CO2 Awareness - SECS & Kyoto!

It is our new policy to minimise engine running hours where circumstances allow (target is  2 hours per day). Some engine training is necessary and harbour entry also will be under engine. Obviously, safety cannot be compromised and some crucial tide gates might necessitate engine use to achieve them safely. 

In addition to our no litter overboard policy, we hope to play our small part in keeping the Earth clean.

UCD Students

A Yachtmaster Coastal theory course will be run from UCD this winter over 20 nights, starting on Tues 26th Sep at 6pm - Cost is €300 (€220 for UCD students) - 20 places in all, 15 for UCD students.

As my 1st year as a UCD Mature Student comes to an end, I am delighted to offer my fellow UCD Students a 20% discount on all sailing courses. 

The 1st UCDSC Yachtmaster Offshore course run by South East Cruising School recently finished, with a 100% success rate of those who finished (15 - of whom  12 were current UCD students).

Courses coming soon

I.C.C. / Own Boat Training - If you have a boat in the water or access to one, we can arrange to assess you for the ISA I.C.C. (International Cert. of Competence) or give you help with your boat handling skills. Most Charter companies operating in the Med (Greece/Croatia/Turkey) now have the ICC as a minimum skipper requirement. Cost is E135 one day, E240two day, plus expenses. My boat will not be active until early June, due to exam commitments.

Summer 2006

This summer my season doesn't start until the June Bank Holiday, due to my college commitments. The usual fare of weekends, 5 days and ICC tests are again available - if the schedule doesn't suit your needs, pick up the phone and give us a shout or send an e-mail. We can usually accommodate short term special requests (min. of 2 required). 

An attractive trip (price €250 and destination) is our annual WSC flotilla to Portmadoc in N. Wales mid July - check it out. Also, Croatia is worth the effort of getting there - see below.

Croatia

Dubrovnik Old City & Harbour- from south

September 2006 sees us flying across Europe again to play in the wonderful Dalmatian Island playground, based from Dubrovnik. Having been there for the last 2 years, I can conform this is a wonderful sailing paradise with fabulous scenery, exciting sailing, loads of islands with plenty of variety to suit all tastes, sunshine and crystal clear blue waters. The food is excellent, esp. if you like fish, value is reasonable and you should also learn some sailing skills on top of it all - not bad for E800 + flights extra.

Saltee Dog

Sail train on our safe and comfortable yacht Saltee Dog, from Wicklow to all corners of the Irish Sea and beyond................ We offer courses from beginner to Yachtmaster Prep. in the ISA Cruising Scheme. Whatever level you are at, we should be able to match your training needs. Check out details of Courses offered above or see our Schedule for dates pencilled in. If a particular date suits your needs, drop us an e-mail or phone us now. Remember, Toesun usually comes too.

Courses held 

Brian Sinnott gets First Aid

1 day RYA/STC W95 - Matt Reid ran a course suitable for leisure sailors - ISA/RYA Yachtmaster candidates, Instructors - dinghy/powerboat/ cruising, Passenger Boat Commercial Endorsements etc at Wicklow Sailing Club on Sunday 5th March with 11 successful participants coming through.

We had the services of Hugh Pilsworth in Wicklow Sailing Club on Sat 8th April giving us an RYA Diesel Engine course, which was well received - apart from having to lug 2 big engines in and out of the Club.

UK to Cork Delivery Trip Jan 06 Trip

                Just before Christmas, I got a phone call from a friend of my brother Joe, another vet Liam Burke, who wanted to take a modern racing yacht, a Corby 33 called AWOL, from Brighton (SE England) to Cork in January of all months. Having checked with all mental hospitals for escapees, it turned out he was for real and what’s worse, I agreed to take on the job. Maybe I was the one needing a strait jacket!  After checking that all essential safety gear was on board or accessible and that suitable crew were available, we met up in Cork airport early Tues 4th Jan and got ourselves to Brighton Marina via Gatwick. . Next morning, we left early and set off down the English Channel. The long range forecast was for East or Northeast winds, fresh to strong for the next few days, which meant a following wind down the Channel.

                Crossing the eastern entrance to the Solent was interesting and a good lesson in Rules of the Road for the crew. Winds started to strengthen and after a few near jibes in rolling seas, we dropped the main and continued under poled out jib. Cooking was a challenge on a single burner gas stove - hot and tasty grub is always welcome, no place for gourmets on lumpy seas in early January. Another problem we discovered was our steering compass, but not before we ended up about 20 miles south of our intended track uncomfortably close to the west going shipping lane. There was a deviation problem of about 15*  on our west going course, causing the boat to err to the south of our course, which we eventually figured out in the morning. I thought at first it was due to inexperienced helms in heavy seas.

                As we approached Falmouth the next afternoon, we heard a Royal Navy ship broadcast a live artillery practice in our area so we were forced to divert to Plymouth. We had a pleasant evening ashore with a fabulous meal in the Notte Inne - worth a visit if in the area. Next morning we set off for Cork, via Lands End, and had a very brisk sail up to about 100 miles from our destiantion when the wind died. We motored all the way from there and arrived in Crosshaven, to find the place covered in frost - I nearly went for a swim off the icy pontoon. Job done, all was well despite my earlier reservations.

WICKLOW RFC

My former Rugby Club, Wicklow reached the final of the Provincial Towns Cup for the 1st time in its history against Tullamore RFC. The final was played at North Kildare on Easter Sunday 16th April which they lost 3 - 25, unfortunately. Still, t was a wonderful achievement for a small club and will make them hungrier the next time. They won the South East 1sts Final on Sunday 9th April (last won in 1973 - see photo).