Noted Dublin Bay inshore and offshore sailor Pete Smyth of the Royal Irish Yacht Club has purchased the famous Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 which will arrive in Dublin Bay three weeks before its first major event, the 2024 SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race.

One of the 'most successful IRC racers of all time', the carbon 2009-built racer will join the Dublin ISORA fleet and also compete in the IRC European Championships at Smyth's home club in September, Afloat has learned.

The boat will be significantly faster than any other current Dublin Bay campaign and, at 45-foot long, is rated as a Cruisers Zero and will be expected to be a leading home nation boat in June's  700-mile Irish classic. 

Tonnerre de Breskens 3 has spent the last number of years racing in the Meditteranean as 'Tonnerre de Glen' but will be remembered best in this country for her 2010 Round Ireland Race victory under the ownership of Dutchman Piet Vroon before going on to multiple RORC wins and to be described as 'one of the most successful IRC racers of all time', winning the RORC overall championship in 2013.

As regular Afloat readers know, former dinghy ace Smyth has campaigned the Sunfast 3600 Searcher for the past few summers, with notable results, including wins in the 2023 NYC Regatta, the 2023 DMYC Kish Race, numerous ISORA races, and strong finishes in the 280-mile Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.

It is well known among the Searcher crew that sailing with family and friends has a big appeal for Smyth. He sails regularly with his brother Nick, and according to a source, the Searcher/Tonnerre crew is expected to be bolstered by some new additions for the circumnavigation. Among others, Afloat has learned that ex-pat brother Trevor Smyth, who has campaigned TP 52s in Australia, winning the Sydney to Auckland Race, is coming home for the Round Ireland.

Pete Smyth on his way to victory in the 2023 Kish race on Dublin Bay with a crew composed of family and friends on his Sunfast 3600, Searcher Photo: Afloat

Afloat magazine readers will recall that Pete is one of five Smyth boys who grew up sailing their father's UF0 27 “Fools Gold” out of Howth in the 1980s.

Core crew member, Evan O’Connor will continue in the key boat preparation role for the Smyth boat, the source says.