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Displaying items by tag: Gortmore Bell

The Iniscealtra Sailing Club annual Gortmore Bell race from Mountshannon on Lough Derg took place on Saturday 7th September. The wind was 10 to 15 knots from the South generally all day moving South West later in the race, which gave the fleet of 22 boats a long downwind leg to the Gortmore Mark at the Northern end of the lake and a long upwind leg home.

Class 2 set off 30 minutes ahead of class 1 and after racing for just under 5 and a half hours, the line honours was taken by the class 2 Kelt 29 'Celtic Charisma' only 12 seconds ahead of the class 1 SB20 'Deakin Marine'.

In class 1, Dan O'Donnell's Hanse 'Dash' took the win from the Dufour 36 'Passe Partout' with the J24 'Luder' taking third place.

Class 2 saw a great battle between a number of boats reeling back the years and sailing very well in the conditions. The Jeanneau Arcadia 'Reflex' took third place behind the Westerly Longbow 'Serendipity' but sailing very consistently across the day gave Jonathan Ryan and crew on the Sadler 32 'An Seabhac' the class 2 and overall win in the 2018 race.

Published in Racing

#loughderg – Iniscealtra Sailing Club and Garykennedy Sailing Club hosted the annual 24–mile long Gortmore Bell Race on Lough Derg at the weekend, 36 sailing boats ranging from one design types such as 1720s and J24s plus a good mix of 28ft to 34ft cruiser–racers competed. Conditions for the Lough's long distance race were ideal with wind speeds ranging from eight and 14 knots from the north–east.

The course for the 2014 race was from a start Line in Mountshannon Bay to the Gortmore Green Navigation Mark rounded to Port, thence to Coose Bay Red Navigation Mark to port, Mountaineer Green Navigation Mark  to starboard and a finish in Mountshannon Bay.

 

The winning boat boat was the Hanse 34 sailing cruiser, Dash, skippered by Dan O'Donnell of  Iniscealtra Sailing Club.

Published in Inland Waterways

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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