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#InlandWaters - Waterways Ireland advises all masters and users of the Erne Navigation that a fireworks display will take place at Castle Island in Enniskillen on Hallowe’en night (Tuesday 31 October) from 8pm to 8.30pm.

Boat masters should also be aware of an event called Light Up the Lough which will take place prior to the fireworks display from 6.30pm.

Light Up the Lough is a flotilla of lit-up vessels from Erne Paddlers, Row the Erne and Erne Boat Hire Ltd. The boats will be dressed in lights and will circle around Castle Island four an hour.

Passing vessels must keep wash to a minimum and stay clear of this activity.

Masters of vessels are advised that there will be no mooring permitted at Waterways Ireland Head Office moorings nor at the Henry Street Public Jetties on the day of the event in the interest of public safety.

Navigation in the vicinity of Castle Island is also prohibited for the duration of the event.

Alternative moorings are available at the Forum and Regal Pass jetties with easy access to event vantage points.

Instructions from safety vessels must be adhered to at all times.

Further information may be had from the Lough Erne Manager/Warden at Waterways Ireland Head Office at 0044 48 66322836.

Published in Inland Waterways

The GP14 is a popular sailing dinghy, with well over 14,000 boats built.

The class is active in the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and parts of north-eastern USA, and the GP14 can be used for both racing and cruising. 

Designed by Jack Holt in 1949, with the assistance of the Dovey Yacht Club in Aberdyfi. The idea behind the design was to build a General Purpose (GP) 14-foot dinghy which could be sailed or rowed, capable of also being powered effectively by a small outboard motor, able to be towed behind a small family car and able to be launched and recovered reasonably easily, and stable enough to be able to lie to moorings or anchor when required. Racing soon followed, initially with some degree of opposition from Yachting World, who had commissioned the design, and the boat soon turned out to be an outstanding racing design also.

The boat was initially designed with a main and small jib as a comfortable family dinghy. In a design philosophy that is both practical and highly redolent of social attitudes of the day the intention was that she should accommodate a family comprising parents plus two children, and specifically that the jib should be modest enough for "Mum" or older children to handle, while she should perform well enough to give "Dad" some excitement when not taking the family out. While this rig is still available, and can be useful when using the boat to teach sailing, or for family sailing, and has some popularity for cruising, the boat is more commonly seen with the full modern rig of a mainsail, genoa and spinnaker. Australian boats also routinely use trapezes.

GP14 Ireland Event Dates 2023

  • O'Tiarnaigh (Apr 22-23) Blessington Sailing Club
  • Ulsters (May 20-21) East Antrim Boat Club
  • Munsters (Jun 17-18) Tralee Bay Sailing Club
  • Leinsters (Jul 7-9) Dun Laoghaire Regatta
  • SOYC (Aug 19-20) Rush Sailing Club
  • Nationals (Sep 1-3) Sutton Dinghy Club
  • Hot Toddy (Sep 30-Oct 1) Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club

 

At A Glance – GP14 Dinghy Specifications

Crew 2
Draft 1,200 mm (47 in)
Hull weight 132.9 kg
LOA 4.27 m (14 ft)
Beam 1.54 m
Spinnaker area 8.4 m2
Upwind sail area 12.85 m2

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