Sailing
News 2005
An intense period of fitting-out afloat at Crosshaven,
Co. Cork - which nicely coincided with the local Traditional
Sail festival - preceded her first full sailing season
of really stretching her legs for perhaps 100 years.
During
a pleasant 3 day delivery cruise to Glandore the new
electric
auxiliary motor was only used for surreptitiously
digging in the anchor
despite very light airs. The regatta at the exquisite
West Cork natural
harbour of Glandore comes along biannually and is
not to be missed, so it
was wonderful that we could play out her classic regatta
debut at such an
appropriate venue. We enjoyed close racing with the
Cork Harbour One
Designs Maureen and Querida and the Loch Fyne Skiff
Cruachan - and won
prizes for Concours d'Elegance and Best Dressed Crew.
Before
trucking to the Mediterranean she cruised 300 miles
in West Cork and
up to Dublin for a triumphant return to her old haunts
and an intense two
weeks of varnishing and final finishing at Malahide
Marina.
Despite
it being such a novel experience she seemed absolutely
at home among the glitz of Cannes and Saint-Tropez
she purported herself impeccably on the water - sporting
her almost 50 year old cotton sails - gaining 2nd
overall in class at Cannes, 3rd at Saint-Tropez....
and many admirers.
