Hooker Racing

[Quandary]

Anyone interested in a bit of exciting sport can download the episodes of Badoiri (sic) from the TG4 player , something to cheer up a dismal winter.
Just to be clear, the hookers are female okay but Galway working boats which carry a lot of sail, the programme title may also be spelt wrong with at least 4 acutes but Google will find it for you no problem.

 

[Dan Tribe]

A great spectacle. We should be grateful that there are people prepared to maintain and race these marvelous craft.
Last year I witnessed some skutjesilen in Friesland, these guys seem to think they are sailing Optimists. On a breezy day it's very exciting. Long may it flourish.

 

[Quandary]

When I had the Achilles 24 we kept it on a mooring in Larne in summer and in Lough Neagh for the winter racing. One sunny weekend I was on my way in to EABC in Larne and there was a tree on wooden trestles on the verge, it was Conn McCann with a handsaw and jack plane making the mast for his hooker. The hooker rig included a bowsprit, boom and gaff as longs as the mast but from thinner trees. Conn was an accountant, he did that up until May each year then closed his office and spent the summers going round Ireland from regatta to regatta, I was jealous of him as someone who seemed to have his life well sorted. The hookers were concentrated on the Galway coast and Islands where there original purpose was to fetch turf ( peat) for fuel to the islands but the attraction spread and there were several on the east and south coasts, one made it as far as America and back. The racing fleet was full of characters of all ages and when they were in port the craic and music in the pubs was mighty. Some of that can be seen in the TG4 series which while in Gaelic is subtitled.
I can not remember the year, but Conn was returning up the County Down coast in very strong winds when the boat disappeared, probably overwhemed, they found the body of his crew but Conn and his boat wer never found, I like to think that he went down with and is still with her

 

[Frogmogman]

Anyone interested in a bit of exciting sport can download the episodes of Badoiri (sic) from the TG4 player , something to cheer up a dismal winter.
Just to be clear, the hookers are female okay but Galway working boats which carry a lot of sail, the programme title may also be spelt wrong with at least 4 acutes but Google will find it for you no problem.

....and you can wash it down with a few bottles of the excellent ales from the Galway Hooker Brewery.

 

[rotrax]

Reading the OP's headline I was imagining raunchy women in high heels, stocking and suspenders racing down the High Street!

I knew a guy from Dublin who was restoring one that had been converted and half decked and fitted with an antique hot bulb semi diesel - A Bollinders IIRC - he kept it for a while at Skerries.

He was to meet me and show me the quick way round the Skerries Road Race course, but was late.

Another guy took me to the Harbour where we could see him fiddling with the engine.

" I thought you were just changing the fuel filter " said my companion.

The reply could only have been given by an Irishman " Sure and there's not enough room in here to change yer F###### moind! "

He did restore it and sailed it in the Hooker Regatta's mentioned.

 

[mjcoon]

Reading the OP's headline I was imagining raunchy women in high heels, stocking and suspenders racing down the High Street!

I was sure someone would make that connection. I believe there is a connection with rugby too. Could make for an interesting co-ed street race (though I think there is ladies rugby these days!)...

Mike.