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Displaying items by tag: Famine Emigrant Museum ship

#JeanieReturns – Replica 19th century barque Jeanie Johnston has finally returned to her dedicated Dublin Liffey berth along Custom House Quay having had some delays following essential maintenance in a drydock, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The good news is that guided tours of the famine emigrant museum tallship will reopen from 1100 am tomorrow (Friday 7 November). For further information click HERE.

In recent days the barque has been undergoing finishing touches while at a temporary lay-by berth close to the East Link Bridge.

Beforehand the Tralee registered replica had been dry-docked for essential maintenance having entered the Dublin Graving Docks Ltd facility almost a month ago. The shiprepair and conversion business faces closure due to plans to redevelop Alexandra Basin by Dublin Port Company.

The work on the barque was her third and also the most extensive carried out in the shiprepair and conversion facility since her purchase more than a decade ago by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA).

Sister tugs Beaufort and Shackleton from Dublin Port Company repeated the exercise of returning the Jeanie Johnston to her city-centre berth at Dublin City Moorings. This involved a short tow upriver having transited through the East-Link toll lift-bridge and the Samuel Beckett swing bridge.

The pontoon facility at Custom House Quay was installed by the DDDA as part of a river Liffey rejuvenation project to attract visiting yachts. In addition to generating waterborne activity in an attempt to emulate other European capitals which have a vibrant river or waterfront setting.

Published in Tall Ships

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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