Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: EMD 2016 Turku

#EMD2016 – The annual European Maritime Day’s (starting today) is to highlight the importance of the seas and oceans and the challenges facing maritime regions and sectors.

This is the ninth edition of EMD and takes place in Turku, Finland with a conference today and tomorrow, 19 May. There will also be an attractive line up of activities for the general public between 20-22 May.

EMD 2016 is organised in cooperation with the City of Turku and the Finnish government. It will take place in an old locomotive hall called Logomo in Turku.

We are looking forward to an exciting and interactive event focusing on the theme of "Investing in competitive blue growth - smart and sustainable solutions".

More specifically it will focus on identifying and highlighting the practical steps needed to drive blue growth investments, as well as innovation and change in the blue economy.

The EMD conference and exhibition offers a dynamic networking environment for the more than 800 participants registered as well as structured opportunities for mutual exchange and debate through 20 stakeholder workshops, five thematic sessions and two 'Leadership Exchange' panels.

The event will also include matchmaking meetings, a networking village with more than 30 exhibitors, a photo competition, site visits, a classical concert, an art project on marine litter and much more.

Afloat adds that last year’s newbuild cruiseship Mein Schiff 4 (pictured above) made a first visit to Dun Laoghaire Harbour last season. The 2,506 passenger capacity was built at the Turku shipyard for German premium-class operator, TUI Cruises. Next week, fleetmate, Mein Schiff I is to call to the Irish port to launch the season on 26 May. 

The almost 100,000 tonnes Mein Schiff 4 had anchored off the East Pier Dun Laoghaire Harbour (see photo), became the last order for STX Finland before the Baltic yard was taken last year by Meyer Turku. 

Leadship, Mein Schiff 3 was built in 2013 at the same yard. Meyer Turku will complete TUI Cruises order for further sisters.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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