Shannon-One-Design
Encyclopedia
The Shannon-One-Design sailing dinghy
is a small sailing boat raced on the River Shannon
and Loughs Ree
and Derg in Ireland
. The boats are 18 feet (5.49m) long by 4 feet 10.5 inches (1.5m) beam, drawing 4 feet (1.23m) with her centreboard down. They have a sail area of 140 square feet (15.6m2) set in a single sail
, giving the boat what is called a gunter rig.
, Lough Derg Yacht Club and North Shannon Yacht Club (Lough Boderg) held in the Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone, on 29th January 1920. The committee commissioned a leading British designer of the time, F.C. Morgan-Giles. Later that year Morgan-Giles delivered the plans. The first boat was ordered from Walter Levinge of Creaghduff, Coosan
and delivered in 1921.
riverside dwellers. At the two main events each year, the week long regattas at Ballyglass on Lough Ree
and Dromineer
on Lough Derg, up to 55 SODs have been counted. These will be sailed by a mixture of local sailors and others based in Dublin or elsewhere (as far away as the USA), most of whom return year on year to compete. It is not unusual to have two generations of the same family sailing together in a SOD or even have all three crew-members from the same family. There is also a very healthy influx of younger sailors joining the fleet to compete against older generations.
has flourished on the River Shannon, and especially on Loughs Ree and Derg, for hundreds of years. Initially a means of transport, it gradually became a social event. In the eighteenth century, travel by water was the safest and most convenient way. Therefore if you were one of those who could say that "one lived in a fine house on the shores of a lake or (Cork
) harbour", it was likely that "one" kept a yacht
as a means of going on house visits.
This very quickly evolved into rendezvous for picnics, joint manoeuvres and ultimately competition. Two of these clubs still surviving are the Lough Ree Yacht Club (Ballyglass, Athlone), which traces its origins to 1770, making it the second oldest yacht club
in the world, and the Lough Derg Yacht Club (1835) (at Dromineer
).
Sailing craft have until recently been just that: crafted by hand and eye. Each builder learned — and incorporated improvements in each successive boat. Yacht designers did the same, and the sport of yacht racing
therefore evolved into a handicap
sport as the boats were all different. One Design classes were created to provide more evenly matched racing.
television series Three Men Go to Ireland featured the three men, Dara Ó Briain
, Griff Rhys-Jones and Rory McGrath
, racing SODs adjacent to the Lough Derg Yacht Club the previous October.
Dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....
is a small sailing boat raced on the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
and Loughs Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
and Derg in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The boats are 18 feet (5.49m) long by 4 feet 10.5 inches (1.5m) beam, drawing 4 feet (1.23m) with her centreboard down. They have a sail area of 140 square feet (15.6m2) set in a single sail
Sail
A sail is any type of surface intended to move a vessel, vehicle or rotor by being placed in a wind—in essence a propulsion wing. Sails are used in sailing.-History of sails:...
, giving the boat what is called a gunter rig.
History
The creation of the Shannon-One-Design sailing dinghy came about after a meeting of representatives of Lough Ree Yacht ClubLough Ree Yacht Club
Lough Ree Yacht Club is a sailing club based in Ballymore, Coosan, near Athlone, Ireland. Founded in the year 1770, albeit under a different original name, it claims to be one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world, although another Irish yacht club, The Royal Cork Yacht Club has proven to be the...
, Lough Derg Yacht Club and North Shannon Yacht Club (Lough Boderg) held in the Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone, on 29th January 1920. The committee commissioned a leading British designer of the time, F.C. Morgan-Giles. Later that year Morgan-Giles delivered the plans. The first boat was ordered from Walter Levinge of Creaghduff, Coosan
Coosan
Coosan is a suburb just north of Athlone, County Westmeath. Surrounded on three sides by Lough Ree and one side by Athlone town itself, its population has grown since the Celtic Tiger from around 400 in the 1990s to roughly 5000 in the early 21st century. Due to its location on the edge of Lough...
and delivered in 1921.
Sailing
The “SOD” or “Shannon” as the class is often referred requires three people to race and this produces a very sociable form of sailing. Sailing SODs has always attracted families, and generations in many cases have been involved in campaigning the same boat down through the years. Indeed many of the same family names that attended that first meeting in 1920 still feature in SOD racing today. The SOD is an exciting boat to sail in a breeze of wind, and a serious challenge to sail well in any conditions. As a result, SOD sailing attracts a wide range of sailors from far and wide, not simply limited to ShannonRiver Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
riverside dwellers. At the two main events each year, the week long regattas at Ballyglass on Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
and Dromineer
Dromineer
Dromineer is a small village in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is situated on the shores of Lough Derg on the River Shannon. The village is located 10 kilometres north of Nenagh...
on Lough Derg, up to 55 SODs have been counted. These will be sailed by a mixture of local sailors and others based in Dublin or elsewhere (as far away as the USA), most of whom return year on year to compete. It is not unusual to have two generations of the same family sailing together in a SOD or even have all three crew-members from the same family. There is also a very healthy influx of younger sailors joining the fleet to compete against older generations.
The Shannon One Design Association
The Shannon One Design Association (‘SODA’) is the governing body responsible for promotion of the class and enforcement of the class rules. In 1989 they sanctioned changes to the original hull and rig plans to take into account new technologies.Background to yacht racing on the Shannon
SailingSailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
has flourished on the River Shannon, and especially on Loughs Ree and Derg, for hundreds of years. Initially a means of transport, it gradually became a social event. In the eighteenth century, travel by water was the safest and most convenient way. Therefore if you were one of those who could say that "one lived in a fine house on the shores of a lake or (Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
) harbour", it was likely that "one" kept a yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
as a means of going on house visits.
This very quickly evolved into rendezvous for picnics, joint manoeuvres and ultimately competition. Two of these clubs still surviving are the Lough Ree Yacht Club (Ballyglass, Athlone), which traces its origins to 1770, making it the second oldest yacht club
Yacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
in the world, and the Lough Derg Yacht Club (1835) (at Dromineer
Dromineer
Dromineer is a small village in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is situated on the shores of Lough Derg on the River Shannon. The village is located 10 kilometres north of Nenagh...
).
Sailing craft have until recently been just that: crafted by hand and eye. Each builder learned — and incorporated improvements in each successive boat. Yacht designers did the same, and the sport of yacht racing
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
therefore evolved into a handicap
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
sport as the boats were all different. One Design classes were created to provide more evenly matched racing.
In the media
In 2010 the second episode BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Three Men Go to Ireland featured the three men, Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain is an Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter, noted for hosting topical panel shows such as The Panel and Mock the Week....
, Griff Rhys-Jones and Rory McGrath
Rory McGrath
Patrick Rory McGrath is an English comedian and writer. He is best known for roles in Who Dares Wins, Chelmsford 123, Three Men in a Boat and its successors. He was also a regular panellist on They Think It's All Over....
, racing SODs adjacent to the Lough Derg Yacht Club the previous October.
External Links
- Shannon One Design Association - the Association's official website