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Displaying items by tag: MV Braemar

#OLYMPIC CRUISESHIP – A cruiseship which is to be used as accommodation ship for key workers during the London Olympic Games is currently on a UK mini-cruise including today's overnight call to Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The cruiseship Braemar (1993/24,344grt) has been chartered by the organisers of the global sporting event for over a month. Around 900 personnel are to use the 195 metre-long vessel as their 'floating' accommodation during the games which is run by the London Olympics and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). Most of the workers will be involved in transportation duties for competitors and officials from 12 July – 15 August.

The vessel is to berth in East London Dock (Albert Dock or King George V) which is close to the ExCel Centre, the exhibition venue which has hosted London Boat Show's over the years, will be used for a number of Olympic events. In addition the location is close to the main transport hub for the Olympic workers and is also nearby to London City Airport.

As a consequence of the cruiseship's 34-day long charter, three cruises have been cancelled by the vessels owner Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Guests who were originally booked on the affected cruises on board the Braemar have been offered alternative itineraries. In addition the company provided a goodwill gesture to acknowledge the inconvenience while those passengers who choose not to take up this offer have been given a full refund.

Last month the same owners organised a special Titanic Memorial Cruise which called to Cobh, having completed a mini-cruise to Belfast to mark the historical centenary of the liner's construction at Harland & Wolff Shipyard.

Published in Cruise Liners

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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