Displaying items by tag: SORC

4th June 2018

SoloFastnet Fleet Picks Up The Pace In Celtic Sea

Mark Thompson on the Contessa 32 SYZYGY captured this image by drone

#soloFastnet - After a frustrating first 36 hours, the majority of the soloFastnet fleet have now passed Land’s End — with the lead solo sailors already halfway across the Celtic Sea towards Fastnet Rock.

All three classes got away from Cowes on Saturday afternoon (2 June) in bright sunshine and a 15-knot southwesterly, but that wasn’t to last as a wind drop and a turn of the tide saw most of the 28 competitors going in circles overnight.

There was some drama at the start when a cruiser heading towards the shore wandered into the middle of the Class 2 start line.

Meanwhile, Richard Clarke with his Sunfast 3200 Fury was unfortunate to T-bone a folk boat. Clarke continued racing but it soon emerged that the collision had cracked the bow structure, causing a leak into the crash box area, forcing his retirement after 140 miles sailed.

Sunday morning (3 June) saw the breeze pick up for some, with Stephane Bodin’s Wasabi Enertek making the best of the conditions among the more southerly boats, flying at double the speed (6kts) of their more northerly competitors.

Offshore certainly paid off by Sunday evening with those boats flying downwind in up to 25 knots, but more challenging seas — as shared by the Royal Western Yacht Club of England’s Round Britain & Ireland fleet.

As of 10am this morning (Monday 4 June), the lead is held by Ari Kansakoski’s Class 40 Fuji, with French entry Raging Bee 2 in hot pursuit.

There’s also been one more retirement from the fleet, at Matt Smith’s Full Circle headed to Plymouth after issues with a line joining floats in the water.

The soloFastnet race tracker and leaderboard can be found HERE.

Published in Solo Sailing

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Solo Sailing Conference Offers Charter of Performance Yachts

Irish solo sailing fans may be interested in the annual Solo Racing Festival at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble on Saturday 12th March.

Given the Figaro race is coming to Dun Laoghaire in August a talk on the Artemis Academy with John Thorn (Figaro 2) will be of particular interest.

Owen Clarke's designer Merfyn Owen, who lives in Hamble will be attending as well as colleagues from their brokerage partners Boatshed Performance.

So whether your interest be solo sailing or short-handed sailing in general they will be there to answer questions on design, construction, as well as sale/purchase and charter of offshore performance yachts.

The Race Fair is an open house from 10.00 for race organisers to meet and greet potential skippers from; Global Ocean/Class 40, Mocra, UK mini group, RORC, SORC, Biscay Challenge, AZAB. Floating boat show, 8 boats including the OC class 40, 2 minis, A35, J105, Figaro 2, Sunfast 3200.

There is a Book Signing, Alex Bennett signing copies of High Seas High Stakes and showing Fuji DVD Mike Golding is opening the talks at 11,00.

Followed by:

Winning Mind Set with Ian Brown, sports psychologist
Global Ocean race with Oliver Dewar
Two Star/Ostar with John Lewis, RWYC
30m trimaran design with Nigel Irens (Idec, Sodebo)
Artemis Academy first term report with John Thorn (Figaro 2)
Route du Rhum with Marco Nannini, (class 40)
all in the spendid riverside setting of the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble.

More HERE.

Published in Solo Sailing

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Offshore wind

ESB know the importance of offshore wind in tackling climate change and delivering net zero. Ireland has a unique capability given its prime location to take advantage of the potential of offshore wind. ESB are working hard to develop offshore wind projects for the benefit of everyone across society in Ireland and the UK. This includes ongoing engagement with marine users and local communities so ESB can deliver these significant projects.

Offshore wind will play a major role globally in our fight against climate change. It will help to replace energy generated by burning fossil fuels with that from a clean, safe and secure renewable energy source. Ireland’s geographic location on the exposed edge of the Atlantic presents us with a significant opportunity to generate electricity from wind – both offshore and onshore.

Power from onshore wind farms currently provide over one-third of Ireland’s electricity needs. But, whilst its marine area is many times the size of its landmass, Ireland’s offshore wind potential is only starting to be realised. ESB have a coastline stretching over 3,000km but only one operational offshore wind farm – Arklow Bank, with a capacity of 25 MW. In contrast, Belgium’s coastline is only 63km long, but it has already developed more than 2,000 MW of offshore wind. In Great Britain, with a coastline four times the length of ours, offshore wind generation now equates to over 440 Arklow Banks, with an installed capacity of 11,0000 MW as of late 2021.

The Irish Government's target to install 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity in our maritime area by 2030 is set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. It also has the objective to source 80% of Ireland’s electricity needs from renewables by the same year. In line with this, ESB is applying its professional and proven engineering expertise to the challenges set within the Climate Action Plan.

ESB are committed to playing a strong role in developing Ireland’s offshore wind potential for the benefit of the people of Ireland. This will be done in consultation with marine users and local communities, and with due care for the marine environment.