#Figaro - The course for this year's Solitaire du Figaro has been finalised - with no Irish port in the lineup.

The Daily Sail details the four legs of the 44th edition of the prestigious and challenging single-handed offshore race, that will take the fleet from Bordeaux to Porto, Gijón, Roscoff and Dieppe - with no changes from the course unveiled in December.

But despite indications that Ireland would have a host port on the race route, following previous stop-overs on Kinsale, Dingle, Howth, Crosshaven and Dun Laoghaire, it appears this summer's running will be a purely continental event.

Even so, Ireland will be represented among the competing fleet by the brother of last year's Sailor of the Year David Kenefick, who is set to make his Figaro debut.

The Cork Harbour helmsman, who came second in the La Grande Motte recently, discussed race tactics as he steps up his training ahead of the race from 2-23 June.

#MCIB - A man who lost his arm when he fell overboard from his boat in Cork Harbour last summer could have avoided the accident if he had followed essential safety precautions, according to the official report into the incident. The full report is available to download below as a PDF document.

Owen Corkery of Carrigaline was the subject of a 'miracle rescue' on 9 June 2012 when he was thrown overboard from his RIB, which subsequently struck him several times after he entered the water near Haulbowline Island, causing serious injuries to his head, back and left arm.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RNLI said Corkery was "incredibly lucky to have been spotted from the shore" by a man now known to be Paul Bryans, who had been looking through a telescope at Fort Camden in Crosshaven approximately a mile away from the site of the incident.

Bryans and colleague Dick Gibson immediately raised the alarm with the emergency services and Crosshaven RNLI respectively, and rescue crews were dispatched within minutes.

While the lifeboat volunteers took control of the wayward RIB, Corkery was quickly retrieved from the water by the crew of the Cork Harbour Pilot boat Sonia. They found him incoherent and bleeding heavily, and also noted that while he was wearing a working personal flotation device (PFD), he was not wearing warm clothes or shoes.

Corkery was transferred via ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where his left arm was later amputated just above the elbow due to the severity of his injuries.

According to the official report into the incident by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), the RIB was found to be undamaged but had no CE or other approval mark.

The kill cord on the boat's motor was also found to be malfunctioning, as the engine could be started whether or not it was attached, and did not shut off when removed.

The report states that Corkery - an experienced powerboat user who had not completed any recognised handling course - has since explained he was aware of the kill cord malfunction but continued to use the vessel.

He confirmed in the same interview with investigators that he was standing beside the helm of the RIB at the time of the incident, a position that "would have made him considerably more likely to be thrown from the vessel".

Investigators also found it likely that Corkery's lack of shoes would also have reduced his grip while standing on the floor of the RIB.

In its conclusions, the MCIB report - which is available to download below - emphasises that the kill cord is an "essential part of safety equipment for all open motorboats" that should always be used and checked regularly, and that the helm of any high-speed watercraft should always remain seated, even at low speeds.

It also recommends that all pleasure craft owners should complete a recognised powerboat handling course.

#NMCI - The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) is to expand into Asia and the Middle East, as The Irish Times reports.

The Cork Harbour-based college, which provides training and education for the Merchant Marine and non-military needs of the Naval Service, is set to provide training and consultancy services in the Gulf region, Vietnam and Malaysia via its commercial wing NMCI Services.

That was the message from Dr Brendan Murphy, president of the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) of which the NMCI is a constituent college.

Speaking at a conferring ceremony for new graduates, he added that 10 full-time research posts created at the NMCI in the past year represented a "growth in R&D" that "has warranted the establishment and branding of NMCI's own research centre, something which will take place in the very near future."

#portofcork – Captain Pat Farnan is to retire as harbour master of the Port of Cork after 33 years with the company.

Captain Farnan joined the Port of Cork in 1980 as Assistant Harbour Master and since then, has built a reputation as one of the leading Harbour Masters in the country. He also served as President of the European Harbour Masters Association from 1996 to 1998.

The Harbour Master is primarily responsible for the safety of all vessels within the port and advises the Board of the Port Company on all nautical matters. In the case of the Port of Cork, he is also responsible for the management of all aspects of port operations, including pilotage, towage and crane operations.

Prior to joining the Port of Cork, Captain Farnan enjoyed a sea-going career with Irish Shipping Ltd, joining as a cadet and subsequently serving in all ranks on a wide variety of vessels, trading worldwide. He left Irish Shipping in 1980 to join the Port, having served as master for two years.

Captain Farnan has also served as Harbour Master of Bantry Bay since 2002.

Captain Farnan lives in Cobh with his wife Carmel and this year celebrates 40 years of marriage. He has two sons, Keith based in Dublin and Patrick based in Cork.
Commenting on his retirement, Captain Farnan said "It has been a privilege to have been the 12th person to hold the position of Harbour Master since 1820.

"I joined the then Harbour Commissioners in 1980 at a particularly fortuitous time as the Port was about to enter an exciting phase of its development with the construction of new facilities at Ringaskiddy. This facilitated the expansion of the Port and in the intervening years the deepwater facilities at Ringaskiddy allowed the Port to accommodate large Panamax vessels and more recently a deep sea container service. Now it is established as one of the leading Ports in the country.

"Among the many highlights for me during my time at the Port of Cork was the return of cruise liners to Cork with the berthing of the QE2 at Ringaskiddy in 1990 and the development of the cruise facilities in Cobh to meet the challenge of the ever increasing size of cruise liner culminating in the berthing of the "Independence of the Seas" and "Queen Mary 2" two of largest cruise ships. The Tall Ships visit in 1991, which was the first time the event was ever hosted in Ireland, was also a great personal highlight of my career.

"One of the major strengths of the Port is the combined efforts of every individual who make the day-to-day running of the Port possible, at all levels and the high level of morale that was maintained over the years. I was fortunate in having a great team supporting me in operations."

Deputy Harbour Master, Captain Paul O'Regan will assume responsibility as Acting Harbour Master and Captain Pat Murphy will be the Acting Deputy Harbour Master. Both will bring their many years of experience and expertise to continue the efficient operations of the Port.

Brendan Keating, Chief Executive of the Port of Cork concluded "Pat has given outstanding service to the Port of Cork and he retires today with our very best wishes."

Calling all 5th Class Teachers – Win a Free Boat Trip around Cork Harbour for your class

The Port of Cork has launched their Schools Initiative for 2013 and is calling on all 5th class primary school teachers to get their class involved. This year's theme 'The Gathering 2013 – Cork Harbour – Ireland's Maritime Gateway to the World' is celebrating The Gathering and Cork Harbour's strong links with Irish diaspora, both as a tourism hub today and as a departure point for Irish emigrants in the past.

The Port of Cork Schools Initiative aims to teach 5th class primary school children about the rich history of Cork Harbour and its uses today as a natural harbour, commercial port and excellent leisure amenity. All participating 5th classes who take part in the Port of Cork Schools Initiative will be treated to a boat trip around Cork harbour, compliments of the Port of Cork and each class will also receive a certificate of participation. In addition to the overall prize, awards will also be given for the best artwork piece and best photograph. The overall best project will receive a tour on board one of the many large cruise liners visiting Cork during the summer of 2013.

Speaking about the 2013 theme, Port of Cork Chief Executive Brendan Keating said: "As 2013 is the year of 'The Gathering', we are encouraging classes to think about Cork Harbour and its role as Ireland's maritime gateway to the world both as a departure point for emigrants in the past and as a gathering point for tourists today. Cork Harbour has a long association as the departure point for many Irish emigrants in the 1800s and in the 1900s. Now thousands of visitors come into our spectacular harbour on passenger ferries and on cruise liners from all over the world. For many of these tourists, their visit also provides them with the opportunity to see the place that their Irish ancestors departed from so many years ago."

Projects are to be presented in artwork format using paintings, models or photographs. Submitted projects will go on public display in Customs House before the winner is announced in April 2013. Closing date for entries is 29th March 2013.

For more information on this year's schools project and how to get involved, please contact Sinead Kavanagh, Tel: +21 4625375 or email [email protected].

#rnli – Last night at 8.40pm, as the Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat was returning from exercise, information was received from Valentia Coast Guard Radio of a distress flare sighted about 1 miles South of Gyleen. Further information received was of a 37' fishing vessel taking on water. The Volunteer crew quickly loaded a salvage pump and headed to the incident. Ballycotton Lifeboat was also on exercise and made best speed towards the incident. On arrival, it was found the fishing vessel had sank and the lone skipper had abandoned to a liferaft. The Crosshaven crew brought the casualty on board the lifeboat before he was brought back to the Lifeboat station. The skipper was checked out by the Lifeboat Doctor and found to be well.

The volunteer crew were Warren Forbes (Helm), Geraldine Farrell and James Fagan.

#rcyc – Derry Good's Exhale was the IRC Handicap winner and the overall ECHO All In winner was Ian Hickey's Cavatina in today's third day of Royal Cork's Winter league writes Claire Bateman.

The weather forecast turned out to be deadly accurate and the race organisers of the Marshall Textiles sponsored racing had prepared for every eventuality with great detail including shortening of the course.

The course was predetermined and a sheet showing same was given to each skipper of the fleet of intrepid mariners before they took to the water and this information was again radioed to the fleet as they arrived at the Grassy start. Four rounds were scheduled to be sailed.

Racing commenced in 18 knots of a south/south westerly breeze. Starting from Grassy the first round went to No. 5 port, No. 7port, 14port and back to Grassy and then on to round two first to 12 starboard, and back to Grassy where the organisers had taken the decision to finish racing. What had started as 18 knots had increased to 26 gusting 30 and there wasn't anybody about to question that decision.

A few brave souls did fly kites but that did not last very long in the conditions and indeed some were seen to be having difficulty retrieving them and ended up doing a bit of trawling.

The lower rated boats had possibly an hour and a quarter racing with the big boats possibly having slightly less.

#figaro – A 21–year–old Cork sailor has launched a bid to compete in one of the world's toughest offshore challenges. David Kenefick will debut in an international fleet that sails to Ireland next year in the 44th edition of the famous French La Solitaire du Figaro single-handed race.

The Crosshaven sailor who is currently training in La Grande Motte, Languedoc, France with the British Artemis team is fulfilling a long held ambition to compete in the race, one of the most competitive solo races in the world. The Cork Harbour helmsman will likely be the only Irish entry in the multi-stage offshore race.

"There are just over seven months to the start of the 2013 Solitaire du Figaro race and everyday in my training schedule counts. My programme is being managed by Figaro veteran Marcus Hutchinson who has organised my boat and technical programme and secured for me a place in the elite CEM training centre in La Grande Motte on the French Mediterranean coast. We will be here for the next five months developing my shorthanded sailing skills to such a level that I can confidently compete in the Solitaire du Figaro in 2013" Kenefick told Afloat.ie. The full campaign press release is available for download below as a pdf.

The unique stages of the race, the presence of great solo sailors regularly in the line up plus the fact it is also open to amateurs has made it one of the most appealing in offshore sailing. Sailors are required to sail long passages single-handedly catching only brief periods of sleep while underway.

French organisers have yet to nominate the 2013 Irish stop–over port for the 50 plus professional helmsmen who will race over 1600 miles.

The race has previously called to Kinsale, Dingle, Howth, Kenefick's own home port of Crosshaven and most recently Dun Laoghaire.

Irish rookie David Kenefick afloat in French waters at the start of his 2013 Figaro campaign. Photo: Brian Carlin

Noted America's Cup communications manager Hutchinson a former Figaro competitor in the 1998 and 2000 editions of the race and now based in Kinsale, is acting as a coach and mentor to the rookie Munster campaign, according to Kenefick's father Neil, the well known Cork Harbour yachtsman.

As well as Hutchinson previous Irish entrants in the event include Volvo race winner Damian Foxall and Paul O'Riain. In 2011, when the race called to Dun Laoghaire, the Dublin solo sailor Mick Liddy's chances were set-back through a lack of sponsorship.

The race is sailed in one design keelboats, Figaro Bénéteau II type yachts.

Kenefick's team is also seeking sponsorship but his 2013 bid is already on the water and competing in warm up events. The former Optimist,1720 and A35 ace has chartered a Figaro class yacht from the fleet of the famous French navigator Michel Desjoyeaux for a one year term. Desjoyeaux recently competed in Ireland in Dun Laoghaire at the helm of the winning MOD70 Foncia, when the tour visited Dublin Bay for the first time.

In spite of his young years Kenefick has over 30,000 sea miles, has completed some arduous voyages including two Fastnet races, a transatlantic and some high end TP52 sailing. Recently he completed a number of very strenuous Artemis British offshore duration sailing tests and showed plenty of promise.

Kenefick, the younger brother of George, Afloat's sailor of the year, is currently completing a six week training stint in France.

Kenedfick's introduction began at the age of three in the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) and progressed to sail for Ireland in the youth classes. He grew up across the river from the RCYC clubhouse so his only form of transport was a tender. Today he now have over 30,000 sea miles in different locations around the world and is also aiming for Master 200 certification and become one of the world's leading Super Yacht captains.

His recent sailing experience is below:

2011

2nd 1720 Europeans

NYYC Invitational Cup, sailing for his club the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

2010

Rolex Middle Sea race 2010,on Dublin yacht "Legally Brunette"

ISA All Ireland sailing Championships 2010' 3rd sailing with his father.

1st 1720 sports boat Europeans 2010.

Rolex Commodores Cup. He was part of the Hong Kong team were we finished 2nd.

2008

ACC Bank Cork Week 2008 - For Cork Week He skippered an IRC A 35.

Rolex Commodores Cup - Blondie IV king 40, part of Ireland' s finishing third overall.

BMW Round Ireland - 9th overall and 2nd in class 1. Kenefick's role on board was a watch leader in one of the windiest round Ireland's in the races history and the youngest sailor taking part in the race.

His campaign can be followed on twitter @davidkenefick

The full schedule for David Kenefick's programme is as follows:

CEM Training Centre, La Grande Motte (November-March)

Icom Cup, Marseille (6-12 March)

Solo Concarneau, Concarneau (4-9 May)

Transmanche, l'Aberwrach (16-20 May)

La Solitaire du Figaro, Bordeaux to Dieppe (2 – 31 June)

Cowes Week (3-9 August)

Rolex Fastnet Race (11-15 August)

Two-handed Tour of Brittany (31 August – 7 September)

Generali Med (22-30 September)

#corkharbour – After two races of the Marshall Marine Textiles Winter League in Cork Harbour Diarmuid Foley in Anchor Challenge and Anthony O'Leary on Antix Beag are tied on ten points each writes Claire Bateman.

Light winds prevailed for the second race of the League on Sunday. The fleet had an all in Grassy start under Race Officers Vinnie O'Shea and Mark Ring who set course 101, consisting of three rounds in a 10 knot west/north westerly breeze and finishing again at Grassy.

After two races in the IRC 'All In' fleet Diarmuid Foley in Anchor Challenge and Anthony O'Leary on Antix Beag are tied on ten points each while Fergus Coughlan's Whyte Knight and Alan Mulcahy's Sundancer are next on 12 points each.

In ECHO All In Richard Lord's Blue Peregrine leads on thirteen points from Anthony O'Leary's Antix Beag on seventeen points while Fergus Coughlan's Whyte Knight is third on eighteen points.

Racing continues next Sunday.

#rcyc – Royal Cork Yacht Club celebrated a highlight of the year in its Crosshaven clubhouse at the weekend with the presentation of perpetual RCYC trophies writes Claire Bateman.

Admiral Peter Deasy presented the Boat of the Year Trophy to Ian Nagle of Jelly Baby as well as League trophies for: O'Leary Insurance Group Whitesail April, UK Halsey Sailmakers May, Union Chandlery June, a new and welcome sponsor Airport View Parking for July, August and September and last but certainly not least the Heineken Super League.

There were so many trophies that a second table had to be provided to hold them and the magnificent display generated a huge amount of interest during the evening.