Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Cruisescapes

#CruiseEvening - A cruise evening event was held earlier this week in a south Dublin yacht club to promote a major US brand operator, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The event organised by Cruisescapes was held at the Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, where Lorraine Quinn of Celebrity Cruises gave an informative presentation about their cruise line and destinations.

As Afloat previously covered in November, Celebrity Cruises is to become the first major cruise line to confirm Dublin Port as a 'home' port when a ‘Solstice’ class ship will call to the capital during early summer 2018.

For five sailings in 2018 commencing on 30 April, throughout May and until the end of June, Celebrity Cruises will offer from Dublin direct cruises to ports of call throughout northern Europe.

Afloat subsequently identified the ship to be deployed out of Dublin as the 2,800 plus capacity Celebrity Eclipse which will be a 'game-changer' for the capital port. The move is worth an estimated €6 million to Dublin and the surrounding region in knock-on economic benefits.

So far the take up for this new direct option according to Celebrity Cruises is that 20% of customers will be from the Irish market. A further 20% are from the rest of Europe and the balance of 60% from the US.

As for season 2017, Celebrity Eclipse will call to Dublin Port on standard port of call visits as distinct to been ‘home' ported.

Another Solstice class sister, Celebrity Silhouette is also call to the capital on such a basis as well to visiting Belfast, Cork and Waterford.

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

Featured Sailing School

INSS sidebutton

Featured Clubs

dbsc mainbutton
Howth Yacht Club
Kinsale Yacht Club
National Yacht Club
Royal Cork Yacht Club
Royal Irish Yacht club
Royal Saint George Yacht Club

Featured Brokers

leinster sidebutton

Featured Webcams

Featured Associations

ISA sidebutton
ICRA
isora sidebutton

Featured Marinas

dlmarina sidebutton

Featured Chandleries

CHMarine Afloat logo
https://afloat.ie/resources/marine-industry-news/viking-marine

Featured Sailmakers

northsails sidebutton
uksails sidebutton
watson sidebutton

Featured Blogs

W M Nixon - Sailing on Saturday
podcast sidebutton
BSB sidebutton
wavelengths sidebutton
 

Please show your support for Afloat by donating