WM Nixon
William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.
Howth Seventeens Crank into Action for National Championship in 123rd Year This Weekend
5th August 2020 Howth 17
The Howth 17s have been racing in their “little piece of Connemara that’s somehow in Leinster” for 122 years. And when some years ago they decided to make their annual championship into something special, they re-titled it the Howth 17…
When the restored 56ft ketch Ilen of Limerick gets worthwhile wind conditions, she can give a good account of herself in terms of sailing speed. Yet no-one would claim that her rate of knots on passage afloat remotely compares to…
Renowned Northern Sailor & Arctic Explorer Brian Black Dies in Tragic Accident
4th August 2020 News Update
Brian Black, the multi-media communicator, Arctic sailor, and environmentalist, died today (Tuesday) after a tragic accident at noon when his car plunged off the pier at his home village of Strangford in County Down. Originally best-known as a presenter with…
After spending much of the past two months on her own in the Atlantic making her way home from the Caribbean via the Azores, the Quinlan-Owens family’s 43ft ketch Danu found her crew being swept up into a socially-controlled welcome…
Round Ireland Refunds? The Doyler Would Tell Them to Keep Entry Fee for 2022’s Race
31st July 2020 W M Nixon
“What would The Doyler do?” That was the question we asked here when writing with resigned sadness on 11th April about the pandemic-induced two-month postponement - from 20th June - of the Wicklow start of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland…
Last night (Wednesday) the 43ft steel ketch Danu made her way round the end of the breakwater at Kilronan in the Aran Islands in the evening light, with the day’s rain clearing away to the northeast. The Quinlan-Owens family of…
Cork Harbour's Famous Cutter Gull: Her Ghost is Now Happily Haunting Glengarriff
30th July 2020 Historic Boats
Irish boats come, Irish boats go. And while some will always be remembered, others leave barely a twirl of wake in the communal memory. The best-remembered has to be Conor O’Brien’s world-girdling Saoirse. Yet it could reasonably be claimed that…
Don Street Celebrates 90th Birthday with Stylish International Dragon Racing in Glandore
29th July 2020 Dragon
Much of the rest of the sailing world may be whirling in coronavirus confusion, but in serene and elegant Glandore in West Cork. the strong local division of classic and modern International Dragons went smoothly into their 14-race Dragon Derby…
The Quinlan-Owens family of Kinvara are expected home in Galway Bay within the next day or so with their 39ft steel ketch Danu of Galway, a 1993-built ocean voyager which Marine Institute scientist Vera Quinlan and her husband Peter Owens…
In a decision which will resonate with the national and international sailing community, and following intensive meetings all day, organisers Wicklow Sailing Club in concert with their many stakeholders have decided at 1845hrs today (Monday) that the circumstances of the…
With just four weeks to go to the proposed re-scheduled start of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race 2020 on August 22nd, the word is that a final decision as to whether it is going ahead – and indeed,…
There is Irish Sunshine in this Shortened Sailing Summer – Just Catch It When You Can
24th July 2020 Howth YC
When your dad and your brother are out having a ding-dong against each other in a couple of J/80s in the popular annual Aqua Restaurant Two-Handed Challenge from Howth up round Lambay and back, the dutiful daughter and loving sister…
Clifden Boat Club on Ireland’s Atlantic Seaboard Succeeds in Multi-Purpose Roles
22nd July 2020 News Update
Clifden Boat Club is the primary sailing and boat sports access point for the picturesque town of Clifden, the natural capital of Connemara, the “Land of the Sea” on Ireland’s far west Atlantic coast. While the club’s history goes much…
Ireland’s Dolan & Concarneau’s Jamboux finish second in 400-miler – by just 5 minutes
22nd July 2020 Tom Dolan
Tom Dolan of Meath and longtime colleague Francois Jamboux of Concarneau revived the spark of previous joint successes with a scorcher of a race with Smurfit Kappa in the 400-mile Drheam Cup from Cherbourg to La Trinite sur Mer via…
Long Distance Sailor Nick Kats Cuts Short His Third Cruise from Ireland Towards Greenland
21st July 2020 Cruising
The pressures of assembling an ocean-going crew on-line in the highly-constrained times of Coronavirus may have been a factor in experienced Arctic voyager Nick Kats’ decision to cut short what would have been his third cruise from Ireland to East…
They’ve been holding annual regattas at breezy Mullaghmore on Sligo’s northwest coast for a very long time. Probably way beyond 1885, but that’s the oldest regatta poster they’ve managed to unearth. And though it’s just about possible to decipher it,…
COVID-19 Facemasks with Insignias – Senior Yacht Clubs North & South Lead the Way
20th July 2020 Coronavirus and Boating
If we need any further indication of the longterm seriousness of the current public health precautions in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, then we’re told everything by the fact that sailing and yacht clubs are finally responding through acquiring…
Howth’s Half Tonners Dominate 38-Boat Aqua Two-Handed Challenge When Tiger Fades
20th July 2020 Howth YC
When in doubt, send ’em round Lambay. That seems to be the feeling among Howth Yacht Club’s race officers as this uncertain semi-season gradually cranks into action. And with Saturday’s early-start Aqua Double-Hander Challenge seeing a greyish morning giving a…
Facemasks With Club Logos An Idea as Big Events Fall While Smaller Ones Quietly Take Place
18th July 2020 W M Nixon
A while back, the off-the-wall idea was mooted of creating a line of quality face-masks, tastefully printed or even embroidered with sailing and yacht club logos. The world of high fashion was already on to the idea of designer-labelled COVID-contesting…
Ireland’s Drascombes Celebrate Historic 12th July With All-Ireland Boyne Rally
17th July 2020 Cruising
The uniquely compact boats of Ireland’s characterful Drascombe fleet have their own way of doing things. Encouraged by their easily-lowered rigs and extra-shoal-draft-with-centreboard versatility, they’re well able to explore little-known harbours and winding waterways where bridges or overhanging trees might…
