WINDSURFING: One of Ireland's best known windsurfing schools may be forced to shut its doors permanently next season following its failure to find insurance cover to meet local authority demands.
Started in 1984, the Wind and Wave school traded from the West Pier area at Dún Laoghaire and its closure means there is no introductory service to the sport operating on Dublin Bay.
The school operated as an extension of the Wind and Wave shop, located close by in Monkstown.
Two other schools continue elsewhere in Dublin - Surfdock on Grand Canal Basin in Ringsend and the Fingal Sailing School on the Broadmeadow Estuary at Malahide.
Contacted this week, proprietor Barry Chambers said they have no option but to close the school this season. In previous years, the business had standard insurance cover of €2.5 million but for 2002, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council required cover of €6.4 million.
The school was based from a fitted shipping container on the council car-park at the West Pier area known locally as The Gut. There is easy access to the water via a beach and slipway and the venue is very popular with board-sailors throughout the year, depending on the wind direction.
"The level of cover is fairly standard for clubs and schools around the country," said Chambers. "In addition, we have always indemnified the council on our own policy but when they asked for cover to be increased, we were unable to secure a quote. I tried arguing our case but got passed from department to department and eventually gave up.
"This isn't a profitable operation - just break-even. We use it to introduce people to the sport who visit the shop. I will try again for next season as the number of inquiries has been surprisingly high."
Chambers estimates that they train about 250 newcomers to windsurfing over a three- to four-month period each year at a cost of €120 per person. The shop will continue to trade as normal in its main business of equipment and clothing for windsurfing, kite-surfing and snow-boarding.
Safety concerns have also been raised following the school's closure as rescue boats were maintained in the area at peak times that would also assist casual sailors if needed.
The West Pier is a popular venue for the highly-mobile windsurfing community along with the Pigeon House and Dollymount Strand areas straddling the north and south sides of the River Liffey.
Fingal County Council recently experimented with parking restrictions on Bull Island that, if implemented, would certainly end the sport in that location as the walking distance when carrying equipment would be too far.
Sean Flanagan, a local windsurfer commented: "This is a tremendous loss to windsurfing and the Dún Laoghaire area that is after all, a waterside amenity.
"Ten years ago, the council effectively barred the sport from Seapoint by placing bollards across the parking area. Now it seems that the sport is to be forced out of the last remaining venue on the southside."
