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Displaying items by tag: James Kirwan

#allwalesboatshow – Irish Yacht Broker BJ Marine is making good on its latest base on the Irish Sea by becoming the largest exhibitor at the All Wales Boat Show, opening in Pwllheli this morning and running til Sunday.
Having opened its office in Pwllheli in December, General Manager James Kirwan told Afloat.ie  'we are very proud of the display we have put together with 11 boats at the show'.

The BJ Marine boats exhibited are some of Beneteau's newest and most popular models (list below). BJ also has 200 boats promoted at its brokerage stand ashore. BJ Marine has a six strong team on site for the duration of the show and look forward to welcoming all visitors.

The move in to Wales gives BJ Marine waterside locations and facilities at Bangor marina in County Down where it operates the marina boatyard, its head office at the new Greystones marina in Wicklow and now on the far side of the Irish Sea at Gwynedd in North Wales.

The marina in Pwllheli boasts 400 berths and storage for a further 200 boats ashore, which played a big part in BJ Marine's commitment to set up office there.

Beneteau are dealers for Beneteau power and sail, Monte Carlo yachts, Sea Ray and Fountaine Pajot. They have offices in Ireland, UK and Malta.

On Display in Wales
Beneteau Oceanis 48
Beneteau Oceanis 38
Beneteau Oceanis 35
Beneteau First 40
Beneteau First 30
Beneteau Antares 30
Beneteau Antares 780
Beneteau Barracuda 9
Beneteau Antares 580
Beneteau Swift Trawler 44

James_Kirwan_Bernard_Gallagher_Pwllheli.jpg

James Kirwan (left) and Bernard Gallagher at the BJ Marine brokerage stand this morning at the All Wales Boat Show

Published in BJ Marine

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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