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Displaying items by tag: Public naming competition

The Government is considering carrying out a public naming competition for two inshore patrol cutters that the State has acquired from New Zealand. The pair of 'Lake' class cutters were originally commissioned for the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2009.

Simon Coveney, the Minister of Defence has proposed the innovative idea, however there will be safeguards implemented to prevent a recurrence of what took place in the UK of the 'Boaty McBoatface' debacle when the outcome of a public online vote turned farcical, however the research vessel was officially named the RRS Sir David Attenborough

The new patrol cutters will be introduced into the Naval Service where the majority of the fleet reflects the names of famous male Irish writers, they are the L.E.Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and George Bernard Shaw. In addition the third of the OPV90 class L.E. William Butler Yeats, Afloat adds is similarly named to that of Irish Ferries cruiseferry, the W.B. Yeats.

The Independent.ie which has more on the story, reports that Mr Coveney is believed to favour that at least one of the warships be named after a woman. This would enable the public to be offered a slate of options – from Maria Edgeworth, Lady Gregory, Katharine Tynan or Peig Sayers.

As for male writers they could include such legendary figures as Bram Stoker, Seamus Heaney, Austin Clarke and Padraic Colum.

Published in Navy

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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