The unexpected Irishman

The Daily Sail caught up with Cian McCarthy, who is currently lying in fourth place in the Mini Transat

The Atlantic Ocean has one elated Irishman on it. 25 year old Mini sailor Cian McCarthy was yesterday lying fourth (today he is sixth) of 70 competitors in the Mini Transat - not a bad result for a man who told The Daily Sail prior to the start that he would be happy to finish in the top half of the fleet.

Cian McCarthy who comes from close to Crosshaven near Cork, is part of a very small and select group of Irish solo offshore racers that includes Damian Foxall, technically Marcus Hutchinson (French/Irish) and erm...

"From a sailing point of view I’ve been at it for about 10-12 years now," McCarthy told The Daily Sail. "I started off in Lasers and then started crewing around Cork on various boats. Then I started to do round Irelands and Fastnets about five or six years ago on a Cork boat called Moonduster, an old Admiral’s Cup 50 footer."

Following this his sailing career took on a more ambitious turn when sailed the last BT Global Challenge as number two to Conrad Humphreys on board race winner LG Flatron. "That was a good experience and good learning," says McCarthy.

It was at the end of this circumnavigation that he got serious about a Mini campaign, but his interest in singlehanded offshore racing dates back much further. "I guess since the 1994 BOC Challenge I've been interested in the solo stuff, through reading about it in magazines."

He says is not so enamoured with Figaro sailing. He had spent one winter working for Damian Foxall when his fellow Irishman was running a Figaro training camp in Kinsale. "I think there is more close inshore racing in the Figaro with the prologues and grand prix stuff which I am not very keen on. It’s really the offshore stuff that I enjoy."

Due to his family's flourishing business in the building trade in Cork, McCarthy was able to pay to get a new Mini built. He went to Owen-Clarke for the design which was built by Stig McDonald in Totnes, next door to the Team Philips base.

McCarthy's boat, The Tom Crenn, is a newer incarnation of the boat British competitor Ian Munslow is currently racing in the Mini Transat. In comparison the new boat has far more beam both overall and at the waterline. "It is not as fine and flaired in the bow as Ian’s is," says McCarthy. "Ian built his himself, and this was built by a yard so it is probably a bit lighter as well." The boat is a full-on carbon construction built over a male plug.

"We launched it last May and we had a few teething problems, but I finished two races last year and I did the Demi-Cle solo and the Triangle de Soleil two up and then I went off to do my 1,000 mile qualifier," he continues.

His 1,000 mile qualifier, necessary to get an entry in this year's Mini Transat, was cut short 150 miles from its conclusion when he had a collision with a ship while he was asleep. "It can happen is the only way to put it," says McCarthy. "It was on the French side of the Channel, 50-60 mile north of Ouessant, normally a quieter place once you’re away from the corners."

The mast came down in the incident although there was only limited damage to the hull. With the boat out of the water being fixed over the winter, it was not until March that McCarthy was able to set off to finish his qualifier. He then sailed in two more races this season - the Mini Pavois and the Mini Fastnet. "I was fifth in the Protos eventually but there were a lot of retirements and a lot of guys didn't make it," he says of the former event. "And then in the Mini Fastnet we were 18th out of 80." He would have taken part in the Transgascogine singlehanded race had it not been for breaking a rudder en route to the start from Ireland.

To date the worse conditions he has seen in the boat were on the boat's maiden offshore voyage. "I left Plymouth when the Round Britain left last year and I was knocked down. So that was probably 40 knots true or probably a bit more but with big breaking seas and we were knocked down twice on that with the main lashed down - the very first trip on the boat."

Surprisingly he, like other Mini sailors don't seem worried by the short 21ft length of their boats or their suitability for offshore racing. "The boats are seaworthy - it is not an issue," maintains McCarthy. "It is more the sea state than the wind that can cause you serious problems On a boat that size some of the waves have got your name on them sometimes. So you’ve got to hang in there and you’ve got to keep some speed on so you have control of the boat which is the crutial thing. The boat can take the weather. I think the sailor will break before the boat does."

So what is the attaction of the Mini class? "It is just bloody good sailing," says McCarthy. "I suppose building the boat was interesting. It wasn’t the most cost effective way of going about it, but it was an interesting process and I’ve learned a lot. Previously I’d always stepped on to boats."

He adds that he enjoys the atmosphere around the class. "It is very pleasant, a nice atmosphere around the place. The races are good. Even the last BT was pathetic with the secrecy and stuff. People wouldn't tell you what they were having for lunch. Come here and the guys are much more open and encouraging. So I am enjoying the whole thing. The experience is fantastic."

Ultimately McCarthy is expecting to be in the class for another two years as unless your name is Jonathan McKee you need to spend time in the class before you can get good. "I know what needs to be done to the boat after two years and I will certainly know a bit more when I hit Brazil. The boat needs more refinement, so I could see myself coming back and doing another two years. Last year was pretty much a right-off as I spent more time in boatyards than I did on the water. This year is going alright. The two races I was pretty happy with and obviously I’ll see how this race.

Beyond this McCarthy is now scratching his head. "I had my eye on the next Around Alone until they took the 40s out of it. Unless the 40s come back into it I wouldn’t be interested in getting into. I wouldn’t be interested in getting a bigger boat because it is too much money. I’m doing this as an amateur. And I would like to do Around Alone in a similar way."

Unlike the handful of 'career' singlehanders, McCarthy wants to be a top amateur rather than a leading pro. "I’m not doing this to build a profile for myself - I’m just a sailor."

With McCarthy's participation in the Mini Transat, interest in Ireland is likely to grow even though he has been doing little to promote himself on the Emerald Isle. "Sort of deliberately I haven’t been sending out press releases and I haven’t made much of an effort. But in the marinas or when they see the boat in the yard it is something a bit different. And I’ve had a few other Irish guys starting to email saying ‘I’d like to do this’ and I’d be very keen to promote the class in Ireland if people are interested, but I haven’t made a huge effort to promote myself as such."

Amusingly prior to the start McCarthy was pessimistic about his prospects in the Mini Transat and felt he was starting with a disability. Following the boat's measurement McCarthy has had to limit the canting angle of his keel.

"I think the boat is well prepared," he said. "I've done plenty of miles - about 8-9,000 in the boat now. So I am quite confident of finishing. Performance-wise I have got issues with the keel and I think it needs to come back a bit in the boat. There is no reason why I shouldn't be top half in the protos - that would be success for me. But if I ended up in the top 10 I would be more than happy. I don’t see myself as being a top five contender. I think neither the boat nor the sailor is up to that standard yet. I think coming back for another two years is what it will take." Or maybe not if his current performance is anything to go by.