SAILING: Sailors from a range of established classes are set to break ranks in favour of a small keelboat its promoters claim will be established in four centres around the country by next spring.
The Laser SB3 (SB stands for sports boat), dubbed the 1720 keelboat's little sister, has established itself in Britain, where 90 boats competed at Cowes Week this summer. There is some irony in the fact that a former 1720 champion, Mark Mansfield, is leading the charge into the Tony Castro design here.
Following a successful demonstration weekend on Dublin Bay earlier this month, four of the three-man designs are due to arrive in Crosshaven this morning for a south coast demonstration weekend tomorrow.
The appeal of the boat is that it is smaller, lighter and livelier than a 1720, Etchells or Dragon. It sails with a crew of three, has light loads and a lifting keel so it can be easily launched from a slip and towed behind a family car.
One of the first new owners in Cork is former Olympic Star helmsman and 1720 European champion Mansfield.
There is little doubt it has picked up an enthusiastic following since its introduction three seasons ago.
The interest is divided between dinghy and cruiser sailors, the latter fed up with the hassle of trying to find seven or eight crew every time they want to go afloat.
A discount price is being offered in Ireland (€6,000 less than the normal retail price) to start the fleet but orders have to be received by the end of October.
Ninety people took part in the Dublin Bay demonstration and the Royal St George organisers are optimistic that this could see an initial fleet of 15 boats in the capital.
Irish agent Shane Murphy says deposits have been taken for four in Howth, and 12 are expected in Cork harbour, while another fleet is also being established on Belfast Lough. A number of boats are also mooted for Kilrush on the Shannon estuary.
There is little doubt Laser will also be pitching the SB3 for the Irish Sailing Association's (ISA) recently announced purchase of a mobile keelboat fleet.
In July, the ISA said the development of its mobile keelboat fleet would "provide great opportunities to expand participation in sailing outside the traditional yacht clubs", but two months later - in spite of requests from interested clubs and suppliers - no details have been revealed as to what type of boat they intend to buy with the €120,000 grant allocation.
Regardless of any ISA decision or SB3 hype, any forthcoming association needs to muster a minimum 30 to 40 boats if it is serious about putting down roots here.
The fact that the international SB3 association intend hosting their European championships at the National Yacht Club, Dún Laoghaire, in 2008 is, perhaps, an indication of just how serious they are about Ireland.
In an attempt to breathe new life into an event that has had six fundamental changes to its format - including three name changes - the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) say they are attempting to "widen the appeal of sailing" by re-christening the annual helmsmans championship "The All-Ireland sailing championships".
In spite of the calibre of the invitees, drawn from 22 different classes plus wild card entries, there is little to support the latest 32-county notion. The 59th edition of the event runs in two weeks time from October 7th at the National Yacht Club and eight counties are entered.
More than half the competition hail from Dublin, and 10 of the 24 entries are from the host town, the country's largest sailing centre.
There are four entries from Cork and single entries from Antrim, Down, Donegal, Kildare and Wexford.
