#dinghyfest – The fleets that were sailing in the 142–boat Cork Dinghy Fest on Friday had a great day's racing writes Claire Bateman. Sun and wind aplenty made sure of excellent sailing conditions. A south westerly breeze combined with an ebb tide made for a very bumpy getting out the harbour but once outside, while still lumpy, was it imagination that it didn't seem as strong as it was inside the harbour? Two outer harbour courses were sailed and they had the RS200s on their own for the Euro Cup and Irish National Championships and tomorrow they will be joined by the 32 boat RS400 fleet who will be sailing their Southern Championship. Given the conditions today and the lighter forecast for tomorrow the Race Officer got in five races. It was a great day for spectators as well as participants and a good buzz around the club.
A mile further along the coast the 420s were sailing their National Championship and they were joined in the afternoon by the National Eighteens. Both these courses were the designated Course One which had a windward mark, a gate close to the committee boat and a downwind finish line.
Back in the inner harbour the Mirrors who had completed two races on Thursday were sailing on the Curlane Bank as were the Optimists. Off Cuskinny the RS Fevas were having great competition and there was also a fleet of mixed dinghies which included such craft as an RS100, several GP14s, a 29er and some Lasers who had not travelled to the Dublin Laser event.
Today. Saturday, will see two additional fleets take to the water as the the Topper Southerns will join the Cuskinny course while the RS400s will join the outer harbour west course.
Results on Dinghy Fest website