A fleet of 28 ISORA yachts is heading south from Dublin Bay to Arklow this morning at 8am, a 48–mile coastal race that is expected to finish later this afternoon.
The great turnout is a boost for offshore sailors who already saw a turnout of 36 for the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire Race a fortnight ago. Read W M Nixon's race preview in his Saturday blog here.
Arklow Sailing Club is preparing to welcome the fleet for the first time in many years.
The course choice for the fourth race in the Avery Crest ISORA 2017 series is as follows: Start off Dun Laoghaire - Muglins Island (S) - South Arklow (S) - N52 40.200' W5 58.892' and Finish off Arklow.
Very light winds and an adverse tide meant this morning's exit from Dublin Bay took over an hour. With 32 miles still to sail to Arklow, British J109 Wakey Wakey (above with pink spinnaker) leads the 21–boat fleet on IRC while Stephen Tudor’s sistership Sgrech (blue spinnaker) is fifth. See current positions via tracker below Photo: Afloat.ie
The finish off Arklow could yet prove decisive becuase competitors are required to navigate to finish on a transit between Gypsum Chimney (On Land) at co-ordinates N 52 47.767' W 6 08.600' to the ASC Gypsum Mark (200 Lit Red Drum, 1 meter high) at co-ordinates N 52-47.764’ W 6-8.270’ and crossing in the direction from the previous mark.
The latest instructions to skipper stresses that the finish line is, as described above, between the co-ordinates, and NOT at the mark. The coordinate should be used as a waypoint gate in the navigation. This is to facilitate the YB trackers that track the fleet during the race.
Spinnakers filling as the ISORA fleet pass Greystones Harbour in the rain. Photo: Aaron O'Gorman/Facebook
Track the fleet on the race tracker below:
