Lough Foyle Yacht Club

Beautiful evening for sailing, F3 Southerly.

Racing from the slipway and a mark off the end of the slipway to a mark near the power station then to muff, fahan, conniborrow, muff, fahan and back through the line all done in about 35 minutes.

Cecil T was sailing Alan T’s Phantom and has been awarded an LFYC PY of 1150 (same as Anton H and Conor G)

James P H was sailing a PICO with PY of 1300.

Many thanks to George C and Sean McC for acting as OD.

Tight racing between the two Louden boats as usual with Keith nipping it by 11 seconds tonight.

Musket man outside the only fortified sailing club in Ireland. The fort came under fire in 1689 from the fleet on their way up the river way to Break the boom.

The Mountjoy Challenge Race is a sailing race for traditional boats to break the boom of Derry and lift the siege. The Mountjoy was the name of the ship involved in breaking the boom in 1689 lifting the Siege. The Mountjoy Challenge Race commemorates that momentous boom breaking event that brought to an end the Siege of Derry saving the people in the city and changing the course of European History.

The race marked the official launch of the week-long Maiden City Festival, which is held yearly as part of the Apprentice Boys’ ‘Derry Day’ commemoration. This year is the inaugural Mountjoy Challenge Race.

The race is a collaboration between the Lough Foyle Yacht Club and the Apprentice Boys of Derry. It has been kindly sponsored by the Culture Company.  It is hoped that many similar events will occur in the future.

The race was started by a musket man in period costume.  An artificial boom was laid near the new pontoon near the Derry City Council Offices. Five traditional Lough Foyle Punts started racing from a point near the Foyle Bridge. One boat decided to try a look for stronger wind by taking a wider course, there was no stronger wind but there was stronger tide so their strategy did not pay.  The four other boats initially close-hauled powered up into a beam reach as they moved across Rosses bay. The first boat hit the boom high speed but sailed through it without breaking it. The second boat approached in close pursuit with the jib man ready and armed with a knife and he efficiently broke the boom and won the race.

Sailors then tied up their boats on the pontoon and came ashore to a reception hosted by the Apprentice Boys in a dome shaped marquee.

The Governor of the Apprentice Boys awarded prizes to the winners and commemorative whiskey tumblers to all participating sailors. The Governor recounted the story of the actual boom break of 1689 two attempts were made, The Mountjoy rammed but did not break the boom. Instead, it was broken by sailors in a long boat from the frigate HMS Swallow. It was therefore all the more historically interesting that in the race today (after 324 years) that two attempts were still required to break the boom. Congratulations to Roy Louden, Ryan Louden and James Lynch who broke the boom.

Speech’s were made by the Mayor, the Governor and by Anthony Hutton on behalf of LFYC. LFYC would like to thank the Apprentice Boys whose hospitality was very generous and much appreciated. Thanks also to all those who helped with Rescue cover and laying the boom especially, Danny Gallagher, David Hoey, Liam Harrigan, Joan Doherty, Peter Fallon Snr. and many more.

Sean McCafferty was on hand to capture some great photo’s. Many thanks to Sean for this great Flickr set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanphotos2013/sets/72157634898525065/

All the photo’s below were taken by Sean.

LFYC sailors with Govenor of the Apprentice Boys of Derry and the Mayor of the City

Lough Foyle Punts on way to Break the Boom

LFYC sailors come ashore looking serious having broke the boom

Jim Brownlee (Gvnr Apprentice Boys), Martin Reilly (Mayor City of Derry), Anthony Hutton (Commodore, LFYC), Roy Louden (Skipper of the winning boat), Ryan Louden (Middle Crew), James Lynch (Jib Crew)

Ken D/Ciaran H and Ian D were unstoppable today. Ken D will no doubt be pleased especially after the hard justice served up on the 6th of June.

Thanks to Bill and James J and Liam H in rescue on a windy day.

Light winds today. It is in these kind of conditions that Ken and Davy L are even more difficult to beat making it extra difficult indeed.

If it were not for the lack of wind, if memory serves me correctly, it was a beautiful evening.

Ken L/David L and Dermot M/Cecil T in close racing today with less than a minute between them in tow fifty minute races.

Dermot M and Cecil T are back in a boat and back to winning ways. Congratulations to them.

Three races today, each about 47 minutes long. Each one very close with under 2 minutes separating first and last boat. McG brothers in totally consistent form!

Light wind action today with a long race from the Perch up to Harts, Fahan, Conniborrow X 2

As the race developed so too did the ebbing tide making finishing difficult.

Good to see that Anton H got his Phantom launched again. He took off like a rocket at the start of the race when there was a very nice breeze.

Poor Bill and James J were eventually beaten back by the very strong tide.

Congratulations also to George G who launched his home built Catamaran today. A great achievement.

Delighted to see young Alex Louden join the ranks of LFYC sailors. You are very welcome Alex, we hope to see you very often.

Congratulations to Bill and James who sailed very well.

Race Report HERE

In 1690 the Siege was of Derry was lifted when Captain Browning and longboats from his ship the Mountjoy broke the boom and saved the City from certain starvation.

On the 1st of August LFYC are creating a sailing race to break the boom again. A boom will be laid near the pontoon in the City Centre. Traditional Lough Foyle Punts will race to break the boom. (Skippers should arm themselves with suitable equipment)
The concept for this event has been developed by  LFYC in co-operation with  Apprentice Boys of Derry with the idea of staging a race

Lough Foyle Punts (similar to the longboats that actually broke the original boom, the Mountjoy is often mistakenly given the credit) will race to break the boom and then land on the pontoon to be met by a delegation from the Apprentice Boys.

The race will begin from the Foyle Bridge at about 6.30pm and will head up the Foyle to where the first boat to the Council Marina will break a boom to win the first ever Mountjoy Challenge Race.

For more information contact:
David Hoey 077 8590 6966 Maiden City Festival
or Commodore Anthony Hutton 078 1378 0316 Lough Foyle Yacht Club