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Displaying items by tag: Use Naval Service

In efforts by the HSE which is continuing to expand on its Covid-19 testing capabilities, tens of thousands of people calling to seek a test for the virus.

At a HSE briefing (yesterday, 17 March), officials urged people not to call the emergency line 112/999, warning that over the weekend people were “clogging up” the service.

“This is a real concern for us,” HSE CEO Paul Reid said.

For much more the Journal.ie reports that also referred in its story that officials pointed out that members of the Irish Navy have “considerable experience” with this kind of work in the Mediterranean and would be well equipped to handle it.

Afloat adds the Naval Service LÉ William Butler Yeats (as above) last night arrived at the Port of Galway where it docked as part of Óglaighnahéireann’s efforts to generate more capacity for the HSE.

The deployment follows that of sister of the OPV90/P60 class LÉ Samuel Beckett berthed in Dublin Port to also assist in fighting Covid-19. This is the second such ship (so far) that Afloat is aware involved in such critical operations.

About Quarter Tonners

The Quarter Ton Class is a sailing class of the International Offshore Rule racing the Quarter Ton Cup between 1967 and 1996 and from 2005 until today.

The class is sailed by smaller keelboats of similar size and is likely the world's most-produced keelboat class.

The Ton, Half, Quarter, etc. 'classes' were each given a 'length' and yacht designers had almost free rein to work the hull shapes and measurements to achieve the best speed for that nominal length.

The Ton Rules produced cranky and tender boats without actual downwind speed. Measurement points created weird, almost square hull shapes with longish overhangs.

They were challenging to sail optimally and lost value very quickly as any new wrinkle (e.g. 'bustles') to take advantage of the rule made older boats very quickly uncompetitive.

Although its heyday was 30 years ago, the boat class continues to make its presence felt by holding its own in terms of popularity against some fern race fleets.