There has been strong support for evening cruiser racing at the Royal Cork Yacht Club since it began last month.

The number of yachts taking part is considerably higher than last season.

“It has been a fantastic show,” Rear Admiral Keelboats, Rob Foster, a driving force in encouraging participation, has told keelboat sailors in his review of the May evening leagues series.

Friday evening’s whitesail has had the biggest turn-out with 27 yachts racing and 19 on Thursdays in spinnakers throughout the May League series.

After five races in the Friday whitesail series under In House Handicapping, Louise O’Keeffe’s Labous Gwen was the overall winner. Second was Clodagh O’Donovan’s Roaring Forties and third the Rear Admiral’s, Clodagh.

Fiona Young’s North Star won IRC Spin Division in the Thursday League series where five races were also sailed. Second was Ria Lyden’s Ellida and third Kieran O’Brien's Magnet. First and second were reversed under ECHO handicap with Eliida winning and North Star second. Sean Hanley’s Luas was third in ECHO.

The May Coastal Race winner in IRC was Ronan and John Downing’s Miss Whiplash, with Ellida second. Placings were also reversed in ECHO handicap in this race, with Ellida the winner and Miss Whiplash second.

The RCYC and Cove SC are combining in the reintroduction of the Cork Harbour Combined Clubs League for cruisers, which starts this Friday evening, with the first race scheduled for First Gun at 1855. Racing is for spinnakers and whitesail under both IRC and ECHO handicaps. The series, sponsored by Cobh-based Johanna Murphy Estates Agents, will continue each Friday to June 28.

Counting three race wins but bouncing back from a disqualification in the third race of five sailed, Alex Barry, Richard Leonard and Kieran O'Connell sailing 'Howlin' Mad' won the National 18 Irish Championship crown at Royal Cork Yacht Club on Sunday evening.

The Cork Harbour-based championships were reduced to one day but in excellent conditions, with Sunday’s racing sailed in up to 15 knots of wind on the Curlane Bank course.

The winning trio concluded the series just one point clear of Nick Walsh, Eddie Rice and Rob Brownlow, who won the final race in Peaky Blinders.

Third in the 13-boat fleet (two more than the 2023 championships) were the defending champions, Charlo Dwyer, Ian Heff Heffernan and John Coakley in Nacho.

Results below

2024 National 18 Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo Gallery 

The J/70 European Championships kicks off today with 'Team Wildcard' as the only Irish entry for this year's highly competitive event in Italy.

With over 70 J/70s from 18 nations, the event in Argentario is going to make for five days of very exciting racing and a chance for the Munster team to make its mark after placing sixth earlier this year at the Primo Cup in Monaco.

The Royal Cork Yacht Club crew comprises Harry Twomey, Harry Durcan, Micheal O'Suilleabhain, Sally O'Flynn and William Twomey.

Friday's Royal Cork Yacht Club May IHS cruiser-racer league in Cork Harbour was won by Louise O'Keeffe's Dufour 30, Labous Gwen in a corrected time of 1 hour 16 minutes and 16 seconds.

Fiona Young's Albin Express, North Star was second in the light air race in a time of 1:16:45 corr. The McJenkins family were third in the S&S 34, Morning After (1:18:47 corr).

A dull Friday turned sunny by mid-afternoon but the wind went light for the start of the race and was no match for the harbour's foul tide.

Overall, after three races sailed in the May league, Labous Gwen leads by five points from Clodagh O'Donovan's First 35s5, Roaring Forties on 15 points. Danny Rock's RCYC 1720 is lying third.

Results are provisional (below) for the 11-boat fleet, which produced further proof for the Royal Cork claim that momentum is growing in Summer keelboat racing with a combined harbour league resuming in June.

"The largest number of boats racing on a Summer Series Friday night in over 10 years, a remarkable achievement,” says Royal Cork Yacht Club Rear Admiral Keelboats, Rob Foster, after the second week of the club’s May League.

Between the Thursday and Friday leagues, over thirty boats raced out of the Crosshaven club, giving the season its best start in many years.

The conditions were light on both nights for the second week and there was a distinctive taste of summer in the air. On Thursday night, Fiona Young’s North Star reigned supreme in Spinnakers IRC, with Ria Lyden’s Ellida winning in ECHO handicap.

The club 1720 won Whitesail IRC and Pat Vaughan was the winner on Aramis in ECHO.

Friday is especially for whitesails.

The second Friday evening race under IHS club handicapping had the biggest racing fleet so far, a turn-out of 18 yachts. The winner was Louise O'Keeffe’s Labous Gwen.

As Afloat reported earlier, in a further boost for Munster cruiser-racer interests, the Cork Harbour Cruiser League is to be revived next month.

After a break since the impact of Covid, the Cork Harbour Combined Cruiser League is to be held again.

It will start on Friday, June 5, and be jointly organised by the Royal Cork YC and Cove SC. It is open to both Whitesail and Spinnaker racing and will run for four Fridays in June.

The event is sponsored by Johanna Murphy and Associates.

"It promises to be a fantastic league with the Harbour Clubs working together to deliver great racing for both clubs," says RCYC Rear Admiral Keelboats, Rob Foster.

The overall league prize-giving will be on Friday, June 28, in Cobh.

Sailing Instructions and the Notice of Race are being published on club websites.

For the first time in five years the Rankin dinghy ‘Worlds’ will be held again this season.

The Rankins are a revered Cork Harbour class that was revived, beginning in 2016, by dedicated enthusiasts in Cobh and is now thriving again as part of Cove Sailing Club.

The ’Worlds were last held in 2019 and will be race again on June 29 and 30. hosted by the Royal Cork YC at Crosshaven.

The title ‘holders’ from then are Conor and Robbie English. Conor was one of the two leaders who led the revival of the Rankins.

Rankin R4 and Helga of the fleet on the Cork Harbour dinghy class's first sail of 2024 Photo: Rankins/Facebook

The other, Maurice Kidney, told me: “We are eagerly looking forward to the revival event.

“As of now, we've 23 confirmed boats and anticipate another five, which gives us upwards of 28 boats on the water. Peter Crowley of the RCYC, himself a long-time Rankin enthusiast, has kindly agreed to be the Sailing Coordinator for the weekend.

“While the emphasis will be on participation, it can be expected to be fairly hot at the top of the fleet.

“Alex Barry will be sailing his brother Colin’s boat, Tommy Dwyer, in scintillating form at Rankin events last year are ones to note. There are many others. The ‘Worlds’ will be a great event.”

On Saturday morning, the Carrigaline Choral Group participated in the annual Darkness into Light national fundraiser with the Royal Cork Yacht Club. Up to 30 pleasure crafts sailed out into Cork Harbour before sunrise to support the charity Pieta, which raises awareness about suicide and provides support to those suffering from suicidal ideation, self-harm, or those bereaved by suicide.

A flotilla of up to 30 boats headed out into a misty Cork Harbour for the annual Darkness into Light national fundraiser with the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

The flotilla was led by Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Annamarie Fegan. The Carrigaline Choral Group was onboard the RCYC's Committee boat, Gem, and was accompanied by the Crosshaven RNLI inshore lifeboat.

The  Darkness into Light flotilla of boats included the Crosshaven RNLI inshore lifeboat Photo: Bob Bateman

Although there was a foggy start to the proceedings, the boats set off from Crosshaven in a parade and headed for the entrance to Cork Harbour just off Roches Point.

Royal Cork Yacht Club Committee Boat Gem, skippered by marina manager Mark Ring underneath Roches Point at sunrise for the Darkness into Light charity appeal  Photo: Bob Bateman

At 5:45 a.m., just after sunrise, Admiral Fegan raised the club pennant to honour the Darkness into Light charity appeal, and the choir, led by honorary choral secretary Mary Malone, sang in the misty morning. 

Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Annamarie Fegan raises the club pennant to honour the Darkness into Light charity appeal Photo: Bob Bateman

Carrigaline Choral Group perform at sunrise off Roches Point in Cork Harbour as part of the Royal Cork Yacht Club's support of the annual Darkness into Light national fundraiser Photo: Bob Bateman

After the event, the fleet returned to the clubhouse for tea, coffee, and croissants.

Pieta was founded in Dublin in 2006 to provide free, accessible one-to-one counselling to people in need.

Royal Cork Yacht Club's 2024 'Darkness into Light' Fundraiser in aid of Pieta House Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

The Royal Cork YC’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo is always a busy boat, and usually successful too. But things are in over-drive for 2024 and 2025, as co-owner-skipper Annamarie Fegan - aka Mrs Denis Murphy - is also the RCYC’s first woman Admiral. Thus she and Denis and their crew are finding their energies well spread, for as we’re all only too well aware, getting enthusiasm going for the new 2024 season has been a bit of a challenge in the face of decidedly mixed weather. And in any case, being Admiral RCYC is virtually a full-time job.

Nieulargo is well-accustomed to leading on the water in straightforward racing, but in early 2024 it has behoved them to lead by example too. So they took themselves off – as the keener Crosshaven boats usually do – for total commitment to the Axiom Spring Series in Kinsale, and never mind the weather. They won Class 1 overall. Now that is truly inspirational leadership.

On Saturday evening (April 20), the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) honoured British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who arrived into Cork Harbour during his Round Ireland cruise.

Knox Johnston, who famously completed the first single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the world in 1969, presented the prizes after the successful staging of RCYC's Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race.

The round-the-world legend presented the winner's cheque for €700 to National 18 trio Colin Chapman (winning for a second time), Ewan O'Keefe and Dave Lane on the RCYC lawn in the evening sunshine.

The tenth edition of the mixed dinghy event featured a pursuit race in the Owenabue River, organised by Alex Barry.

Race Officer John Crotty saw the first boats off at 3:30 p.m. and finishers arriving at 5 pm.

National 18 dinghies head off in the tenth Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race Photo: Bob Bateman

420 dinghies competing in the tenth Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race Photo: Bob Bateman

The sunny day with an east, south-east wind made for a gentle start to the proceedings, perfect for the three-man National 18 dinghy to show its performance potential and arrive in first place.

National 18 trio Colin Chapman (winning for a second time), Ewan O'Keefe and Dave Lane on their way to RCYC Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race victory Photo: Bob Bateman

Charles Dwyer and Peter Scannell, in another N18, were second, with Daphne O'Leary (aged 8) and her father, Peter O'Leary third. 

Daphne O'Leary (aged 8) and her father, Peter O'Leary were in the third in RCYC's Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race. Photo: Bob Bateman

New marque - A Melges 15 dinghy (IRL 561) made its RCYC Crosshaven House PY 1000 dinghy race debut on the Owenabue river Photo: Bob Bateman

Royal Cork's 2024 PY1000 Dinghy Race Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman