Tony Fox's IMX 38 Gringo from the National Yacht Club beat club mates John and Brian Hall's J109 Something Else in the Cruisers One IRC division of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Saturday racing.

Racing for classes in Seapoint Bay in the DBSC AIB sponsored Summer Series was subjected to variable westerlies for the opening races before a more solid breeze from 170 degrees came through for the second race.

Jim McCann's Mustang 30 Peridot from the Royal Irish Yacht Club beat two Sigma 33s for the top spot in class two IRC.

In the One Design classes,  DMYC's Enfant de Marie (Ben Mulligan) was the winner of the first race with Phoenix (John Lavery) of the National Yacht Club the second race winner.

The top three results in each DBSC class are below

DBSC Results for 12/06/2021

Race 1

Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. Gringo, 2. Something Else, 3. Chimaera

Cruiser 1 Echo: 1. Gringo, 2. Powder Monkey, 3. Raptor

Cruiser 1 J109: 1. Something Else, 2. Chimaera, 3. Powder Monkey

31.7 One Design: 1. Attitude, 2. Kalamar, 3. Kernach

31.7 Echo: 1. Kalamar, 2. Kernach, 3. Attitude

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

Cruiser 2 Echo: 1. Leeuwin, 2. Rupert, 3. Peridot

Cruiser 2 Sigma 33: 1. Leeuwin, 2. Rupert, 3. Gwili II

Cruiser 3 IRC: 1. Maranda, 2. Starlet

Cruiser 3 Echo: 1. Maranda, 2. Papytoo, 3. Wynward

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

Cruiser 5 Echo: 1. Sweet Martini, 2. The Great Escape, 3. Playtime

SB20: 1. venuesworld.com, 2. Ted, 3. So Blue

Flying 15: 1. Enfant de Marie, 2. Flyer, 3. Phoenix

Sportsboat: 1. Jambiya, 2. Joyride, 3. Jay Z

Sportsboat VPRS: 1. Jambiya, 2. Joyride, 3. Jawesome III

Shipman: 1. Curraglass, 2. Viking, 3. Jo Slim 5

Glen: 1. Glenroan, 2. GlenDun

PY Class: 1. Brendan Foley, 2. Michael McCambridge

IDRA 14: 1. Dunmoanin, 2. Chaos

Fireball: 1. Owen Sinnott, 2. Paul ter Horst

Race 2

SB20: 1. Ted, 2. Bad/Kilcullen, 3. Rubadubdub

Flying 15: 1. Phoenix, 2. Rodriguez, 3. Fflagella

Sportsboat: 1=. George 6, 1=. Jawesome III, 3. Jambiya

Sportsboat VPRS: 1. Jawesome III, 2. Jambiya, 3. Joyride

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

B211 One Design: 1. Yikes, 2. Chinook, 3. Beeswing

B211 Echo: 1. Beeswing, 2. Ventuno, 3. Chinook

Squib/Mermaid: 1. Lively Lady, 2. Periquin, 3. Allsorts

PY Class: 1. Brendan Foley, 2. Michael McCambridge

IDRA 14: 1. Chaos, 2. Dunmoanin

Fireball: 1. Owen Sinnott, 2. Paul ter Horst

Race 3

PY Class: 1. Brendan Foley, 2. Michael McCambridge

IDRA 14: 1. Chaos, 2. Dunmoanin

Fireball: 1. Owen Sinnott, 2. Paul ter Horst

102 yachts started on a windy evening on Dublin Bay last night for the first Thursday race proper of the 2021 DBSC summer season.

Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109, White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club were Cruiser One winners in both IRC and ECHO. Chris Johnston's National Yacht Club Prospect was the Beneteau 31.7 winner 

Royal St. George's Windjammer (​Lindsey J Casey & Denis Power) won Class Two in IRC but Conor Ronan's Corby 26, Ruthless won on ECHO. 

Full results below.  

DBSC Results for 10/06/2021

Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. White Mischief, 2. Something Else, 3. Jalapeno

Cruiser 1 Echo: 1. Something Else, 2. White Mischief, 3. Jalapeno

Cruiser 1 J109: 1. White Mischief, 2. Something Else, 3. Jalapeno

31.7 One Design: 1. Prospect, 2. Attitude, 3. After You Too

31.7 Echo: 1. Indigo, 2. Attitude, 3. Bluefin Two

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

Cruiser 2 Echo: 1. Ruthless, 2. Windjammer, 3. Boojum

Cruiser 2 Sigma 33: 1. Boojum, 2. Rupert

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

Cruiser 3 Echo: 1. Grasshopper 2, 2. Starlet, 3. Saki

Cruiser 4 NS-IRC: 1. Boomerang, 2. Playtime

Cruiser 4 Echo: 1. Boomerang, 2. Antix, 3. Playtime

Cruiser 5A NS-IRC: 1. Prima Luce, 2. Act Two, 3. Persistance, 1. Sweet

Cruiser 5A Echo: 1. Aurora, 2. Prima Luce, 3. Act Two

Cruiser 5B Echo: 1. Sweet Martini, 2. Gung Ho, 3. Fortitudine

SB20: 1. Ted, 2. So Blue, 3. venuesworld.com

Flying 15: 1. Shane MacCarthy, 2. Enfant de Marie, 3. Glass Half Full

Sportsboat: 1. Jester, 2. Jheetah, 3. Jitterbug

Sportsboat: 1. Jester, 2. Jheetah, 3. Jitterbug

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

Shipman: 1. Curraglass, 2. Twocan, 3. Jo Slim 5

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

B211 Echo: 1. Chinook, 2. Isolde, 3. Small Wonder

Squib/Mermaid: 1. Jill, 2=. Periquin, 2=. Aideen

Damian Moloney won both of Tuesday night's Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) in-harbour Laser dinghy races, the first of the 2021 season.

Ten-knot southerly winds greeted the DBSC fleet that resumed Dun Laoghaire competition following almost a month of training races in line with COVID-19 protocols.

Frank Miller was the winner of both Fireball races. Likewise, Brendan Foley, sailing an RS Aero, won both of the PY races.

In the Radial class, Conor Clancy and Sean Craig took a win apiece.

DBSC Results for 08/06/2021

Race 1

Cruiser 3 Tuesday Echo: 1. Maranda, 2. Papytoo, 3. Saki

Flying 15: 1. Shane MacCarthy, 2. Perfect Ten

Ruffian: 1. Ruff Diamond, 2. Carmen

Shipman: 1. Poppy, 2. Bluefin

PY Class: 1. Brendan Foley, 2. Noel Butler, 3. Barry Byrne

Fireball: 1. Frank Miller, 2. Louise McKenna, 3. Owen Sinnott

Laser Standard: 1. Damian Maloney, 2. Chris Arrowsmith, 3. Gary O'Hare

Laser Radial: 1. Conor Clancy, 2. Hugh O'Connor, 3. Shirley Gilmore

Race 2

PY Class: 1. Brendan Foley, 2. Noel Butler, 3. Barry Byrne

Fireball: 1. Frank Miller, 2. Louise McKenna, 3. Owen Sinnott

Laser Standard: 1. Damian Maloney, 2. Gary O'Hare, 3. Theo Lyttle

Laser Radial: 1. Sean Craig, 2. Hugh O'Connor, 3. David Cahill

With Dublin Bay Sailing Club's final week of Pandemic-restricted Training Races currently underway (restrictions are lifted on Monday, June 7th), the always-numerous Flying Fifteen class have been threatening to fly too high, and may need to have their wings clipped in order to stay within the Irish Sailing limits of not more than 15 boats per class in an approved training fleet.

FF Class Captain Neil Colin has circulated his members today regarding the races on June 3rd and 5th, and states: “We will run the WhatsApp Roll Call, and if we exceed the quota, I will be asking some to step back on a Random Selection Basis”.

With just over a week to go until Dubin Bay Sailing Club racing starts on June 8th, 116 boats turned out across  21 classes for race training on the bay on Saturday.

There were light easterly winds and another lovely sunny day on the water for the Dun Laoghaire Harbour fleets. 

Race Officer Barry MacNeaney on MacLir had a busy day, starting the ISORA fleet at 10 am before taking charge of DBSC's Blue/Red Fleet of 45 boats. This included Cr0 1, Cr1 9, B31.7 9, CR2 6, Cr3 5, Cr4&5 9, Shipman & Glen 6

Other fleets were:

Green fleet 47 boats: RO Barry O’Neill on Freebird: SB20 7, FF 15, Sportsboat & Dragon 5, Ruffian 7, B211 9, Squibs & Mermaids 4

Dinghies: RO Barbara Conway on the Spirit of the Irish Committee Boat - 24 boats - PY 8, Laser 16 over two starts

DBSC has also been reporting strong turnouts for training last week as follows: 

Tues dinghies: RO Suzanne McGarry on Freebird - approx 24 over 3 starts, mostly Lasers

Wed Wags: RO Harry Gallagher on MacLir 15 boats

Thurs Blue Fleet: RO Ed Totterdell on MacLir 38 boats Cr0 2, Cr1 7, B31.7 9, Cr2 3, Cr3 9, Cr4&5 8

Thurs Red Fleet: RO Brian Mathews 44 boats SB20 4, Sportsboats&Dragon 4, FF 15, Ruffian 7, Shipmans 5, B211 6, Squibs&Mermaids 3, no Glens

The second Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Saturday race training day attracted a fine fleet of 126 boats, forty more than last Saturday as the country's biggest yacht racing club prepares to resume competition from June 7th. 

The fleets training today were:

• Blue/Red fleets combined - RO Ed Totterdell aboard MacLir - 1 training race
  Total of 50 boats:
  Cr0 - 5, Cr 1 - 10, Cr 2 - 4, B31.7 - 7, Cr4+5 11, Shipman - 5, Glen - 0
• Green fleet = RO Barry O'Neill aboard Freebird - 2 training races
  Total of 43 boats:
  SB20 - 7, FF - 15, Sportsboats+Dragons - 6, Ruffians - 5, B211 - 6, Squibs+Mermaids - 4
• Dinghies - RO Suzanne McGarry aboard Spirit of the Irish - 2 training races
  Total of 33 dinghies inside the harbour:
  PY+IDRA 14+Fireball - 8, Lasers - 25 (2 4.7s, 6 standard rig, 17 Radial rig - split over 3 starts with max 15 in any start)

Winds were generally a bit lighter and shiftier in the north western end of the bay where the cruisers course was set and as a result, only one race was sailed.

Barry O'Neill and his Green fleet race management team got two great windward/leeward training races starting in the vicinity of the East mark. The wind died after the first training race and went down to just three knots, so Barry waited for about 15 minutes for the wind to fill in and then a second training race began in about 12-15 knots. 

The past week has seen the start of the full programme of the DBSC training mini-series.

Last Tuesday DBSC dinghies had approximately 36 boats on the water. Race Officer Suzanne McGarry aboard Freebird persevered to get a course laid in very shifty conditions and got one training race in which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

On Wednesday the Water Wags had perfect conditions for RO Harry Gallagher aboard MacLir with 15 boats taking part in the training race inside the harbour as WM Nixon reported here

Thursday keelboat racing was cancelled due to weather.

Plans for Dublin Bay Sailing Club's (DBSC) 'training' mini-series starting this Saturday are advancing with the country's largest yacht racing club updating members this week. 

The vintage Water Wags, one of the club's strongest dinghy classes, have now confirmed that they will also take part in the race training mini-series. 

As Afloat previously reported, DBSC Keelboat race-training will take place on Saturdays and Thursdays with a full programme to include regular Tuesdays night racing beginning when full competition resumes on June 7th. 

The Water Wag class will take part in the race training mini-series

Race Training between Saturday 15th May and 7th June

• Keelboat fleets on Thursdays and Saturdays only
• Dinghy Fleets on Tuesdays and Saturdays
• Water Wags on Wednesdays

As this series is designed to train crews, DBSC will use its regular Sailing Instructions to allow 'training for racing to be as realistic as possible'.

Some Classes may have to be capped or split as guidelines only allow for 15 boats to race train from each class or in each race training start.

Where possible, some classes may have to be split and joined with another class in order to meet the quota. To ensure these requirements are met, DBSC will be contacting some Class Captains to ask for their assistance in ensuring they are covid compliant.

Training is being provided for our Race Management Personnel who are working under COVID compliant conditions which calls for restricted numbers on committee boats

DBSC is working hard to ensure all those who have entered in time and expressed interest in participating in race training will be facilitated.  However, if sailors or boats decide of their own accord to go out without having registered with DBSC their intention and there is more than the prescribed number of boats on the line, race training will be delayed with an AP Flag or may have to be abandoned for that day.

DBSC Specific Instructions for the Training Mini-Series

1 Covid Compliance

1.1 All Skippers shall enforce Covid Compliance within their POD

1.2 Dinghies must be able to right a capsize without assistance

1.3 Boats without engines must be able to return to shore without assistance

1.4 There should be no gathering ashore outside a boats POD

1.5 Should more than 45 Dinghies present for training all training for that day may be abandoned

1.6 Sailors must follow the Covid guidelines of the club. marina or slip they launch from and take personal responsibility for the safety of themselves and others while launching.

2 Start Limits

2.1 There will be no more than 15 boats on a start line. All boats not within their warning signal must keep clear of starting line to ensure the integrity of the POD system

2.2 Should more than 15 boats appear at the start racing for that class may be abandoned

2.3 it may be necessary to adjust start times and fleet make up to ensure there are no more than 15 boats per start. This will be notified by email and on the DBSC Web Site.

3 Training Outcome measurement

3.1 All boats will be given a finish place and handicapped classes will also be given a finish time

3.2 Outcomes may not be posted after each day but will be posted at the end of the series for sailors to evaluate their improvement

Long-awaited race 'training' gets underway on Dublin Bay in ten days time thanks to Dublin Bay Sailing Club that has announced a May Mini-Series this evening.

In line with government guidelines, DBSC will run a Mini-Series this month in order for crews and DBSC race management teams to train and to get ready for the racing season.

The Mini-Series will run on the regular DBSC Race nights of Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays. Preference for the Water Wags dinghies that race on Wednesday evenings at Dun Laoghaire Harbour are not yet established. 

DBSC says "Sailing is now considered a safe, non-contact sport with no material difference between training and competition". The club also says "As we have not been granted approval for full competition this series will run for three weeks or until DBSC is given approval to start its AIB DBSC summer series". 

Covid compliant

This series will be Covid compliant and DBSC requests that all participants remember that there should be no group gatherings after each day's programme.

"Sailing is now considered a safe, non-contact sport with no material difference between training and competition" 

DBSC Committee vessels will run in a pod system and all participants should also ensure their boats are organised in pods. All boats should be equipped with hand sanitiser and be Covid aware.

DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan at the Club's 'Asgard' race mark on Dublin Bay

DBSC Committee Boat teams will undergo training. ROs and Timers will apply RRS 2021-24 and times will be taken. However, we will not be posting the times of boats after each training day, but they will be made available at the end of the mini-series.

As Afloat reported previously, the focus for this series is on warm-ups and crew training after a long absence from sailing.

Some boats may not be able to participate due to lack of pods or other reasons, therefore, performance times will not count for overall points in the subsequent AIB DBSC racing summer series

Registered members

This mini-series will commence on Saturday 15th May and is open to all current registered DBSC Members who opt-in using the DBSC survey sent by email. Please note that in order to ensure compliance, there may be a need to cap some classes. Should there be more entries than can be catered for, entries will be accepted in the order of registration for DBSC 2021 season

Start Times & Fleet Composition

Start times and fleet make up will be decided on Friday 7th May, on the basis of entries and with Covid compliance paramount. Race times for this mini-series will be issued after Friday 7th May. The intention is that, if possible, Course card 2 as received will apply for normal AIB DBSC Summer series, as soon as this is permitted.

Note under Irish Sailing guidelines dinghies must be able to self right without assistance and non – powered boats must be able to return to the dock without assistance.

139 yachts and dinghies are now signed up for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Summer Season.

Following the Government announcement of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the club is expecting to hear news of when club training and racing can start this week.

The country's biggest sailing league on Dublin Bay had been targeting a return on May 4th. While this is not confirmed, DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan told Afloat the club is awaiting "guidance" but "would be hopeful for a return to our full racing programme pretty soon". 

As sailing has been described as a low-risk outdoor no-contact sport with little difference in the sport between training and competition modes, more clarity has been requested on the resumption date for yacht racing currently given as June 7th.

Racing in DBSC's summer series on Dublin Bay

DBSC's Hon Sec Chris Moore said the club expected to "receive confirmation of a start date on Tuesday" (May 3rd). 

Meanwhile, DBSC has laid its marks, prepared courses and made arrangements for an immediate start to its AIB sponsored season that traditionally begins in the last week of April for a fleet of up to 200 boats and 1200 sailors on the capital's waters. "We're ready to go whenever", Kirwan said.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) has introduced a new cruiser Four Non-Spinnaker Open Class for the 2021 season.

"The new class is In response to the increasing demand for short-handed and non-spinnaker cruiser racing as reported in a number of recent articles in Afloat", according to DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan.

This new class initiative is for those who want competitive performance racing without the use of Spinnakers, Gennakers and Bloopers. It will suit those who like sailing short-handed or even fully crewed and want the fun of racing without the need to handle spinnakers etc.

Significantly, furling headsails – often a bone of contention in white sails racing – will not be mandatory.

DBSC's existing Cruisers 5 class will continue to be a separate class racing under their White Sails Class rules that mandate furling headsails.

Boats with a valid ECHO handicap cert, and/or a non-spinnaker IRC TCF of .820 or above and who conform to the DBSC Cruisers 4 Non-Spinnaker class rules shall be eligible to apply for entry.

A final decision on entry will be under the direction of the DBSC Committee.

Boats for the new DBSC class four must be monohull, with a minimum of 2 sleeping bunks, internal seating accommodation for 4 persons. In addition, they must have an inboard engine, at least one head and a cooker

The rules for the new class are below. 

DBSC Cruisers 4 Non-Spinnaker Open Class:

• Boats with a valid ECHO handicap cert, and/or a non-spinnaker IRC TCF of .820 or above and who conform to the DBSC Cruisers 4 Non-Spinnaker class rules shall be eligible to apply for entry. The final decision on entry will be under the direction of the DBSC Committee
• Boats must be monohull, with a minimum of 2 sleeping bunks, internal seating accommodation for 4 persons. In addition, they must have an inboard engine, at least one head and a cooker.
• Boats shall display the Numeral Pennant “4” on their backstay.
• Boats who wish to race under ECHO and/or IRC handicap shall have a current valid certificate. New entrants to the class may be given an initial loading of up to 10% on their ECHO handicap.
• Only a single headsail shall be used while racing.
• Sail identification number on mainsail is required.
• Spinnakers, Bloopers, Gennakers, Code Zero or similar sails are not allowed.
• Whisker or spinnaker poles are allowed for headsails.