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Displaying items by tag: 2 millionth passenger

The two millionth cruise ship visitor has been welcomed to Belfast Harbour, underlining the success of an initiative which begun more a quarter of century ago.

As the Irish News reported, cruise visitor Lea Goodsell, yesterday emerged down the gangplank of the 2,340 passenger capacity Norwegian Dawn as that milestone passenger.

The 294m cruiseship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will make a total of 13 calls this season and the occasion of the cruiseship visitor marked a major moment for Cruise Belfast.

In 2019 Cruise Belfast opened the first dedicated cruise terminal on the island of Ireland. It is a partnership between Belfast Harbour and Visit Belfast which markets the port city as a leading cruise ship destination.

Among the callers attracted to Belfast, Afloat adds is today's (10 May) visit of Le Bellot with 250 passengers and where the Ponant Cruises ship made a maiden voyage to the city when it docked in Pollock Dock.

While the Norwegian Dawn overnight made the short passage across the North Channel and into the Firth of Clyde to berth this morning at the Greenock Ocean Cruise terminal.

More on the story and about Cruise Belfast which was formed in 1996, preceding the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

At that stage cruise ships came nowhere near the port city on the river Lagan, which was still emerging from more than two decades of turmoil.

Published in Cruise Liners

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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