So we don’t have idyllic summer weather in Ireland this year, so far, again.

Even the most optimistic sailor is likely to be turned off by gales and lashing rain though the prospect of even a few days of settled conditions is likely to be welcomed with open arms.

The bigger regattas at Kinsale and Dún Laoghaire this year all had “big wind” opening days and Calves Week in west Cork was no exception either and it ends today with welcome fine conditions.

Also drawing towards the end of the main season are the dozens of junior sailing programmes at centres around the country. Several thousand children will have learnt to sail this year despite the weather.

Well-trodden path

Many are following a well-trodden path that is best described in Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 book

The Wind in the Willows

when Rat brought Mole out on his boat: “There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing about in boats – or with boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter.

“Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not.”

Around 85 years ago, the author Arthur Ransome developed this theme in his series of Swallows and Amazons books that inspired, and continue to inspire, generations of children with stories of sailing and boating, camping and the outdoors and nature and much more.

But sometimes it just doesn’t work out.

Last week, a childhood passion that had endured for 44 years ended in Galway following an accident in the harbour.

Having grown up beside the Hamble rivexr near Southampton, Steven Ackland – Acky – quickly found his passion in sailing in this heartland of boating, became a junior sailing champion in his local club and started on the pathway of a top professional sailor.

Racing boats

Largely self-taught due to his father’s collection of small boats, he brought his own brand of competitive drive but also pride in his work on the many racing boats that he was responsible for.

Racing J24s in the early 90s, a regular fixture between Dún Laoghaire and the Hamble inevitably brought him closer to Ireland due to the camaraderie that sport and especially sailing leads to.

Well-known to customers of Viking Marine and more recently Galway Maritime, he was uncompromising as he strived always to get the job done right, the first time; he improved everything he became involved with to the benefit of many.

His life in Ireland brought a son, Thomas, and later with his wife, Emma Lovegrove, Amelia was born.

Their loss and that of their family and many friends is widely felt on both islands and further afield.

Sail on Acky, and fair winds.