The Howth 17 is a type of keelboat. It is a 3-man single-design keelboat designed to race in the waters off Howth and Dublin Bay.

How long is a Howth 17?

The Howth Seventeen is just 22ft 6ins in hull length.

Why are Howth 17s so famous?

The boat is the oldest one-design keelboat racing class in the world and it is still racing today to its original design exclusively at Howth Yacht club. It has important historical and heritage value keep alive by a vibrant class of members who race and cruise the boats.

How many Howth 17s are racing today?

Although 21 boats are in existence, a full fleet rarely sails buy turnouts for the annual championships are regularly in the high teens.

Who designed the Howth 17?

The plans of the Howth 17 were originally drawn by Walter Herbert Boyd in 1897 for Howth Sailing Club. The boat was launched in Ireland in 1898.

Who built the original Howth 17s?

They were originally built by John Hilditch at Carrickfergus, County Down. Initially, five boats were constructed by him and sailed the 90-mile passage to Howth in the spring of 1898. The latest Number 21 was built in France in 2017.

Why were the Howth 17s designed and built?

The Howth 17s were designed to combat local conditions in Howth that many of the keel-less boats of that era such as the 'Half-Rater' would have found difficult.

How many Howth 17s were built?

The original fleet of five, Rita, Leila, Silver Moon, Aura and Hera, was increased in 1900 with the addition of Pauline, Zaida and Anita. By 1913 the class had increased to fourteen boats. The extra nine were commissioned by Dublin Bay Sailing Club for racing from Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) - Echo, Sylvia, Mimosa, Deilginis, Rosemary, Gladys, Bobolink, Eileen and Nautilus. Gradually the boats found their way to Howth from various places, including the Solent and by the latter part of the 20th century they were all based there. The class, however, was reduced to 15 due to mishaps and storm damage for a few short years but in May 1988 Isobel and Erica were launched at Howth Yacht Club, the boats having been built in a shed at Howth Castle - the first of the class actually built in Howth.

What are Howth 17s constructed of?

The basic wooden Howth 17 specification was for a stem and keel of oak and elm, deadwood and frames of oak, planking of yellow pine above the waterline and red pine below, a shelf of pitch pine and a topstrake of teak, larch deck-beams and yellow pine planking and Baltic spruce spars with a keel of lead. Other than the inclusion of teak, the boats were designed to be built of materials which at that time were readily available. However today yellow pine and pitch pine are scarce, their properties of endurance and longevity much appreciated and very much in evidence on the original five boats.

How many races do the Howth 17s sail in any given year?

It is always a busy 60-race season of regular midweek evening and Saturday afternoon contests plus regattas and the Howth Autumn League

Name a famous Howth 17?

The 1907-built Deiliginis have recently made it four in a row for the national title that Deilginis has won at least six times in all.

What are some big recent events in the Howth 17 class?

In 2017, a new Howth 17 Orla, No 21, was built for Ian Malcolm. The construction of Orla began in September 2016 at Skol ar Mor, the boat-building school run by American Mike Newmeyer and his dedicated team of instructor-craftsmen at Mesquer in southern Brittany. In 2018, Storm Emma wrought extensive destruction through the seven Howth Seventeens stored in their much-damaged shed on Howth’s East Pier at the beginning of March 2018, it was feared that several of the boats – which since 1898 have been the very heart of Howth sailing – would be written off. But in the end only one – David O’Connell’s Anita built in 1900 by James Clancy of Dun Laoghaire – was assessed as needing a complete re-build. Anita was rebuilt by Paul Robert and his team at Les Ateliers de l’Enfer in Douarnenez in Brittany in 2019 and Brought home to Howth.

What is the sail area of a Howth 17?

The total sail area is 305 sq ft (28.3 m2)

Displaying items by tag: Dorney

20th October 2019

Shandon Man Dorney Third at Head of the Charles in Boston

#Rowing: Jack Dorney (18) finished third in the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston today. The Shandon man, defending his title in the men’s youth singles, was beaten by the winner, Nicholas Aronow, and second-placed Isaiah Harrison.

In the men’s senior master eights (average age 50 plus), an Irish Masters Boat Club crew made up of rowers from around Ireland took fourth. Ex Nemo won, while the second-placed Upper Yarra crew featured former Australian greats Duncan Free and James Tomkins as the stern pair.

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28th October 2018

O'Donovan and O'Driscoll Win at Ireland Trial

#Rowing: Paul O’Donovan finished fifth overall in the single sculls at the Armada Cup, and Sanita Puspure third in the Gold Cup in Philadelphia, a race that was part of the Head of the Schuylkill event.

At the Ireland trial at the National Rowing Centre, Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan won the men’s pair on Sunday, with David O’Malley and Shane Mulvaney second. O'Driscoll and O'Donovan did not compete on the Saturday.

Jack Dorney of Shandon won both the junior single sculls and the junior double, with Castleconnell’s Rory O’Neill. Molly Curry had equivalent wins: she teamed up with Lauren O’Brien – also of Castleconnell – on the Sunday.

UCD’s men’s senior eight were fastest at the Castleconnell Head of the River, and Enniskillen junior crews also shone.

Ireland Trial, National Rowing Centre (Provisional Results; winners) Saturday

Men

Pair - Senior: UCD (S Mulvaney, D O’Malley). Under-23: UCD (S O’Connell, A Goff).

Single - Senior: Shandon (A Harrington). Under-23: UCC (R Byrne)

Women

Pair: UCC, Skibbereen (A Keogh, E Hegarty). Under-23: Neptune, UCD (C Feerick, E Lambe). Jun: Cork Boat Club (C O’Sullivan, J Duggan).

Single – Sen: Killorglin (M Dukarska). Lightweight: Skibbereen (D Walsh). Under-23 Lightweight: Skibbereen (L Heaphy). Junior: Coleraine GS (M Curry).

Sunday

Men

Four – Under-23: O’Connell, Goff, Keating, Whittle. Jun 18: Gallagher, Daly, Butler, Murphy

Pair: M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll

Double – Sen: Haugh, Crowley. Lightweight: J McCarthy, F McCarthy. Lwt U-23: Sutton, Gaffney Jun 18: Dorney, O’Neill.

Single – Sen: Byrne. U-23: Bann (Christie). Lightweight: Sutton.

Women

Four – Under-23: Hanlon, Casey, Lambe, Feerick. Jun 18: O’Sullivan, Duggan, Tyther, O’Donoghue.

Pair – Hegarty, Keogh. Jun 18: McGrath, Gannon

Double – Sen: Dukarska, Crowley. Lightweight: Walsh, Casey. Jun 18: Curry, L O’Brien.

Single – Lightweight: Legresley. U-23: Heaphy. Jun 18: Gilmore.

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14th October 2018

Shandon Excel at Cork Head of the River

Jack Dorney, the fastest sculler at Cork Head of the River.

#Rowing: Shandon amassed a big set of wins at the Cork Head of the River at the Marina on Saturday. Their men’s senior quadruple, competing in the fourth head, set the fastest time of 12 minutes 3.4 seconds, while their men’s senior eight were just .6 of a second slower. They competed in head one and were the second-fastest crew overall. Jack Dorney was the fastest single sculler.

Cork Boat Club's women reeled off a set of wins. The fastest women’s crew was their club two eight, while Grace Collins of the same club was the fastest women’s single sculler.

Cork Head of the River, The Marina, Saturday (Selected Results)

Overall: 1 Shandon men’s senior quadruple 12 minutes 3.4 seconds (Head Four), 2 Shandon men’s senior eight 12 mins 4 secs (Head One), 3 Cork men’s inter eight 12:17.3 (H1).

Men

Eight – Senior: Shandon 12:04.0. Inter: Cork 12.17.3. Club Two: Shandon 13.13.

Four – Sen: Shandon 12:37. Inter, coxed: Shandon 13:55.3. Club Two, coxed: Waterford 15:41.6. Jun 18A, coxed: Shandon 14:13.3.

Pair – Sen: Cork A 13:44.1. Jun 18A: Fermoy 14:28.9. Jun 16, coxed: Presentation (Rolling Head) 14:24.6. Masters, coxed: Shandon (b) 15:17.4.

Sculling – Quadruple – Sen: Shandon 12:03.4. Inter: Shandon 12:36.2. Jun 18A: Lee B 12:53.1. Masters, coxed: Shandon A (a) Rolling Head 15:24.8

Double – Club Two: Shandon 15:27.5. Jun 18A: Cork 13:41.3.

Single – Sen: 1 Shandon (J Dorney, sen, H2) 15:18.8. Inter: Cork (C O’Sullivan) 15:44.7. Club Two: Lee (P Hearty) 18:11.1. Jun 18A: Lee (A Sheehan, H2) 15:30.2. Jun 16: Kenmare (T Kelly) 15:48.7. Masters: Shandon (H Merz, d; Rolling Head) 15:25.7.

Women

Eight – Club Two: Cork 14:28.5. Pair - Sen: Cork 16:47.2. Jun 18: Cork A 16:08.

Four – Club Two, coxed: Cork A 15:04.9. Masters, coxed: Cork (d) 16:38.4.

Sculling – Quadruple – Inter: Cork 15:27.3. Jun 18A: Shandon A 15:23.1. Jun 16, coxed: Lee 16:19.2. Masters, coxed: Graiguenamanagh (b) 17:15.2.

Double – Inter: Cork A 15:11. Jun 18A: Lee A 15:37.3.

Single – Inter: Cork (G Collins) 16:13.4. Club Two: Shandon (J Legresley) 16:01.5. Novice: Lee (O Commins) 17:35.9. Jun 18A: Kenmare (E Crowley) 15:38.7. Jun 16: Shandon (J Forde) 15:55.9. Masters: Shandon (J Legresley; b) 17:49.8 (Rolling Hd)

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29th September 2018

Dorney and Lynch top Junior Rankings at All Ireland Open and Youth Regatta

Jack Dorney of Shandon won the junior 18 single sculls at the Irish Open and All Ireland Junior Regatta at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. His nearest rival was James O’Donovan of Castleconnell. Both represented Ireland this season and both are junior again for the 2019 season.

Aoife Lynch of Lee was the top junior woman, just ahead of Lauren O’Brien of Castleconnell.

The best women’s open pair of the day was the UCC/Skibbereen combination of Tara Hanlon and Niamh Casey.

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9th June 2018

Commercial and Shandon Shine in the Sun at Metro Regatta

Rowing: Commercial won the Division One coxed and coxless fours and the Division One pairs (through intermediates Charlie Cunningham and Lorcain Cameron), while 17-year-old Jack Dorney took the men’s Division One single sculls at the refixed Metro regatta at Blessington today.

The day could hardly have been better for rowing, but the entry was thin because of clashes with exams and other events. Young competitors shone: the women’s Division One pair A Final was made up entirely of junior 18 crews, with Castleconnell the clear winners; the New Ross’s junior 18 crew of Shona Tierney and Lara Brown were the top women’s double scull and Tristan Orlic of Neptune, who is 16, won Division Two of the men’s single single sculls.

Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington, Saturday

Men

Eight – Div Two: Neptune (club two) 5:40.496.

Four – Div One: Commercial A (sen) 5:36.26. Four, coxed – Div One: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:55.01, 2 Shandon (jun 18A) 5:55.99, 3 Commercial (inter) 5:56.41; 5 UCD (club one) 6:02.82.

Pair – Div One: Commercial (inter) 6:07.65, 2 Commercial (sen) 6:14.6. B Final: 2 Castleconnell 6:25.78; 4 Belfast RC (club one) 6:43.92.

Sculling, Single – Div One: Shandon (J Dorney; jun 18A) 6:34.78, 2 St Michael’s (D O’Connor; sen) 6:37.81. B Final: Three Castles (T McKnight; inter) 6:47.52; 5 Commercial (J Casey; club one) 7:11.88. Div Two: Neptune (T Orlic; jun 16) 6:47. 76, 2 Clonmel (O’Donnell; club two) 6:49.48, 3 St Michael’s (O’Gorman; jun 18B) 7:00.84

Women

Four, coxed – Div Two: Neptune (club two) 6:56.77.

Sculling, Quadruple – Div Two, coxed: Commercial (jun 16) 6:51.87, 2 Neptune (club two) 6:54.06, 3 Fermoy (nov) 6:54.57; 6 Commercial (jun 18B) 7:49.09.

Double – Div One: New Ross (jun 18A) 6:43.13; 3 Neptune (club one) 6:48.66; 4 St Michael’s (sen) 7:05.97. Div Two: Carlow (jun 16) 7:11.58, 2 Neptune (club two) 7:36.47.

Single – Div One: 1 Castleconnell (jun 18) 7:14.24.

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10th October 2017

Dorney and Cremen Top Rankings at Cork Sculling Ladder Trial

Jack Dorney is presented with his prize by Pat Hickey.

#Rowing: Jack Dorney of Shandon Boat Club was the fastest at the Cork Sculling Ladder time trial at the Marina. More than 170 single scullers participated on Sunday in the 46th running of the event, which is sponsored by Argos Fire and Safety Ltd and BioAugmentation Systems Ltd. Dorney won in a time of seven minutes and 7.2 seconds. Three other Shandon scullers filled the next three spots: Alex Byrne, Stephen O’Sullivan and Eoin Gaffney.

Margaret Cremen, who won last last year, was again the fastest woman – the Lee Rowing Club competitor finished 10th overall; Cork Boat Club’s Lisa Dilleen was the next fastest woman. Conditions on the river were calm.

The 2017-2018 Cork Sculling Ladder continues until April 1^st.

Cork Sculling Ladder, Time Trial, October 8^th. Selected Results: