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Displaying items by tag: Shingle

#dublinport - The Connaught Telegraph writes the Revenue Commissioners have offered a ship to be sunk in Killala Bay on the Mayo/Sligo border as part of a plan to attract divers to the area.

The 60-metre MV Shingle won't cost a cent – Revenue have offered the confiscated boat for free.

Councillor Michael Loftus has been pushing for the project for some time now. Given its location, it would be a joint Sligo/Mayo venture.

He told a local tourism committee meeting that a motion is coming before Sligo County Council at their next meeting. He hopes also to have a motion before Mayo County Council when they next meet.

Arising from media coverage of a previous tourism meeting, the Revenue Commissioners (see related story) had gotten in touch with their offer of the free ship.

Councillor Loftus has met with Fáilte Ireland who have asked for updated figures on bed nights, etc., that would be generated by the project.

A feasibility study has already been carried out on the project.

Councillor Loftus cited other locations where sinkings have been a huge success in drawing visitors, for example in Malta, where 40 ships have been sunk around the coast.

Killala Bay is a 'most ideal location', he said.

To read much more click here into the background circumstances of the 669 tonnes vessel which the Revenue seized in 2014 that initially led to docking in Drogheda was followed by a transfer to Dublin Port where it has remained ever since.

Published in Dublin Port

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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