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: Myross

3rd November 2019

Healy Best of Irish at World Coastal Rowing Championships

#Rowing: Ireland’s Sionna Healy placed seventh in the women’s solo at the World Coastal Championships in Hong Kong this morning. In tough, choppy, conditions, the Arklow woman clung on to sixth for most of a race which was won by Diana Dymchenko of Ukraine. Mette Petersen of Denmark finished fastest of the entire field and took sixth, while Castletownbere’s Miriam Sheehan also finished well to take eighth.

The best-placed men’s crews for Ireland were Myross, who took tenth in the men’s coxed quadruple, and Bantry’s Andrew Hurley, who was 13^th in the men’s solo.

Belfast Boat Club’s women’s coxed quad took 11^th in their A Final.

World Coastal Rowing Championships, Hong Kong – Day Three (Ireland crews)

Men

Quadruple coxed – A Final: 10 Myross 24 minutes 45.44 seconds. B Final (18^th to 31^st): 4 Galley Flash/Kilmacsimon 17:24.36.

Double – A Final: 13 Arklow (J Whooley, A Goodison) 27:01.10.

Solo – A Final: 13 Bantry (A Hurley) 30:52.53; 16 Galley Flash (J Harrington) 32.20.18.

Women

Quadruple, coxed – A Final: 11 Belfast BC 28:06.90; 15 Castletownbere/Myross (Ireland Two) 28:45.75.

Double – B Final (17^th to 29^th): 1 Castletownshend 20:46.01; 4 Arklow (Kinsella, Kinsella) 22:03.93, 5 Arklow (Jordan, Reid) 22:21.76.

Solo – A Final: 7 Arklow (S Healy) 32:45.91, 8 Castletownbere (M Sheehan) 32:53.20; 12 Arklow (X Jordan) 33:25.40; 14 Galley Flash (N Hayes) 34:03.40; 16 Arkow (MA Kent) 37:22.22.

Mixed

Double – B Final (17^th to 32^nd): 11 Kilmacsimon 21:04.85.

Published in Coastal Rowing

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2nd November 2019

Ireland Men Join Women in A Finals at World Coastal Rowing

#Rowing: Ireland will have crews in five A Finals at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Hong Kong on Sunday. Men’s crews came through well on Saturday, qualifying two solo scullers and Myross in the coxed quadruple. The Arklow double of Alan Goodison and John Whooley had made it through as a fastest loser in the double in Friday’s session. Two women’s coxed quadruples and four women’s solo scullers had also made it through on Friday.

World Coastal Rowing Championships, Hong Kong, Day Two (Ireland crews)

Men

Quadruple, coxed – First Eight to A Final; rest to B Final: Heat One: 7 Myross 16:22.17; 11 Galley Flash/Kilmacsimon 17:34.57.

Double – B Final: 7 Kilmacsimon/Ring 19:35.10; 13 Courtmacsherry 21:05.76; 14 St Michael’s, Dublin 21:41.30.

Solo – First Five to A Final; 7 plus to B Final; 11 plus B Final or eliminated: Heat Two: 13 Portmagee 23:14.19. Heat Three: 3 Bantry (A Hurley) 20:02.92; 5 Galley Flash (J Harrington) 20:40.77; 13 Myross 25:21.83.

Women

Double - First Eight to A Final; rest to B Final – Heat Two: 9 Castletownshend 20:36.64; 11 Arklow (Kinsella/Kinsella) 21:47.40; 13 Arklow (Jordan/Reid) 22:54.85.

Mixed

Double – Heat One – 7 to 10 to B Final: 10 Kilmacsimon 19:21.81

Published in Coastal Rowing

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25th August 2019

Myross and Killorglin Close Out Irish Coastal Rowing Championships With Wins

Senior Women's winners Killorglin celebrate, with silver medallists Kilmacsimon (left) and Galley Flash, bronze.

#Coastal Rowing: Myross won the senior men’s title for the second weekend in-a-row at the Irish Coastal Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre. The had also won at the ICRF All-Ireland. Killorglin won the senior women’s crown.

In excellent conditions, the contest for the Club of the Championships was close. The prize goes to the club with the most wins. Holders Kilmacsimon could have taken it with wins in the final two races but were denied and Whitegate, the hosts, were crowned champions.

Published in Rowing

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22nd August 2019

Myross Come out on Top at All-Ireland Coastal Championships

Sneem celebrate after winning the Senior Women's Title

#Coastal Rowing: Myross carried off the senior men’s title at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships in Dingle. Sneem won the women’s senior title. Kerry club, Workmen’s, did very well in women’s events, as did Kilmacsimon in men’s. Hundreds of crews competed in the event, which was run alongside Dingle Regatta. The Heritage class gave crews from Dublin a chance to shine. The women from St Michael’s and the men from Dalkey won the senior Heritage titles and the mixed title went to Stella Maris.

All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships (ICRF), Dingle (selected results; winners)

Men

Senior: Myross

Seine Boat: Sneem

Open Classic: Myross.

Heritage, Senior: Dalkey. Inter: Stella Maris. Novice: Sive. Under-18: Valentia.

Masters: Kilmacsimon Quay

Intermediate: Kilmacsimon Quay

Novice: Templenoe

Junior: Kilmacsimon Quay

Under-21: Callinafercy

Under-18: Templenoe

Women

Senior: Sneem

Heritage Senior: St Michael’s. Under-18: Callinafercy A.

Open Classic: Castletwonbere

Masters: Workmen’s

Novice: Myross

Junior: Fossa

Under-21: Workmen’s

Under-18: Workmen’s A

Mixed

Senior: Workmen’s B

Masters: Templenoe

Heritage: Stella Maris

Published in Coastal Rowing

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14th October 2018

Myross Quad and Donegal's Boomer Place Well at World Coastal Rowing Championships

#Rowing: Ireland crews reached multiple A Finals and had two fifth-place finishes at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Sidney, Victoria in Canada.

The Myross men’s coxed quadruple of Kenny McCarthy, Vincent Browne, Andy O’Sullivan and James Lupton, with cox Ciara Deasy, finished fifth in their A Final. The race was won by Italy, who were well clear of second-placed Monaco, with France One taking bronze.

In the final of the men’s single, Patrick Boomer was also well placed behind the winner Eduardo Linares Ruiz. The Peruvian took the lead before half way and held on to dethrone Italy’s defending champion, Simone Martini, who took bronze. Lars Wichert of Germany was second.

Boomer, who was representing Loughros Point of Donegal, was fifth, well in touch with the medallists.

Ireland's women's crews also did well. Castletownbere's coxed quad of Emily Dulohery, Cliona O'Regan, Orla Gilsenan, Miriam Sheehan and cox Carmel Connolly finished sixth. Russia won from Spain and Monaco.

Diana Dymchenko of the Ukraine won the women’s single. Sionna Healy of Arklow was eighth and Laura O’Neill of Kilmacsimon 12^th.

World Coastal Rowing Championships, Sidney, Victoria, Canada (Selected Results; Irish interest)

Men

Quadruple, coxed: 1 Italy (CC Saturnia) 22 mins 14 secs, 2 Monaco, 3 France One; 5 Myross, Ireland (K McCarthy, V Browne, A O’Sullivan, J Lupton; cox: C Deasy) 23:46.9.

Single: 1 Peru (E Linares Ruiz) 26:30.2, 2 Germany Two, 3 Italy; 5 Ireland One, Loughros Point (P Boomer) 27:23.4.

Women

Quadruple, coxed: 1 Russia 25:18.0, 2 Spain One, 3 Monaco; 6 Castletownbere, Ireland (E Dulohery, C O’Regan, O Gilsenan, M Sheehan; cox: C Connolly) 27:56.

Single – 1 Ukraine (D Dymchenko) 28:56.7, 2 Netherlands, 3 France Two; 8 Ireland One (S Healy, Arklow) 31.38.2; 12 Ireland Three (L O’Neill, Kilmacsimon) 33:25.1.

Published in Coastal Rowing

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9th September 2018

Arklow Big Winners at Irish Coastal Rowing Championships

Action from the Irish Offshore Championships

#Rowing: Myross won the men’s quadruple, while Sionna Healy of Arklow took the women’s single on the second day of the Irish Offshore Rowing Championships in Kerry. It was a good event overall for Arklow. They won the men’s and women's doubles on Saturday, while on Sunday – which featured races deferred because of disruptive winds – they won the mixed doubles, through Alan Goodison and Andrea Kinsella.

Irish Offshore Championships, Kerry

Saturday

Men

Double: Arklow (J Whooley, A Goodison) 20.17.

Single: Loughros Point, Donegal (P Boomer).

Women

Quadruple: Killorglin (E O’Donovan, A Tyther, K Boyle, R O’Donoghue; D Leahy) 22:48.

Double: Arklow (R Ireson, MA Kent).

Sunday

Men

Quadruple: Myross (V Browne, K McCarthy, J Lupton, A O’Sullivan; C Deasy) 17:12.

Women