The Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, Eamon Gilmore, is to attend the ISA's cruising symposium. One of the subjects to be covered is stress at sea but it is more likely that the Minister will devote his attentions to describing his Departments efforts to reshape marine policy.
Organised by John Crebbin and Kevin Byrne the symposium "Cruising into the Future" will be held on Saturday, February 10th at the Royal St George YC from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Crebbin, who chairs the ISA's cruising committee, invited Gilmore to the symposium in order to show cruising sailors that the Department of Marine is as interested in recreational boating as it is in fishing boats and fishing harbours.
The cruising committee, set up three years ago, have concentrated on political lobbying for increased mooring and marina facilities and this encouraged the ISA to go one step further and proceed with a symposium on cruising affairs affecting Irish yachtsmen.
Other speakers will include the vice president of the European Boating Union, Tom Fitzpatrick, who will speak about the defence of the sailing environment.
Barrister Edmund Whelan will discuss salvage and the cruising skippers' responsibilities under law.
The Minister's attendance will add spice to other topics including international aspects of regulations, safety and selecting and equipping a cruising boat. Tickets are available at £25 or £40.
Elsewhere, the ISA, in conjunction with the national coaching and training centre at the University of Limerick, have launched a national coaching development programme which, according to the ISA's Hugh Gill, means that racing sailors will, in future, have the coaching they deserve.
Clubs and class associations will have the opportunity to nominate people interested in becoming qualified racing coaches.
Existing coaches are entitled to apply through the ISA for assimilation into the programme at any of the four given levels. Those with a good understanding of all aspects of dinghy racing can also apply.
Further details and a brochure are available from the Irish Sailing Association, 3 Park Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin (Tel: 01 2800239, Fax: 01 280 7558).
Mark Mansfield and David Burrows, who are competing at present in the Miami Olympic classes regatta with nine other Irish sailors, won their class at the St Petersburg Star regatta a week ago.
Admittedly, Mansfield and Burrows did not have to deal with many of the leading Star sailors who are competing at the Star world championships in Brazil but nevertheless they beat noteworthy opponents such as British helmsman Lawrie Smith.
The Belfast Finn sailor John Driscoll finished fourth by a good margin of 10 points in a 42 boat pack at St Petersburg but Mark Lyttle was disappointed to end up 34th in the 114 boat single handed Laser class at the same venue.
Aisling Bowman finished 10th out of 52 boats with her Europe class team mate Maria Coleman 28th. The three man keelboat with Marshall King, Garret Connolly and Dan O'Grady on board were 13th out of 34 starters.
