Boat guide - Treor na mBád
Each year, Ocean to City hosts a wonderful range of boat types; traditional and new, Irish and international, workboats and leisureboats. This leaflet describes them, so that you can appreciate the beauty and variety of the designs and histories of the vessels taking part. Enjoy their stories, and see how many of them you can spot!
Glacann iliomad bád de gach cineál páirt sa Rás Mór gach bliain; cinn traidisiúnta agus cinn nua, cinn Éireannacha agus cinn ón gcoigríoch, báid oibre agus báid áineasa. Déantar cuir síos orthu ar an mbileog seo, d’fhonn tuiscint a thabhairt duit ar áilleacht agus ar ilghnéitheacht na gcineálacha agus ar stair na bád atá sa rás. Bain sult as a gcuid scéal, agus féach cé méid acu a bheidh tú in ann a aithint!
Clíona O’Carroll: Volunteer/Oibrí Deonach, An Rás Mór
Dáithí de Mórdha: Leagan Gaelainne
Photo credits: Clare Keogh, Declan Forrest, Deirdre McCaffrey, Michael O’Riordan, Aaron Woods & Rachel Birmingham
Ocean to City – An Rás Mór is organised by Meitheal Mara, Community Boatyard Cork. The workshop is at the heart of what we do. Our workers specialise in building traditional Irish currachs and we are widely recognised for our success in the use of currach building to develop team work and personal effectiveness skills. Meitheal Mara works with groups of young people and adults from diverse and sometimes challenging backgrounds.
Our ethos is to get people on the water, especially those who would not otherwise have the chance to do so. Young people on our Bádoíreacht programme learn how to row, sail or paddle. The flagship Ocean to City race is our big annual celebration of everything we do and love: Na báid agus saol na ndaoine
Produced with funding from the Cork City Council Heritage Office.
Currachs: With a tarred canvas skin stretched over an open wooden frame, these boats come in many designs from different areas along Ireland’s Atlantic coast and can have 2, 3 or 4 rowers with 4 to 8 oars. Different types in the race include the Naomhóg, the Aran and Dunfanaghy currachs and the West Clare Canoe. Racing currachs tend to be more streamlined than their working counterparts.
Curachaí: Le craiceann canbháis tarráilte sínte ar fhráma adhmaid oscailte, tá iliomad cineál den saghas seo báid ar fáil i gceantair éagsúla ar chósta Atlantaigh na hÉireann agus beirt, triúr nó ceathrar rámhaí iontu le ó 4 go 8 mhaide rámha. I measc na gcineálacha atá sa rás tá an naomhóg, curachaí Oileáin Árainn agus Dhún Fionnachaidh agus Canú Iarthair an Chláir. Go hiondúil bíonn curachaí ráis níos sruthlíní ná na cinn oibre.
At over 25 feet in length, the West Kerry working naomhóg is the longest of the traditional currachs, and is the pride of the local Naomhóga Chorcaí club fleet. At least 6 of these four-hand boats will be on the water for the race.
Tá naomhóg iascaigh Chiarraí Thiar os cionn 25 troigh ar fad agus is í an churach is faide. Is í scoth na mbád sa chumann áitiúil Naomhóga Chorcaí. Beidh ar a laghad 6 cinn de na báid ceithre thochta seo ar snámh sa rás.
Two-hand currach: a number of these boats enter the race each year. With only two rowers, it’s a long, tough race to row, and a test of endurance. Give them a special cheer when you see them.
Curach dhá sheas: bíonn roinnt de na báid seo sa rás gach bliain. Toisc nach bhfuil ach beirt rámhaí inti, rás fada, crua agus tástáil seasmhachta is ea é. Tabhair liú speisialta dóibh má fheiceann tú iad.
Dunfanaghy-type currach: These two-rower currachs, used in the Youth Race from Blackrock, are Meitheal Mara’s variation on the Donegal originals. Many of them have been brightly painted by their crews.
Curach Dhún Fionnachaidh: Is leagan Mheitheal Mara iad na curachaí dhá-sheas seo, a úsáidtear i rás na n-óg ón gCarraig Dhubh, de na sean-churachaí ó Thír Chonaill. Tá cuid acu péinteáilte go geal ag a gcuid criúnna.
A three-hand racing currach: of a lighter build than their working counterparts, racing currachs are more streamlined and faster. Like all the currachs in this race, the oars are fixed to the boat using a pin (wooden or metal), which goes through a block on the oar. This means that the oars cannot be feathered (turned sideways when moving through air). The oar blades are very narrow compared to other kinds of rowing boats.
Curach ráis 3 seas: le déanamh níos éadroime ná curachaí oibre, tá curachaí ráis níos sruthlíní agus níos tapúla. Ar nós gach cineál eile curach sa rás, bíonn dola (adhmaid nó miotail) ag coimeád na maidí rámha ar an ngunail, dola a théann trí chluas sa mhaide. Dá bharr seo ní féidir an mhaide a ‘chleitiú’ (a iompu ar a thaobh agus é ag dul tríd an aer). Tá bas an mhaide rámha seo an-chaol i gcomparáid le báid rámaíochta eile.
With a design based on the Fair Isle Skiff, the timber-built St Ayles Skiff was developed in 2009 in order to encourage the revival of rowing regattas around the East Fife coalfield. The project grew beyond initial imaginings: there are now over 110 skiffs in use in Scotland, England and around the world, and many more being built.
Rinneadh forbairt ar Scif adhmaid St. Ayles, atá bunaithe ar Scif Fair Isle, i 2009 chun borradh a chuir faoi athbheochan gheallta rámhaíochta timpeall ar ghualcheantar Fife Thoir. D’éirigh thar na bearta leis an dtogra: tá os cionn 110 scif in úsáid in Albain, Sasana agus timpeall an domhain, agus an líon céanna á dtógáil.
East Coast Skiff rowing owes its origins to the hobbler men who rowed fishing and pilot boats in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and on the east coast.
Téann rámhaíocht Scife an Chósta Thoir siar go dtí na ‘hobbler men’ a dhein báid iascaigh agus báid píolótaíochta a iomramh i gCuan Dhún Laoghaire agus ar an gcósta thoir.
Celtic Longboat: a four-rower coxed boat that came into use on the West Wales coast in the late 1970s for racing and recreation. The Celtic Longboat teams are regular overseas competitors in the Ocean to City.
Bád Fada Ceilteach: bád rámhaíochta le ceathrar agus liagóir inti a tháinig chun cinn ar chósta Thiar na Breataine Bige sna 1970í déanacha chun rásaíochta agus áineasa. Tagann foirne an Bháid Fhada Cheiltigh thar lear go minic don Rás Mór.
‘Cots’ are small flat-bottomed boats traditionally used to fish the upper reaches of tidal estuaries, particularly in the southeast of Ireland. The older double-ended Slaney Cot has become popular for racing on fresh and salt water, and there are a number of clubs on the Slaney river.
Báid bheaga réthónacha iad ‘Coití’ a úsáideadh go traidisiúnta chun iascaigh ar pháirteanna uachtaracha d’inbhir taoidmheara, go háirithe in oirdheisceart na hÉireann. Tá borradh tagtha faoi shean-choite décheannach na Sláine chun rásaíochta ar fhionnuisce agus ar muir, agus tá roinnt cumainn ar abhann na Sláine.
The Bursledon Gig harks back to the days when every waterman, boatyard worker and fisherman on the Hamble river (UK) would row to work. The latest boats are based on a GRP version of an oyster dredging punt, sea-worthy, stable, sturdy but easily rowed. The gig is 15’4” long with a beam of 5’4”. It can be rowed by 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 rowers, with or without a cox.
Tagann Gig Bursledon chugainn ón am go mbíodh air gach fear oibre uisce, gach oibrí bád-chlóis agus gach iascaire ar abhann an Hamble (RÉ) rámhaíocht chun na hoibre. Tá na báid is déanaí bunaithe ar leagan GRP de phunta dreideála oisrí, atá acmhainneach, socair, broganta ach éasca le rámhaíocht. Tá an gig 15’4” ar fad agus 5’4” ar leithead. Is féidir le 1,2,3,4 nó seisear rámhaí a bheith inti, le liagóir nó gan.
Different working boats popular in the Netherlands include the Dutch sloep, lifeboats and whalers. These seaworthy boats were traditionally quite heavy and were rowed in challenging conditions, and their crews were often respected for their toughness.
Úsáidtear báid oibre éagsúla ar nós slúpaí, báid tarrthála agus faeiléirí go minic san Ísiltír. Bhíodh an-mheas chun nirt ar chriúnna na mbád seo toisc na báid a bheith cuibheasach trom go traidisiúnta agus toisc go mbídís á n-ionramháil i gcoinníollacha deacracha.
Traditionally, the Thames Waterman Cutter, crewed by six rowers and a cox, were used to transport passengers on the Thames or pilots out to ships sailing into the Port of London. One such boat, with a crew from Trinity House, the organisation that maintains UK navigation lights, is a regular competitor in the race.
Úsáideadh an Thames Waterman Cutter, ina mbíonn seisear rámhaí agus liagóir, go traidisiúnta chun paisinéirí a iompar ar an Thames nó chun píolótaí a bhreith amach go dtí árthaigh a bhí ag seoladh isteach go Calafort Londain. Bíonn ceann amháin acu, le criú ó Trinity House, an eagraíocht a dhéanann cothabháil ar shoilse loingseoireachta na Ríochta Aontaithe, in iomaíocht sa rás go minic.
You will hear our Dragon Boats before you see them. Fourteen paddlers, a helm and a drummer… and a fearsome dragon prow! When rowing the race, there is no better motivation than a dragon boat gaining from behind you with their drums booming.
Cloisfidh tú ár mBáid Dragain sula bhfeicfidh tú iad. Ceathrar céaslóir déag, halmadóir agus drumadóir… agus dragan fíochmhar ar an mbuaic! Níl aon spreagadh níos fearr agus tú ag rámhaíocht sa rás ná bád dragain ag teacht i do dhiaidh agus bonnán ag na drumaí inti.
The types of kayak and canoe seen in the race include touring sea kayaks, racing kayaks, surf skis and Canadian canoes. A touring sea kayak is a long relatively wide and stable kayak with a covered deck (sit-inside) with good hull volume to bounce on top of waves.
I measc na gcadhcanna agus na gcanúnna atá le feiceáil sa rás tá cadhcanna turais farraige, cadhcanna ráis, scíonna toinne agus canúnna Ceanadacha. Cadhc fada, réasúnta leathan agus socair is ea an cadhc turais farraige, le deic chlúdaithe (suí-istigh) agus toirt mhaith sa chabhail chun preabadh ar bharr na dtonn.
The Cornish Pilot Gig is a traditional clinker-built boat, 32ft long and made of Cornish narrow leaf elm. These seaworthy boats were originally used to take pilots out to vessels coming off the Atlantic: the first crew there got the job.
Is bád clinse traidisiúnta í an Gig Phíolótaíochta Chornach, 32 troigh ar fad agus déanta as leamhán caol-duilleach. Úsáideadh na báid acmhainneacha seo ar dtús chun píolótaí a bhreith amach go dtí árthaigh a bhí ag fágáil an Atlantaigh: Ba iad an chéad chriú chuici a fuair an obair.
The Bantry Bay Gigs are wooden replicas of late 18th century longboats, modelled after an existing original gig left behind in Bantry Bay by the invading French fleet of 1796. Keep an eye out for the Cork City based Fionnbarra racing to her home berth right at the finish line, with ten rowers wielding oars of up to 18 feet long.
Is macasamhla de bháid fada ó dheireadh an 18ú céad, bunaithe ar gig a d’fhág loingeas na Fraince ina ndiaidh i mBá Bheanntraí i 1796, iad Gigeanna Bhá Bheanntraí. Coinnigh do shúil ar ‘Fionnbarra’, bád ó Chathair Chorcaí agus í ag rás go dtí a leaba féin ag deireadh an ráis, agus deichniúr rámhaí inti le maidí rámha nach mór 18 troigh ar fad.
A surf ski (seen here) is a long, narrow, lightweight kayak with an open cockpit, used worldwide for surf lifesaving, surf kayaking and for ocean (downwind) racing. A Canadian canoe is a wide stable open canoe with no deck, and it is paddled with single-bladed paddles.
Cadhc fada, caol, éadrom is ea an scí toinne (le feiceáil anseo) le cró oscailte (suí-ar-barr), a úsáidtear ar fud an domhain chun tarrthála toinne, chun cadhcála toinne agus chun rásaíochta farraige (le cóir). Canú oscailte leathan socair gan deic is ea an canú Ceanadach, agus déantar é a ionramháil le céasla aon-bhos.