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Displaying items by tag: Travelling Eased

Ferry sailings to and from the Isle of Man have been updated as the Manx government announced it's easing travel restrictions.

As Manx Radio reported, Chief Minister Howard Quayle announced yesterday the Isle of Man is moving from stage five to four on its borders framework.

From Monday, 20 July, Manx residents can travel to the UK and beyond, as long as they self isolate for two weeks once they return.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet has therefore revised its schedule, running two daily sailings between Douglas and Heysham on the Ben-my-Chree on most dates from Friday, 24 July.

It will also provide a daily fast craft service to Liverpool on the Manannan from Fridays to Mondays, also starting from the 24 July.

Published in Ferry

The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker in 1929 as an entry for a competition run by the Royal Yacht Club of Gothenburg, to find a small keel-boat that could be used for simple weekend cruising among the islands and fjords of the Scandinavian seaboard. The original design had two berths and was ideally suited for cruising in his home waters of Norway. The boat quickly attracted owners and within ten years it had spread all over Europe.

The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP is the most popular material, but both new and old wooden boats regularly win major competitions while looking as beautiful as any craft afloat. Exotic materials are banned throughout the boat, and strict rules are applied to all areas of construction to avoid sacrificing value for a fractional increase in speed.

The key to the Dragon's enduring appeal lies in the careful development of its rig. Its well-balanced sail plan makes boat handling easy for lightweights, while a controlled process of development has produced one of the most flexible and controllable rigs of any racing boat.