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Displaying items by tag: Zegraham Expeditions

#CRUISE LINERS - New York based Academic Arrangements Abroad have chartered Zegraham Expeditions Clipper Odyssey which is to call to Belfast Harbour today for an overnight visit, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Academic Arrangements offer more than 50 countries for guests to go cruising and accompanied by renowned scholars on itineraries specific to the nation's visited with tours to pre-eminent museums and alumni associations.

The tours also take a look behind the scenes of major cultural institutions and privileged access to private art collections and impressive gardens.

Guests on-board the 110-passenger adventure-style ship, are accommodated in 64 outside cabins. They have a sitting area with sofa, flat-screen TV and an individually controlled thermostat. Larger sized cabins (beds arranged in twins or queen) are located on Bridge Deck and some have balconies.

Asides fine dining facilities, passengers can avail of amenities including an outdoor pool, gym and library. On the technology front, computers with internet access and Wi-Fi are provided in public areas.

As to be expected of the adventure-cruiseship, a fleet of boats (note Zodiacs on top deck) which allow passengers to access more isolated destinations and the ability to get closer to wildlife and nature.

During her Irish Sea cruising grounds this month, the vessel is scheduled to return to Belfast twice. To view other cruise callers click the LIST.

Published in Cruise Liners

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.