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Displaying items by tag: Navy

#Asbestos- OPV90 class LÉ Samuel Beckett (P61) currently in Cork Dockyard for annual maintenance is where previously a pair of Naval Service CPV had asbestos removed early in the year, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Afloat.ie contacted the Department of Defence to comment on the current status of the CPV (Coastal Patrol Vessels). A spokesperson said that the Health & Safety Authority have indicated to the Naval Service that they are satisfied that all ship-related asbestos matters have been dealt with.

The cost to remove the dangerous material which was located in engine room spaces of the LÉ Orla (P41) and sister LÉ Ciara (P42) was in the region of €350,000.

Both CPV's had also undergone routine refit work at the dry-dock before returning last month to the Naval Base on Haulbowline, Cork Harbour, to where further works were carried out. 

LÉ Orla is expected to resume operations by mid-March and LÉ Ciara is also expected to re-enter service at the end of this month.

Published in Navy

The death has taken place of Commodore (Retired) Liam Brett, former Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service. Commodore Brett was instrumental in the expansion of the Naval Service beginning with the L.É. DEIRDRE in the early 1970s.

He was pivotal in the operations to detain the "Claudia" and the "Marita Anne" IRA gun running ships in the 70s and 80s, and also the Aer Lingus Viscount and the Air India recovery operations in his earlier years before commanding the Naval Service as Flag Officer until 1990.

He retired from the Naval Service after a 44 year career and is survived by his four children, son in law and five grand children.

Published in Navy

#AoifeDonation - On the margins of an EU Defence Ministers informal meeting in Riga, Latvia, Minister for Defence, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. met Mr. Carmelo Abela, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security of Malta on Wednesday. 

According to the Gozo News, as well as discussing the EU Defence agenda, the Ministers reviewed the continuing cooperation between Malta and the Republic of Ireland on Defence matters.

This included the training of Maltese personnel in Ireland and future potential operations cooperation, building on the successful joint training team Malta and Ireland provided to the EU Training Mission in Somalia. The Minister agreed to explore further prospects for cooperation.

In this context the Ministers agreed to transfer ownership of the LÉ Aoife to the Maltese Armed Forces. The LÉ Aoife (P22) was decommissioned as previously reported on Afloat.ie last month following 35 years of operational service.

While the vessel is no longer viable for use in Irish waters it is ideally suited to address a pressing short-term shortfall in the naval capacity of Malta.

To read more as to the reasons to transfer the former Irish OPV to the Mediterranean, click the report HERE. 

Published in Navy

#FactoryTrawlers –L.E. Samuel Beckett (P61) the newest Naval Service OPV has according to RTE News detained two British-registered factory trawlers for alleged breaches of fisheries legislation today.

The trawlers were detained in a joint operation with the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency, 30 miles west of the Blasket Islands. The trawlers were fishing for pelagic species, such as mackerel.

LE Samuel Beckett is the Naval Service's newest ship and the trawlers are among the biggest vessels boarded by the Naval Service over the past year, each being 55 metres long.

Both trawlers are being escorted to Cobh, Co Cork and are due to arrive Thursday evening.

LE Samuel Beckett was commissioned for service in May 2014 as previously reported on Afloat.ie with coverage of her first patrol following her naming ceremony in Dublin Dublin Port.

Published in Navy

#Decommissioned – Naval Service OPV LÉ Aoife (P22), the longest-serving vessel in the fleet has been decommissioned at a special ceremony yesterday in Waterford City, reports RTE News.

In 35 years of service to the State she travelled in excess of 600,000 nautical miles, an equivalent of circumnavigating the globe 28 times, and her crew has boarded over 4,700 vessels at sea and detained over 440 fishing vessels.

During her service L.É Aoife was involved in numerous successful operations, primarily involving her role as a fishery protection vessel, but also search and rescue missions, most notably, the recovery in 1985 of the black box from Air India Flight 182 off the south west coast.

She departed Dublin Port on a farewell call during the week to her adopted homeport where the decommissioning ceremony took place. For more coverage by RTE click HERE.

Afloat.ie adds like her predecessor, L.E. Emer (P21) sold at auction in 2013, they were deployed on re-supply missions to Irish troops serving overseas with the United Nations in particular Lebanon.

The second of a trio of 'Emer' class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) she was built by Verolme Cork Dockyard and each of the 65m OPV's had a crew compliment of 46 (5 officers).

Now that the 'Aoife' has bowed out this leaves L.E. Aisling (P23) as the surviving sister to soldier on in the current reduced fleet of seven ships.

A pair of replacement newbuilds of the OPV90 'Beckett' class are on contract from Babcock Marine in the UK.

A date for Aoife's auction has yet to be confirmed. Her successor James Joyce is due for delivery in March this year.

The final and as yet to be announced name for the third newbuild is to enter service in 2016.

Published in Navy

#FarewellDublin – Naval Service OPV L.É. Aoife (P22) departed Cork Harbour to make an overnight final farewell visit to Dublin Port before the OPV's decommissioning in Waterford this Saturday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Her arrival to the capital close to last midnight had echoed that of leadship offshore patrol vessel sister, L.É. Emer (P21) which also berthed on the Liffey in 2013. She was sold at auction in 2013 to Nigerian interests.

Unlike her predecessor's Dublin farewell visit, L.É. Aoife in comparison made a shorter call.

The call was less than 24 hours and in which saw the 65m OPV berth at Sir John Rogerson's Quay. No doubt the historic naval occasion was marked to highlight a career spanning 35 years since her entry into service during November 1979.

At lunchtime L.E. Aoife departed the port and also bid Dublin Bay farewell for the last time in blustery conditions.

She set a course to pass Dalkey Island. From offshore of that coastal suburb and the Muglins Lighthouse, she continued on the coastal shipping lane bound for the south-eastern inland port.

Waterford City is the adopted homeport of L.É. Aoife and as reported yesterday, the Suir will set an appropriate scene for Saturday's afternoon decommissioning ceremony.

Published in Navy

#Decommission - L.É Aoife (P22), the Naval Service's oldest vessel as previously reported on Afloat.ie is on her last patrol before decommissioning with a date now confirmed for next Saturday 31 January, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Waterford City is where the Verolme Cork Dockyard built offshore patrol vessel (OPV) will be decommissioned ceremonially. The choice of location is apt given that L.É Aoife's adopted homeport is that of the inland south-eastern city-port.

She was launched in 1978 following leadship class 'Emer' an improved version of L.É Deirdre, long since sold. The 65m OPV was named Aoife, stepmother to the children of Lir, whom she turned into swans. She entered the Naval Service when commissioned in November 1979.

A timeframe, for the OPV's disposal through a public auction (if not previously sold) remains to be confirmed according to the Department of Defence spokesperson. However, the auctioneer's website still suggests otherwise with an auction date to be held sometime in February, for details and further updates, click HERE.

Yesterday, L.É Aoife departed Cork Harbour from where the navy's pair of coastal patrol vessels CPV's as reported on Afloat.ie have been out of service due to work to remove asbestos.

As for the direct replacement of L.É Aoife, newbuild, James Joyce is understood to be scheduled to carry out sea acceptance trials in mid-February.

She is the second of a trio of OPV90 class 'Beckett' newbuilds totalling €162m that have been ordered in a contract to Babcock Marine's Devon shipyard in Appledore.

Published in Navy

#Asbestos- A Department of Defence spokesperson has confirmed to Afloat.ie, that the Naval Service pair of coastal patrol vessels (CPV) have been cleared of airborne asbestos and that the dangerous material was in engine room spaces, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the hazardous asbestos was discovered last year on board the CPV L.É Ciara (P42), which led to claims over health concerns to her crew and civilians workers.

The overall cost of the asbestos clearance which includes her sister L.É Orla (P41) is according to the Department to be in the region of €350,000 and not the speculated €1m as reported by Ships Monthly. 

The sisters were given the all-clear for asbestos back in 2000, following a survey conducted by a now defunct consultancy firm. 

In addition according to the UK publication, the asbestos in the engine room was used for lagging purposes by shipbuildersin 1984, Hall Russell & Co of Aberdeen (since closed) which completed the pair for the Royal Navy as part of a larger order. 

Four years later the 'Peacock' class twins that served the RN's Hong Kong Patrol Squadron where transferred to the Naval Service in 1988. That same year, I recall making a visit to board the CPVs which had recently arrived in the naval basin in Cork Harbour, where they moored abreast. 

In the following year, An Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey officially commissioned them into service. 

The Department of Defence have also informed Afloat.ie that the 'Orla' the former HMS Swift (P241) and 'Ciara' as the Swallow (P242) are currently having remedial work done on the funnels, cranes and air-handling units.

In addition the CPV's have undergone a "normal" refit work, which was carried out at Cork Dockyard and the department added to Afloat.ie, that the maintenance dry-docking was scheduled before the asbestos issue arose.

The vessels are also understood to have returned today (or early February) to the Naval Base on Haulbowline Island, from where further work is to continue.

At present, L.É Orla is scheduled to undergo sea acceptance testing in mid-February and it is expected that L.É Ciara will follow suit when available in March.

Published in Navy

#EliteDiving - As the country was battening down the hatches and ducking for cover this week, 10 hardy hopefuls took to the icy waters of Cork harbour, writes The Irish Mirror.

Standing to attention in gale force winds on Haulbowline Pier, this wasn't some cheap TV reality series designed to make us all feel fat.

There were no camera-friendly emotional breakdowns or interesting back stories.

No, these are the elite seamen vying for a coveted place on the Naval Services Diving Section.

What awaits those who succeed is not fame and fortune. Instead they will be expected to leave important family events at a moment's notice to recover bodies or tackle dangerous underwater bombs.

Each year around 50 people apply and roughly 15 of these are selected for the gruelling 11-week course.

For much more on this story, click HERE.

Published in Navy

#OPVJamesJoyce –  L.É. Aoife (P22) is on her last patrol before decommissioning and direct replacement newbuild, James Joyce is scheduled to carry out sea acceptance trials in mid-February, writes Jehan Ashmore.

According to the Department of Defence, should the second OPV90 ‘Beckett’ class proceed with sea-trials as scheduled, the newest addition to the Naval Service should make her delivery voyage to Irish waters in March.

The Department added that the formal commissioning date for the £54m offshore patrol vessel will be arranged when the ship arrives in Ireland. She is 90m in length, with a top speed of 23 knots and will have a range of 6,000 nautical miles.

As Afloat.ie previously reported, her sister leadship, L.E. Beckett (P61) undertook sea trials in the Bristol Channel prior to her delivery voyage with a first arrival to Cork Harbour last April. 

James Joyce was floated-out in November from the shipbuilding hall of Babcock Marine & Technology. The yard is located on the banks of the River Torridge, Appledore in north Devon.

She is to be followed by a third sister in which no name has been chosen so far. This final OPV90 is to enter service in 2016.

 

Published in Navy
Page 17 of 26

Royal St. George Yacht Club

The Royal St George Yacht Club was founded in Dun Laoghaire (then Kingstown) Harbour in 1838 by a small number of like-minded individuals who liked to go rowing and sailing together. The club gradually gathered pace and has become, with the passage of time and the unstinting efforts of its Flag Officers, committees and members, a world-class yacht club.

Today, the ‘George’, as it is known by everyone, maybe one of the world’s oldest sailing clubs, but it has a very contemporary friendly outlook that is in touch with the demands of today and offers world-class facilities for all forms of water sports

Royal St. George Yacht Club FAQs

The Royal St George Yacht Club — often abbreviated as RStGYC and affectionately known as ‘the George’ — is one of the world’s oldest sailing clubs, and one of a number that ring Dublin Bay on the East Coast of Ireland.

The Royal St George Yacht Club is based at the harbour of Dun Laoghaire, a suburban coastal town in south Co Dublin around 11km south-east of Dublin city centre and with a population of some 26,000. The Royal St George is one of the four Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Clubs, along with the National Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

The Royal St George was founded by members of the Pembroke Rowing Club in 1838 and was originally known as Kingstown Boat Club, as Kingstown was what Dun Laoghaire was named at the time. The club obtained royal patronage in 1845 and became known as Royal Kingstown Yacht Club. After 1847 the club took on its current name.

The George is first and foremost an active yacht club with a strong commitment to and involvement with all aspects of the sport of sailing, whether racing your one design on Dublin Bay, to offshore racing in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, to junior sailing, to cruising and all that can loosely be described as “messing about in boats”.

As of November 2020, the Commodore of the Royal St George Yacht Club is Peter Bowring, with Richard O’Connor as Vice-Commodore. The club has two Rear-Commodores, Mark Hennessy for Sailing and Derek Ryan for Social.

As of November 2020, the Royal St George has around 1,900 members.

The Royal St George’s burgee is a red pennant with a white cross which has a crown at its centre. The club’s ensign has a blue field with the Irish tricolour in its top left corner and a crown towards the bottom right corner.

Yes, the club hosts regular weekly racing for dinghies and keelboats as well as a number of national and international sailing events each season. Major annual events include the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, hosted in conjunction with the three other Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Clubs.

Yes, the Royal St George has a vibrant junior sailing section that organises training and events throughout the year.

Sail training is a core part of what the George does, and training programmes start with the Sea Squirts aged 5 to 8, continuing through its Irish Sailing Youth Training Scheme for ages 8 to 18, with adult sail training a new feature since 2009. The George runs probably the largest and most comprehensive programme each summer with upwards of 500 children participating. This junior focus continues at competitive level, with coaching programmes run for aspiring young racers from Optimist through to Lasers, 420s and Skiffs.

 

The most popular boats raced at the club are one-design keelboats such as the Dragon, Shipman 28, Ruffian, SB20, Squib and J80; dinghy classes including the Laser, RS200 and RS400; junior classes the 420, Optimist and Laser Radial; and heritage wooden boats including the Water Wags, the oldest one-design dinghy class in the world. The club also has a large group of cruising yachts.

The Royal St George is based in a Victorian-style clubhouse that dates from 1843 and adjoins the harbour’s Watering Pier. The clubhouse was conceived as a miniature classical Palladian Villa, a feature which has been faithfully maintained despite a series of extensions, and a 1919 fire that destroyed all but four rooms. Additionally, the club has a substantial forecourt with space for more than 50 boats dry sailing, as well as its entire dinghy fleet. There is also a dry dock, four cranes (limit 12 tonnes) and a dedicated lift=out facility enabling members keep their boats in ready to race condition at all times. The George also has a floating dock for short stays and can supply fuel, power and water to visitors.

Yes, the Royal St George’s clubhouse offers a full bar and catering service for members, visitors and guests. Currently the bar is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Royal St George boathouse is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm during the winter. The office and reception are open Tuesdays to Fridays from 10am to 5pm. The bar is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Lunch is served on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3pm.

Yes, the Royal St George regularly hosts weddings and family celebrations from birthdays to christenings, and offers a unique and prestigious location to celebrate your day. The club also hosts corporate meetings, sailing workshops and company celebrations with a choice of rooms. From small private meetings to work parties and celebrations hosting up to 150 guests, the club can professionally and successfully manage your corporate requirements. In addition, team building events can utilise its fleet of club boats and highly trained instructors. For enquiries contact Laura Smart at [email protected] or phone 01 280 1811.

The George is delighted to welcome new members. It may look traditional — and is proud of its heritage — but behind the facade is a lively and friendly club, steeped in history but not stuck in it. It is a strongly held belief that new members bring new ideas, new skills and new contacts on both the sailing and social sides.

No — members can avail of the club’s own fleet of watercraft.

There is currently no joining fee for new members of the Royal St George. The introductory ordinary membership subscription fee is €775 annually for the first two years. A full list of membership categories and related annual subscriptions is available.

Membership subscriptions are renewed on an annual basis

Full contact details for the club and its staff can be found at the top of this page

©Afloat 2020

RStGYC SAILING DATES 2024

  • April 13th Lift In
  • May 18th & 19th Cannonball Trophy
  • May 25th & 26th 'George' Invitational Regatta
  • July 6th RSGYC Regatta
  • August 10th & 11th Irish Waszp National Championships
  • August 22- 25th Dragon Irish National Championships / Grand Prix
  • Aug 31st / Sept 1st Elmo Trophy
  • September 6th End of Season Race
  • September 7th & 8th Squib East Coast Championships
  • September 20th - 22nd SB20 National Championships
  • September 22nd Topper Ireland Traveller Event
  • October 12th Lift Out

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