Rankin Dinghy 'Worlds' Return to Royal Cork Yacht Club for Highly Anticipated Event

28th June 2024

The highly-revered Rankin dinghy class is based in Cobh and was revived in 2016 Credit: Bob Bateman

The Rankin dinghy 'Worlds' will be sailed out of the Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven this weekend.

The highly reverered class based across Cork Harbour in Cobh was revived in 2016 and is moving to the world's oldest yacht club for its season's main event. Peter Crowley, Honorary Member and former Admiral of the RCYC and former President of the Irish Sailing Association, a long-time Rankin enthusiast, is the Sailing Coordinator for the weekend.

"There will be competition for the top places in the 'Worlds,' but while it will be serious, there is also the not-so-serious sailing which the Rankins have to enjoy," according to the Class. "We are eagerly looking forward to the revival of the 'Worlds'. We will have over twenty boats taking part."

The 'Worlds' were last held in 2019, and the title holders from then are Conor and Robbie English. Conor was one of the two enthusiasts who, with Maurice Kidney, led the revival of the Rankins, which is now thriving within Cove Sailing Club.

Last Saturday, Class member Tommy Dwyer and his nephew won the Cove SC Ballinacurra Cup race in their Rankin for the second consecutive year against a strong entry from harbour clubs.

"A great achievement," the Class said in congratulating the crew. "The race, managed by Ian Scandrett and his team from Cove SC, started in foggy conditions and a nice S/Westerly breeze and had an impressive ten Rankins on the start line amongst a fine mixed dinghy fleet."

Rankins are also to the fore in the weekly evening racing at Cove SC at present.

"While the emphasis will be on participation, it can be expected to be fairly hot at the top of the fleet," said Maurice Kidney. "Tommy Dwyer is in scintillating form and there are others who will be pushing hard. The 'Worlds' will be a great event."

The weekend schedule is

Saturday
10.00 assembly of skippers and crews rig boats.
10.45 OOD and safety briefing
11.00 On the water
1200 First gun for first of 3 short races

Sunday
10.45 OOD and safety briefing
1100 On the water.
1200 First gun for one short race, followed by a novelty/ seamanship race
Prizegiving

Published in Rankin Dinghy, Royal Cork YC, Cove Sailing Club, Cork Harbour

Published in Rankin Dinghy

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About The Author

Tom MacSweeney

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Tom MacSweeney writes a column for Afloat.ie. He is former RTE Marine Correspondent/Presenter of Seascapes and now has a monthly Podcast on the Community Radio Network and Podcast services

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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.