The Bar Buoy lies at the mouth of Strangford Lough in the Narrows which is the six mile long fast-flowing and very tidal neck of water between Ballyquinton Point to the east on the Ards Peninsula and Killard Point on western shore.

It provides a perfect turning mark for the race which traditionally precedes the Strangford Lough Narrows Regatta organised by Strangford Sailing Club and the two clubs in Portaferry.

This year on Monday 11th July 80 boats took part in ten classes ranging from large dinghies to cruiser/racers in IRC. Winds were southerly between 12 and 16 knots with lumpy seas at times.

In the Flying Fifteen and Glen keelboats, first places went to Peter Kennedy in Team Ridgeway from Strangford Lough YC, who recently won the Northerns at County Antrim YC and his clubmate Henry Anstey in Glen Iris.

In IRC 1 the prize went to the visiting Corby 29 Elixir from Carrickfergus on Belfast Lough and in IRC2 it was Mark Mackey’s Sigma 33 Mithril from nearby Quoile YC first. In NHC 1 and 2 the winners were Ronnie McLernon in the Contessa 32 from East Down YC and the visiting Charles Slevin in the Corribee 21 Casualen.

Ryan and Brian Wilson's Elixir from Carrickfergus were IRC winners in the Bar Buoy Race

NHCRS 1 and 2 were won by the East Down boats, Madrigal of Saltash, (Stephen Dow) in an Albin Ballad and Keith Carr’s Jeanneau Sundream, Kestrel. The large dinghy fleet was topped by Patrick Hamilton, Kenny and Sonia Smyth from SLYC won the Rivers and their clubmate Robert Darnley was first Sonata.

The fleet gathering at Audleys Roads Photo: Ian McKelvie

Today (Wednesday) the fleet moves to Portaferry for the Town Regatta and tomorrow it’s the turn of Portaferry Sailing Club’s Regatta.