Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The recreation proposals in the harbour focus attention on three locations. The first area is the West Pier, which will be cleaned up and developed for commercial and community marine activity uses. It will feature an open space, improved facilities for dinghy sailors and a new sailing centre. The second area is the middle ground almost directly in front of the Royal Irish YC, which will see a new 500 berth marina and facilities within a new breakwater which will include a public walking area and an extended open space incorporating a promenade. The third is Traders Wharf and boatyard area which will be retained for the current range of recreational uses enjoyed by a variety of community and voluntary groups but in an upgraded formal way. The Dun Laoghaire combined yacht clubs committee had expected the proposals to include development also of the Carlisle basin area in front of the National YC. Club commodore Michael Horgan said yesterday: "I am disappointed that the basin marina has apparently been removed as a future option but nevertheless we support the marina in the middle ground but would want the Carlisle retained as an option for future development." "Other leisure users should also be supported and we would like the small breakwater at the Coal harbour to also be completed for the rowing club, Ballaly SC and Dun Laoghaire Sailing school." Harbour board secretary Peadar Ward said that the marina that has been advanced in the middle ground was done so because it is the most viable option and the Carlisle basin marina was still an area for "future development." The marina, according to the harbour board, must pay its own way. The capital cost of breakwaters therefore is a key factor. Outline costs for the construction of the middle ground breakwater alone will be in the region of £5 million while the Carlisle basin could be developed for less than half that figure. Ward said that one way the Harbour Board could finance the marina would be to sell off quantities of say, 10 year, berths up front. It is widely believed that a marina in Dun Laoghaire would be a marketable proposition and that berths would be snapped up both by yachtsmen and the growing number of powerboat enthusiasts who have only limited access to water in south Co Dublin. The marina will always remain the property of the Harbour Board and would not be sold to a private company, though it is likely a marina management company would be employed to run the facility. Meanwhile, feeder races from France, Wales the English south coast and Dun Laoghaire have been set for July's Ford Cork Week with entries up 30 per cent on 1994, and growing, according to its organising committee which now expects 500 boats for the regatta. The most encouraging response, in terms of new interest in the event, has come from Saint Malo, where a feeder race departs for Crosshaven on July 10th. Sigma 38 and 33 classes will hold their National UK and Irish Championships at Cork Week and word has it that 40 or 50 boats are planning to compete in Crosshaven. Other one designs such as the IMX 38, X99, J35, Impala, J24, Dragon and 1720 may have separate class starts. Among the interesting entries to date is a 48ft fast cruiser racer being built by Jung Christiensen in the UK. It has been specially commissioned for the Round the World Rally, which starts from Lisbon in January 1997 and finishes in the same city in May 1998. In fact, Nadia will be put through her paces in Irish waters on another occasion this summer as Jung has also entered her in the Round Ireland Race. Whitbread veteran Joe English has signed up with a Sligo YC team for June's CDG race. The crew, who will race in a Sigma 38 under the banner marking the club's 175th anniversary, will include local sailors Tim Corcoran and Patrick Carter. Up to 300 boats will be competing in the Rover series on the west coast of Scotland on May 23rd. Among the 13 classes, there will be five CHS and three CYCA (local handicap) classes and once again the backbone of the fleet will be the Sigma 335 and Sonatas. Organisers are keen to attract more Irish entries for the 22nd staging of the event.