THE YOUGHAL RNLI LIFEBOAT was launched on Saturday 14th of May 2011 at 3.12 pm to report of a 3.5 meter rib that had experienced engine failure four miles south of Ardmore.   The exact location of the rib was not known when the RNLI launched but managed to locate them thanks to the help of the Waterford Coast Guard Helicopter.

The Youghal RNLI under the helm of David Slattery and crew members Erik Brooks and Liam Keogh arrived on scene and found 5 persons on board the rib. They took all five on board the Lifeboat and established a tow to Ardmore pier where they were left safe and well.  The Youghal Lifeboat then returned to station.

 

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates over 230 lifeboat stations with 43 in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of the Coast Guard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 137,000 lives. The RNLI is a charity registered in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Lucky the Lobster has a ‘Tail’ to tell

Giant lobster has lucky escape. A giant lobster has been saved from the pot after Youghal fisherman Kevin Murphy decided the crustacean was too special to eat.

The Lobster, which measures 31″ inches approx in length and weighs more than 10 and a half pounds, was caught in the nets while  Kevin was fishing for Ray fish in the outer harbour area of Youghal. The fishman said that while it was not the heaviest Lobster he ever caught it was certainly the biggest, comparing the catch to a prized athlete.
“He’s a fantastic specimen and by his size alone he has got to be at least 40 to 50 years old, He is an amazing creature and it’s quite an achievement to have reached such an impressive age.”

When the lobster was first caught on Tuesday 15th March in the fishermans net he appeared weak, so, Kevin brought the lobster to Youghal’s international renowned Aherne’s Seafood Restaurant and with the permission of the Fitzgibbon family placed in a special holding water tank to recuperate for a couple of days. On the 17th March, St. Patrick’s Day, the local Aquatrek Sea Training school just after participating in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in town, brought the lobster back  to where he was first caught.

The fisherman thought the lobster was so amazing he decided to cut a special V shape on his tail. Kevin explained that particular lobster was a protected species and he made a special cut on his tail, a V shape, so that if in the future he may be caught again, he will immediately be placed back at sea.

So the lucky lobster has a ‘Tail’ to tell to his fellow fish in the sea in the freedom of the enormous aquarium that is the Atlantic ocean.

Click here for related story where Kevin Murphy caught another unusual Lobster which was covered here on YoughalOnline.com

Free Claw-dia – The Crustacean needs a Vacation!

 

Youghal RNLI Lifeboat was launched on Saturday the 11th of Sept at 11.58 to a 28ft pleasure boat that was on fire 3.4 miles east of Caple Island with one person onboard.
Photos: Kevin Power (Ardmore rescue pics) and courtesy Youghal RNLI

When the Lifeboat arrived on scene the casualty had been transferred a local fishing vessel that was close by and was taken ashore to awaiting Lifeboat and HSE first aiders and Paramedics.  The Youghal Lifeboat under the helm of David Slattery and crew members John Griffen Jr and Martin Morris stood by the boat and maintained a safety area around the burning vessel as it was believed there were gas cylinders on board.  Fortunately the casualty was not injured but the boat later sank.

And again at 16.15 to a report of a sailing dinghy with two 14 years old girls onboard that had got into difficulty off Ardmore head.  The Youghal Lifeboat under the helm of John Innes and crew members John Griffen Jr and Erik Brooks rescued the casualties from the water and assessed them to be hypothermic. The Waterford Irish based Coast Guard Helicopter was also on scene and due to the condition of the casualties RNLI helmsman John Innes decided  to  transferred them to the helicopter where they were taken to Waterford to an awaiting ambulance and taken to hospital where they were later released safe and well.  The Youghal Lifeboat recovered the dingy and returned it to Ardmore.

Youghal RNLI Lifeboat Called To Pleasure Craft – Sunday 12th Sept 2010
The Youghal Lifeboat’s pagers went off for the third time this weekend this time to the aid of a 28ft pleasure craft that was experiencing engine failure 4.5 miles south east of Youghal Lighthouse.  There were two people on board.  Youghal Lifeboat under the helm of John Innes and crew members Thomas Cliffe and Eddie Hennessy arrived on scene and established a tow. The Lifeboat towed the vessel safely back to it’s moorings in the Youghal bay area and the lifeboat returned to station.

Noreen Varney
Youghal RNLI Press Officer
0870506640

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Noreen Varney Youghal RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 0870506640

RNLI online

For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.ie  News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.ie/press

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates over 230 lifeboat stations with 43 in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of the Coast Guard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 137,000 lives. The RNLI is a charity registered in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

A beautiful sunset last evening (Sunday 29th August 2010) over Youghal Bay finally drew a fitting curtain over an exciting day of powerboat racing in the East Cork town. Returning to Cork waters for the first time in many years this year’s ISA National Powerboat Championship is proving to be a huge success with intense competition across all classes and superb excitement for spectators.
Photos: Ger Leahy

With the waters directly off the quays in Youghal roaring to the sound of 14 race engines, the quays were equally buzzing with the chatter of keen spectators enjoying this unique blend of water, noise, bravery and spectacle.

Although only in it’s first year, this was Youghal Bay Boat Club’s second hosting of a round of the National Championships – the first being in Ardmore back in July. In Ardmore it was the P750 (Thundercat) classes that provided the excitement, this time out the entire national powerboat racing fleet came to party.

The weekend of maritime activities had begun the previous day with local marine training centre Aquatrek hosting the Munster Final of the Yachtsman Euromarine Rib Challenge and Youghal Bay Boat Club hosting their Commodore’s Cup and a thrilling aerobatics display by Gerry Humphries (and his wonderfully daft flying cow!) in the skies above Youghal. With two new ribs up for grabs in the national finals of the Rib Challenge, competition was naturally keen. Challenges were spread across land-based skills, questions and tasks – while on the water crews were tasked with a variety of tests. When the dust settled, the teams going through to the national final were announced as:

Seniors:
1st – Aquatrek Training Centre
2nd – Youghal Bay Boat Club
3rd – Tralee Bay Sailing Club

Juniors:
1st – Aquatrek Training Centre
2nd – Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club
3rd – Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club

Sunday morning arrived with a car-park full of very strange machines for the people of Youghal to wonder about – it’s not every day you see a van with what looks like a little jet plane parked on its roof. With crews and boats from the four corners of Ireland filling out the car park the excitement grew from early morning until the first boats hit the water just after noon to begin a long day of hot action. Under blue skies and mostly clear water the afternoon was filled with twelve races in total. Community Radio Youghal were on hand to provide informative commentary and fill the time between races with music and banter. With this being the penultimate round of the national championships the racing was always expected to be intense, and the crews didn’t disappoint. Turn after turn, race after race, the crowds were treated to top-notch racing directly in front of the town’s quays. The big F2′s rocketing past at 100 miles an hour throwing huge plumes of water into the skies, the little P750 (Thundercats) throwing their boats and crews into impossible turns just inches apart from one another, and the T850 monohulls buzzing, skimming and often flying across the water.

For Youghal Bay Boat Club this was the first year in the build towards a major annual Maritime Festival, and it proved to be a satisfying success. For the spectators it was another opportunity to enjoy the wonderful spectacle which the waters of Youghal can provide. For the competitors it was an opportunity to showcase their sport and battle hard for championship points.

At the end of a long and exciting day the honours went to the following:

T850 Class
1st: Oliver Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)
2nd: Megan Anderson (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)
3rd: Philip Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)

Formula 2 Class
1st: Will Chambers (Lisnaskea Boat Club)
2nd: Liam Ralph (East Coast Powerboat Racing Club)
3rd: Oliver Haire (North East Powerboat & Racing Club)

Formula 4 Class
1st: Will Chambers (Lisnaskea Boat Club)
2nd: Phil Boyle (Irish Powerboat Club)

P750 (Thundercats)
1st: Sean Dillon & Gary Hogg (Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club)
2nd: Colin Snow & Conor Mullally (East Coast Powerboat Racing Club)
3rd: Ronan O’Connor & Fionn Little (Youghal Bay Boat Club)

For further information please contact Aidan Foley (Club PRO) on 086 0401368

Our Maritime Weekend actually kicks off on Saturday (Aug 28) as Aquatrek host the Munster Final of the ‘ISA Yachtsman Euromarine Rib Challenge’ on the quays in Youghal. Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com

If you’re part of an ISA club or training centre you should get a team together and enter. There are 2 classes – Junior and Senior. More details can be found by clicking here, or by phoning our very own John Innes on 086 859 3482.

And it’s not all about power this weekend (well, mostly it is!). We’re having a Commodore’s Cup Sailing Regatta also on Saturday afternoon. Sailors from Youghal and Inniscarra will compete on the water, and try not to get mowed down by wayward competitors in the Rib Challenge.

Youghal Harbour comes alive this Sunday when the only round of the ISA National Powerboat Championships to be held in Cork this year rolls into town and down the slipway. This will be the penultimate round of this year’s series and with points tight at the top of each class, competitive racing is guaranteed. The organisers of this round – Youghal Bay Boat Club – have been working hard to design courses that will ensure tight exciting racing with the whole event happening right in front of Youghal quays. Padraig Brooks -  Commodore of Youghal Bay Boat Club tells us “This is the first time our new club has held powerboat racing here in Youghal. We hosted a round of the Championships across in Ardmore back in July which proved to be an enormous success with huge crowds and fantastic racing and now we look forward to welcoming the racing fleets and spectators to the waters of Youghal for what’s expected to be a memorable round of the championship. The layout of the quays allows for great viewing and we hope people will come down and enjoy the racing”.

Four classes are expected to race this Sunday – 29th August: The F2 & F4 classes look light waterborne jet fighters and can attain speeds approaching 200 kilometres an hour, the T850 fleet are an exciting monohull class, while the P750 class (better known as Thundercats) will make a welcome return to these waters following a highly successful international race back in 2008. Expect lots of noise, tons of excitement and a great spectacle for a wonderful family afternoon.

This is another exciting event for the recently formed Youghal Bay Boat Club. At the start of the Summer large crowds turned out to enjoy their Open Day which was followed closely by ‘WindQuest’ – an inter-club sailing competition – and then a competitive sea-angling competition in July. Given the natural amenities in the area it’s perhaps little surprise that a club in this East Cork town should have proved so active.

Racing on Sunday begins at 12.30 and continues throughout the afternoon with several races in each class. Music and commentary on the day will be provided by Community Radio Youghal and the centre of the action will be Nealon’s Quay (next to ‘The Quays’ bar).

We’re delighted to be able to confirm some more details about the Maritime Weekend that’s taking place in Youghal this Saturday and Sunday (August 28th & 29th). Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

The first ‘biggie’ is an aerobatics display that will be flown by Gerry Humphreys in his Vans RV7 at 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon. This is the first time such a display has been flown in the skies over East Cork so we’re expecting it to be truly memorable. Youghal is a great location for such a display so people are advised to get along quayside to watch the excitement. Further details on this are available here on our website:
http://www.youghalbay.com/component/content/article/35-latest-news/57-aerobatic-display.html

Further details on the National Powerboat Championships – which we’re hosting on the Sunday are also available on the site, specifically on this page:
http://www.youghalbay.com/component/content/article/35-latest-news/59-maritime-weekend.html

We’re a young club (less than a year old) and there’s only so much we can do with our reach. This weekend is a continuation of the events we’ve already delivered this year and a taster of what we hope to bring in the future, so we humbly ask that you assist our endeavors by helping to spread the word.

Aidan Foley
PRO – Youghal Bay Boat Club
Tel: 086 0401 368

The recently formed Youghal Bay Boat Club has been busy over the past few weeks putting together an exciting itinerary which it hopes will ultimately lead to more people getting out on the water. The club played host to the Cove Sailing Club in the fantastic sunshine over the June Bank holiday weekend.
Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

Over the Summer months the Youghal Bay Boat Club plan on having a wide variety of exciting events from angling competitions to cruises in company, powerboat races to fun days, all culminating in our first Maritime Festival at the end of August. A lot of different groups had been doing their own thing on the water here in the South East for the last few years and by bringing it all under one club everyone seems to have been re-energised. We extend an open invitation to all to come along, talk to us, and get involved ….whether you have a boat or not”.

Click on image to enlarge

Youghal fisherman Kevin Murphy, had an unusual find while out fishing recently. When fishing for Monkfish in his boat ‘The Sea Lion’ 11 miles South East of Youghal Harbour he found this Lobster (Homarus gammarus) caught up in the nets. The lobster is not only very big at 10lbs but was white in colour when first taken out of the water.
Report/Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com Email: news@youghalonline.com

 

Kevin said the female lobster was approx. 20 years old and would have laid millions of eggs in that period of time. Kevin kept the lobster in a suitable container for a week to show his wife Stephanie, daughter Emily and sons Jason and Stephen. Emily decided that the crustacean should be called CLAW-DIA on account of her huge claws and soon she had a new pet!. Rather than ending up in a fashionable sea food restaurant lady luck Claw-dia will be set free back to where the fisherman first caught her.

 

Kevin explained that Claw-dia was a protected species and he will make a special cut on her tail, a V shape, so that if in the future Claw-dia  may be caught again, she will immediately be placed back at sea. Kevin didn’t have to prise Claw-dia away from Emily as she was delighted her new found pet was going back home. ” The crustacean needs a vacation “.

In post celtic tiger Ireland it’s heartening  to know the Youghal Fisherman will rightfully put Claw-dia back to sea instead of selling her for some euros. The Lobster is liberated thanks to the Murphy family from Youghal. Free Claw-dia!

Lobster v-notching

‘V-notching’ is one of the most important technical conservation measures for the Irish lobster stock. The practice was introduced to Ireland in the early 1990’s from Maine in the USA, where it is used in the American Lobster fishery. The technique was perfected by BIM in co-operation with the Shellfish Research Laboratory Carna, Udaras na Gaeltachta, and with the inshore fishing industry. It involves cutting a small notch in one of the flaps on the tail of a female lobster to create an easily recognised mark that remains for up to two moults

When a lobster is marked in this way, it is illegal to land, possess or sell it and it must be returned live to the sea. This ensures the lobster has an opportunity to breed at least once before the notch grows out, as female lobsters generally breed and moult in alternate years. The aim is to boost egg production and thus recruitment to the stock, by protecting a proportion of the female lobster population from fishing pressure.