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From endless cups of tea (& a few toffee crisps) to the inception of the Jolly Roger Cup

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Written by George Fitzgerald

As I headed off to west Cork for my first Cullaun SC annual cruise, little did I know that I was about to take part in the first ever Jolly Roger Cup Race. I'm not quite sure if it will go down in the chronicles of nautical racing history and attract Olympic or Volvo class sailors in the future but it will always remind me of this great weekend- sailing and socialising. 

On Thursday evening last, I travelled south with 13 Cullaun sailors to sniff out the sea breeze. A beautiful sun was setting upon our arrival in Baltimore as we unloaded our gear and tried to find where best to stash away our grub (including a vast quantity of toffee crisp bars and coco pops). Once we had unpacked we all met in the local pub for a few scoops.

The next morning was 'nice and fresh'. After some breakfast and a toffee crisp or two, followed by a quick shop for some fruit in order to avoid scurvy (you cannot live on toffee crisps and coco pops alone!), we got under way at about 10.30am and each boat went their merry ways, one beating (or almost belting) out towards Fastnet lighthouse with the porpoises for company, while the other boat sailed east on a nice run for Barloge Creek.

This cool creek provides a secluded anchorage and we had a refreshing swim there. After we travelled back west and enjoyed the lumpy swells of the Atlantic until we rounded Cape Clear Island and navigated safey into it's north harbour. Our compatriots were already tied up and relaxing on deck with a drink. After a lovely bolognese dinner which Kevin Donolan russsled up we visited the pub for the obligatory night cap (or two).

Saturday's wind was very light. One boat headed out to round the Fastnet and then onto Crookhaven, while the other traveled the opposite direction through the Gascanane Sound and then east to discover Barloge Creek for themselves. Behind the creek is Lough Hyne, a marine lake accessible by a narrow stretch of water known as "the rapids". A bit of white water rafting in the inflatable dingy was tested by this adventurous group, along with their own patience being tested by the outboard engine. Pic Des Mac Mahon

Both crews returned for the evening to moor on Sherkin Island's jetty, one boat returning from Crookhaven on the high tide via the North Passage which required eyeball navigation, especially when passing the Two Women rocks.

After a fine curry dinner which Billy O'Mahony and Maureen Hayes had prepared, we all assembled in the Jolly Roger pub to exchange the stories of our day and enjoy a few drinks. As the pints flowed, that competitive streak of Des McMahon's surfaced and he suggested a race challenge for the following day.

And so it happened, the following morning, sore heads or not, both boats lined up before the start line. With light winds behind our sails we battled it out with a few tacks to try to establish the best way to luff our sails and point east to the finish line at the entrance to Castletownsend. After half an hour or so, Captain Emmett O'Mahony and his crew snuck into the lead to win the race. Defeated but not deflated, the losing crew stripped off for a swim before boarding the winning ship to congratulate the crew and raise a toast to their victory. Both teams then enjoyed a great fry-up and the sun decided to come out for the remainder of the day, allowing us a fabulous sail with a stiff breeze all the way back to our original starting point in Baltimore. From here we unloaded our gear... and the last few Toffee Crisps were shared out for the drive home.

Overall, it was a truly enjoyable weekend! Thanks to everyone for organising and sharing the experience together, I'm clearing my calendar for next years trip already!

George Fitzgerald

September Regatta

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Written by Jim O Sullivan

Well as far as Regattas go I don’t think that we could ask for more. We had great weather and sailing conditions over the weekend and we were blessed with 42 boats out on the water today.

We had great helpers over the weekend and it goes to show how much we can do as a club when we all work together. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes but when it all works well it really is a great sight to behold. Tom Mc Hugh was the Race Officer and he did a great job as our OOD ably assisted by Lelia O Shaughnessy and Kevin Ryan in the Committee boat. In the Safety Boats we also had Emmet O Mahony,Sean Edwards, Tom Hynes, John Wilson and Mick Laffan. Out on the Water we also had Ennis Civil Defense monitoring us and we would like to thank them for thier support.Thanks also has to go to Padraig Gibblins from dergisle.com and Bill Hickey from Mayfly Marine for loaning us spare engines over the weekend to cope with the influx of visitors

Samantha Harding and Liz Culloo were in charge of registration on the Saturday ably assisted for the new boats by Angela Rahill on the Sunday.

Cathal Boyce was a great help to us on the Saturday when there was a lot of trailers looking for homes while we were preparing to go out, he too was ably assisted by Paula and John Donlon whose father Tom helped us on both Saturday and Sunday by cooking up a great BBQ

Billy O Mahony is our Sailing Secretary and with the new software program he is using this year for calculating the results himself and Tom Mc Hugh had the results calculated very quickly.

Thanks also to Maureen Hayes for the hospitality shown to all of our visitors and Mike says that he helped but i dont really believe him. Seamus and Ann were also great hosts in Donnelons Pub allowing us to use thier facilities over the weekend with the offer of a campsite if we needed it. Niamh Edwards and her friends played some great Traditional Irish Music.

Des Mac Mahon and Pat Biesty also did a lot of work Screen Printing the TShirts and Neck Scarves that were on sale over the two days we still have a few left if anyone wants to purchase them. There was also a lot of individuals helping during the week to cleanup the compound and make it ready for that great influx of visitors. Margaret Hynes was of great assistance to me with a lot of the correspondence for the event and in organising the prizegiving and sponsorship of some prizes from Hartley boats.

Roger Duff and Sean Edwards took some stunning Photographs and these are linked at the bottom of this email

Rogers Pics Here(https://www.flickr.com/photos/9820745@N08/albums/72157673389828535)
Sean Edwards Pics Here(https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tl0ly5oaxsxlekn/AAAjy8If3j7K5BVPmI8P3klda?dl=0)

There were others too that helped with Shore duty and various other tasks that im probably forgetting them but not intentionally and we also thank you.

Finally

The Results for the events are as follows

Senior Overall
1st Trevor Fisher & Elaine Niamh ( East Down Yacht Club)
2nd Monica Schaefer and Neil Mc Sherry ( GreyStones Sailing Club)
3rd John Turner and BArry Owen (Lough Ramor Water Sports)

Juniors
1st Sean Hynes and Luke O Sullivan ( Cullaun Sailing Club)
2nd Thomas Drayton and Tadhg O Mara ( Killaloe Sailing Club)
3rd Ciaran Fitzgerald ( Dingle Sailing Club)

Donnelon Cup for best Cullaun boat
Margaret Hynes and Mike Hayes ( Cullaun Sailing Club)

Best Enterprise
Michael Collins with this two daughters

Next weekend we have TRY Sailing if when you show these pictures to your friends they become Jealous and want to learn to sail then ask them to fill in this form. Places have to be booked in advance and there is a ten euro charge anyone who want to help we will need a few helpers from 1 until 4 on Sunday http://shop.cullaunsailingclub.com/index.php/sept-trysailing.html

September Cruise is the Following weekend and there is still 1 place available if you are interested then let me know asap.

Jim

Cullaun September Regatta

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Written by Jim O Sullivan

Can all Club members please let us know if you are going to be sailing or if you will be available to help over the weekend.Places can be booked online here www.shop.cullaunsailingclub.com We will need to know who is attending just so that we can cater for the numbers.

 

Attachments:

2016 NOR Notice of Race and Entry form.doc

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105 kB

July Update

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Written by Jim O Sullivan

We have had a very busy June and July with Summer Camps finishing last week and a lot of our sailors travelling to other clubs to represent us and they have been very succesful.

A big congratulations has to go to Margaret Hynes and her son Sean who came third in the Wayfarer worlds competition after they travelled last week to Heeg in the Nederlands. Michael and Niamh Haig also represented the club at the event. After winning the Irish nationals it was great to see such a great result for them.Pic Courtesy Eize Hoekstra EIZE.NL Photography

Des Mc Mahon and Pat Biesty travelled to Sutton for a Gp14 event over the weekend and we had three boats travelling to Lough Ree for an RS event. Mike O Dea sailed with Paddy Donlon while Aoife Ward and Niamh Edwards were in their new RS while Hugh and Colm Ward sailed the other RS. Mike O Dea and Paddy Donlon came fourth overall which was a great result for them. Congratulations

For a small club it is great to see us being represented at these events and the skills that are learnt at these regattas are of great benefit to all of us in the club. The quality of kids that are coming through on the Summer camps there is no reason to see while this wont get better in the next few years. The Sunday sailing will stay open for the month of August to let our Juniors practice and race while there is safety on the water.

The four weeks of summer camp were a great success and a great thanks has to go to all of the instructors who were involved and a special word of thanks and appreciation has to go to Des Mc Mahon for the hard work that he put in.

August is traditionally a quiet month for our sailing with a lot of our usual sailors being on holidays so if you are looking for helms or Crew then please call to the club and we will do our best to get you out for the night. At the request of one of the adult beginners we have set up a “whats app” group where you can post if you are looking for crew or available to crew by sending a message to the group. If you want to be added to this then please let us know

If your child has just completed a summer camp and you want to see what all of the fun is then why not join us for a 2 day adult Introductory course on the 20th and 21st of August book your place herehttp://bit.ly/2apmn0H

We also have a laser instructor who is going to come to the club and teach some of the kids about laser sailing so we will organise dates for that and the price will be about 30 euro a head but you must have your own boat and he is specifically going to do laser race training. If your interested then let us know places are limited to 6 date TBC

Upcoming events are

LASER Race Training Date TBC
Thursday and Sunday Sailing all of August ( Members Only)
20-21 August Adult Introductory session http://bit.ly/2apmn0H 
27th 28th August Killaloe Sailing Club Annual Open Regatta
3rd 4th September Club Annual Regatta
11th Sunday Sailing Cooler Series
16th17th and 18th September Annual Cruise ( Register your place here today) http://bit.ly/2acmlqQ 
25th Sunday Sailing Season

Race Results 23rd and 30th June

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Written by Jim O Sullivan

Race Results 23-6-2016

Wayfarer National Championship

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Written by Jim O Sullivan

Pictures are Margaret Hynes and Michael Hayes from Cullaun Sailing Club with John Wilson Commodore Lough Ramor Sailing club after winning the Irish National Wayfarer Sailing Championship on Lough Ramor in Virginia Co Cavan.

Cullaun Sailing Club was represented by three boats and although the winds were very light there was some intense sailing going on as they competed with other Wayfarer boats from all over the country for this prestigious honour. The last time it was won in Clare was in 1987 when Chris Davis won the Prize while Margaret Hynes was crewing for him. There were six races over the two day and the results of the best 5 races were counted giving Margaret and Michael the narrowest of margins for such a historic win.