All Round Challenge for DBSC Fireballs

28th May 2013

Afloat.ie Team

#fireball – Tonight's Tuesday DBSC dinghy race presented challenges for everyone, the Race Committee had very fickle winds to contend with as did the competitors. The consequence was a very small course (physically) and only two laps of the triangular course - triangle and sausage!

The race was dictated at the start and the short opening beat. A prompt start, which was beyond some of us, was critical. Four of the six-boat Fireball fleet rounded the first weather mark in quick succession with Frank Miller & Grattan Donnelly (14713) leading followed by Stephen Campion & Stephen Oram (15061), Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe (14691) and Mary Chambers & Brenda McGuire (14856). By the gybe mark the two Stephens had gone into the lead. And by the leeward mark the two all lady crews had also overtaken Miller & Donnelly.
The remainder of the race was a procession. Like Formula 1 racing's attitude to pit stops, 1 or 2, so the approach to the second beat dictated the number of tacks taken - one if you sailed all the way on port to the starboard layline, three if you went out the other side of the beat. Exciting stuff!
No further place changes can be reported though the two all lady crews had an interesting luffing match just before the 2nd leeward mark.

1 Stephen Campion & Stephen Oram 15061 2 Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe 14691
3 Mary Chambers & Brenda McGuire 14856.
Footnote to last week's report, only 3 Fireballs got a finish, the rest of us were timed out!!

Published in Fireball

Tagged under

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

Fireball: 60 years of history

Designed in 1962 by British naval architect Peter Milne, the Fireball is a two-person dinghy with spinnaker and trapeze, combining simplicity of construction, high performance and accessibility. Over the years, it has been a training ground for generations of sailors, developing skills in tactics and technique, and producing champions who later moved on to Olympic and offshore challenges. More than half a century later, it remains one of the most vibrant and passionate classes, also thanks to initiatives such as the Under 25 category, designed to engage new generations and keep the tradition alive.

At A Glance – Fireball Dinghy Specs

Crew 2 (single trapeze)
LOA 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m)
Beam 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Hull weight 175 lb (79 kg)
Mast height 22.3 ft (6.8 m)
Mainsail area 108 sq ft (10.0 m2).
Jib / Genoa area 35 sq ft (3.3 m2).
Spinnaker area 140 sq ft (13 m2).