New Allen design highlights home-built quality

SAILING: The River Dargle in Bray, Co Wicklow, provides the backdrop for the birth of Ireland's newest addition to the keelboat racing scene. Boatbuilder Chris Allen and his team have reached the finishing stages of a 32-foot Jason Kerr design for Eamon Crosbie, of the National Yacht Club, to be named Voodoo Child.

The all-out racing machine follows a radical lineage from its prolific young designer that includes such successful boats as the 36-footer Quokka and production IRM handicap racing Kerr 11.3s.

Although considerably smaller than many of the other top Irish boats, their expected handicap of 1.032 is due mostly to a 55-foot carbon fibre rig and 3DL sails. By comparison, 40-footer Azure carries a 60-foot mast.

According to Allen, to be a successful boat-builder in Ireland means confronting attitudes by owners who believe that to have a good boat means going to Britain to get it. An upgrade for Crosbie's Humphrey-Go-Kart led this owner to placing his faith in Allen when the aging half-tonner went on to win her class in Cork Week following an extensive refit.

His last building project here was Velvet Glove in 1999, a John Corby 30-footer that started out as a self-promotional enterprise that was then sold to Colm Barrington and was acclaimed by her designer at the time as the best IRC 30 built. Under Barrington, the boat went on to win virtually every event on the Irish Sea circuit.

But its only when Allen reveals his experience outside Ireland, most notably with Cookson Boats in New Zealand, that his own ability takes on new gravitas. Notable builds include maxi yacht Falcon 2000, 50-footers Bribon, Beau Geste and Flash Gordon, in addition to Steve Fossett's record-breaking maxi catamaran Playstation.

Allen challenges the traditional view that building in Ireland carries obstacles.

"We have an efficient transport system between here and the UK and I can have designs emailed over within minutes to be output as templates for frames and precision cutting," he told The Irish Times.

"Probably the main obstacle is skilled labour, and because we have no composites industry here. Existing boat-building training is all about traditional skills and steelwork - nobody is looking forward to new technology whether for boats or aerospace applications."

Voodoo Child is expected to be sailing by Easter. Allen is optimistic this boat will encourage owners to consider domestic build options, particularly when Irish prices compare favourably with British alternatives.