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Displaying items by tag: Peter Pearson Exhibition

#PeterPearsonPhotos - Peter Pearson, historian, conservationist and artist has a photo exhibition currently running throughout the summer (until 31 August) in National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The photo exhibition held daily (11am-5pm) is held on the gallery floor of the restored former Mariner's Church on Haigh Terrace, close to the Royal Marine Hotel.

Signed books of the artist are also available from the museum's gift and book shop. For further information, contact the museum or the artist: 053 912 8935 and 087 637 1646

Click the link to the National Maritime Museum website, noting the photograph of the artist and an example of his work depicting the Sealink / British Rail car-ferry St. Columba berthed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Carlisle Pier. Note the quayside cranes (for the older 'mail'-boats), which suggests this painting was taken in her early career on the Irish Sea.

In recent years the Carlisle Pier ferry terminal was demolished. The site still features the ferry linkspan's operators booth that operated the vehicle ramp and lift-bridge for yacht access to and from the Royal St. George Yacht Club. In the painting the bridge is in a raised position obscuring the booth. These days cruise ships call instead, the most recent visitor was the cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf.

The Danish built St. Columba was custom built for the Holyhead route and entered service in 1977. She remained on the Irish-Welsh link as the last conventional car ferry until replaced by the revolutionary Finish built catamaran HSS Stena Explorer introduced in 1996. The fast-ferry operates albeit only on a seasonal basis and from St. Michael's Wharf adjoining the marina.

 

Published in Dublin Bay

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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