Solo event planned despite regulations

SAILING:SINGLE-HANDED sailors are not welcome in Irish waters and Irish regulations have been uniquely recognised to further discourage this branch of sailing here. Despite this, the country will officially host at least one international event that breaches the rules that are intended to avoid collisions at sea.

Although single-handed sailing is an area of the sport responsible for considerable feats of both sporting and human endeavour, Government rules specifically warn against solo sailing on the grounds that ability to keep proper watch and take rest while at sea is not possible.

Many of the world’s best-known sailors have become household names over the last 50 years. Francis Chichester, Chay Blyth, Robin Knox Johnston, Ellen MacArthur have all followed the lead set by the famed Joshua Slocum on Spray more than 100 years ago.

In the last six months, there have been high-profile outbreaks of teenage single-handed sailors all attempting circumnavigations of the world with several attempts made to halt their projects on welfare rather than regulatory grounds.

Although there are no domestic races organised for single-handed crews, several distance records routinely pass through Irish waters in addition to a circumnavigation of the island.

However, the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC), the global body affiliated to the International Sailing Federation, last year declared that solo record attempts on the Round Ireland course will not be recognised.

This follows an official “Notice to Mariners” that has been in force since 2005 effectively prohibiting solo sailing by warning seafarers of their duty under international maritime law to keep watch at all times while at sea.

The exclusion by the WSSRC of the Irish record is unique and no other record or event is similarly affected.

However, the annual French-run Solitaire du Figaro race makes an annual visit to the south coast and each sailor must be presumed not to take rest within Irish waters.

Similarly, the “around Britain and Ireland” record, the course for which clearly enters Irish waters for significant periods, is also unaffected.

Aside from this paradoxical situation, solo sailors routinely adapt their sleep patterns to take rest in, typically 15-20 minute segments each hour with the aid of radar alarms and more recent technologies such as AIS (Automatic Identification System) that highlights shipping traffic.

Meanwhile, the Irish Double and Solo Racing Group is being formed to promote short-handed sailing with around 90 sailors already involved.

Initially, the new body will aim to have event organisers include two-handed divisions where possible.

The issue of longer-distance races for solo sailors won’t be tackled immediately as the groups will concentrate on developing some short single-handed coastal races before trying to persuade the authorities of the feasibility of new technologies that allow compliant seafaring.

After all, the French have been doing it for years and will arrive and depart Kinsale next Summer.

The annual “Sailing by the Lee” fund-raising lunch will be held at the Maryborough House Hotel on Friday, February 12th.

Irish professional sailor, round-the-world winner Justin Slattery will be the guest speaker at this popular event following a distinguished line such as Ron Holland, Chay Blyth and Brad Butterworth.

Tickets at €50 per person (or tables of 10 for €400) are selling fast from organiser susie.elliott@cantillons.com with all funds raised in aid of the RNLI lifeboats.