PRINCE OF TIDES MAKES A STATEMENT IN LOCAL RACING

New 3Di Wardrobe Propels Local Sailors to the Front of the Pack

Frank Caul and John Molloy, sail out of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and together own Grand Soleil 37, Prince of Tides. Frank comes from a cruising sailing background, and John is more experienced in the racing platform. They’ve been traveling down to the Caribbean annually for fun getaways for the better part of 20 years, and during the week, they take part in local racing out of Royal Cork Yacht Club which is celebrating a very special tri-centenary, being the oldest club in the world.

The Boat

Prince of Tides was a ten-year-old boat kept safely indoors in Hamburg, Germany until Frank and John acquired it last summer when they were ready to step up their game and get more competitive in the local racing fleet.

Frank said, “I found myself in a position to buy a new boat. We had been to the boat show, Das Boot, in Dusseldorf, Germany. Once we figured out what we were looking for, John went again last year on his own and wrote back to tell me that he found us a boat! We went to Hamburg right away and checked her out.” The Grand Soleil 37 would be the perfect fit for the two friends to share more sailing adventures. All they needed was to find the right sailmaker to help get her up to speed.

The seven person crew sailing on Prince of Tides is very much amateur.”We have a few trimmers on the boat, said Frank, “and John probably has the most experience as he’s been racing for quite some time, which is why he normally helms. The rest of us are very new to sailing, but we’ve been working hard to improve, and with the help we’ve received from North Sails, it’s been a positive experience for us all.”

Sails + Expertise

“Last November, we met sail expert Nigel Young, based in Myrtleville, Ireland, who not only helped design a new rudder for our boat with the help of Mark Mills but also introduced us to the power of 3Di,” said Frank.

“We haven’t looked back since! Nigel is fantastic. We didn’t have any particular allegiance to any sailmaker at the time, but working with Nigel was such a great experience, it was obvious that choosing North Sails would be the right decision for our sailing.”

Frank and John were excited to get back on the water again; their season was delayed until mid-June due to COVID restrictions, so they arranged for Nigel to see what they needed to get their boat up to speed to be competitive at their local club.

“Nigel stepped on board, and it was a world of difference,” said John. “We got a new 3Di ENDURANCE 760 mainsail and a new #2 and #3 jib, and we were ready to go. From the first day we hoisted our new sails, things have never been the same!”

This year, Prince of Tides has won just about everything they’ve come up against in IRC non-spin, and both Frank and John are very excited about what their future holds. They recently competed in the Cobh to Black Rock race and won with a really fast finish time. “People were asking us if it was a record we broke, said Frank. “The following week we also won the Naval Race White Sail division.”

Nigel commented, “This year’s Cobh to Black Rock race was a quick one. Prince of Tides had the fastest elapsed time of all the classes at just 57 minutes and 18 seconds, although hard to compare with the Spinnaker one division as we started 10 minutes after them, but even so, a great performance from the team. Frank and John’s new set up has set the tone for many good things to come.”

Having a Reliable Sailmaker is Vital for Success.

“What sets 3Di apart from traditional materials we’ve used is that it doesn’t stretch. We can see the camber lines on the sail, which help us trim properly. North Sails has completely changed our perspective on racing. Before we were looking forward all the time, now we’re looking back at our competitors. It’s been a game-changer,” said John.

“3Di has transformed everything,” said Frank. It has made such a difference in our sailing, speed, and has made it easy for us to find the right trim settings.”

Prince of Tides started their Autumn sailing season just a couple of weeks ago with two bullets on two-four mile course races. Their biggest competition is an X-Boat. “She’s fast,” said John, “but we are faster now!”

Working with Nigel Young + North Sails Ireland

“Nigel’s attention to detail is just unlike anyone we’ve ever sailed with,” said John. “We learn so much every time we sail with him. From the headstay to the tiniest adjustments, he’s always communicating with us to tell us what we need to do, pushing us to be better sailors and make the most of time on the water.”

“Nigel is passionate about sailing and about helping his clients perform their best,” said Frank. “His enthusiasm is unlike anything else we’ve had on board. If things are not going right, he makes sure we get it figured out quickly. His patience and enthusiasm have really motivated us to push harder each time we go out. We knew by choosing North Sails we would be most competitive, and we’ve been pleased with our decision.”

How did they come up with Prince of Tides as a boat name? “It’s a great movie featuring Barbara Streisand and Nick Nolte. You best grab a bottle or two of wine for that one,” said Frank.

Although the sailing season is coming to a pause for some, they will be sailing through mid- December in Ireland. Prince of Tides will be out there, aiming to continue their winning streak.