#insc – Clear skies, 15 kts from the South West and a flat sea greeted all competitors for the fourth race of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club Rathfarnham Ford Turkey Shoot series writes Kenny Rumball. Fintan Cairns laid the course we all love in the Turkey Shoot, a quick beat to the outfall mark off the west pier with then a long run down to round the Muglins Island off Dalkey Island, not to mention a small kink of a dog log in Scotsmans bay which was there to test boat handling as kites needed to be dropped for the short fetch. Starts and Handicaps for yesterday are downloadable below.
In start three or what is commonly looking like the 1720 start, the level of competitiveness has been building throughout the series. Despite INSC1's (Skipper Kenneth Rumball) efforts to push the fleet above the barging line failed and in a questionable 'Clear Start' INSC1 was down the pan up the first beat. INSC2 Alexander Rumball tustled with Brain Matthews and crew from the NYC and Collie Byrne and crew aboard Lady A up the left hand side of the race track hugging the harbour walls to get a few crucial lifts from the wind bends. Martin Byrne and crew from the RstGYC kept out of trouble up the right hand side of the course.
At the top mark, INSC2 was right in the mix of the top boats, followed by a quick hoist and a gybe out to clear breeze looked to be a good option for the team as opposed to the rest of the fleet who took a track closer to the Harbour walls. Some tight sailing especailly between Martin Byrne and Niall O'Neill tested crew's boat handling at Fintan's kink in the course into Scotsman's bay. Niall ONeill was an unfortunate casualty of the test with a spinnaker wrap causing valuable time. INSC2 (skipper Alexander Rumball) suffered some technical issues with their tack-line on the re-hoist causing them to loose some valuable time sailing under main and jib on the long downwind.
While most boats sailed a course in under the Forty Foot and Loreto Dalkey, the team on INSC1 sailed dead down the rhumb line towards the Muglins with excelent rrimming from the crew keeping the baot moving at full tilt. The more direct course paid off at the bottom mark as INSC1 had moved to third 1720 aroundthe Muglins only a hairs breath behind Brian Matthews and team with both boats not leaving an inch to spare around the iconic mark. The beat home was mainly a tight fetch with only a handful of tack along the 2.25nm leg back to the harbour mouth. The kink was still there to contend with but Martin Byrne and team sailed fast to finish first 1720 across the line followed by Brian Matthews and team in second and INSC1 taking third.
It was a fantastic last leg with the 1720s revelling in perfect conditions for the boats sailing higher and faster than the lfeet with only Wow (Farr42) and Mermaid V (First 50) beating them for line honours.
INSC race skippers, Kenneth and Alexander Rumball then went on to coaching/racing duties in the DMYC Frostbite series.
Our junior teams competing in the PY fleet in their double handers and adult sailors competing in their Laser dinghies enjoyed a thrilling two races with Kenneth and Alexander giving a thorough de-brief and answering tactical and other questions at the end of the day in the INSC clubhouse.
