It is the first sign that summer is on the way in Ringsend as the rowing skiffs are rescued from cold storage and placed back into the river.

This year, though, the small fleet of racing boats in the area will have a new companion following the launch of St. Patrick’s Rowing Club’s latest skiff.

The launch took place at the club’s headquarters on York Road in May as the Paddies and their corporate partners, Dublin Port, christened the new skiff just prior to the start of another chapter in the story of coastal rowing.

As usual, the club pulled out all the stops to ensure the boat received the launch it deserved and now the members, young and not so young, will be testing the strength of the new skiff’s beams all summer long from the Liffey waters along the east coast to Arklow.

The new boat is the seventh boat that the club has launched since it became the first coastal rowing club in the area back in 1936, but St. Patrick Seven is the first to be built outside of Ireland.

For the past few months the skiff was being designed and constructed by Morris Hunkin in the small town of Fowey, Cornwall in England before being transported to Ringsend prior to the big launch. While this is the first St. Patrick boat to be built by Mr. Hunkin, it is not the first east coast skiff to be put together in Cornwall, as Greystones have already availed of the services of the Fowey master boat builder.

It is expected that an initial five boats will be built in Cornwell as the east coast championship aims for a standard design as the sport takes a resurgence in popularity.

The new boat is another sign of St. Patrick’s commitment to constantly improving their standards as they supply an essential community service to our area and along with Dublin Port, the club will look to continue to push forward both on and off the river.

Pictured at the launch of St Patrick Seven are from left front: Brenda Daly, Marketing Manager, Dublin Port; Maurice Hunkin who built the boat; Charlie Murphy, Dublin Port with his grandson Sean and the Committee members.