There are few, if any, sailors in Ireland with the breadth and depth of experience accumulated by Philip Mayne of Lough Ree. A cradle sailor with the Shannon One Designs, he was Class Chairman of the SODs in 2022 when they celebrated their very thorough Centenary in a programme which included the publication of a class history, and a huge series of events put through with such style by Chairman Mayne and Hon. Sec. Naomi Algeo that they very deservedly became Afloat.ie “Sailors of the Month”.
An impressive turnout of Shannon One Designs in 2022, when they celebrated their Centenary with Philip Mayne of Lough Ree as Class Chairman
When he’s in Dublin as a top medical consultant, any sailing opportunities are devoted to the Water Wags in Dun Laoghaire. But he has also spread his wings offshore from time to time, going back to 1985 when he and Jocelyn Waller of Lough Derg YC raced the former’s Beneteau First Class 12 – just a slip of a boat – in the five-stage Round Britain & Ireland Race.
1932-BUILT TUG
Ireland’s maritime heritage has always fascinated him, and when he heard that the long-abandoned 1932-built Port of Dublin tug Rosbeg was being broken up, Philip rushed to the site and stopped the work, took over the old hulk, and restored her with many hours of work – much of it back-breaking - to fresh usefulness as a characterful Shannon cruiser.
Before she was repurposed as a Dublin Port tugboat, the Rosbeg was the Erin, the Port Surveyor’s launch
His experiences on this project have now been collated into what is reportedly one of the most interesting presentations on the club entertainment circuit, and there’s a chance to see it all at Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club at Ringsend in Dublin on Thursday, October 15th. It’s the traditional Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association setup with free admission, but copious RNLI silent contributions are expected into the yellow welly at the door, and it’s advisable to get there well in advance of 8.0pm
PORT SURVEYOR’S STEAM LAUNCH
Not least of the intriguing aspects of the Rosbeg is that she was originally designed not as a tug, but as the Dublin Port Surveyors Steam Launch, and called the Erin, an elegantly slim 47ft little steel ship that contrasted markedly with the monster 112ft tugs Ben Eadar and Coliemore which had been built in 1930.
They were all steam-powered and had giant propellers. But the Rosbeg in her pre-tugboat configuration looks as though she was a design left over from an earlier era, with nought for the helmsman’s comfort in an exposed forward position, whereas the plans of the bigger tug at least indicate a wheelhouse, even if there’s an open steering position on top.
Monster power. The 1930-built Dublin tugs Coliemore and Ben Eadar were purely and simply towing and pushing machines – note the enormous size of the propellor
Presumably it was the economic recession of the 1930s which saw the more economical “little” Rosbeg upgraded to port tug duties. Whatever the reason, it’s intriguing to reflect on what an odd vessel the modern hundred per cent port tug has become, as seen today in Dublin Port with those 360-degree workhorses, the Beaufort and Shackleton.
Modern power. The modern Dublin Port tugs Shackleton and Beaufort perform their “Harbour Dance” during the Old Gaffers Association Golden Jubilee in 2013. Photo: W M Nixon
Outward bound. The Dublin Port tugs Shackleton and Beaufort at their work, assisting the Argentinian Tall Ship Libertad as she heads seaward through the Eastlink Bridge. Photo: Dublin Port
