Cork 1720’s national – Crosshaven
It was glorious sunshine first thing this morning and there was a nice warm breeze blowing in off Pwllheli marina. We were taking LuvvlyJubbly the Cork 1720 by Andrew Brook over to Ireland for the Cork 1720 Irish nationals in Crosshaven. For all those of you who haven’t bought on wot-tac to help you with your sailing and to give you the best start over the start LuvvlyJubbly is the Cork 1720 that is featured on the packaging for the wot-tac. One of the competitors in the Irish nationals that I’ve known for years rang me the day asking if the wot tackles the same as the Musto Compucourse. I told of course that Keith Musto is given wot-tac his endorsement and although the Musto Compucourse isn’t available any more than what tack is much easier to use than the old Musto Compucourse.
I am really looking forward to going back to Cork again having been there many times for Cork week when I was campaigning in the early 1980s with Force Tension a 36 foot keelboat from Pwllheli. The ISORA racing Championships had lots of boats competing and there were some great sailing over the Irish Sea between Pwllheli Sailing Club, Holyhead Sailing Club, Royal St Georges sailing club and Wicklow sailing club in Ireland.
After getting the boat hitched up we drove over to Holyhead for the ten am ferry. The crossing was nice and calm, not one single keelboat or dinghy for miles around although we were able to look over at the new marina in Holyhead. There are lots of big yachts moored at the marina and I know that there is a lot of regular sailing in the inner harbour both are squibs and dinghies.
When we came into Dun Laoghaire I was reminded how impressive the Royal St George yacht club really is. There are a couple of members there who are using the wot-tac for their regular keelboat and dinghy sailing. In particular one of the Royal St George yacht club members sails a Dragon and he will find it very useful.
We reached Cork and about her past five last night and found the accommodation where we were staying quite easily. It’s been 20 years since I stayed the Compass Rose in Crosshaven. I was last there when we were sailing in Cork week. I didn’t then have a wot-tac and couldn’t master the wind angles and the choice of sales as I can now.
Andrew did most of the driving down from Dublin to Cork. It gave me time to look at the scenery especially as we neared Cork and were able to look out over the Bay at where we were going to be racing over the next three days.
Tomorrow we’re going to get our Cork 1720 rigged up and then into the water in good time for the first race at four o’clock. Everyone on board will have what tack so that we can know exactly where the wind angle will be over the side of the boat. And we want to get the best possible start of course. In fact these days I never go sailing without the wot-tac – in fact it’s the best and most practical navigational tool since the Musto Compucourse.
