The increasing interest in Irish offshore yacht racing events was illustrated at last Friday's South Coast Offshore Racing Association AGM with the announcement of a new race on the Cork and Kerry coast next May.
The twenty-first annual SCORA meeting was held via Zoom. The large online attendance included representatives of all the South Coast yacht racing clubs.
SCORA racing in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman
Commodore Daragh Connelly opened the meeting with a report on the season's sailing activities, highlighting the successful running of the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale, together with Calves Week in Schull and a well-supported autumn league in Crosshaven. This together with good participating numbers in the local clubs’ weekly events indicated a strong desire of sailors to get back on the water, following the Covid interruptions.
New Kinsale - Inistearaght - Kinsale race
Kinsale Yacht Club's David Cullinane confirmed that the West Cork Club are planning a Kinsale - Inistearaght (Blasket Islands) - Kinsale race with a provisional date of Mid May 2022, and with the starting times arranged so that boats would round the island in daylight.
The race will be approximately 240 nautical miles in length and will be held on a biennial basis. An IRC short-handed division will be included in the new race.
Smaller boats, such as quarter tonners and J/24s (above) are becoming increasingly popular Photo: Bob Bateman
Refurbished Quarter Tonners
The increasing popularity of smaller boats, particularly refurbished quarter tonners was mentioned as one of the reasons why the existing class band’s structure was no longer fit for purpose, and it was proposed that the committee would publish new recommendations before the opening of next season.
The Jones family J109 Jelly Baby was the South Coast Boat of the Year Award. Photo: Bob Bateman
SCORA Prizes
Prior to announcing the prize winners for 2021, Daragh Connelly complimented Bob Bateman and Mary Malone on the high quality of the fourteen framed photographs, which were delivered to the winners before the meeting, including the Jones family Jelly Baby taking the South Coast Boat of the Year Award and the Waterman's Saxon Senator winning the Claire Bateman Award for their contribution to sailing.
Waterman's Saxon Senator won the Claire Bateman Award Photo: Bob Bateman
Ron Holland forty-footer Imp
At the conclusion of the meeting George Radley of Cove Sailing Club confirmed that the restoration work on the veteran Ron Holland forty-footer Imp is almost complete and is expected to be back on the water early next season, he also added intriguingly that he may be joined by another veteran offshore racer that has recently changed ownership having been in storage for over twenty years.
2022 SCORA League
- April - Kinsale April League
- August 2022 - Calves Week
- October 2022 - Royal Cork Autumn Series
2022 Offshore SCORA League
- Mid May - Inistearaght Race
- June 22 - Cobh to Dunmore East
- August - Kinsale - Baltimore (Calves Week feeder)
- August - Baltimore - Kinsale (Post Calves Week)
