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Displaying items by tag: Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters

#PilotCutter - The Royal St George Yacht Club gives word that a crew is needed to sail the Bristol Channel pilot cutter Dolphin on a return trip to Greenland via Iceland this summer.

It promises to be a challenging adventure only for the experienced sailor, with cramped conditions on board and bad weather expected.

But there will also be plenty of opportunity for climbing and walking, as well as creature watching from polar bears to muskoxen and arctic foxes.

The classic boat in question – a 1909 Bristol Channel pilot cutter with 39ft on deck - aims to leave Swansea in late June for return in mid September, with planned stops for crew changes in Reykjavik and Issaford in Northern Iceland (mid July and end of August).

While in Greenland, Dolphin will return to Kangerlussuaq, if possible, and propose to spend two to three weeks in or toward the mountains beyond Kraemer Island at the edge of the icecap, subject to the ice.

The Royal St George has more on the voyage HERE.

Published in Tall Ships

#LECTURES – The Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association (DBOGA) last talk of the winter series is 'Madcap, Me and Other Mad Wans' which takes place next Thursday 22nd March (8pm) in Poolbeg YBC, Ringsend.

Adrian Spence, owner skipper of 'Madcap' will present an entertaining talk about his voyage to Greenland. Madcap, built in 1875, is the oldest of the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters still sailing and is to be found nowadays in the Northern Ireland Old Gaffers fleet.

All are welcome to the evening with proceeds going to the RNLI. For further information about the DBOGA click HERE and the PYBC visit www.poolbegmarina.ie

Published in Boating Fixtures

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class

Two Irish hopes in the 2023 Fastnet Race from Cowes will compete first in a 20-boat Coastal Class at July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR).

Pre-event favourites must be the First 50 Checkmate XX, fresh from Sovereign's Cup victory (three wins from four races sailed) and the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom.

Four races and one discard for the coastal division will be under International Race Officer Con Murphy.

The course will be decided on the race day and communicated to each skipper via a dedicated Offshore WhatsApp group at least one hour before the start. 

The finish will be between the Pier Ends at the Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance. The finishing time will be taken from the Yellowbrick tracker system.

The class will be the first to start on Thursday, with a warning signal at 1425 and 0955 on Friday. Coastal starts at 1055 on Saturday and 0955 on Sunday. 

The course will use DBSC Marks, Volvo Yellow inflatable Top Hat and Shipping Navigation Marks.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class Entries

GBR 8859R Jackknife J125 Andrew Hall Pwllheli
GBR 8911R Jezebel J111 1.093 Cris Miles Pwllheli Sailing Club
IRL 3435 Albireo 0.928 David Simpson RIYC
IRL 9898 Indecision J109 1.007 Declan Hayes RIYC
IRL 811 RAPTOR 1.007 Fintan Cairns RIYC
GER 6577 Opal 1.432 Frank Whelan GSC
GBR 9740R SLOOP JOHN T SWAN 40 Iain Thomson
IRL 1507 1.057 James Tyrrell ASC
IRL 1129 Jump The Gun J109 1.005 John M Kelly RIYC
GBR 7536R Hot Cookie Sunfast 3600 John O'Gorman NYC
IRL 3471 Black Velvet 0.979 Leslie Parnell RIYC
IRL 4007 Tsunami First 40.7 Michelle Farreall National Yacht Club
IRL 66 Checkmate XX 1.115 Nigel BIGGS HYC
GBR 6695R Wild Haggis Farr 30 1.060 Nigel Ingram Holyhead
GBR 9496T Bojangles J109 0.999 Paul HAMPSON Liverpool Yacht Club
IRL 1367 Boomerang Beneteau 36.7 0.997 Paul Kirwan
GBR 8992R Lightning Farr 30 1.074 Paul Sutton Holyhead Sailing Club
GBR 9047R Mojito J109 Peter Dunlop Pwllheli SC - RDYC
GBR 9244R Samatom Grand Soleil 44R 1.134 Robert Rendell HYC
IRL 44444 Magic Touch 0.979 Steve Hayes GSC
IRL 3317 Scotia First 31.7 0.930 Terence Fair Ballyholme yacht club
GBR 5373 Honey Bee Hunter HB31 0.900 William Partington Pwllheli Sailing Club / SCYC