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#LectureAsgard - Baltimore Maritime Centre's 2014/2015 Winter Lecture Series presents 'Asgard' Ireland's most historic yacht 1905 to 2015

The lecture by Pat Murphy, boating historian and round-the-world yachtsman will be held on Thursday 5 February at 20:00 in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend, Dublin.

All are welcome. Admission of €5 in aid of the RNL

Pat will take you on the voyage of Asgard from her launch in 1905, her 23 day voyage to collect guns and ammunition for the Irish Volunteers and the landing of them at Howth July 1914.

The illustrated talk will cover her conservation today in Collins Barracks in the National Museum of Ireland.

After an absence of 47 years she was bought by the Irish Government in 1961 and from then, until being de-commissioned in 1979.

She gave a variety of Irish sailors and would be sailors experiences that they most likely might otherwise never have had.

"We have to restore her and put her back in the water." "No! We should conserve her and put her on public display in the National Museum." This was the argument that was being played out by various groups.

The conservationists won the argument and the talk will cover the full conservation process that took almost six years to complete.

The part played by 6 local volunteers in putting the finishing touches to the project is also described in detail.

Published in Boating Fixtures

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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