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Displaying items by tag: 1st Female Navy Capt

Lieut Cdr. Roberta O’Brien the first female captain of an Irish Naval Service patrol vessel, LÉ Aisling in 2008, is among speakers at an International Women's Day Luncheon event held today in Cork, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Irish event in association with AIB, takes place in the Metropole Hotel. This afternoon's event is been held in advance of the official date of the globally held International Women's Day 2020 (this Sunday, 8 March).

O’Brien has had a remarkable career so far with the Irish Naval Service, and where she has really paved the way for females, not just in the Defence Forces but across all careers and paths of life. Roberta became the first female to join the navy in 1995 when she joined the Defence Forces as a cadet.

The theme for International Women's Day (#EachforEqual) is 'an equal world is an enabled world'. Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world. Equality is not a women's issue, it's a business issue.

According to the event organiser, she is about to be promoted to the role of first female Naval Commander in the Irish State.

The Naval Service Officer was awarded 'Cork Woman of the Year' Award in 2011 and is seen on the occasion in the above photo along Port of Cork's city-centre quays.

Downriver of these quays is where the former LÉ Aisling (P23) renamed Avenhorn in 2017 departed farewell from the Irish Naval Base on Haulbowline, Cork Harbour for new owners which has since changed. For the last update click here.

For much more information on Sunday's worldwide event, click the IWD's website here.

Published in Navy

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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