Rankin Dinghy of Cork Harbour

61 years after the 1st Rankin came off this very same mould a new Rankin is born. From right to left; the original mould, the new shell, and a finished product

A New Cork Harbour Rankin Dinghy is Born 61 Years Later

30th March 2021 Tom MacSweeney

Sixty-one years after the first Rankin came off a mould in Cobh, a new one has been built from the same mould. "From the roots of this revered dinghy class in Cork Harbour, a new boat has been built," the…

2019 Rankin World Champions - Conor and Robbie English

RCYC Dinghy Fest 2019 Saw Biggest Ever Rankin Fleet

16th September 2019 Cork Harbour

A tremendous welcome was extended to the Rankin Dinghy Class by Royal Cork Yacht Club last weekend at its DinghyFest Regatta. The largest fleet of Rankins ever gathered for the event. 21 boats assembled in the dinghy park, with 20…

Now It’s The Rankin ‘Worlds’ at DinghyFest in Cork Harbour

19th July 2019 Tom MacSweeney

There is satisfaction in being associated with a good news story about sailing, so the latest step in the Rankin dinghy development, which we have followed for four years on the Afloat website is the announcement that the revived, restored…

Twelve of the revered Cork Harbour Rankin dinghies gathered for a commemorative sail. They launched at Whitepoint near Cobh and sailed across the harbour to Crosshaven. Choppy waters and a strengthening breeze created "interesting and testing conditions at times, but were enjoyable and well handled by the Rankins" according to those who took part. They gathered at the Hugh Coveney Pier in Crosshaven and in the village's Oar Bar made a presentation to Ida Hadley, sister of the brothers Eric and Dave Rankin. the builders of the Rankins. For Afloat,Tom MacSweeney sailed aboard one of the dinghies and describes the sail in his new MacSweeney's Podcast, starting this week on Afloat below

Rankin Dinghy Sailing in Cork Harbour & Lifejacket Safety Advice

31st May 2017 Island Nation

Welcome to my new series of MacSweeney Podcasts on Afloat, in which I’ll be reporting on sailing and all to do with the culture, history, tradition and development of maritime Ireland. These short Podcasts, about five minutes duration, will partner the…

Rankin Dinghies off Cobh. Listen to the podcast below.

The Rankin Dinghy, A Boat Which Makes Sailing More Fun Than Racing!

25th May 2016 Island Nation

There is more to sailing than racing, such as enjoyment, fun, cruising and bringing people together to enjoy each other’s company and the boats they sail. When those boats are dinghies that have a proud history and which a dedicated…

CSC Lay up 15
A short potted history of the Rankin Sailing Dinghy - a proud Cobh tradition. If anybody has any pictures of Eric or Dave Rankin or any of their boats I would love to get copy to enable me to complete a more detailed history.Eddie English - eddie@sailcork.com
Posted by Eddie English on Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Cobh's Rankin Dinghy: A Potted History By Eddie English

17th November 2015 Rankin Dinghy

The Rankin Dinghy of Cobh, Cork Harbour

A Rankin is a traditional wooden dinghy which was built in Cobh, of which it’s believed there were 80 and of which The Rankin Dinghy Group has traced nearly half.

The name of the Rankin dinghies is revered in Cork Harbour and particularly in the harbourside town of Cobh.

And the name of one of those boats is linked to the gunboat which fought against the Irish Volunteers during the 1916 Easter Rising and later for the emergent Irish Free State Government against anti-Treaty Forces during the Irish Civil War.

It also links the renowned boat-building Rankin family in Cobh, one of whose members crewed on the gunboat.

Maurice Kidney and Conor English are driving the restoration of the Rankin dinghies in Cork Harbour. They have discovered that Rankins were bought and sailed in several parts of the country.