Great entry of 25 Lasers, average turnout around 15, two shortish races every Tuesday night for 5 months with only 2 cancellations. Great DBSC race management with good courses in gorgeous Scotsman’s Bay or inside our historic old harbour when the wind was too light or too strong. What’s not to like? So it was that DBSC Lasers concluded another great 2017 season of midweek racing. Eoin De Lap from DMYC was our most consistent performer winning both Series 2 and 3, while Paul Keane from RIYC took Series 1. We had a huge spread of race winners, growing interest from a small but keen number of Radial sailors (though we still don’t understand why youth Radial sailors won’t grab the chance of real race practice on their doorstep) and very encouragingly a whole new bunch of new faces. Racing was highly competitive, but always friendly and sporting with people doing their penalty turns and bantering incessantly around the race course, in the bar afterwards and through the fleet WhatsApp group the next day! Many sailors improved fairly radically over the series, most notably Conor O’Leary, Gavin Murphy, Marco Sorgassi, Luke Dillon and Shirley Gilmore.
Apart from Tuesday nights, local sailors supported National circuit events, went Masters (Over 35) training in Malta and travelled to events like the Italian Masters Championships. Indeed at the Irish Masters Championships and the normal Laser Leinster Championships, in each case 60-70% of the total entry comprised of DBSC entries. We stand over the decision taken in 2015 to only race on Tuesday nights precisely so sailors have flexibility at the weekends, either for other laser stuff, sailing other classes or for family pursuits. In fact, Sunday mornings would see many DBSC Laser sailors out in a small pod for a casual sail, always exchanging tips and ideas on how to make sailing these boats a bit easier. Just last Sunday we then had an excellent, more formal training day for 10 boats with Claudine Murphy.
Highlight for 2016 ? Well that’s an easy one. Tuesday August 16th was of course a night none of us will ever forget. We rigged the boats, we gathered (nervously, let’s face it!) in the NYC to watch Annalise’s incredible Medal race just after 5 pm, we cried, we hugged…but then we lashed out for brilliant DBSC Tuesday racing in the Harbour in 20 knots and hot sunshine. Boats de-rigged, we again lashed over to the NYC to catch the Medal presentation ceremony at 8.30 pm, cue more watery eyes and quite a few pints. It’s a simple formula this Laser, but it works for all levels, whether Olympic or Dublin Bay local racing!
Frostbites up next and in 2017 we hope to build our DBSC entry up towards 35 or 40, giving regular turnouts well in excess of 20. If you have a Laser think seriously about it. If you don’t, pick one up (2 grand or less will easily get you a really good, modern example with all the new control lines). Also, with DBSC Laser entry fees of just €163 for adults and €107 for Under-25s, none of this will burn too big a hole in your pocket.
Report by Class Captain, Sean Craig
