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RV Celtic Voyager of the Marine Institute, Ireland's national agency for marine research, development and innovation, has been working in south Dublin Bay this week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 31.4m ship to be replaced next year by a Spanish newbuild, to be named the RV Tom Crean (52.8m), has since the start of this week carried out ship-based training albeit for 'land-based' marine biology students given the lock-down restrictions.

Despite that, Dr. Simon Berrow and Mr. John Boyd of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) have been 'live-streaming' from on board the RV Celtic Voyager to their students at home.

According to a tweet on the M.I. website, the work has been an excellent run down of what's involved in offshore surveys. As close as the real thing as you can get, less the swell and the rain! 

The scene was observed by Afloat as the RV Celtic Voyager was in a south Dublin Bay prior to returning to the temporary base of Dun Laoghaire Harbour this afternoon. According to Met.ie, gale force 8-9 winds forecast tonight on the Irish Sea and Storm Force 10 off Wicklow Head and further south. 

Already in port at Carlisle Pier, the UK registered, Spanish owned trawler Magan D which had been adrift that arrived at the weekend. Also berthed but since yesterday, Dublin Array's proposed wind-farm project related ship, Fugro Mercator having been busy on geophysical surveys.

The GMIT has a Marine and Freshwater Research Centre where among the specialist research staff is Dr Simon Berrow, responsible for Marine mammals, seabirds and Environmental impact. Also on board, Mr. John Boyd's specialising in fisheries, seagoing operations and maritime training.

The vessels six day (at 'sea') training programme is scheduled to end this Saturday.

While today, the M.I. other larger research vessel, RV Celtic Explorer (65.5m) is working in waters considerably further offshore in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Afloat tracked RV Celtic Explorer some 400 nautical miles offshore of the western seaboard to the ship's homeport of Galway.

The deployment of the vessel is to support an Ocean & Climate survey across south Rockall Trough with the vessel due back to its homeport in around a month's time.

Published in Marine Science

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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