Displaying items by tag: Astrid 'Gathering of the Sea'

25th August 2013

Tall Ship Astrid, A Sorry Sight for Irish Waters

#astrid – A month after she hit rocks near Oysterhaven, Kinsale, County Cork, during the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Gathering Cruise, the 42–metre Dutch Tall Ship Astrid makes a sad picture, still trapped on rocks, her beautiful sails torn and ripped by the sea but amazingly her rig still intact.

A night before the accident, on July 23rd, the only square rigger on the cruise, made for an altogether different picture moored in Oysterhaven Bay.

24 hours later, the 100–year–old vessel hit rocks inside the Sovereign Islands at Ballymacus Point, near Kinsale during a promotional photocall.

The training ship had lost power and was apparently driven on to rocks by a strong southerly wind at the western entrance to Kinsale Harbour. The grounded vessel quickly took on water.

A lot has happened since then, none of it for the good of Astrid though. Thoughts of any salvage attempt of this great hull have fast receded. For now the scene is just a daily reminder why water safety cannot be taken for granted and how impressive the Irish Rescue services were on July 24th, rescuing all 30 crew and trainees. A number of accident investigations are underway.

For all Afloat's previous stories on the Tall Ship Astrid Rescue click this link.

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The Astrid "Gathering at Sea" for July Sail-Away

#TallShips - Sail Training Ireland and Dutch based At Sea Sail Training are to the host the "Gathering at Sea" between 14-28 July.

This event will see the Tall Ship Astrid sail from Southampton to Cherbourg via Kinsale.

The 14 day voyage is part funded by the European Youth in Action Project and is the goal of International Exchanges to unite youngsters from all over Europe.

Sailing a vessel together is the best way to experience each other's cultures in real life. As we would like to offer this experience to as many young people as possible, we apply for funding with the EU program Youth in Action.

The Astrid, "Gathering at Sea" is available for 15-25 year olds and the European Union exchange programme as stated above to take in the following ports of Southampton to Cherbourg via Kinsale. Participating countries are from France, The Netherlands, UK and Ireland.

The costs are: €925 (normal fee €1,295), due to funding from the EU the price is reduced and where there is to be a 70 % of the transfer costs back). For further details contact Monique in At Sea Sail Training at this email: [email protected]

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National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

At A Glance - National Yacht Club 2024 Events