James Dwyer of Royal Cork YC is "Sailor of the Month (Cruiser/Racer)" for November

2nd December 2024

Afloat.ie Team

Half Ton skipper James Dwyer of Swuzzlebubble Credit: Bob Bateman

The season-long annual Irish Cruiser-Racer Association Championship in 2024 provided an intriguing study of late-20th Century yacht design. The IRC title, announced in early November, goes to James Dwyer with his distinctive "Half Tonner-plus" Swuzzlebubble.

Something of an exercise in innovation when she first appeared in New Zealand in 1976 as a concept from the young Bruce Farr, her early years included having a centreboard and a spell in the Irish Sea in the ownership of the late Bruce Lyster, when she won the 1980 ISORA Championship with young bloods like Robert Dix, Drewry Pearson and Des Cummins in the crewing.

The Swuzzlebubble crew on her way to ICRA National Championship victory on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Since then, she almost departed this life with a planned consignment to a landfill in Greece. But Swuzzlebubble was rescued at the last minute in a story fit for a Christmas panto, and was very fully restored to live happily ever after, with success in 2024 the latest chapter.

Published in Sailor of the Month, Half Tonners, Royal Cork YC, ICRA

Published in Sailor of the Month

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James Dwyer

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