Global sailing's focus of attention this week is on Bermuda, where the 70th Annual Bermuda Gold Cup and 2020 Open Match Racing World Championship is underway with GBR's Ian Williams the defending title-holder against fifteen other top drivers, Williams having won the 2019 final from Sweden's Johnie Berntsson.

Those who followed the 2019 Gold Cup may not recall it as having quite the same razzmatazz as the current event. But that's because, thanks to the international pandemic shutdown, Bermuda's position of natural isolation as a sunny little mid-ocean archipelago has enabled it to achieve an acceptable level of quarantine. Thus as the other national events in the World Match Racing Series were forced to cancel, the canny Bermudans worked carefully to having everything in place to make their end-of-October event the only show in town.

Thus they've taken aboard generous sponsorship from the Bermudan Tourism authorities, which would otherwise be having a very thin year, and for good measure they've beefed out the title to make it the 2020 Open Match Racing World Championship while they're at it, for who's to argue?

The National YC's flagship in San Diego. Johnny Smullen's classically-restored International One Design Altair slipping effortlessly along in Californian waters

Yet although for such an event you might expected very special boats – maybe even the pace-setting Mark Mills-designed ILC Melges 37 – they're sticking with the tried and trusted GRP versions of the 33ft 1936-designed International One Design, which was originally commissioned by American sailing legend Cornelius Shields from Norwegian designer and builder Bjarne Aas of Fredrikstad south of Oslo.

Johnny Smullen

Between them, they created a classic which caught on in many places including Bermuda, and it was very much the premier One Design keelboat fleet there when the Gold Cup for match-racing was inaugurated in 1950. Over the years, they may have introduced a GRP version, but basically, the top match-racing stars are still sailing a boat which manoeuvres slowly but certainly, and is well-behaved in every way while providing a miniature version of America's Cup racing when it was sailed in 12 Metres, which many would reckon were the golden years of that particular stellar-fest.

As we write, the Gold Cup 2020 is going full blast on Hamilton Harbour, Bermuda, with the numbers gradually being whittled down towards the weekend's final. But meanwhile, it's timely to recall a real if extended link to the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, ancestral club of Johnny Smullen, master shipwright and the man-to-go-to around boats in San Diego in California.

When America's Cup legend Dennis Conner was at the most active stage of his classic boat passion, Johnny Smullen was his personal shipwright and boat-restorer. But Johnny meanwhile had his own enthusiasms, and one of them was for the classic wooden-built International One Design. He secured one of them, Altair, and restored her to better-than-new condition, such that she is now one of the ornaments of San Diego Harbour, sailed and raced with a reverence and respect which is a whole world away from the rough and tumble of the Gold Cup in Bermuda.

A boat which looks good from any angle – a very contented Johnny Smullen at the helm of his IOD Altair

Cork Harbour linkage

And if you would seek a Cork Harbour link to the current Bermuda contest, cast your mind back to the International 8 Metre If, brought originally to Cork Harbour by Aylmer Hall, and then owned for many years - after Hall had bought the 12 Metre Flica – by Tom Crosbie. If was not only a classic Bjarn Aas design and build in the IOD style, but her role as Altair's big sister was further reinforced by her topsides being painted the same discerning shade of blue.

Let's hear it for Cork Harbour. Tom Crosbie's International 8 Metre If, making smooth progress off the Cobh waterfront in the early 1960s, is very much Altair's big sister. Photo: Pascal Roce

After a delay due to a doubtful weather forecast for Saturday, the National Yacht Club's annual winter lift-out of cruisers was completed on Sunday in near perfect conditions. The day-long operation  sees a mobile crane with an extended jib visit the club to lift the boats from Dun Laoghaire Harbour with some precision.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, the NYC lift in for the COVID shortened season eventually happened as late as May 31st, thus giving the NYC sailors a season of almost five months on the water despite all the problems associated with season 2020.

It completes a weekend of lift outs at the south Dublin Harbour with the neighbouring Royal St. George boats coming out on Saturday, also in fine conditions despite forecasts to the contrary.

While the bulk of the NYC fleet is now hauled out and ashore on the club's hard standing some club boats are still afloat at the marina awaiting news of the postponed DBSC Turkey Shoot where the hope is that there may still be some pre-Christmas racing after Level 5 COVID restrictions are lifted.

National Yacht Club flag officers have presented former manager Tim O'Brien with a 3-D map of Dublin Bay as a thank you for the contribution he made to the East Pier Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Commodore Martin McCarthy made the socially distanced presentation as a token of member's appreciation for Tim's ten years of service. 

During his tenure, the club was awarded the Mistubishi Irish Sailing Club of the Year award in 2018.

As Afloat reported recently, a new general manager is now on the helm at the NYC.

After cancelling its 2020 championships twice, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) has now seen fit to move the dates of its 2021 National Championships from May to September next year because of the continuing threat of COVID-19.

In a statement issued this afternoon, Commodore Richard Colwell, said "It is now evident that the continued impact of Covid-19 will be felt well into 2021. With that in mind, ICRA was conscious of a need to provide as much time as possible to try and ensure that a National Championship does take place in 2021".

As such, ICRA says it has worked with Dun Laoghaire Harbour's National Yacht Club, the 2021 hosts of the event, to rearrange the National Championship dates from its original date in late May, to an alternative date in early September 2021.

The change also removes an unfortunate clash with the Scottish Series that occurred with the former date, as Afloat reported here.

The new dates for next year's ICRA National Championships are September 3rd - 5th 2021.

In 2020, it was originally planned to race the ICRA Nationals as part of Cork Week and RCYC's 300th celebrations and when that July date was cancelled, ICRA opted to race as part of Septembers' rescheduled Wave Regatta which in turn was axed at Howth also due to COVID leaving the championships not sailed for the first time in its 18-year-history.

The National Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour is set to run the first of their 'Covid Friendly' match racing events this weekend. Eight Under 25 teams will battle it out in the club's fleet of four Elliott Six-Metre sportsboats.

As the first event of its kind, the aim is to increase the interest and involvement of youth sailors in match racing.

The NYC Match Racing scene kicked off last October after the club purchased the sportsboats.

The racing format will consist of two sessions, morning and afternoon with finals in the evening. Each session will have four teams of three sailors each that are counted as their own pod.

Match Racing in the Elliott Six-Metres off Dun Laoghaire

The top two teams from each session will progress to the finals. Teams will race in four boats to avoid changeovers and maintain social distancing.

The boats will also be sanitised before each session. It is great to see such activity happening in the club throughout COVID-19, and every precaution is being taken to ensure the event remains compliant.

The event follows on from the NYC150 Regatta last week that attracted a record turnout on Dublin Bay this season.

For a Class that has been synonymous with the National Yacht Club, for a significant period of time, – there are seventeen Flying Fifteens parked on the deck – it was entirely appropriate that there should be a good turnout for the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Club. Thirteen boats from the host club were joined by two from the DMYC and one from the RStGYC for the three-race event on Saturday past.
XCWeather was forecasting 12- 15 knots with gusts in the 18/19 range and that was an accurate assessment of what was enjoyed on the water. Wind direction was slightly north of west and that wasn't too far of the mark either.

International Race Officer Con Murphy and his team were able to give his charges – SB20s, Sportsboats, Dragons, Fifteens, Ruffians and Shipmans a good-length beat with two laps for each race.

The consensus view as to go left off the first start line towards the shore and by halfway up the beat it was apparent that Ian Mathews and Keith Poole (3864, The Gruffalo) were going to be the boat to catch. By the rounding of the first weather mark they had a comfortable lead and could watch the peloton chasing them with some comfort. The peloton consisted of John Lavery & Alan Green (4803, Phoenix), Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (4028, Ffuzzy), Ben Mulligan & Cormac Bradley (4801, Enfant de Marie), and Alistair Court & Conor O'Leary (3753, Ffinnisterre). While Mathews & Poole were undisturbed after the first weather mark, Lavery, Colin and Mulligan found themselves in reasonably close company for the balance of the race, before finishing in the order, Lavery, Colin, Mulligan, Court, behind Mathews.

Mulligan & Bradley led the second race to the first weather mark and enjoyed the same position down the first downwind leg. However, Lavery & Green were lurking and towards the last third of the second beat, they took the lead and applied a loose cover on Mulligan to the second weather mark. Behind these two Colin & Casey were having an excellent day sitting in third place with Niall Meagher & Nicki Mathews (3938, The Ffantastic Mr Fox) appearing well up the pecking order. Tom Murphy & Karl (4057, Fflagella) were also part of the peloton chasing the lead pair. Mathews & Poole were conspicuous by their absence and they would eventually finish in 9th place. Ahead of them, the finishing order was Lavery, Mulligan, Colin, Meagher and Murphy.

For the final race of the day, Mathews & Poole got the "bit between their teeth" to quote my helm and repeated the performance of the first race, storming into a first-leg lead that they never relinquished. Colin & Casey were also well up the order in a podium place, enjoying the fresh conditions. Murphy too had an excellent star and first beat to establish a place at the head of the fleet. Lavery found himself having to chase the lead boats to get into the race and he and Mulligan joined the bunch chasing Mathews. Throughout the race, the two new boats were either crossing tacks or watching each other down the offwind legs and in the second run down to the leeward mark a poor gybe by Bradley saw Lavery park his bow very close to Mulligan's transom. This was enough to give Lavery an incentive to chase Mulligan into the finish-line upwind of the committee boat and with the boats overlapped on the finish line, Lavery got the nod to finish fourth, behind Mathews, Colin and Murphy.

With no formal prize-giving for the day, the DMYC boats, Colin and Mulligan headed westwards and tried to work out the overall results for the day – the debate being – Was a discard applicable or not? The first iteration of an overall result had an incorrect result for Lavery and a discard applying. That gave the regatta win to Mathews & Poole (1, 1) versus 1,4 for Lavery, 2,3 for Colin and 2,4 for Mulligan.

Then the correction was applied to Lavery's first race result giving him back his second place. With a discard applying Mathews was still in pole position, but Lavery jumped to second, with Colin down to third.

But if all races were to count, the result changed again with Lavery taking pole position (2, 1, 4), Colin second (3,3,2), Mathews third (1,9,1) and Mulligan fourth (4,2,5).

It appears the NoR may have specified the discard rule for "less than three races" and "more than three races", but not for the actual three races sailed.

But for the purposes of this report the results (of the races) are;

1. John Lavery & Alan Green, NYC; 4083, Phoenix: 2, 1, 4
2. Neil Colin & Margaret Casey, DMYC; 4028, Ffuzzy: 3, 3, 2
3. Ian Mathews & Keith Poole, NYC; 3864, The Gruffalo: 1, 9, 1
4. Ben Mulligan & Cormac Bradley, DMYC; 4081, Enfant de Marie: 4, 2, 5
5. Tom Murphy & Karl, NYC: 4057, Fflagella: 9, 5, 3

IRO Con Murphy gave us an excellent day's racing and post the event many people noted how physical the day had been – but in a very pleasurable way!

It was a lively day of racing for Fireballs during the NYC 150th Race Day today at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. While the class was dismayed to hear that racing would be confined to the harbour the wind gods smiled on the fleet and sailors enjoyed westerly winds between 12 and 24 knots.

In race one, Frank Miller/Ed Butler led to the weather mark but a sudden vacuum of air at the mark caused a significant teabagging ceremony which allowed Noel Butler with crew Neil Cramer fly past into a lead which they never relinquished. Miller/Butler shook themselves down and gave chase, with Louise McKenna/Hermine O'Keeffe hot on their heels. The latter overtook downwind but were reeled in again when Miller/Butler gybed and regained inside overlap before the leeward mark. In race two, Butler/Cramer got clean away at the start and were never challenged. Miller/Butler had a disastrous start and spent the entire race recovering. Owen Sinnott and Grattan Donnelly sailed an excellent race, especially upwind where they perfectly judged the shifts and variations in pressure to stretch their lead on the chasing pack and were rewarded with a second place. In race three Butler/Cramer again got away from the pack with Miller/Butler closest behind. With the wind up a notch that pair pulled away from the followers to score 2nd, followed by McKenna/O'Keeffe, Sinnott/Donnelly.

Three wins (one to discard) gave Butler/Cramer the overall event with Miller/Butler second and Sinnott/Donnelly 3rd. Mention should be made of those relatively new to Fireballs who took part in fresh and exciting conditions and lived to tell the tale including Paul Ter Host and Colm Breen from SID and young Clodagh Fischer with her father Glen on the wire.

As the class had designated this event as it's Leinsters Butler got to keep the trophy which carried along in his sailing bag. All in all a great day's racing and thanks are due to the NYC, the organisers, race committee and rescue volunteers who made it possible.

Today's National Yacht Club 150th anniversary regatta saw a large fleet of 152 dinghies and keelboats complete a full programme of races for NYC Sesquicentennial medals. 

Raced in moderate to fresh North Westerly breezes, up to three races were sailed in some of the 22 competing classes that was managed on the water by Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC).

Prima Forte from the Royal Irish Yacht Club was the Cruisers Zero winner on IRC and the NYC's own Gringo was the Class One winner. 

Chimaera won the J109 division and the NYC entry Prospect was the 31.7 winner.

As Afloat reported earlier, last night a small but important ceremony was held at the NYC where waterfront Commodores gathered to receive special NYC burgees as a token of appreciation for the support in staging today's special event. 

Full results are below

DBSC Results for 05/09/2020

Race 1

Cruiser 0 IRC: 1. Prima Forte, 2. Wow, 3. D-Tox

Cruiser 0 Echo: 1. Prima Forte, 2. Wow, 3. D-Tox

Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. Gringo, 2. Chimaera, 3. Joker 2

Cruiser 1 Echo: 1. Joker 2, 2. Gringo, 3. Chimaera

Cruiser 1 J109: 1. Chimaera, 2. Joker 2, 3. Jalapeno

31.7 One Design: 1. Prospect, 2. Levante, 3. Attitude

31.7 Echo: 1. Attitude, 2. Levante, 3. Fiddly Bits

Cruiser 2 IRC: 1. Windjammer, 2. Rupert, 3. Peridot

Cruiser 2 Echo: 1. Rupert, 2. Enchantress, 3. Springer

Cruiser 2 Sigma 33: 1. Rupert, 2. Springer, 3. Enchantress

Cruiser 3 IRC: 1. Dubious, 2. Starlet, 3. Eleint

Cruiser 3 Echo: 1. Papytoo, 2. Pamafe, 3=. Dubious, 3=. Eleint

Cruiser 5 NS-IRC: 1. Gung Ho, 2. The Great Escape, 3. Act Two

Cruiser 5 Echo: 1. Sweet Martini, 2. Spirit, 3. Katienua

SB20: 1. Ted, 2. Sneaky B, 3. Carpe Diem

Sportsboat: 1. Jamiroquai

Dragon: 1. Phantom, 2. D-Cision

Flying 15: 1. The Gruffalo, 2. 4083 (JL), 3. FFuZZy

Ruffian: 1. Bandit, 2. Ripples, 3. Ruffles

Shipman: 1. Viking, 2. Jo Slim, 3. The Den

B211 One Design: 1. Chinook, 2. Plan B, 3. Billy Whizz

Glen: 1. Glen Luce, 2. GlenDun

PY Class: 1. R Tate, 2. B Foley, 3. S Dwyer

IDRA 14: 1. Dart, 2. Diane

Fireball: 1. F Miller, 2. O Sinnott, 3. P ter Horst

Laser Standard: 1. G Murphy, 2. R Wallace, 3. F Walker

Laser Radial: 1. H O'Connor, 2. S Craig, 3. R Geraghty-McDonnell

Laser 4.7: 1. F McDonnell, 2. L Turvey, 3. A Daly

Race 2

SB20: 1. Ted, 2. So Blue, 3. Carpe Diem

Sportsboat: 1. Jamiroquai

Dragon: 1. Phantom, 2. D-Cision

Flying 15: 1. 4083 (JL), 2. Enfant de Marie, 3. FFuZZy

B211 One Design: 1. Yikes, 2. Chinook, 3. Billy Whizz

B211 Echo: 1. Beeswing, 2. Billy Whizz, 3. Ventuno

PY Class: 1. M Gavin, 2. B Foley, 3. R Tate

IDRA 14: 1. Dart, 2. Diane

Fireball: 1. O Sinnott, 2. F Miller, 3. P ter Horst

Laser Standard: 1. F Walker, 2. R Wallace, 3. T Lyttle

Laser Radial: 1. R Geraghty-McDonnell, 2. S Craig, 3. C Gorman

Laser 4.7: 1. H Turvey, 2. A Daly, 3. F McDonnell

Race 3

PY Class: 1. B Foley, 2. R Tate, 3. S Dwyer

IDRA 14: 1. Diane, 2. Dart

Fireball: 1. O Sinnott, 2. F Miller, 3. P ter Horst

Laser Standard: 1. R Wallace, 2. F Walker, 3. C Arrowsmith

Laser Radial: 1. R Geraghty-McDonnell, 2. S Craig, 3. J O'Driscoll

Laser 4.7: 1. L Turvey, 2. F McDonnell, 3. A Daly

National Yacht Club Commodore Martin McCarthy yesterday presented a special flag to each of four neighbouring Clubs as a mark of Solidarity and to thank them for helping his Club hold a Raceday to celebrate the Club's 150th anniversary.

Commodore McCarthy said, before a socially distanced, outdoor, audience, led by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Cathaoirleach Cllr. Una Power: "We are marking the formal announcement of the National Yacht Club's Sesquicentennial Raceday which is the sailing highlight of this historic year for our Club. In a typical year, we would have a four-day Regatta with lots of parties and fireworks. It would have been one of the four Regattas hosted here in Dun Laoghaire – one by each of the waterfront Clubs.

Last May, it became clear that with Covid 19, everything has changed in the world – and the Sailing world.

DBSC Race Officer Eddie Totterdell (right) accepts 150th Raceday Flag from NYC's Martin McCarthy as Cllr. Una Power officiates Photo; Michael Chester

National YC Commodore Martin McCarthy presents 150th Raceday Flag to DMYC Commodore Frank Guilfoyle with DLR CoCo Caothaoirleach in attendance Photo; Michael Chester

An idea came from the Royal St. George YC to have a single event, to be called the Solidarity Regatta, run by all the Clubs together. As time went on, it became clear that the problem with events were not the events themselves – but the post-event social side. So, it was whittled down to a one-day event – without a social side – and now termed a RACEDAY.

NYC Commodore Martin McCarthy presents 150th Flag to RSGYC Commodore Peter Bowring with DLR CoCo Caothaoirleach Una Power attending Photo: Michael Chester

In a splendid gesture of Solidarity, our neighbouring Clubs allowed us to proceed with this event, renamed The NYC 150th Raceday, forgoing their Regattas.

Words cannot express how grateful we are to the other clubs, not just giving us the window to have a celebration of our 150th on the water – but for enthusiastically supporting it.

NYC Commodore Martin McCarthy presents 150th RACEDAY flag to RIYC Commodore Pat Shannon with DLR CoCo Caothaoirleach Una Power

In that context, we have a special commemorative Flag designed and made to mark this occasion.

We presented a National YC 150th Flag to:

• Frank Gilfoyle, Commodore of Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club
• Pat Shannon, Commodore of Royal Irish Yacht Club
• Peter Bowring, Commodore of the Royal St. George Yacht Club
• Ann Kirwan, Vice Commodore of Dublin Bay Sailing Club

I also want to thank the Race Officers for the event, Eddie Totterdell & Con Murphy and the DBSC team, who has done trojan work in drawing up the plans for the Raceday. We expect to have 175 entries, from across the waterfront.

I especially want to thank Dun Laoghaire Rathdown CoCo Caothaoirleach, Una Power for being here today to mark this historic occasion.

The Council's support has been invaluable, and we much appreciate it, as we are planning now for the impacts of Covid 19, which, while temporary, is serious and maybe around for some time."
Cathaoirleach Power said: "This is an especially significant year for the National YC, which was founded, on this spot 150 years ago. The Clubs have shown great Solidarity to make the Raceday possible, and it is this spirit that we will need to show to help our tourism economy make a full recovery. Sailing is a significant employer, and we hope that we can get back to seeing more big sailing events in the future."

The 1906-built Dublin Bay Water Wag Pansy has been in the ownership of the Delany family since 1939. But while she has won many trophies, the absence of medals as prizes in local One Design racing has meant that winning one has been something rare and special, to be celebrated in depth and at leisure. In fact, the last time Pansy won a significant medal was thirty-six years ago, at the Centenary Regatta of Dublin Bay Sailing Club in 1984, when she was sailed to victory by Water Wag legend Alf Delany.

Once upon a time, Alf had the great Eric Tabarly as guest helm on board. But that only served to demonstrate that Pansy definitely needs a Delany to do the driving. These days, the driving Delany is Alf’s son Vincent. And now, Vincent can savour something similar to winning the 1984 medal, because although the main part of the National YC’s 150th Anniversary Regatta is going to be raced this Saturday (September 5th), in best Dun Laoghaire harbour style the weekly Wednesday evening contest of the historic Water Wag class was rated as the opening event of the Sesquicentennial Celebration. And in a fleet of 22 classic clinker-built boats yesterday (Wednesday) evening, Vincent and Pansy were in cracking form, clinching the win and being awarded the first Sesquicentennial Medal by NYC Commodore Martin McCarthy at a socially-distanced post-race dinner in the NYC clubhouse this week.

Still in the medals, and it only took 36 years…..Pansy’s prizes from 1984 and 2020