Blogs
Walking along the riverside in Cork Harbour in the past few days of good weather the harbour waters looked inviting, but as I thought of the pleasure of having the sails up, helm in hand, boat moving through the water,…
Heroic Solo Sailor Gregor McGuckin Revives Memory of Rod Stephens in Howth Fifty Years Ago
8th May 2020 W M Nixon
In Ireland, these days, the name of Rod Stephens is most readily associated with an international award - the Cruising Club of America’s Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship - for the very good reason that during the past six…
The Managing Director of one of the biggest fishermen’s co-operatives in the country has criticised French fishermen who have tried to impose a boycott on the sales of imported fish. The Scottish fishing industry has also made complaints. “They like…
If you’re not having unusually colourful dreams in these weird times, then you’re the exception. Everyone else is. I woke up the other morning totally exhausted, and little wonder. For as the foggy mind came into focus, all recollections were…
The Fastnet Race Centenary is in Five Years – How Well Has Ireland Scored Since 1925?
25th April 2020 W M Nixon
In 2025, the Centenary of the RORC Fastnet Race – arguably the world’s most famous offshore challenge – will be sailed. Until recently, it would have seemed a bit odd to be focusing on a Centenary all of five years…
What is the most important, challenging and decisive part of yacht racing? “The start of the race.” That was what experienced skippers and crews told me - on the start line a race could be won and lost. So, when…
New Date for Dublin Bay-Cork Harbour Race Brings Back Memories of Legendary Schooner America
17th April 2020 W M Nixon
The postponed date of Friday, July 31st is being considered as a feasible time to think of starting the ISORA-organised 160-mile Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour Race, which was originally planned for July 9th to link this summer’s celebration of…
The yacht pictured above this week is definitely not aground, though it is at a critical angle. It is a Sigma 33 racing at Quoile Yacht Club on Strangford Lough. “We do have these interesting moments with spinnakers on these…
Round Ireland Yacht Race’s New Date Emphasises its National Sailing Significance
11th April 2020 W M Nixon
If we needed a reminder of the central role which the biennial Round Ireland Yacht Race from Wicklow has grown into within Irish sailing and in the global offshore racing context during its 40 years and 20 editions, then the…
The new Chief Executive of the Marine Institute says that it is essential that there is good public understanding of the importance of the sea. The Institute is the national agency responsible for maritime research, technology development and innovation policy.…
The accepted and popular shapes of boats and yachts in different ages changes so much that you’d be forgiven for thinking that their functions also change completely to suit the requirements of each new era. Of course, design development, measurement…
One-by-one they came in this week – cancellations of planned events. The Royal Cork’s 300th celebrations. I commiserated with the club’s Admiral, Colin Morehead. A tough decision for him in his first few months in office. Cork Week had to…
The Covid-19-related cancellation of the pillar events planned for July in the Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Tricentenary Celebrations has had an inexorable inevitability about it for the last ten days and more. But a decision of such magnitude needed to…
A “squib” I was told when first shown one of these boats by its owner, is “an explosive boat. Several of them were riding nicely on the rippling water at Kinsale Marina that day two years ago when it was…
The potent Dun Laoghaire-based JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI may now have four very busy seasons – both inshore and offshore - in her sailing CV. But the years have not dulled her performance and competitiveness, and in 2019 she had…
When a country is brooding under the gloom of a developing and lethal global pandemic, you’d have thought that something mildly light-hearted such as the weekend’s Sailing on Saturday creation of a virtual launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht…