The third Watersports Inclusion Games will take place in Kinsale this August.

Building on the success of Dublin in 2017 and Galway in 2018, Kinsale Yacht Club will host the biggest showcase yet of inclusive watersports activity on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August.

The weekend will have the latest on adaptations and innovations for optimised watersports delivery, as well as a focus on examining, measuring and promoting the therapeutic benefits of water activity and the impact of watersports on wellbeing.

The event is organised by Irish Sailing in association with Canoeing Ireland, Rowing Ireland and Cork Local Sports Partnership, supported by Kinsale Yacht Club Sailability, Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre, Sailing Into Wellness and Spinal Injuries Ireland, and funded by the Sport Ireland Dormant Accounts Sports Inclusion Fund.

All equipment will be provided, and no experience is required for the free weekend that will include sailing, rowing, canoeing and fast boat rides, with more watersports likely to be added.

Clubs, organisations and community groups working with people with disabilities who are interested in bringing a group or individuals, or in having a presence at the expo element of the event, are invited to register their interest.

Individuals interested in attending the event with up to two family members or friends may also register, as can watersports activity providers who would like to showcase their organisation. Volunteers of all experience levels are also needed for the weekend.

Children aged under 18 and vulnerable adults attending must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

For more details visit the Facebook event page. For all registrations of interest, contact Johanne at [email protected] who will outline booking details.

There was no Kinsale Yacht Club Custom Rigging Frostbite racing yesterday due to high winds writes Dave O'Sullivan.

The overall positions at the end of the series are below.

The next KYC event is the Frank Godsell sponsored March League scheduled for Monday 18th March, Sunday 24th March and Sunday 31st March. This is a Cruiser Class open event for “all in” Spinnaker and White Sail - FG 1125 HRS each day.

Squibs

1 Allegro (Colm Dunne & Rob Gill)
2 Outlaw (Ian Travers & Keith O’Riordan)
3 Badger (Jeff Condell & Jeff Cochrane).

Squibs (ECHO)

1. Allegro (Colm Dunne & Rob Gill)
2. Sibu (Geraldine & Denis Kieran)
3. Sedition (Neil Prendeville & Dominic Falvey)

Lasers

1. Dorothy Matthews 4.7
2. Robert McGarvey Radial
3. Rory Carroll 4.7

Toppers

1. Hannah Akerlind
2. Rachel Akerlind
3. Francesca Lewis

A south-east lump with a 12-knot breeze (gusting to 18/20 knots later) greeted our competitors on the fourth morning of the Custom Rigging Frostbite series at Kinsale Yacht Club.

Race Officer John Stallard aboard Destiny (Bruce & June Matthews) laid a weather mark near the south-east shore and a leeward mark close to Castlepark. Two W/L races were sailed in boisterous conditions.

Squibs

The Squib fleet was led by Allegro (C Dunne & R Gill) who scored two firsts, Outlaw (I Travers & K O’Riordan) scored two seconds followed by Flora (B Nash & B Tullier) and Sensation (D & B Cudmore) who both scored a third each.

Lasers & Mixed Dinghies

Dorothy Matthews won the first race with Robert McGarvey second and Daniel Ackerlind third - all sailing Lasers. The second race, in more difficult conditions, was won by Dorothy Matthews with Kevin Daly second in a Flying Fifteen.

Toppers

Race one saw Hannah Ackerlind score a first with Rachel Ackerlind second - the positions were reversed in race two. Francesca Lewis got a third in both races.

It will all start again next Sunday 3rd March at 1100 HRS.

A strong SW breeze greeted our competitors on the third morning of the Custom Rigging Frostbite series in Kinsale writes Dave O'Sullivan.

Race Officer John Stallard assisted by Michele Kennelly (welcome back) and Siobhan Keane Hopcraft aboard Destiny (Bruce & June Matthews) decided that the wind was far too strong for the Toppers who were promptly sent home. The tenacious Squibs started on time at 1100 HRS followed five minutes later by the very competitive Laser fleet.

"After one race both fleets were heading for home as the wind speed had increased to 25 knots"

After one race both fleets were heading for home as the wind speed had increased to 25 knots. Everybody was ashore before 1300 HRS.

Squibs

The Squib fleet was led by Badger (J Condell & J Cochrane) with Allegro (C Dunne & R Gill) second and Sensation (D & B Cudmore) third. Sensation just pipped Outlaw (I Travers & K O’Riordan) at the finish line with Outlaw having to tack off at the last second as Sensation came through on Starboard.

Overall positions after seven races -

Allegro 1st, Badger 2nd and Outlaw 3rd.

Lasers

The tough conditions suited the more experienced sailors and the five boat Fleet was led by Dorothy Matthews with Tiarnan Brown second and Rory Carroll third.

Overall positions after six races -

Dorothy Matthews 1st, Robert McGarvey 2nd and Rory Carroll 3rd.

It will all start again next Sunday 17th at 1100 HRS.

Another amazing sunny day greeted the sailors competing in the Custom Rigging Frostbites in Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday 10th February writes Dave O'Sullivan. Race Officer John Stallard assisted by Sue Horgan aboard Destiny (Bruce & June Matthews) fixed a weather mark in blustery SW conditions and got the fleet away promptly at 1100.

The Toppers and Lasers sailed two races before a rising wind created boisterous conditions later in the day. The hardy Squib fleet got in a third race with a very exciting spinnaker run on the last downwind leg giving plenty of spills and thrills.

Three fleets raced (Squibs, Topper and Lasers) with 24 boats in all.

Squibs

The ten boat Squib fleet was led by Allegro (Colm Dunne & Rob Gill) who got two firsts and a third with Outlaw (Ian Travers & Keith O’Riordan) close behind with a fifth and two seconds and Badger (J Condell & J Cochrane) lying third overall with a second, a first and a fourth. Sensation (D & B Cudmore) scored two thirds and a fourth on their first day out, having missed last week, putting them very much in contention with four more race days to go.

Lasers

The five boat Laser Fleet was led by Dorothy Matthews with two firsts followed by Robert McGarvey with a second and a fourth. Rory Carroll is lying third on the day with a fifth and a third. Daniel Ackerlind who has just joined the fleet put in a great performance on his first day out with a third and a second.

Toppers

The eight Topper fleet was led by Rachel Ackerlind with two firsts putting her in fourth place overall. Frances Corkery with a second and a third is still first overall closely followed by Hanna Ackerlind in second place overall and Francesca Lewis in third place overall.

It will all start again next Sunday 17th at 1100 HRS.

12 races over six weekends for Squib, Laser, Topper, and mixed Dinghy fleets gets the 2019 sailing season off to a flying start in Kinsale next month.

Racing will be on laid courses within the harbour off Charles Fort with a First Gun of 10:55hrs each day starting on February 3rd.

An entry Fee of €40 single handed and €60 for all others applies for the Custom Rigging sponsored Frostbite Series.

See KYC web site www.kyc.ie for further details including entry forms and SI’s

Kinsale Yacht Club's 'Mary P' Race and Cruise organised by Neil Prendeville from Kinsale to Monkstown on Saturday morning took just two hours for Conor Doyle's new Freya XP50 to complete. 

The six KYC boats in the 'All In' Echo, IRC and White Sails fleet then joined the Cork Harbour Cobh to Blackrock Race later that day. See our Cobh to Blackrock Race photo gallery by Bob Bateman here.

(Above and below) Conor Doyle's Freya in the race from Kinsale to Monkstown Photo: Bob BatemanThe Elan 40 Chancer (Carroll Bros)The Elan 333 Artful Dodger skippered by Finbarr O'Regan Photo: Bob BatemanKYC's Chameleon (Padraic O'Donovan) Photo: Bob Bateman

Conor Doyle's new XP 50 Freya that expected to make her racing debut at the ill-fated ICRA Nationals in Galway Bay last month, won her maiden race instead at her home port of Kinsale last week.

Competing in Kinsale Yacht Club's Autumn midweek series last Wednesday, Doyle's Danish built X-Yacht was first home on IRC and ECHO.

The Triangle Race double-handed challenge open to cruiser and cruiser-racer monohull yachts of 25ft LOA or over, organised by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club had a successful stop over at Kinsale Yacht Club over the last few days. The fleet left Kinsale on the next leg this morning and three Cork boats are competing.

The event runs, on even-numbered years, from Torquay to Kinsale Southern Ireland to Tréguier Brittany and back to Torquay, a distance of at least 620 miles and lasting 12 days.

At least two days are spent in each port with receptions, parties and shore-based ‘competitions’ as well as impromptu parties ashore and afloat.

Triangle Race competitors during the Kinsale stopover Photo: Bob Bateman

The three Cork entrants this year are pictured below: 

Bad Company skippered by Mark Ivers from Royal Cork Photo: Bob Bateman

Gary Horgan's Lobster from Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

Siboney – John and Kevin Stallard from Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

Cian McCarthy and the crew of Eos was the winner of Kinsale Yacht Club's 'all–in' race for the Bertoletti Trophy sailed on Friday.

Every year in June, KYC boats including Cruisers, Dragons, 1720’s, Squibs and Sonars race for the trophy that commemorates the late KYC steward Mario Bertoletti who served at the club from the 1970’s for over 30 years.

'Mario’s competence, style and unfailing good humour were a huge asset to KYC that played a huge part in the club's success', Commodore David O'Sullivan told Afloat.ie

Blue skies, flat seas and a gentle breeze saw a fleet of 5 Squibs, 4 Dragons and 13 Cruisers take part in the Bertoletti Trophy race on Friday last in Kinsale. This event is held in memory of Mario Bertoletti who was for many years the Club Steward. The trophy was given to the club by his wife Patricia and their

The course was out to the Bulman buoy then back into the outer harbour. Given the light airs the Race Officer, Michele Kennelly, followed the fleet in case the course needed to be shortened. Cian McCarthy’s Eos rounded the buoy in pole position, with Siboney, Lobster and Justus jockeying for position behind him. Unfortunately, Siboney was white sailing which meant that once the spinnakers went up John Stallard and crew lost out. Having seen some of the fleet around the buoy the next decision for the Michele was when, not if,
to shorten as the breeze was getting lighter all the time.

The fleet came back into the harbour under spinnaker which made for an impressive sight. Eos was still in front and finished the race an impressive 10 mins ahead of John Godkin’s Godot. This secured Eos 1 st place. Cian O’Regan on Artful Dodger came home just 2’ 8” behind Dan Buckley on Justus which secured 2nd place for him and Justus was 3rd. 5 boats retired from the race as the breeze died almost completely and it was the tide that brought the last of the finishers across the line. The first Dragon home was Serafina, Maeve Cotter/Daniel Murphy/Sean Murphy and the first Squib was Fuggles with Sam & Sara Hunt.

Back in the club Patricia Bertoletti and family presented the Trophy to Cian McCarthy and Eos.