Growing up on an island in Cobh, Co Cork , Ireland , Barry Hurley (32) developed a strong affinity for boats and the sea from a very young age. Now a member of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, he followed the classic progressive route through dinghy racing as a young boy, moving up to bigger boats in his teens. After many successful years involved in several keelboat grand prix campaigns, Barry began to grow tired of travelling to the same events year on year and looked for a different challenge.
Offshore sailing had an almost negligible following in Ireland at the time, so Barry decided to spend his time travelling to the South Coast of England to get involved in the rapidly growing offshore scene there. Soon Barry was taking part in all the major offshore races around Europe, including the annual pilgrimage to Malta for the Rolex Middle Sea Race each year.
In 2006 Barry’s campaign stepped up a gear, this time as skipper of a J109, taking part in the RORC series and the Round Ireland Race, as well as winning his class in the solo Petit Bateau Channel Week. It was at this point that the solo offshore racing bug truly took hold.
Since then, alongside a successful double-handed offshore campaign with Nick Martin, winning the RORC Alan Paul Trophy, Barry procured a JOD35, Dinah, and began work to turn it into an ocean-going solo racer. Dinah is unrecognisable from the boat originally brought to Dublin for refit, having been extensively modified with a new rig, all new deck gear, electronics, and now sporting water ballast.
Despite his extensive sea miles to date, OSTAR will be Barry’s first ocean crossing, and he is relishing this new challenge. You can keep up to date with Barry’s campaign, and track his progress during the race, on blogSTAR or on his personal webpage at www.dinah.sail.ie
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