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Displaying items by tag: Nat Historic Ships UK

Winners of the National Historic Ships UK 2023 Photography Competition, Marsh Volunteer Awards, and Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award were revealed on Wednesday 22 November, during an Awards Ceremony filmed at The Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith Docks, Edinburgh and streamed online.

The Awards film also celebrated the six Flagships of the Year, among them the Belfast Harbour based HMS Caroline, as Afloat reported of the National Historic Ships announced earlier in the season. In addition to featuring some exclusive content filmed aboard Britannia, including an exclusive interview on the Royal Racing Yacht Bloodhound.

To watch the Awards film on YouTube, click here

National Historic Ships UK’s (NHS-UK) annual awards are a celebration of maritime heritage around the UK. They encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with historic vessels through photography, volunteering, conservation, online activities, and skills-based training.

Britannia was chosen as this year’s host venue as she celebrates two special anniversaries in 2023 - 70 years since her launch, and 25 years as a visitor attraction. Guest presenters were Norfolk sailor and boat restorer Ash Faire-Ring, and historian and TV presenter Dan Snow.

Flagships of the Year 

The annual Flagship of the Year Awards provide an opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate the value of historic vessels to the wider public, through online activities, museum engagement, events, open days and special tours.

Flagships promote the role of NHS-UK and ‘fly the flag’ as ambassadors for the UK’s maritime heritage sector. This year, the judges were especially impressed by the high quality of applications, and therefore awarded Flagship status to a record three Operational and three Static vessels.

Operational Flagships of the Year 2023

Swan (Lerwick, Shetland)
Lady of the Lake (Ullswater, Cumbria)
The Chieftain (Whitstable, Kent)

Static Flagships of the Year 2023

HMS Caroline (Belfast) 
LV21 (Gravesend, Kent)
Marjorie R (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

Meet our 2023 Flagships, by clicking here and specifically for HMS Belfast, this link

For more links regarding the Photography Competition, Marsh Volunteer Awards, and Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award, click here.

Published in Historic Boats

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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