A long rolling sea in Cork harbour and spring tides welcomed today's CH Marine Autumn League at Royal Cork Yacht Club writes Bob Bateman.
After six races sailed Kieran Dorgan's Beneteau 36.7 Altair looks the boat to beat in IRC one. After one discard, Dorgan has a 4.5 lead over Paul & Deirdre Tingle's Alpaca X34. Third is today's first race winner Rob McConnell's Fool's Gold.
Classes one, two and the 1720 sportsboats started beyond Whitegate on the Eastern bank and sailed two races round the cans under Race Officer Peter Crowley.
In race two, there was plenty of wind from the west south–west but after a deluge wind dropped to five knots. Fleets three and four whitesail started over at the Dognose bank with a beat to Cage mark and a two sail reach to no 3 buoy at the entrance to harbour and a spinnaker run in, not for the faint hearted.
Results are posted here
Racing will be held again next Sunday and concludes the following Saturday with a prizegiving dinner.