#DBSC –Dick Lovegrove's Rupert was the winner of today's DBSC Sigma 33 race. Royal St. George club mate Paddy Maguire on the helm of Gwili Two was second and A. Bell sailing Miss Behavin third. It was a spectacular afternoon for sailing with 15–knot north easterly breezes but unfortunately inshore, in Seapoint Bay, the dinghy fleet suffered a lack of wind and elsewhere it was decidely flukey.

There was a reduced turnout in Dublin Bay Sailing Club's cruiser divisions for today's racing with attention focused on results across the bay in Howth at the BMW ICRA Natinoals. The Dragon class was also diverted to the National Yacht Club's staging of the 18-boat east coast championships.

In a wind starved corner of Dublin Bay Hugh Sheehy's OK Dinghy won both races of the day, with a margin of two seconds in one and nearly a minute in the other. That puts the OK clearly in the lead of the Saturday series.

Full DBSC Results for 26 MAY 2012 are below:

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Fiddly Bits (Kevin Byrne et al), 2. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll), 3. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Carrabeg (D.Martin/R.Deasy)

CRUISERS 3B Echo - 1. Chinook (A Bradley)

FIREBALL Race 2- 1. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 2. Goodness Gracious (Louise McKenna), 3. NN (Glen Fisher)

FIREBALL Race 1- 1. Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty), 2. Goodness Gracious (Louise McKenna), 3. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. A Mere Triffle (P Sherry), 2. Deranged (C.Doorly), 3. Rollercoaster (Tom Murphy)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Deranged (C.Doorly), 2. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton), 3. Frequent Flyer (D Mulvin)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne), 3. Dart (Pierre Long)

MERMAID Race 1- 1. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan), 2. Kim (D Cassidy)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan), 2. Kim (D Cassidy), 3. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 2. Colin Galavan (Laser), 3. Richard Tate (Laser)

PY CLASS Race 1- 1. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 2. Colin Galavan (Laser), 3. Richard Tate (Laser)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 3. Miss Behavin' (A Bell et al)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 2. Little Demon (Sheila Power), 3. Sidewinder (R.Bowen/R Westrup)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Sidewinder (R.Bowen/R Westrup), 3. Kookaburra (P & M Dee)

#DBSC – Jonathan and Chris Nicholson's Red Rhum made the most of the easterly winds and big seas for today's Dublin Bay Sailing Club race even though the veteran DB1 cruiser was chased hard by Mervyn Dyke's Jawesome J80 for IRC handicap honours. Red Rhum from the Royal St. George YC also took ECHO honours with Jim McCann's Mustang 30 Peridot second.

The one design divisions were reduced because the Royal Alfred's annual Baily Bowl competition for Squibs, Dragons and RS Elites is also being staged on Dublin Bay at the Royal St. George YC.

Full Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 19 May 2012 are below:

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 19 May 2012

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke), 3. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Adrenalin (Joe McDonald)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Jawesome 11 (M Dyke & B Darcy)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Jawesome 11 (M Dyke & B Darcy), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Cri-Cri (P Colton), 3. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 3. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton), 2. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 3. Mellifluence (T Leonard & B Mulligan)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 2. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 3. The Big Bow Wow (N.Meagher/N.Matthews)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glenroan (Terence Moran), 3. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Dart (Pierre Long), 2. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 3. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan), 3. Dart (Pierre Long)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Kim (D Cassidy)

MERMAID Race 1- 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Kim (D Cassidy)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. E & R Ryan (RS400), 2. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 3. John Chambers (Moth)

PY CLASS Race 1- 1. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 2. E & R Ryan (RS400), 3. John Chambers (Moth)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 2. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al), 3. Cresendo (L Balfe)

SHIPMAN - 1. Macro One (Joseph Murray), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Moonshine (R.Moloney/D.O'Flynn)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo- 1. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan), 2. Spirit (Colin O'Brien et al), 3. Coumeenole (Bill Kavanagh)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan), 3. Windshift (R O'Flynn et al)

#DBSC – There was tight competition in the one design fleets of tonight's Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) race with David Mulvin's Frequent Flyer the winner of the Flying fifteen's, Andrew Claffey's Diane II won the Ruffians in light winds in Scotsman's bay. His Royal St. George YC club mate Andrew Algeo sailing Flutter won the SB3s.  A good turnout in the Dragon class was topped by Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody). The squibs were won by Peter Dee. The full results for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 17 MAY 2012 are below:

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Levante (B.Leyden/M.Leahy)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Levante (B.Leyden/M.Leahy)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. Loose Change (P Redden & M Mitton)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Loose Change (P Redden & M Mitton), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 3. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al), 2. Black Velvet (Leslie Parnell), 3. Ruth (L Shanahan)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al), 2. Ruth (L Shanahan), 3. Rockabill V (Paul O'Higgins)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Cri-Cri (P Colton)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 3. Gossip (D Meredith)

Combined Classes Echo - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Cri-Cri (P Colton)

Combined Classes - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 3. Gossip (D Meredith)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Dublin Bay (G Treacy), 3. Susele (Michael Halpenny)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Frequent Flyer (D Mulvin), 2. Deranged (C.Doorly), 3. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton)

GLEN - 1. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche), 2. Glencoe (Rose Mary Craig et al), 3. Glenmarissa (F.Elmes/W.Higgins)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Andrew Claffey), 2. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 3. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada)

SB3s - 1. Flutter (Andrew Algeo), 2. Alert Packaging (Justin Burke), 3. Vennesworld.com (Ger Dempsey)

SHIPMAN - 1. Whiterock (Henry Robinson), 2. Malindi (B.Smith/A.Gray), 3. Gusto (C Heath)

SQUIB - 1. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 2. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 3. Glassilaun (D O'Neill)

#DBSC – Veteran Laser sailors Theo Lyttle and Chris Arrowsmith finished 1,2 in the PY class of tonight's Dublin Bay Sailing Club dinghy fleet with ideal 10 knot northerly winds if not a little chilly for Mid-May.

In the Fireball class Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty) were winners with Neil Colin's Elevation second and Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth) third.

The full results for the DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 15 MAY 2012 are below:

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 2. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 3. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 2. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - , 3. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey)

CRUISERS 3B - 1. Aslana (J Martin & B Mulkeen), 2. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 3. Rebecca (A McNeilly)

Ensign - 1. INSC1 (K Rumball), 2. NYC1 (O Prouveur), 3. RIYC 2 (Mark McGibney)

FIREBALL - 1. Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty), 2. Elevation (N.Colin/M.Casey), 3. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Squalls (Stephen Harrison), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)

MERMAID - 1. Kim (D Cassidy), 2. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan)

PY CLASS - 1. T Lyttle (Laser), 2. C Arrowsmith (Laser)

#DBSC – West north west winds ranging in strength from 9 knots to 20 brought Cruisers III Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack) its first wn of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) season this afternoon winning all four divisions of the new Cruisers III set-up for 2012.

In a big turnout in all classes for the third Saturday of the season Dublin bay also played host to the SB20 East coast championships.

Quest sailed by Jonathan Skerritt (who won the April 28th race) was second in Cruisers III A division on IRC handicap to the Bay champion Supernova with Jerry O'Neill's Jammie Dodger third.

There was no ISORA fixture so some of the offshore crews were back racing on inshore courses but a J109 winner offshore Joker II had to be content with third in Cruisers one. The Cruisers one race was won by the brand new J109 Ruth skippered by Liam Shanahan of the National Yacht Club.

In the one design classes the Squibs appear to have survived last week's leeward mark grounding in the shallows off Seapoint. Vicent Delaney's Femme Fatale won from Perfection (Jill Fleming). Third was Nimble (Brian O'Hare).

Full results for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 12 MAY 2012 below:

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Dies Irae (Patrick Rowan)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Wow (George Sisk), 3. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. Loose Change (P Redden & M Mitton)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly), 2. Megapolis (Peter Almann), 3. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Ruth (L Shanahan), 2. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al), 3. Joker 11 (John Maybury)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Jawesome 11 (M Dyke & B Darcy), 3. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 3. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 3. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill)

Combined Classes 3 - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 3. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill)

Combined Classes 3 - 1. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 2. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 3. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Aphrodite (Michael Doorly et al), 3. Susele (Michael Halpenny)

FIREBALL Race 1- 1. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller), 2. No Name (McGuire & Chambers)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Frequent Flyer (D Mulvin), 2. Rollercoaster (Tom Murphy), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Rollercoaster (Tom Murphy), 2. Fflogger (Alan Dooley), 3. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dart (Pierre Long), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne), 3. Dart (Pierre Long)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. Barry Byrne (49er), 2. Colin Galavan (Laser), 3. P Keane (Laser 1)

PY CLASS Race 1- 1. P Keane (Laser 1), 2. Colin Galavan (Laser), 3. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 2. Cresendo (L Balfe), 3. Ripples (Frank Bradley)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Curraglas (John Masterson), 3. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 2. Popje (Ted McCourt), 3. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 3. Nimble (Brian O'Hare)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Pintail (M Muldoon & B Stevens), 2. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 3. Perfection (Jill Fleming)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Zephyr (R Cahill-O'Brien), 2. Coumeenole (Bill Kavanagh), 3. Sea Safari (Jacquelin Smith)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 2. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

#DBSC – Stunning conditions on Dublin Bay produced wins for Jonathan Skerrit's Quest over bay champion Supernova (Ken Lawless) in today's Cruisers III class racing. Easterly winds and big waves combined to give great racing in the second Saturday of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) season even though there were some gaps in the line up with 18–boats heading outside the bay to contest the first ISORA offshore race of the season to Wicklow.

John Hall's Something Else came home first in Cruisers 1 ahead of Colin Byrne's X-34 Xtravangance. In Cruisers 2 the Corby 25 Smile from the National Yacht Club (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan) beat Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power).

In the one design classes Michael McCambridge's Hy fibre was the winner of the first Flying Fifteen race but club mate Keith Poole in Gruffalo was the winner of the second race. Derek Mitchell's Ruff Nuff  beat Ann Kirwan saiing Ruff N Ready. Third was Diane ll (Andrew Claffey). Full results for Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 28 APRIL 2012 below:

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 28 APRIL 2012

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Loose Change (P Redden & M Mitton)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Kamikaze (P.Nash/B.McIntyre)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Cri-Cri (P Colton), 2. Pamafe (Michael Costello), 3. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 2. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 3. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell)

Combined Class 3 - 1. Quest (Jonathan Skerritt), 2. Supernova (Shannon, Lawless, McCormack), 3. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell)

Combined Class 3 Echo - 1. Syzrgy (R Fogarty), 2. Cri-Cri (P Colton), 3. Pamafe (Michael Costello)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 2. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 3. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 2. Frequent Flyer (D Mulvin), 3. Deranged (C.Doorly)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruff Nuff (D & C Mitchell), 2. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al), 3. Diane ll (Andrew Claffey)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Whiterock (Henry Robinson), 3. Therapi (Alan McCarthy et al)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Nimble (Brian O'Hare)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Nimble (Brian O'Hare), 2. Femme Fatale (V Delaney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Spirit (Colin O'Brien et al), 3. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 3. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al)

#DBSC – Paddy McSwiney's Extreme Reality was the first Beneteau 31.7 home tonight in the first of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's (DBSC) Tuesday evening racing. In Cruisers III Kevin Glynn's Hanse Grasshopper continued its winning form from Saturday with a win tonight over Pamafe (Michael Costello).

Winds were south easterly and btween 8 to 10 knots.

On the dinghy course a good turnout of up to ten Fireballs was won by Frank Miller's Blind Squirrel. A ten boat PY turnout was populated with Lasers but won by an RS400 (E & R Ryan). Full results below:

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 24 APRIL 2012

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Borraine (Ean Pugh), 2. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Pamafe (Michael Costello), 3. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey)

CRUISERS 3B - 1. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 2. Aslana (J Martin & B Mulkeen), 3. Yikes (J Conway)

FIREBALL - 1. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller), 2. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 3. nn (S Oram)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glenshane (P Hogan), 3. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm)

PY CLASS - 1. E & R Ryan (RS400), 2. P Keane (Laser 1), 3. D Cahill (Laser)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Andrew Claffey), 2. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 3. Ruff Nuff (D & C Mitchell)

#DBSC – Kevin Glynn's Hanse 301 Grashopper made the most of breezy north-westerly conditions to win the first race of the 2012 Dublin Bay Sailing Club season this afternoon in the Club's biggest class, the 43-boat combined Class Three. Second was the Superseal 26 Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea) and third was the First 28 Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey).

In the Beneteau 31.7 class Chris Johnston' s Prospect resumed her Dublin Bay campaign in her normal top slot. The Johnston entry beat Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson) on scratch. Third was Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan). In 2011 Prospect from the National Yacht Club won the Feanor trophy for the most successful one design performance in Thursday racing.

Full results below:

Paddy Maguire's Gwilli Two leads Tim Goodbody's White Mischief dowwind in the Sigma 33 race

Derek Martin's Lively Lady was second on ECHO in Cruisers Zero

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 21 APRIL 2012

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll), 2. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 3. Fiddly Bits (Kevin Byrne et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 3. Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan)

CRUISERS 0 Echo- 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 1 Echo- 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Indecision (Declan Hayes et al), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 3. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Antix (D Ryan)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell)

CRUISERS 3B Echo - 1. Syzrgy (R Fogarty), 2. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 3. Wynward (W McCormack)

Combined Classes 3- 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey)

DRAGON - 1. Phantom (D.Williams), 2. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 3. Susele (Michael Halpenny)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 2. Rollercoaster (Tom Murphy), 3. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 2. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 3. Ash (Joseph Coughlan)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al), 2. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 3. Ruff Nuff (D & C Mitchell)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Curraglas (John Masterson), 3. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 3. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Nimble (Brian O'Hare), 3. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson)

SQUIB - 1. Nimble (Brian O'Hare), 2. Femme Fatale (V Delaney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

The DBSC Committee Vessel Mac Lir returns to base

The Start and finish dates of the DBSC 2012 season

First DBSC Races 2012

Tuesday: 24th April

Thursday 26th April

Saturday 21st April

Last DBSC Races 2012

Tuesday: 28th August

Thursday: 30th August

Saturday 29th Sept.

#DUBLIN BAY SAILING CLUB – There are a number of key changes to the 2012 Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) racing programme this year that reflect the times we live in but recession isn't going to hold back this club. After all DBSC has survived two World Wars, the War of Independence, the Civll War and the Great Depression to boot!

Ten to 15-knot north westerly winds are expected for tomorrow's first race. 360 boats will be competing in 19 classes with over 3,000 sailors for the first gun at 2pm. Dublin Port Company is on board again as Club sponsor for the season.

There has been a merger of cruiser classes three and four and classes zero and one will start together this season. And in a further contraction of cruiser class activity the country's biggest yacht club has decided not to run its annual cruiser challenge for 2012 at least.

And in a further departure from the norm the club has introduced a coastal race this July, something it has not done for many years.

These changes might indicate a drop off in interest but on the contrary the club's honorary secretary Donal O'Sullivan reports no drop in numbers for the first race of the 2012 DBSC season tomorrow.

Instead the changes this season are much needed tweaks to a durable race programme that has 90 perpetual trophies as well as 509 pieces of glassware up for grabs for what is the club's 119th season.

Handicap Classes

Nineteen classes will be racing tomorrow representing a mix of cruiser, one design and dinghy fleets.

Colin Byrne, the winner of one of the top awards in 2011 becomes the class captain of Cruisers 1, now an 18 boat fleet that counts among its numbers at least one new arrival this season. Ruth, a J109 yacht from the National Yacht Club will be skippered by Liam Shanahan and it is one of five 109s racing in DBSC class one.

Byrne who skippers the X-34 Xtravagance won the Waterhouse Shield and also sailed to overall IRC handicap racing victory on Saturdays and Thursdays in 2011. Byrne also took the overall Thursday Echo trophy (although the Royal Irish entry failed to make a clean sweep by two points in Saturday Echo).

Last year's Irish Cruiser Racer annual conference in Dun Laoghaire tried to tackle long festering issues such handicapping and perhaps there is nowhere more pertinent than in Dublin Bay Sailing Club where some class changes are long overdue.

For example, is it equitable for modern designs such as J109s or A35s to be racing with older Sigma 38s or X-332s? A realignment of handicap bands across all fleets could bring about better racing and, as ICRA Commodore Barry Rose conceded last November, such reform is long overdue.

Handicapping is something that ICRA should be empowered to tackle rather than tinker with. 'It's time to flush this out and get it sorted', Rose has promised.

In a DBSC context, with the country's largest handicap fleets there is little doubt that more handicap tweaks remains to be done but in a Cruisers III context at least the solution to the quandry for 2012 has been to split the 43-boat fleet in to alpha and beta divisions for the first time.

Last year's Bay champion Supernova is back in action tomorrow racing in the new class III alpha division

The view of the Committee is that it will produce better racing because Cruisers 3, to which Cruiser 4 were joined last year has a very wide handicap band.

It is a big task where yachts ranging in length from 23–foot to 29–foot are competing together and with handicap bands stretching from .760 to .820.

The beta division is made up of the old class IV boats and Beneteau 211s plus some others who have been to join.

Combined and separate results will be provided. This will be true also of Cruiser 0 and Cruisers 1, who will start together, both on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Ensign class

Last season the 350-boat club tackled the long standing problem of crew shortages. Together with Dun Laoghaire's waterfront yacht clubs, DBSC introduced an 'Ensign Class' to extend the possibility of bay racing to a greater number of people, many of whom are novices.

Up to 1,500 sailors race each Thursday and Saturday during the Summer but typically cruiser classes which represent the bulk of the fleets always run short of a crew. A typical 30 foot boat can require a crew pool of 15 or more.

People with no experience are now being taken afloat in a cosseted fashion by the club and introduced to the rudiments of sailing.

The idea has proved so successful the National Yacht Club now operates a waiting list for its club 1720 sports boats, the Ensign class of choice.

The hope is that racing skippers, who rarely want complete novices onboard but who are nevertheless short of crew will be encouraged to pick from those graduating from the Ensign class.

ISAF Youth Worlds

There was some concern earlier that the ISAF Youth Worlds, which will be held in Dublin Bay in July, would seriously impact on DBSC racing. The event will certainly have an effect on dinghies, which will have to vacate the club forecourts for the best part of a fortnight. Keelboats, not so much or hardly it all.

Many of the DBSC committee boat personnel will be tied up with the ISAF event but the club intends to start races from the Hut and they plan to run a coastal/ distance race in the Sth Burford direction, something we have not done for some years. The SB3s will be racing on away events at this time and will not be affected.

Though boat entry numbers have been down a bit since they peaked in 2009, all indications for this year are that DBSC's unique attractions – regular, consistently well-managed racing in a splendid sailing area within easy reach of members' home or workplace - will continue to exercise their perennial appeal. This is after all the 119th DBSC season!

The cover of the new yearbook features Supernova

Other DBSC posts

DBSC 2011 Prizewinners list

Dublin Bay Sailing Club News and Results