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Displaying items by tag: Patrick Madden

#Clipper - A Fastnet Race veteran hopes to secure enough votes from the public to earn a place in a leg of the next Clipper Round The World Yacht Race.

Patrick Madden is applying for the Asia Pacific Challenge, the fifth leg of the global race from December 2013 to February 2014, via Gore-Tex Experiencer Tour's Clipper Ventures.

"This is quite simply the best opportunity to achieve my wildest dreams," he says. "I did the Fastnet Race in 2011 - a long held dream of mine ever since I sat in a caravan near Crookhaven being blown about in a storm force gale back in August 1979. My brother was doing the that race. I have never seen my father look so frightened in his whole life.

"Now I have nothing but the greatest respect for the sea," he adds. "And I can think of no greater honour than doing a race like this one. It is the true test of a person, no one can do a race like this and not be changed by it. This is my wildest dream and I would truly love to win a place onboard."

You can show your support for Patrick by visiting his profile page and clicking the 'Vote Now!' button.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a serving member of An Garda Siochána has also launched a bit to compete in the next Clipper race.

Conor O'Byrne, who describes himself as "a keen sailor" with a "burning desire of sailing around the world", has started a blog to record his preparations for and participation in the race.

Published in Clipper Race

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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