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Displaying items by tag: Olympians

Malahide Yacht Club has unveiled two Roll of Honour Boards in its clubhouse to mark the achievements of its six Olympians who competed at nine Olympic Games – including David Wilkins’ Silver Medal in 1980 - and nineteen members who won 27 National Championships in its 52-year history.

Successes in major UK championships have also been highlighted and a separate honour board lists the seven winners (to date) of the Club Person of the Year Award for the ‘Ossie Bachmann Trophy’, instituted in 2003.

Between 1972 and 2008, MYC was represented at nine Games by Robin Hennessy, David Wilkins, cousins Robert and Peter Dix, David Burrows and most recently Ciara Peelo. Burrows competed in three Games while Wilkins’ five appearances constitutes an Irish Olympic sporting record. He is also one of the few Irishmen to win an Olympic medal when he and crew Jamie Wilkinson took Silver at the Moscow Games in 1980.

The first National Championship success was in 1963, five years after the club’s formation, when John Crawford and crew Robin Hennessy took the Enterprise Class title and the most recent was Richard Arthurs who won the Topaz Class Nationals two years ago. In between, twelve MYC helmsmen won titles in seven dinghy classes.

The new Roll of Honour Boards were unveiled at a Reception in the clubhouse by the club’s two longest-serving members Kingsley Long and Dermot Hegarty.

“We are immensely proud of these achievements and of the contribution of members of our small club to Irish sailing,” said Club Commodore Martin Clancy. “With these boards, we have recorded for all time these successes and hope it will act as an incentive for our young members to want to join them.”

 

Published in News Update

About the TP52 Racing Yacht

The TP52 racing yacht is a remarkable example of cutting-edge technology in the world of competitive yachting. Measuring 52 feet (15.85 metres) in length, this vessel is constructed entirely from carbon fibre, making it an incredibly light and agile craft.

The TP52 features a 6.25-metre high rig, complete with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker and a self-tacking jib. This design reduces the workload of the crew, allowing for more efficient manoeuvres and freeing up the crew to focus on the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The spinnaker rigging set-up, measuring 15.00 m2, presents a challenge to even the most experienced crews, requiring them to be fit and perfectly coordinated. Maneuvering the boat requires athleticism due to the vessel's lack of inherent stability and the high speed generated by the fully battened mainsail and jib.

The TP52's hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout, resulting in a weight of just 74kg. The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is made up of three parts, featuring an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease overall weight. The capsizing moment, which can be generated by a heavy mast tip, is also reduced through this design. The TP52's foils are constructed from either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the specific requirements of the vessel.

Overall, the TP52 racing yacht is an exceptional example of the latest advancements in yacht design and technology. Its lightweight construction, advanced rigging, and high-speed capabilities make it a top contender in the world of competitive yachting, challenging even the most skilled and experienced crews.