#dbsc – 12 Flying Fifteen turned out for the DBSC racing on Saturday the last Saturday of the second series, there was a pleasant force 3⁄4 W wind with the tide ebbing. What transpired was a total mix of conditions from over 20 knots to zero and the results were just as topsy turvey with the first three in the first race in the last three of the second race!
There was even a number of retirals due to gear damage including Ian Mathews (forestay toggle) and Dave Gorman (jibs sheets), So we had some new winners, Tom Murphy sailing with Tom Galvin in Race 1 and Peter Sherry sailing with Mick Quinn in Race 2.
The first race set of in a steady force 3, Murphy was on the pin which was biased, others including Maguire/Burgess in SnowWhite went right. Gorman did a short tack into the middle and got steady breeze and lead at the first mark closely followed by Coughlan/Marshal in Ash with Maguire, Murphy and Dumpleton close behind. At the leeward mark the dark clouds were looming but it was still relatively light. Gorman, Coughlan and Mathews went left while Murphy and Maguire went far right. The wind was shifting to the right the whole way up the beat, Gorman cut his loses but in the now strong building wind it was Murphy and Maguire at the weather mark followed by Gorman, Murphy did a spectacular broach allowing Maguire and Gorman through, planning downwind Gorman took the lead but Maguire was snapping at his heels till Gorman went more right on the waves and got away to lead at the leeward mark.
Meanwhile back at the weather mark the wind was a force 4-5 and Mathews forestay went and that was the end of his race and brand new Alto mast!
There was more to come, as Gorman went up the beat and tacked on the lay line his jib sheets unravelled and the block popped off- end of race for them. This left Maguire and Murphy battling it out right to the end where Murphy did a tidier mark rounding at the last leeward mark. Third was Dumpleton. Race two followed, by this time the wind had died off completely. Dumpleton lead the way but the course was shortened after one lap and finished downwind on the run.
At this stage the wind came from a different direction, those at that side of the course gained and Peter Sherry, John OSullivan and Joe Coughlan came through as the others could only look on in frustration.Despite the results Maguire/Burgess won the second series with Murphy secend and Ken Dumpleton and David Mulvin third.
With the Championships of Ireland on in Portaferry in two weeks it was better to have the gear failure now, also a reminder to others to check their rigging!
