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Displaying items by tag: David Marshall

Conditions for the final day of the ASM-Marine Frostbite League at Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday could not have been a more inviting finale for the thirty plus sailors competing in the Laser, Squib and Mixed Dinghy Fleets. Despite losing two of the six week series due to the weather, the last day of the season brought welcome sunshine accompanied by a fresh Force 4 North to North-Westerly breeze, gusting Force 5 at times. Three windward-leeward races were completed which brought the total race number to eleven, with two discards applying. The constantly shifting Northerly breeze, which tracked slowly westwards was the predominate feature in all three races, with an ebb tide having effect to the right hand side of the coarse.
Dara O'Shea (KYC) with another gritty performance in the Laser 4.7 fleet, managed this week to overhaul the league leader Cian Byrne (KYC/RCYC). Leaving it to the final race and with both sailors on nineteen points, Dara grasped the top spot as he fought off his rivals and eventually took line honours and the Laser 4.7 League title. Cian untypically finished fourth but nevertheless secured second place overall, just two points behind. Darragh O'Sullivan had an excellent day's racing with a win and two seconds which pulled him into third place overall, just ahead of Conor Murphy (KYC) who finished on the same points total but one place behind in the final race.
Proving once again that consistency is the key to success in the Frostbite League, Eoghan Cudmore (KYC) with a fifth, third and a second in the Radial Fleet managed to hold off the challenge for the top spot from last year's winner Sean Murphy (KYC) who scored two thirds and a fourth. With the second best results of the day, Colm O'Regan (KYC) scoring two seconds and a fourth, moved up to third place overall. Despite an excellent run of results with three wins on the final day Thomas Chaix (KYC) with insufficient points accrued could not make an impact on the final order.
In the Laser Standard Class Rob Howe (RCYC) continued his outstanding form with a further second place and two firsts bringing his overall total to an unassailable eleven points, fourteen points ahead of his nearest rival Paul O'Sullivan of Monkstown. Scoring two thirds and a second, O'Sullivan's consistent form paid off bringing him into second place overall. David Kenefick (RCYC) who had closely pursued the leader throughout the series, dropped to third place overall as he did not compete on the day.
Seldom conceding line honours Marcus Hutchinson and Ben Fusco (KYC) in the Squib Class went into the final day leading comfortably by eight points. Two wins later and a final second easily secured the league title and are now the new holders of the Bruce Mathews Squib Trophy. In a repeat of last year Paul McCarthy (KYC) finished strongly with two seconds and a win in the final race. These results elevated him from fourth place overall into the prize winning second position. Victor Fusco and Ruth Ennis (KYC) with a final third, fourth and seventh subsequently slipped one place to claim the third prize overall.
In the Mixed Dinghy Class, despite conceding line honours in all three races Brian Jones and Gary Frost (MBSC) in their International 505 finished the series as the lead boat four points comfortably ahead. The RS Feva of David Marshall and Rob Scandrett (RCYC) closed on a high note as they took advantage with three win ASM-Marine KYC Frostbite League - Sunday 27th Feb, 2011.
Conditions for the final day of the ASM-Marine Frostbite League at Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday could not have been a more inviting finale for the thirty plus sailors competing in the Laser, Squib and Mixed Dinghy Fleets. Despite losing two of the six week series due to the weather, the last day of the season brought welcome sunshine accompanied by a fresh Force 4 North to North-Westerly breeze, gusting Force 5 at times. Three windward-leeward races were completed which brought the total race number to eleven, with two discards applying. The constantly shifting Northerly breeze, which tracked slowly westwards was the predominate feature in all three races, with an ebb tide having effect to the right hand side of the coarse.
Dara O'Shea (KYC) with another gritty performance in the Laser 4.7 fleet, managed this week to overhaul the league leader Cian Byrne (KYC/RCYC). Leaving it to the final race and with both sailors on nineteen points, Dara grasped the top spot as he fought off his rivals and eventually took line honours and the Laser 4.7 League title. Cian untypically finished fourth but nevertheless secured second place overall, just two points behind. Darragh O'Sullivan had an excellent day's racing with a win and two seconds which pulled him into third place overall, just ahead of Conor Murphy (KYC) who finished on the same points total but one place behind in the final race.
Proving once again that consistency is the key to success in the Frostbite League, Eoghan Cudmore (KYC) with a fifth, third and a second in the Radial Fleet managed to hold off the challenge for the top spot from last year's winner Sean Murphy (KYC) who scored two thirds and a fourth. With the second best results of the day, Colm O'Regan (KYC) scoring two seconds and a fourth, moved up to third place overall. Despite an excellent run of results with three wins on the final day Thomas Chaix (KYC) with insufficient points accrued could not make an impact on the final order.
In the Laser Standard Class Rob Howe (RCYC) continued his outstanding form with a further second place and two firsts bringing his overall total to an unassailable eleven points, fourteen points ahead of his nearest rival Paul O'Sullivan of Monkstown. Scoring two thirds and a second, O'Sullivan's consistent form paid off bringing him into second place overall. David Kenefick (RCYC) who had closely pursued the leader throughout the series, dropped to third place overall as he did not compete on the day.
Seldom conceding line honours Marcus Hutchinson and Ben Fusco (KYC) in the Squib Class went into the final day leading comfortably by eight points. Two wins later and a final second easily secured the league title and are now the new holders of the Bruce Mathews Squib Trophy. In a repeat of last year Paul McCarthy (KYC) finished strongly with two seconds and a win in the final race. These results elevated him from fourth place overall into the prize winning second position. Victor Fusco and Ruth Ennis (KYC) with a final third, fourth and seventh subsequently slipped one place to claim the third prize overall.
In the Mixed Dinghy Class, despite conceding line honours in all three races Brian Jones and Gary Frost (MBSC) in their International 505 finished the series as the lead boat four points comfortably ahead. The RS Feva of David Marshall and Rob Scandrett (RCYC) closed on a high note as they took advantage with three wins and claimed the second prize overall. Finishing third on the day and third overall in the series was the Feva of Fiona Lynch and Sofie Kelleher.
At the Prize Giving, Alice Kingston KYC Commodore, congratulated the deserving winners and thanked all the sailors for their efforts. Special thanks went to PRO Bruce Mathews for his dedicated support, the Organisers, the Sponsor ASM-Marine and all those who had helped both on and off the water to make this annual event such a success. Cameron Good KYC Vice-Commodore presented the prizes and June Matthews presented the Bruce Matthews Trophies for the best performances in the Laser Radial and Squib Classes won by Eoghan Cudmore and Marcus Hutchinson respectively. The inaugural Laser 4.7 'Destiny' Trophy was presented to Dara O'Shea.

 

Published in Kinsale
17th February 2011

Keller Leads Kinsale Radials

Following the previous two weeks of adverse weather which interrupted the league programme, the ASM Frostbite series continued at Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday in lively sailing conditions.

With the predicted South-South Westerly winds arriving on schedule for the 11.55 First Gun, PRO Bruce Mathews and team laid a windward- leeward course across the harbour from Money Point to Charles Fort. The moderately difficult conditions, which were dominated by a variable force three to four, were at times exacerbated by persistent gusts sweeping the length of the course. By the end of the first race an unexpected squall left several capsized boats in its wake. With an ebb tide affecting the left side of the course in particular and strengthening as the racing progressed, the competing fleets were challenged with typical Kinsale Frostbite conditions. As five races have now been successfully completed, the first discard in the league series came into play.

First fleet off was the 4.7 Lasers, immediately followed by the combined Laser Radial and Standard rigs, and finally by the combined Squib and Mixed Dinghy classes. The slightly amended running order resulted in a quick and efficient programme which allowed for three races on the day and all crews safely ashore within three hours.

Cian Byrne (KYC/RCYC) although scoring a fourth, a third and a second in the Laser 4.7 races just managed to retain his leading position by a single point. He is closely followed by Darragh O'Sullivan (KYC) a current member of the ISA Laser 4.7 Squad, who scored a first and a fourth, while discarding an unfortunate protest-related penalty from the first week. Dara O'Shea's (KYC) overall third remains secure after scoring a fine first in the first race followed by two fourths. Séafra Guilfoyle (RCYC), another ISA Squad member, turned in the best results of the day as he scored his first points in the series with two seconds and a first in the last race.
Eoin Keller (LDYC) continued his unbeatable form in the Laser Radials, as he completed a clean sweep of all races. His unblemished record of five straight bullets puts him in a commanding position at the head of the fleet. Colm Regan, with two fourths and a second retains second place overall, as Eoghan Cudmore (RCYC/KYC) showing consistent form with two thirds and a second moves up one place to third overall.
In a much depleted Laser Standard fleet this week, Rob Howe (RCYC) took full advantage of the opportunity as he coasted home with three straight wins. His excellent performance moved him up two places to lead the field overall displacing Dave Kenefick (RCYC) who had two seconds on the day.

Marcus and Meagan Hutchinson in 'Sensation' (KYC) convincingly shot to the top of the Squib fleet, from their previous third place with three straight wins as they dominated the day's racing and went on to shake up the leader-board. Previous pace-setter Paul McCarthy in 'Mack' (KYC) having an inconsistent day, slipped down into second overall three points behind as he scored a third, a fourth, and a second in the final race. Also down one place, Victor and Ruth Fusco in 'Gemini' (KYC) scored two fourths and a seventh leaving them four points behind McCarthy. Showing much improved form, Colm Dunne and Mark Buckley (KYC) had a very successful day with a second and two thirds and moved up several places to take fourth overall.
In the Mixed Dinghy Fleet, the 505 of Brian Jones and Gary Frost (MBSC) lead the David Marshall and Rob Scandrett owned Feva (RCYC), followed by Fiona Lynch's Feva and Shane Dwyer's Topaz Uno Plus. Individual results were not available at the time of writing.
The ASM Frostbite League at KYC continues over the next two Sundays, finishing on 27th February 2011. The Sailing Instructions allow for twelve races to complete the series, with a possible three discards to apply. First Gun is at 11.55 a.m.

Published in Kinsale

The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020