty care was administered as the lifeboat made its way back to the station.

Back at the shore, the casualty was handed into the care of a waiting ambulance crew and subsequently transferred to hospital.

Speaking following the call out, Red Bay RNLI Helm Emmet Connon said: ‘This was a frightening experience for the swimmer, and we would like to wish her a speedy recovery. Time was of the essence this evening and we would like to commend our fellow crew member who spotted the casualty was in danger and immediately raised the alarm which allowed us to get to her so quickly and bring her to safety.’

The Red Bay Boats 1150 offshore RIB launched by County Kerry boaters John and Adam Brennan two years ago is on the market.

As Afloat reported in December 2018, the stunning all-white vessel has filled the role of luxury day cruiser and long distant explorer but after two years of service is up for sale.

According to the advert on Afloat here, the 'extremely capable cruiser' is in 'perfect condition with every option installed by the manufacturer'. 

Launched November 2018 with just over 3,000 miles covered in the 2019 season. It can entertain up to 12 people on day trips. Priced at €295k you can see full specs and photos here.

Renowned hospitality specialist John Brennan of Dromquinna Manor and the Park Hotel in Kenmare in County Kerry is best known for his entertaining and informative “At Your Service” double act on television with his brother Francis. In it, the brothers bounce ideas off each other as they bring their unrivalled expertise to bear on some difficult challenges in product-improvement across a wide range of problematic hospitality establishments all over Ireland.

Yet as anyone who has ever enjoyed the superb food and glorious location of his Boathouse restaurant down by the harbour at the Dromquinna Manor wedding venue and glamping holiday set up on the shores of the beautiful Kenmare River will know, John Brennan has a secret life as a serial boat development enthusiast. His Dromquinna-based flotilla does offer hotel guests the possibility of a speedy voyage down the Kenmare River for some unexpected lunch venues. But those who know him are well aware that really it’s all about John’s abiding impulse to create the perfect fast multi-purpose boat and in pursuit of that he and his son Adam have been working with the specialist RIB development team at Redbay Boats at Cushendall in County Antrim.

The Boathouse Restaurant at Dromquinna Photo: W M Nixon

It’s intriguing that father-and-son boat connoisseurs from the distant southwest of Ireland should be so closely linked to a design and production unit in the far northeast of the country. But the reality is that the development of big multi-purpose high speed RIBs is simply a world apart from the humdrum existence of most of us, and we can only watch in wonder as it attracts folk like infrastructure construction magnate Kevin Lagan, who has steadily worked his way up through the Redbay Stormforce size range such that his current machine – with very comfortable cruising accommodation for six - is all of 58ft long.

John Brennan for his part is particularly interested in the detailed technical side and every aspect of planning, designing and creating a boat which provides good performance and onboard comfort with the maximum eco-friendly credentials. And in Tom McLaughlin’s creative team of Gary Fife and designer Owen McKinley, the Dromquinna duo have found kindred spirits with whom to push the envelope of boat development for John’s requirement for “a serious long-distance cruiser”.

Hospitality guru John Brennan of Kenmare in Kerry has a secret life as a serial boat design-and-build developer, using the scope offered by the variations possible in the large Redbay Stormforce RIBs built at Cushendall in County Antrim.
In fact, with a Redbay Stormforce RIB, pushing the envelope is what it’s all about, as the company are cheerfully flexible about size changes as the specification develops. Thus although the Brennans’ Redbay 1150 Dromquinna is now nicely run in and functioning just as planned, even as she was nearing completion John and Adam were well aware that John’s busy mind already had the next boat taking shape in concept form, so the Redbay 1150 Dromquinna is now for sale as progress accelerates on a bigger and more sophisticated craft, due for delivery in April 2021.

Home berth – the Redbay Storm 1150 Dromquinna at Dromquinna quay in Kerry
The most recent set of drawings for the new boat date from March 3rd and illustrate a customised version of Redbay’s Stormforce 14.50. But with a clear programme now in place to guide Dromquinna Manor through the lockdown, the boat team have gone back to the drawing board and we’ll be looking at a Stormforce 16.50 (that’s just over 54ft) with three engines, as an extra two metres length and an additional 0.5m beam were required to accommodate a smaller eco-friendly centre-line engine which will drive her at a gentle 5-7 knots of hyper-economy and minimal pollution for a range of 1800 miles.

However, if you’re in a hurry the big beasts either side will give a top speed of 38 knots, but that only provides 400 miles range, whereas 750 miles is available at 20 knots.

At this boat size, you’re able to provide a second layer of accommodation under the deck saloon, which is an irresistible challenge for someone with John Brennan’s turn of mind. Full-size three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles that would bewilder many of the rest of us are just his thing.

Dromquinna shows her speed and style – after meticulous planning and attention to detail, this special machine is now for sale as the project is very successfully completed, and her owner seeks a fresh challenge in his new Redbay Stormforce 1650
With almost all waterborne life in Ireland on hold, it’s top creativity time for designers and concept developers to do their thing. At a time when sailboat designer Mark Mills of County Wicklow is our “Sailor of the Month” for his success in designing both successful racing machines and highly developed sailing superyachts, it’s good to know that the lines of communication are red hot between the Mountains of Kerry and the Glens of Antrim as another ingenious Brennan powerboat takes shape.

County Antrim RIB builder Red Bay Boats Ltd has disptached its latest 11m RIB to a new home in the Isle of Man.

The slick black Stormforce 11–metre has twin Yanmar 370z inboard diesels, a joystick control system and two steering positions.

Building Rigid Inflatable Boats for over 30 years, Red Bay's Managing Director Tom McLaughlin now has a range from 5 metres right up to 16m commerical Pilot boats.

The complete range, appropriately named 'Stormforce', trade on their sea-keeping abilities, developed from years of McLaughlin's testing in the rough waters off the Antrim coast.

Also launched this month for some 'serious testing' was "Atlantic Dawn", (see vid below) the all new Stormforce 1050 fitted with the new flagship Suzuki DF350s.

Dominic Daly auctioneer achieved good prices at the public auction of six RIBs at Kinsale Boat Yard, Co. Cork on Tuesday, 23rd May, 2017.

Daly told Afloat.ie the XS RIBs sold for €30,000 and €28000. The Redbay RIBs 6.5m sold for €14,000 13,500 and €8,700.

A Jet ski sold for €2000. 

Details of the boats are here

Dominic Daly Auctioneer – in association with Promara Ltd – Noel O Regan will auction six RIBs and a jet ski (details below) at Kinsale Boat Yard, Co. Cork at 12 noon on Tuesday, 23rd May, 2017. 

For further details, please contact: Dominic Daly 087 2550486 [email protected] and Noel O Regan 087 3435666 [email protected]

Scroll down for specs and more photos of each RIB

VENDORS:      SFPA (Sea Fisheries Protection Authority)

RIB 1              Maker             XS RIBS           Model             7.0m

Built                2010                                        Length             7.0m

Beam               2.6m                                       Engines            2 Yamaha 100 HP 4-stroke

Console             Patrol with 4 jockey seats      Road trailer     4 wheel road trailer

Fuel tanks       2 tanks fitted under decks       Storage            Storage box aft

Above: photos of RIB 1 Maker: XS RIBS Model : 7.0m

 RIB 2              Maker             XS RIBS           Model             7.0m

Built                2010                                        Length             7.0m

Beam               2.6m                                       Engines            2 Yamaha 100 HP 4-stroke

Consol             Patrol with 4 jockey seats      Road trailer     4 when road trailer

Fuel tank         2 tanks fitted under decks      Storage            Storage box aft

Above: Photos of RIB 2 Maker: XS RIBS Model: 7.0m

VENDORS:      IFI (Inland Fisheries Ireland)

RIB 3              Maker             Redbay           Model             Stormforce 6.5

Built                2000                                       Length             6.5m

Fuel tanks       2 tanks fitted above decks     Storage            Storage box aft

Console            Single 4 jockey seats           Engines           2 Suzuki 90 HP 4-stroke

                                                                      Road trailer     4 wheel road trailer

Above: photos of RIB 3 Maker: Redbay Model: Stormforce 6.5 

RIB4               Maker             Redbay            Model             Stormforce 6.5

Built                2000 (or earlier)                      Length             6.5m

Console          Single 4 jockey seats            Engines            2 Honda 90 HP 4-stroke

Road Trailer 

Above: Photos of RIB4 Maker: Redbay Model:Stormforce 6.5

RIB 5

Make RIB350 Rigid Inflatable
Built 2006
Engines Yamaha 25 hp electric & manual start
Engine detail model 25NEO
Console Single seat behind console
Fuel tanks Portable tanks
Road Trailer two wheel trailer
Equipment paddles, cover, fish finder, air pump

RIB 6
Maker Redbay
Model 6.5
Built 2001
Road trailer trailer
Engines 2 Evinrude 90HP

Jet Ski

For further details, please contact: Dominic Daly 087 2550486 [email protected] and Noel O Regan 087 3435666 [email protected] 

 

Dominic J. Daly & Co. FRICS, MSCSI

CHARTERED SURVEYORS & VALUERS

Pembroke House Tel: 021 – 4277399

Pembroke Street Mobile: 087 – 2550486

Cork. Email: [email protected]

Irish RIB builders Red Bay Boats launched a new Stormforce 12–metre fitted with twin 350 Verado outboards last week.

According to the Northern Ireland firm, the sleek boat has been built for Better Moments As, based in Norway.

This will be the second Stormforce 12 delivered to the company in the past year. The boat has been loaded and is en-route from Cushendall in County Antrim to Norway for its role in guided wildlife trips in Svalbard.

Irish Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) builder Red Bay Boats is exhibiting one of its giant 16–metre Pilot Boat Stormforce RIBs at next month's Seaworks commercial exhibition in Southampton.

Intended for a variety of commercial applications including Pilot, Patrol, and passenger carrying usages this new Stormforce 1650 is a development of the County Antrim firm's Rigid Inflatable Boats. Of particular interest is the keen handling of the 'keel–less' demonstrator craft 'Caledonia' (pictured above and vid below) when manoeuvring alongside ships during recent trials.

The Cushendall firm headed by Tom McLaughlin has been busy working on the commercial side of the RIB business and is seeking Port customers for The 1650 which has a deep-V hull, with foam filled collars bonded to the hull sides.

Red Bay is also exhibiting a new 12 metre jet powered RIB, a 7.4m with a new Hyundai diesel and two more outboard driven 7.4s with Suzuki engines.

 

#RIBS – Redbay Boats is holding a demo and secondhand boat weekend on the 31st March/1st April at its home port of Cushendall, Co. Antrim. A wide range of secondhand boats will be on display as well as sea trials available on its range of Stormforce RIBs from 6.1m to 11m. The firm is having a clear-out sale with a large range of parts and boat building materials available too.

This is also a chance to have a look around the impressive Red Bay facilities and see the new Stormforce 1650 in build. There will be a BBQ on Saturday evening. More info directly from Red Bay here

#RIBS–Antrim's Red Bay Boats are building a 16-metre RIB and the new model to the Red Bay range will have a number of commercial applications. The Northern Ireland boat firm is operating at full capacity with commercial orders this month, a tonic for these times, and the firm headed by Tom McLaughlin, will be exhibiting a full range at the UK Seaworks Boat Show in late May.

With the hull mold of the the new 16-metre craft completed, the first Redbay Stormforce 1650 is underway! The boat is going to be built as a Pilot Boat and will be used for demo's and will be on display at the upcoming boat shows.

The impressive 16m design is now under construction at Cushendall in County Antrim

The photos below show the first hull being laid with fibreglass. Beside the hull mold is the plug for the deck mold and the cabin mold which are still being made.

Power for the monster hull is coming from twin Volvo Penta D9 500hp engines coupled to ZF gearboxes with shafts and rudders. It is clearly a boat that will interest port companies in this country and around the world.