We’ve been writing on Afloat.ie about the Dufour 40 Splashdance for some time now. It was 2003 when she was one of the first out of the new Dufour box and brought to Cork - through the good offices of Donal McClement - by the late and much-mourned Grattan Roberts. Subsequently she was owned by Howie McMullan of Howth, and when he put her on the market in late 2016 I was able – having sailed on the boat with Howie and his ace shot-caller Mossy Shanahan - to write with heartfelt enthusiasm about Splashdance in one of our Boat Blogs (Afloat.ie 28-02-17).
So she stayed in Howth in the new ownership of John Beckett and Andy George, and they cleverly planned a long-term programme of expanding families synchronising with a more thorough and increasingly experienced use of the boat, with the assembly of a re-shaped crew in 2023 seeing quite serious racing moving up the agenda.
Finding their feet. Andy George with ultra-young team members after an early win.
Splashdance in neck-and-neck racing at Howth with Stephen Harris on the First 40.7 Tiger. Photo: HYC
NEW STAGE
Things moved on to a new plane in the Autumn of 2024 after steady momentum through the summer, with the team then dedicating the winter months to theory and race-rules sessions led by Sailing Development Manager Matthew Cotter in HYC.
Performance and pleasure - the Dufour 40 offers good sailing and commodious accommodation.
Loving it. Splashdance revelling in the heavy weather of the Lambay Race. Photo: HYC
DEMANDING CALENDAR
The preparation paid off, with the team demonstrating strong consistency and teamwork across a demanding calendar.
They’ve enjoyed a remarkable 2025 season, taking first place in Class at every major event entered, including the Lambay Races at Howth, the ICRA National Championships / Sovereign’s Cup in Kinsale, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta in Dublin Bay, the Jack Gibney Regatta at Malahide, and the Howth YC Autumn League.
Lambay Race 2025 – the sun comes out for the prize-giving for Splashdance with (back row, L to R) Andy George, Neal Roche, Alan O Brien, Jon Beckett, Harry George, HYC Commodore Kevin Monks, Dylan Gannon with Mac Gannon, & Bevan Richie. Front row (L to R) Rebecca Oakley (with Rowan & Dara) and Sienna George. Photo: HYC
The season opened with the Lambay Races, sailed in a heavy breeze, where Splashdance took first in class. A month later came the crew’s first away campaign at the Sovereign’s Cup in Kinsale, doubling as the ICRA National Championships. Against a highly experienced fleet, they secured the class title and a national championship win. Momentum continued into July’s Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, where consistent scoring sealed another overall victory.
CRUISER-RACING AS IT SHOULD BE
This is cruiser-racing as it should be, its success given an added quality when we remember that Splashdance has several sisters which have never raced but have logged formidable ocean voyages, while her smaller sister, the Dufour 34 Shelduck owned by Neil Hegarty of Cork, has been a frequent awardee in the Irish Cruising Club annual trophies list.
Splashdance’s all-conquering crew at Kinsale for the Sovereign’s, where they also won their class in the ICRA Nats, with KYC Commodore Anthony Scannell on left, and ICRA Commodore Denis Byrne on right. Photo: Robert Bateman
As for Splashdance, the word is that she is being heavily-backed for Howth YC’s annual Silver Fox award, given for the “Boat of the Year” and named in honour of the late great Brian Kelly whose boats – all called Rapparee – were seldom out of the major racing prize-lists. Whether or not the Silver Fox lands on Splashdance will be announced at the HYC Achievers Celebration on Saturday January 3rd 2026.
Finishing the great 2025 season on a high. John Beckett (left) and Andy George (right) with HYC Rear Commodore and Open Events Co-ordinator Jill Sommervillle and some of the Splashdance prizes at the conclusion of the Howth Autumn League in October. Photo: HYC
