Displaying items by tag: Cork Dockyard Ltd

18th September 2014

Cork Dockyard Contract of Irish Lights Vessel Faced Stiff Competition from European Yards

#CorkDockyard – ILV Granuaile, the Commissioners of Irish Lights aids to navigation tender departed Cork Dockyard's graving dock today, following a major work contract won in the face of stiff competition from European yards, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The ILV Granuaile in the presence of local tugs made a lunchtime exodus of the graving dock. She then went alongside the layby berth of the 44-acre facility in Rusbrooke where 30 years ago the last ship built by the former Verolme Cork Dockyard was launched.

According to CIL, the contract won by Cork Dockyard Ltd (part of the Doyle Shipping Group) was secured from competing yards in the UK and France. The contract for a '15 year Special Survey and Drydocking' followed a competitive EU tender and is part of an overall €650,000 project to so to enable continued operation of the ship to Lloyds +100A1 Classification.

The yard's work was to carry out hull and superstructure painting, repair tasks and major tank surveys. As well to this overhauls to both Schottel and bow thrusters were required plus an inspection of the hull's plate thickness.

ILV Granuaile entered the 165.5m (539ft) by 22.5m (73ft) wide graving dock in late August, having engaged on an international charter working on wind farms in the German Bight and in waters off the Netherlands.

Prior to her arrival, Granuaile which was custom-built for CIL in Romania by the Dutch Damen Group, made an en route call to Rosslare before entering the graving dock in lower Cork Harbour.

Granuaile is designed to service all aids to navigation off the island of Ireland in which there are 300 general aids and some 4000 local aids.

In addition to the occasional commercial charter work, she has also been tasked to undertake operations with other state agencies such as the Naval Service, Coast Guard and Marine Institute.

She is due to return to routine duties off the west coast, however due to strong demand according to CIL her services will again be required for a joint project.

This will see the 2,625 tonnes vessel carry out work for the Marine Institute and SEAI, where sensors to monitor wave energy activity will be deployed at SEAI's offshore wave energy test site off Belmullet, Co.Mayo.

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil