Holders gear up for new challenge

Sailing ColumnRound Ireland record holders, Irish Independent Challenger will be back to reclaim the perpetual Cork Dry Gin speed trophy - if as expected this morning Cityjet/Irish Times smashes their 2002 record.

The decision to try to knock more minutes of the record will come as no surprise to Cityjet navigator Chris Tibbs who claims that with the right boat and crew the record could go as low as two days.

Before departing on Tuesday at 6.33pm, on what is this crew's second attempt at the record, Tibbs said the island of Ireland was the "perfect little race course".

It was very surprising, he added that there had not been more attempts to break the 72-hour speed record on the 704-mile course.

Gary Keegan, the skipper of Irish Independent Challenger is currently with the maxi boat in the Grand Cayman islands but it's co-owner Daragh Cafferky informed the National Yacht Club record-keepers by email yesterday of his decision to defend.

Irish Independent, a vintage Whitbread 80 maxi set off on Thursday, 28th November, 2002, to break Colm Barrington's 1998 record (three days, four hours, 23 minutes and 57 seconds) set in a Volvo 60-footer Jeep Cherokee during the Round Ireland race of that year.

The maxi completed the course four years later - the first record attempt to be made with the benefit of stronger winter winds - coming home with a new record time of three days, three hours 27 minutes and 45 seconds.

But at 29 tonnes and a crew of 20, the contrast in styles could not be bigger than between the Independent maxi and this week's contester that represents the very latest in yachting technology.

Cityjet is 20 foot smaller, 10 tonnes lighter and carries 12 less crew and is at least a couple of knots per hour faster.

Meanwhile, regardless of the time achieved this morning what is certain is that the National Yacht Club will be making changes to rules for any forthcoming challenges.

Specifically, the Dún Laoghaire club is to beef up the entry rules because of a rash of inquiries for solo-record attempts.

Solo sailing was never included in the scope of the original record rules which had been drawn up with chiefly multi-crewed yachts in mind.

The club, who have been monitoring times since Steve Fossetts multihull record was set in 1993, have concerns that there needs to be an overhaul of scrutineering procedures for safety reasons.

This week, 22-year-old David Parker's solo record attempt in a 30-footer came to an abrupt halt after sailing one third of the course after he injured his hand in heavy seas that pounded the boat for several hours.

Speaking to the Irish Times last night he said: "I've been holed up here in Lough Swilly on my boat for the last 48 hours and it's still blowing 40 knots."

Conditions got so heavy on the north-about route that the Bray sailor took refuge in the relative safety of the Lough.

Last night he was hoping that winds would abate sufficiently to make another run for the west coast.

In other sailing news, the Topper European championships, with an expected entry of 150 boats will be held by Blessington SC in August but the launch for same was not held yesterday as reported here. The launch will be next Thursday.

Sailing Records: Round Ireland monohull

Year Yacht/size Skipper club Record time Average speed

1896 Brenda (30ft) Howard Sinclair RUYC 11D 4H 30M 2.63KN

1935 Dauntless (37ft) Humphrey Barton RNIYC 8D 20H 3.34KN

1961 Durward (18ft) K & C McKaverty Carrickfergus SC 8D 16H 3.40KN

1964 Ainmara (36ft) William Nixon RUYC 6D 2H 50M 4.83KN

1975 Korsar (34ft) Robert Mollard RSGYC 5D 23H 8M 4.95KN

1980 Force Tension (36ft) John Morris, S Caernarvon YC 5D 15H 2M 5.24KN

1982 Moonduster (51ft) Denis Doyle RCYC 4D 3H 45M 7.09KN

1984 Moonduster (51ft) Denis Doyle RCYC 3D 16H 15M 8.02KN

1988 Jeep Cherokee (60ft) Colm Barrington RIYC 3D 4H, 23M 9kn

2002 Irish Independent Gary Keegan NYC 3D 3H, 27M 9.38kn

Challenger (80ft)