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Displaying items by tag: McWiliam Onesails

Last Friday evening saw a very large attendance at Kinsale Yacht Club for the Annual General Meeting of SCORA writes Claire Bateman. The extremely cold evening was no deterrent to the members who had come to enjoy what turned out to be a very interesting evening.

The members having been welcomed by Kinsale Vice Commodore Cameron Good, the meeting got under way with the first business of the evening being to elect a new Commodore. Vinnie O'Shea of Royal Cork Yacht Club was an unopposed unanimous choice and then took the chair. Jackie Kenefick of Schull Harbour Sailing Club was elected Executive Officer of the Association and Michael Murphy of RCYC and SHSC agreed to remain in his role of Treasurer and PRO. Also in attendance at the top table was Denis Kiely the hard working National Handicapping Officer.

The agenda item on class bands as was expected provoked lively input from the members, in fact the debate looked like going on for the evening such was the interest until the Chairman advised the members that he would shortly be calling a meeting with just one item on the agenda and that would be the class bands and handicapping.

A digital slide show of summer sailing was presented by Bob Bateman (SEE BELOW) just before there was a break for refreshments and then the eagerly awaited presentation of trophies and prizes took place. The prizes were presented by Sue McWilliam of McWiliam Onesails and Hugh Mockler of HM Yachts Ltd. and the SCORA prizes consisting of framed photographs from the 2010 sailing season were presented by the newly elected Commodore, Vinnie O'Shea.

Published in SCORA

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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