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Displaying items by tag: Adopted Port

#AdoptedPorts – The ‘Freedom of Entry to the County’ bestowed to the Naval Service by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council last month took place in the harbour where flagship LE Eithne is twinned with the town. So what about the rest of fleet inquires Jehan Ashmore.

Of the current eight-strong fleet, not all of the patrol vessels are profiled on the Defence Forces website in regards to ships adopted ports as well as respective charities. The profile also gives significant events of the ship, origin of name, the commander in charge and vessel characteristics. All this can be consulted here.

Afloat contacted the Department of Defence to fill in these gaps concerning both 'updated' adopted ports and charities supported by the crew. Periodically they change to reflect crew changes and as priorities shift. The 'adoption' of a charity added the Department should be viewed as informal and is designed to give a focus to any crew fundraising initiative. It was also emphasised they should not be viewed as exclusive of other charities or causes.

Below is the completed list and should you observe any of the patrol ships making calls to their respective adopted port, consider the relationship that links crew and communities. In addition the important role they play in supporting charities and also from the public.

L.É. Eithne (P31)
Adopted Port: Dun Laoghaire
Ships Charity: Our Lady’s for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin

L.É. Orla (P41)
Adopted Port: Dingle
Ships Charity: Marymount Hospice

L.É. Ciara (P42)
Adopted Port Kinsale
Ships Charity: Mercy Hospital Foundation

L.É. Roisín (P51)
Adopted Port: Dublin
Ships Charity: Children's Ward Cork University Hospital

L.É. Niamh (P52)
Adopted Port: Limerick
Ships Charity: St. Munchin's neo-natal Hospital, Limerick

LÉ Samuel Beckett (P61)
Adopted Port: Cork
Ships Charity: Mercy Children's Ward

LÉ James Joyce (P62)
Adopted Port: Waterford
Ships Charity: Children's ward, Waterford Hospital

LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63)
Adopted Port: Galway

The above OPV90 class is the newest addition to the fleet, having only been commissioned into service in the ship’s adopted port of Galway in October 2016. As for a chosen charity, according to the Defence Forces this will take effect in the next few months.

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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