What is The Irish Coast Guard?

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

What is its main role of the Irish Coast Guard?

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Is the Irish Coast Guard service 24/7?

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

How many emergencies does the Irish Coast respond to each year?

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Does it also handle medical emergencies?

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

Is the Irish Coast Guard an all-island body?

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

How much does the Irish Coast Guard cost?

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

What resources does the Irish Coast Guard have?

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

How quickly can Irish Coast Guard assets respond?

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

How are Irish Coast Guard units managed?

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Are Irish Coast Guard volunteers paid?

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

Does the Irish Coast Guard charge for rescue?

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

What communications systems do the Irish Coast Guard use?

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Is the Irish Coast Guard responsible for pollution response?

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

What is the Irish Coast Guard's safety record?

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

What was the Government response to the Coast Guard fatalities?

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

When was The Irish Coast Guard formed?

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

Who was The Irish Coast Guard's first director?

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

Who is The Irish Coast Guard's current director?

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

Where are Coast Guard Units located in Ireland?

Achill, Co. Mayo Ardmore, Co. Waterford Arklow, Co. Wicklow Ballybunion, Co. Kerry Ballycotton, Co. Cork Ballyglass, Co. Mayo Bonmahon, Co. Waterford Bunbeg, Co. Donegal Carnsore, Co. Wexford Castlefreake, Co. Cork Castletownbere, Co. Cork Cleggan, Co. Galway Clogherhead, Co. Louth Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway Courtown, Co. Wexford Crosshaven, Co. Cork Curracloe, Co. Wexford Dingle, Co. Kerry Doolin, Co. Clare Drogheda, Co. Louth Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Dunmore East, Co. Waterford Fethard, Co. Wexford Glandore, Co. Cork Glenderry, Co. Kerry Goleen, Co. Cork Greencastle, Co. Donegal Greenore, Co. Louth Greystones, Co. Wicklow Guileen, Co. Cork Howth, Co. Dublin Kilkee, Co. Clare Killala, Co. Mayo Killybegs, Co. Donegal Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford Knightstown, Co. Kerry Mulroy, Co. Donegal North Aran, Co. Galway Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork Oysterhaven, Co. Cork Rosslare, Co. Wexford Seven Heads, Co. Cork Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork Toe Head, Co. Cork Tory Island, Co. Donegal Tramore, Co. Waterford Waterville, Co. Kerry Westport, Co. Mayo Wicklow Youghal, Co. Cork

Displaying items by tag: Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

17th January 2021

Flying Fifteens Push for Big Entry into Volvo Dun Laoghaire One Design Regatta

Dun Laoghaire's buoyant Flying Fifteen class is getting behind the new format Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2021 One Design event scheduled for July

With two boats already entered five months before the event, Class Captain Neil Colin of the DMYC is encouraging the Bay's Flying Fifteen sailors and those in other fleets around the country to put the Dun Laoghaire Harbour event in the diary.

As regular Afloat readers will know, in order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant, a new regatta format will comprise a One Design Championship (2nd – 4th July 2021) specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes.

Preparations are off to a flying start with nine of the expected 22 racing classes already declaring regional or national championships to be held as part of the biennial sailing festival.

The Flying Fifteens have two entries so far, Neil Colin's own FFuzzy from the Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club and Niall Meagher's Ffantastic Mr Ffox from the National Yacht Club.

Traditionally, the FFers are big supporters of the Dun Laoghaire Regatta with a fleet of 24 boats mustered for the 2019 event and NYC duo David Gorman and Chris Doorly won the overall prize for the best one-design performance of the event.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

15th January 2021

Royal Cork Rocket Ship 'Nieulargo' Adds Extra Spice to Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Offshore Fleet

Denis and Annamarie Murphy's Nieulargo. The Grand Soleil 40 from the Royal Cork Yacht Club was the inaugural winner of 2020's Fastnet 450 Race and is entered into July's VDLR offshore class

Royal Cork Yacht Club's inaugural Fastnet 450 Race winner Nieulargo is among the latest entries into July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

The Muphy family's potent Grand Soleil 40 is now entered into two key Dublin offshore sailing fixtures. The first being June's 280-mile Volvo Dun Laoghaire-Dingle race.

Entry into July's VDLR Regatta means the top-performing south coast cruiser will be making a second trip to the East Coast a month later for the July offshore, a key Irish clash of the season.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, in 2019, the IRC offshore class totalled 28-boats and 2021 is shaping up to be the same healthy number again with eight boats already signed up five months before the first gun.

It means more pressure for defending champion Seamus Fitzpatrick's First 50, Mermaid. The Royal Irish Yacht Club skipper beat the Welsh J109 Mojito, an ISORA champion, for the VDLR title but this year, as Afloat reported previously, the competition looks even tighter with the arrival, among others, of the Ker 40, Arabella into the Dublin Bay scene.

As well as Fastnet 450 Race success, the 2018 RCYC Boat of the Year also took Kinsale Yacht Club's own Fastnet Race title last year, making 2020 one of the most successful SCORA years for the Murphy clan.

VDLR Offshore fleet at January 15th

Arabella, Ker 40, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Niall Dowling
Jackknife, J125, Pwllheli Sailing Club, Andrew Hall Sam Hall
Mermaid IV, Beneteau First 50, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Seamus FitzPatrick
Black Velvet, Beneteau First 34.7, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Leslie and Ailbhe Parnell
Lively Lady, Beneteau First 44.7, Royal Irish Yacht Club Rodney & Keith Martin
D-TOX, X-35, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Patrick McSwiney and Kyran McStay
Nieulargo Grand Soleil 40 B&C, Royal Cork Yacht Club, Denis & Annamarie Murphy
WOW XP44 IRL, Royal Irish Yacht Club, George Sisk
(Double Handed), Silver Shamrock, Half Tonner, Howth Yacht Club, Conor Fogerty

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

7th January 2021

UK & NI Visitors Make Early Entry for Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

The first VDLR 2021 entry was received from Northern Ireland, Jay Colville’s First 40, Forty Licks. The Royal Ulster entry is pictured passing Dalkey on Dublin Bay in the 2019 regatta, an event in which she finished second in Class Zero

230 visiting boats from a fleet of nearly 500 made up nearly half the 2019 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta fleet and this year organisers are reporting strong visitor interest again for 2021’s COVID-formatted event on Dublin Bay.

Interest is coming both from the one design and IRC divisions, six months ahead of the first gun.

The first 2021 entry was received from Northern Ireland, Jay Colville’s First 40, Forty Licks.

Colville, a regular visitor to the Bay, was a runner up in 2019’s Class Zero of the ICRA National Championships also held on Dublin Bay. The Royal Ulster YC and East Down YC entry performs well across the wind range and also finished second at VDLR 2019.

IRC Cruiser Racing at VDLR 2019 Regatta. In 2021 an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) will cater for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Confirmed from across the Irish Sea are IRC visitors, Ruth Adams Charisma 22, ‘HRT’ from West Lancashire Yacht Club and Jonathan Fawcett’s She 31 ‘She Too’ from Wales.

As Afloat reported earlier, VDLR’s offshore class will also have some UK interest with the arrival of the Cowes-based Fast 40, Arabella, sailing under the burgee of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Although the 230 yachts from outside the bay area took away only 11 trophies in 2019 (up from seven in 2017), the bulk of the Dun Laoghaire Regatta silverware stayed in Dublin. Such early UK entries this time however, might be an indication of more international interest in the regatta and a bigger raid on the Irish prizes in 2021?

New format regatta for 2021

The Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is a great festival of sailing across the waterfront and Dun Laoghaire town as four sailing clubs come together for the biennial event; Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.

The 2019 Volvo Dun Laoghaire event was hailed an enormous success both afloat and ashore for a combined fleet of 498 boats in over 34 classes, the biggest on the Irish Sea. Over 290 races on five different courses were staged over four days.

For 2021, in order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant, a new regatta format will comprise a One Design Championship (2nd – 4th July 2021) specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes. This to be followed by an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) catering for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Strong early VDLR entry

In liaising with classes, organisers estimate entry numbers are 'very good' and 'on a par with 2019', so it looks like both VDLR weekends will have a strong entry by the close of the early bird entry discount at the end March.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

6th January 2021

Early One Design Class Interest in July's New Format Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Strong

The Beneteau 211 fleet will race for National Championship honours as part of VDLR 2021

A positive 25 one design entries received so far into ten divisions of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2021 has been welcomed by organisers as the combined Dun Laoghaire clubs regatta rolls out its new COVID-compliant format event that splits the regatta between two weekends next July.

The early entries received seven months before the first gun are a sign of the regatta’s importance across the Irish Sea with entries already in from across Ireland and Northern Ireland and the UK.

Beneteau 31.7s

Royal Ulster Yacht Club’s John Minnis and crew will travel from Belfast Lough again in Final Call for the Beneteau 3.17 national championships that is being staged as part of the Regatta running from 2 to 4th July. Minnis was runner-up at the 2019 VDLR event.

The 31.7s are just one of nine class championships being held as part of the regatta.

The Dublin Bay based Beneteau 31.7 Levante. The class will race for national championships honours as part of VDLR 2021 The Dublin Bay-based Beneteau 31.7 Levante. The class will race for national championships honours as part of VDLR 2021

Dragon East Coasts

The Dragon’s will race for east coast honours and one of the first entries in is Kinsale’s Tenacious skippered by Anthony O’Neill. The Dragon helm is in charge of the West Cork club’s Sovereign’s Cup regatta that will be held the week before the Dun Laoghaire event.

GP14s will race for Leinster honours on Dublin Bay in July

GP14 Leinsters

Curly Morris, the President of the International GP14 Class, based at East Antrim Boat Club will contest the GP14 Leinster Championships as part of Dun Laoghaire. The dinghy class was one of the first to sign up for the new format event. A fleet of over 20 is expected.

Sigma 33s

Sigma 33 campaigner David Marchant is coming from Waterford Harbour to join the Dublin Bay fleet that usually attracts strong Scottish interest.

Sigma 33 racing at VDLR 2019

For 2021, in order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant, a new regatta format will comprise the One Design Championship specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes. This to be followed by an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) catering for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Strong early VDLR 2021 entry

As Afloat reported previously, in liaising with classes, organisers estimate entry numbers are 'very good' and 'on a par with 2019', so it looks like both VDLR weekends will have a strong entry by the close of the early bird entry discount at the end March.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

5th January 2021

Royal Irish Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Offshore Champion 'Mermaid' To Defend Title

Seamus Fitzpatrick's First 50, Mermaid on her way to VDLR victory in 2019

The defending Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta offshore champion is among the first six entries into that division for July’s regatta, a class that looks set to become one of the biggest fleets of the biennial event again.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, Seamus Fitzpatrick's victory in the First 50, Mermaid came in the final races of the 28-boat IRC offshore class in 2019 when the Royal Irish Yacht Club skipper beat the Welsh J109 Mojito, an ISORA champion, for the VDLR title.

Niall Dowling’s Ker 40 Arabella joins the VDLR offshore fleet

This July, Fitzpatrick can expect more competition in the form of club-mate Niall Dowling’s Ker 40 Arabella that is joining the VDLR offshore fray for the first time. London based Dowling took both line honours and the overall win in Wicklow’s Round Ireland Race in 2018 with the bigger Ker 43 Baraka GP and is set to be back on Irish waters next July 8.

Ker 40 Arabella (ex-Pace) racing on her home waters of the Solent in the UK's FAST 40 race circuit. Photo: RORC

Royal Irish Beneteau Entries

Three different Beneteau models are already entered for VDLR’s offshore class that, as predicted by Afloat, looks likely to be the type of racing most appropriate in 2021. As well as the Royal Irish champion First 50, other RIYC Beneteau’s are Leslie Parnell’s Beneteau First 34.7 and Keith and Rodney Martin’s Beneteau First 44.7, Lively Lady.

J125 Jackknife returns

Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife competing in the 2019 VDLR event Photo: Afloat

Another strong offshore entry returning to Dun Laoghaire Harbour is Andrew Hall's J125 Pwhelli-based Jackknife. This regular Irish visitor only narrowly missed out on the 2019 ISORA overall title and was a late favourite into the 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race.

Two-handed class

As well as a buoyant offshore class, VDLR has also initiated a new two-handed offshore class, a move that has been warmly received by short-handed sailing exponents such as top Irish Figaro sailor, Tom Dolan.

New format regatta for 2021

For 2021, in order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant a new regatta format will comprise a One Design Championship (2nd – 4th July 2021) specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes. This to be followed by an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) catering for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Strong early VDLR entry

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

29th December 2020

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Early Bird Draw Deadline is December 31st

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta organisers are reporting entries are 'streaming in' for next July's new two-weekend format big sailing event on Dublin Bay.

Changes to the split the regatta over two weekends to ensure COVID regulation compliance have been given a thumbs up from competitors but changes don't stop there with other innovations including the addition of a new two-handed IRC class also well received.

In an end of year shout-out to competitors, organisers say enter before 31 December 2020 to be automatically entered into an Early Bird Draw to be in with a chance of winning one a VDLR Hospitality Vouchers to the value of €100. Vouchers may be redeemed against Food & Drink during VDLR 2021 at your allocated base club.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

8th December 2020

Top Figaro Skipper Tom Dolan Gives Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Double-Handed Class the Thumbs up

Tom Dolan - delighted to see double handed sailing as part of the VDLR 2021 slate

Top Irish Figaro skipper Tom Dolan has given a thumbs up to Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's addition of a double-handed class into next July's event.

"Yes, it's great to see and about bloody time!" Dolan says about the new racing division for Ireland's biggest sailing event in 2021.

As outlined in the Irish regatta's Notice of Race published last week, Dun Laoghaire Regatta is open to Offshore Double Handed and Mixed Two Person boats with an IRC rating between .800 and 1.030. Boats outside these limits may be accepted at the sole discretion of the OA.

As Afloat reported yesterday, while the VDLR race may not be a true offshore, it does provide the opportunity for serious competitors to sharpen their boat to boat skills while allowing newcomers to the discipline to try it out without the commitment required by full-on offshore.

Dolan says depending on the format of the regatta – and if there is coastal races and windward/leewards courses – then sailors will get a bit more work around the cans shorthanded so it will be great for people who want something a bit more intense. "This will eventually lead to the overall skill level rising, I would imagine," Dolan told Afloat.

Dolan queried the proposed VDLR rating limits tho, "the rating limit of 1.030, seems very low and given the amount of Sunfast 3600s and J boats around Dublin, it seems a bit off but I'd imagine they will be a bit quite flexible for boats above this rating?" he said.

One of the first entries into the VDLR class is Conor Fogerty's classic half-tonner Silver Shamrock.

Paris Olympic Mixed Keelboat decision deferred

Meanwhile, the IOC says it has deferred a decision on a spot for the Mixed Two Person keelboat in Paris 2024 until next Summer, as Afloat reports here

Dolan, along with two other fledgeling teams are in the running for the Irish berth if adopted by the IOC.

Published in Tom Dolan

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

8th December 2020

Offshore Mixed & Double Handed Sailing is Exciting Addition to Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2021

Conor Fogerty (right) and Susan Glenny competed for Ireland in the first EUROSAF Mixed Offshore doubles racing this summer. Two handed racing has been added to the 2021 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and Fogerty is one of the first entries in a classic Shamrock

An exciting addition to Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is its offshore double-handed and mixed keelboat component to the July 2021 event.

Offshore Mixed Doubles is the fastest-growing segment of offshore sailing that is also set to become an Olympic sport in 2024 as Afloat previously reported here.

As outlined in the Irish regatta's Notice of Race published last week, Dun Laoghaire Regatta is open to Offshore Double Handed & Mixed Two Person boats with an IRC rating between .800 and 1.030. Boats outside these limits may be accepted at the sole discretion of the OA.

While the VDLR race may not be a true offshore, it does provide the opportunity for serious competitors to sharpen their boat to boat skills while allowing newcomers to the discipline to try it out without the commitment required by full-on offshore.

Conor Fogerty's Silver Shamrock is one of the first entries into VDLR's 2021 double-handed division Photo: Afloat

As far as Ireland is concerned, there is significant interest in the new Olympic discipline with currently up to three (or maybe four) possible contenders already for the single berth at the Paris 2024 Olympics even though a final decision on the new class has been deferred until next Summer. These include Tom Dolan who has not yet announced a 2024 sailing partner, Kenny Rumball and Pamela Lee from Dun Laoghaire and Greystones and Conor Fogerty and Susan Glenny from Howth. Fogerty has been an early entry into the VDLR and will sail double-handed with Suzanne Ennis in his classic half tonner Silver Shamrock.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta organisers say automatic and wind-vane devices for steering may be used in the Two Person Class.

Boats shall hold and carry aboard a valid 2021 IRC rating certificate issued no later than 1700 on Friday 25 June 2021 and shall be compliant with World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations 2020.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

2nd December 2020

Two Weekends, One Great Regatta: 2021 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Notice of Race is Published

The Notice of Race (NOR) for next July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta has been published this morning.

The NOR is downloadable below as a PDF document.

As regular Afloat readers will know, what is Ireland's largest regatta will now be split over two weekend's next July and as the NOR reveals is operating under the 2021 tagline: 'Two weekends one great regatta'.

In order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant a new regatta format will comprise a One Design Championship (2nd – 4th July 2021) specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes. This to be followed by an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) catering for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Sailors have been quick to get on board with the new format with a number of classes already signed up. Nine of the expected 22 racing classes have already declared regional or national championships to be held as part of the biennial sailing festival.

The NOR document is downloadable below as a PDF.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

18th October 2020

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Signs Up More Sponsors for 2021

Royal St George Sunfast 3600 Yoyo competing on Dublin Bay, the race area of the 2021 VDLR Regatta

In addition to Volvo’s confirmation of Title Sponsorship of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2021 as announced previously by Afloat here, further sponsors have now also confirmed their support for the new format of the Dublin Bay regatta next July.

In order to facilitate social distancing and be Covid-19 compliant a new regatta style will comprise a One Design Championship (2nd – 4th July 2021) specifically tailored for sailors in the one-design keelboat and dinghy classes. This to be followed by an Open Cruiser Championship (8th – 11th July 2021) catering for the full range of Cruiser Handicap classes.

Supporting this initiative, previous sponsors Collen and Rationel say they are returning for 2021.

The sponsors have issued the following announcements:

Collen

Collen is delighted to announce its sponsorship of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2021. Collen was first invited to sponsor VDLR in 2017, the year in which Dun Laoghaire harbour celebrated it’s bi-centenary, a milestone in history that is shared with Collen. The Company is honoured to be involved in VDLR 2021; efforts to create an exciting and innovative format that opens further opportunities for great sailing is certainly commendable, especially in these unprecedented times. Collen is very proud to continue it’s support of Irish Sailing, sponsoring Annalise Murphy in her Olympic bid for Tokyo next year. It will be an exciting year ahead for Ireland’s sailing community.

Rationel

Rationel has also confirmed its involvement with what is Ireland’s premier regatta. "In these most difficult of times, we all need something to look forward to and VDLR 2021 certainly ticks all the boxes. The new format is exciting and lends itself to a safe environment whilst allowing all to participate in what is our favoured sport, " a Rationel spokesman said.

Published in Volvo Regatta

Tagged under