Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Sailing holiday

Good news for Irish sailors planning a Greek sailing holiday. Go-ahead UK firm Wildwind, based in Vassiliki and run by Simon Morgan, is now offering free supplemental flights to London and accommodation at the Hilton Hotel in Gatwick during the early weeks of the upcoming school holidays!

Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Scotland or Ireland to the local airport in Greece, Preveza. The bulk of Wildwind's charter flights are with British Airways on Sundays leaving London Gatwick at 8 am (arriving in Greece at 1 pm) and returning at 4.35pm (you'll leave from Greece at 2 pm). This means that most of the clients travelling from Scotland and Ireland need to stay overnight in London in order to make the morning outbound flight. Usually, you will have a convenient onward connection on the return portion of your journey.

There are very good low-cost flights to Gatwick from a number of regional airports including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin. Wildwind recommends to stay the night in London and have a night on the town at the start of your holiday. They have even made a deal with the Hilton hotel near the airport to offer Wildwind guests discounted rates.

During the period of June 30th to July 20th, Wildwind will pay for both your flight and your hotel accommodation at the Hilton or another hotel of your choice, up to a maximum of £200 per adult and £150 per child, on the basis of reimbursement of expenses for regional travel and overnight accommodation.

More information by calling the Wildwind booking team at 01920 444 091 or emailing [email protected].

Published in Aquatic Tourism
Tagged under

A luxury 'glamping' holiday in France with a choice of watersports right on your door step sounds like an ideal mix for a family watersports holiday in the big sailing region of the Vendee.

Original Camping and Alain Dominique Perrin attracted many foreign tourists last season on the island of Noirmoutier with their concept of glamorous camping, Glamping with plenty of waterports on tap including: Kitesurfing, Windsurfing, Sailing, Jetsking, Kayaking.

The only sport that you can’t practice on the island is surfing because the waves aren’t big enough. 

Canvas and wooden accommodation facing the Atlantic ocean charms water sports enthusiasts as well as lovers of relaxation, beautiful landscapes and pampering.

The site also boasts a Teens and Children's Clubs with 'quadrilingual' staff that, the owners say, has won over parents and children of all ages.

The advertised price for four people for one week starts at €1,199

Published in Sailing Holidays
Tagged under

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

Featured Sailing School

INSS sidebutton

Featured Clubs

dbsc mainbutton
Howth Yacht Club
Kinsale Yacht Club
National Yacht Club
Royal Cork Yacht Club
Royal Irish Yacht club
Royal Saint George Yacht Club

Featured Brokers

leinster sidebutton

Featured Webcams

Featured Associations

ISA sidebutton
ICRA
isora sidebutton

Featured Marinas

dlmarina sidebutton

Featured Chandleries

CHMarine Afloat logo
https://afloat.ie/resources/marine-industry-news/viking-marine

Featured Sailmakers

northsails sidebutton
uksails sidebutton
watson sidebutton

Featured Blogs

W M Nixon - Sailing on Saturday
podcast sidebutton
BSB sidebutton
wavelengths sidebutton
 

Please show your support for Afloat by donating