Motor Boat & Yachting – September 2019

N

At

la

nt

ic

O

ce

an

Kilrush

Marina

Limerick

Portumna

Kinsale

Crosshaven

Arklow

Kilmore

Quay

Cork

Galway Dublin

Howth

Irish

Sea

Ardglass

Ballycastle

Portrush

Fahan

Lawrence

Cove

Dingle

River

Shannon

No

rth

(^) Ch
ann
el
St^ G
eorg
e’s
Cha
nne
l
Malin Head
Lough
Derg
Lough
Ree
Cliffs of Moher
Lough Swilly
Broadhaven
Bay
Shannon
Estuary
Loop Head
ARUNISLANDS
SHERKIN ISLAND
TORY ISLAND
GOLA ISLAND
RATHLIN O’BIRNE
INISHBOFIN Rossaveal
Bunbeg
Belfast
Bangor
IRELAND
NORTHERN
IRELAND
nautical miles
0 25 50
Killybegs
to water, after volunteering for crewing duties when my next
door neighbour wasn’t available.
We both joined the newly formed Cruising Club branch of
the IWAI (Inland Waterways Association of Ireland). I took an
Inland Waterways Motorboat Skipper and Radio Operator Short
Range Course and duly received the certifi cate of competency
issued by the Minister for Transport. The Cruising Club had
by now become more adventurous and
in 2007 we participated in a Cruise in
Company to Limerick, which gave
us our fi rst taste of salty water.
Negotiating the 100ft-deep lock at
Ardnacrusha followed by the run into
Limerick under fi ve low bridges with
a couple of turbines at Ardnacrusha
helped get the adrenalin fl owing!
OPEN WATER
Then we got our fi rst taste of coastal
cruising when we participated in an
IWAI cruise to Kilrush on the Shannon
Estuary. That was all it took. I was now
addicted to saltwater cruising! There’s
something therapeutic about being
at sea – the gentle swell of the waves,
the rhythmic plodding of the engine,
the sounds and smells of the ocean.
A pattern soon set in; during the
winter and spring we cruised on the River Shannon, mostly on
Loughs Derg and Ree, and during the summer we ventured
down the coast. Over the following years we undertook coastal
cruises to Fenit, Dingle and Cahersiveen, all located on the
south-west coast of Ireland.
Our semi-displacement vessel coped well at sea, as long as we
were careful with our passage planning. Slowly but surely I began
to understand weather conditions and our comfort zone – winds
up to F3 with wave height of no more than 1.5m were the limits!
Arthur at Sherkin Island
Mary checks the charts
in the sunshine
IWAICC cruise in
company to Kilrush
Heading into
Dingle harbour
One of the benefi ts of an elderly Broom Ocean 37 are the
simple mechanical Perkins 6354HT engines, which seem to
go forever and are gentle on the fi nances. There is always the
dichotomy that one faces when purchasing a boat – a new vessel
at a more expensive purchase price or an older, cheaper boat but
with the likely addition of more costly annual maintenance. I
have never regretted purchasing Arthur and although I might
cast the occasional envious glance at
newer more powerful boats, I have grown
very attached to her. There are some
things which money cannot buy.
I have looked after her with regular
maintenance and updates over the years.
The original Webasto heating system was
replaced with a newer model and all the
windows were re-sealed. A big moment
in the development of Arthur’s crew took
place in 2010 when we undertook our
fi rst coastal cruise without company. We
cruised down from Kilrush to the mouth
of the Shannon Estuary and paused
briefl y as we assured each other we were
happy to continue the remaining six-hour
passage to Dingle...without a companion
boat. It was a liberating moment. Since
then we have mostly undertaken coastal
passages on our own albeit occasionally
enjoying the company of other boats.
LEARNING CURVE
It wasn’t all smooth sailing. In 2014 while exploring further along
Ireland’s south-west coast round Mizen Head into Crookhaven
and Schull we were caught out in conditions well beyond our
comfort zone. It got so bad as we were rounding Mizen Head
in F5 that the radar arch came crashing down. Fortunately
Mary was able to secure it before it went overboard! On another
occasion in 2017 we reached Kinsale some 200nm away from