SAILING: A major new initiative by the Irish Sailing Association took a step closer to realisation yesterday following the announcement of a €160,000 grant by the Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue. A fleet of keelboats will be acquired for transportation to any venue around the coast beginning in 2007.
The new boats will be used both for match-racing and introduction to sailing sessions and will be a size suitable for movement by road to a variety of venues. Between 10 and 12 boats will either be built from a new design or bought new as an existing production boat or possibly a second-hand fleet will be acquired depending on the outcome of a consultation process that has started.
Each boat will have an individual sponsor for both hull and sails and the ISA is planning on these mobile billboards attracting sponsorship in the region of €20,000 each over three years.
The one-designs may also be used for such events as the ISA Helmsman Championship that has been regarded by many as biased towards the existing class used in past events.
Management structures will be put in place shortly by Seán Craig, the ISA's new racing manager replacing Dave Quinn who stepped down from the post recently to pursue his career in the financial sector.
The motivation behind the ISA's move is to piggy-back on increased interest arising from the America's Cup which in turn spawns potential competitors for the stepping-stone event that is the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Nations Cup that will be sailed in Crosshaven this autumn.
A regional circuit and championship series around Ireland will lead into a national event from next season. Apart from the obvious venues in Dublin and Cork, greater emphasis will be placed on bringing the fleet to strong locations such as Dunmore East, Fenit, Galway, Sligo, Strangford and Wexford in a boost to the regions.
The programme will include a part-time bosun as a high-level of maintenance is likely to keep the fleet in race-ready condition. Part of the selection criteria for the fleet will be that the boats can be easily slip launched as several venues do not have crane facilities.
Subject to certain criteria yet to be announced, individual club members within the ISA structure will also be eligible to sail on the boats.
Local schools and junior club sailors will also be invited to take part in related activities as the fleet visits each location.
Meanwhile, Cork Week chairman Ian Venner has confirmed that a late entry for the event has been received from the supermaxi Maximus.
The Greg Elliott-designed 30-metre arrived in Cork harbour this week after crossing the Atlantic from the end of the Newport to Bermuda Race.
Co-owners Bill Buckley and Charles St Claire Brown say they had always hoped to compete at Cork Week but were not presented with an opportunity until this year.
St Claire Brown said: "During the last few days it became apparent that we could honour our commitment to Cowes Week and compete at Cork Week. I feel privileged and happy to be here."
In Cork 2004, the presence of the Z86-footers Morning Glory and Pyewacket caused concern that their course was unsuited to their size as most competitors were dwarfed by the giant yachts.
Cork Week, in association with Fáilte Ireland, begins on Saturday at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven and runs until July 21st.
