#flyingfifteen – Frank Burgess and Brian Maguire  sailing Flying Fifteen 3747 lead all three Mitsubishi Flying Fifteen DBSC races on Saturday. In a startling contrasting day, launching in a 5 to zero knot breeze, 17 Flying Fifteens ventured out on to Seapoint bay for the day's racing , to be totally becalmed at one stage.
Then at about 2.20 a radio message came up from Scotsman bay that the forecasted wind from the south was on its way .
Race 1. Our esteemed DBSC OOD Jonathan O'Rourke, set Course X3, a windward / Leeward Course and a clean start at first attempt and off the 17 FF's went up the beat. Burgess/Maguire FF 3747 were pushed out to sea and the still flooding tide by Mulvin/ Beirne FF 4028 , while the majority of the fleet went in shore to get out of the tide. But due to a lifting wind and good pressure Burgess/ Maguire FF 3747 got round the windward mark in first place.
Burgess/ Maguire FF3747 lead for 3 rounds but like all good sailors did not read the course card and were coming to the finishing line, downwind, and saw no blue flag . Course X3 has 4 rounds. So a really tactically race ensued, with Mathews/ Poole FF 3864, commencing a tacking duel (as Poole indicated afterwards, to see if they could break Burgess). And lone behold they did and down the run Mathews/ Poole FF 3864 overtook Burgess/ Maguire FF 3747 and got the gun . A real race for 2nd then ensued between Galvin / Galvin FF 3757 and Burgess/Maguire FF 3747, which the latter won by a nose.
Race 2 Quickly followed , Course T2, was set by the OOD Mr J O'Rourke. This being an Olympic Course we later learnt. Off the fine fleet of Flying Fifteen went up the beat in 12/15 knots of breeze. As the tide had turned Burgess/Maguire FF 3747 did not mind been pushed again out to sea by FF 3970 Mulligan/ Green and again rounded the weather mark in first place , and hoisted the spinnaker very efficiently and set a course for Howth and the gybe mark. They were quickly followed by the rest of the fleet , but could not find the gybe mark.
Out to sea we all went, it was a beautiful sight to see the FF fleet in full flight with spinnakers flying and no where to go . So Burgess made a prat of himself and for all of Dublin Bay to hear, radioed the "FreeBird". and requested "where was the Gybe Mark "
To be informed that, "It was an Olympic Course and read your fleet card" . As the fleet were now racing towards about 30 cruisers , the race was abandoned.
Our OOD Jonathan O'Rourke later informed us , there was no Gybe mark set and he truly thought he had set W2, a windward / Leeward Course. ( He should have gone to SpecSavers). He forgot to put on his glasses. We can all make mistakes.
Race 3  followed within a few minutes and all was forgiven , as we had an excellent race in a shifting southerly breeze , lead all the way by Burgess/ Maguire FF 3747, who to the delighted of our excellent OOD Mr J O'Rourke and his fantastic support race team, gave the leading boat FF 3747 Burgess/Maguire the gun and a rapturous applause which was returned with gusto .
The real race was down the fleet where , FF 3757, Galvin/Galvin, FF 3970, Mulligan/Green fought it out for 2nd and 3 rd place.
As Burgess/Maguire FF 3747 had a 2nd and 1st and FF 3684 Mathews/Poole had unfortunate gear failure, Burgess/Maguire FF 3747 were delighted after some excellent race management and great competition from a super fleet of Mitsubishi sponsored Flying Fifteen's, won the day.

DBSC results here.

#flyinfifteen – With a steady 10–knot wind from SE that never faltered, it was a night to be on Dublin Bay, with 17 Flying Fifteens crossing the Thursday night DBSC start line.
Race Officer Jack Roy told all fleets to watch the ebb tide pushing the fleet across the start line, and his warning worked as the fleet got away cleanly, well spread along a square line for a fast beat down the coast to Bulloch.
Tom Galvin & Peter McConnell (3757) having gone out, rounded first, with David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne (4028) right behind, followed by David & Sarah Gorman (3920) and Niall Coleman & Mick Quinn (4008) following closely.
A close two-sail reach ensued, in which Mulvin took the lead at top of long run back to Pier. Galvin regained the lead downwind, and held on up the second beat.
The race finished with a short reach out to Molly, back to Pier and then to an upwind finish. Places changed all the time in the close racing, with Galvin & McConnell holding on to win, with Niall Coleman & Mick Quinn second, having just passed the Gormans, who finished third ahead of David Mulvin and Ronan Beirne. John O'Sullivan & Ken Ryan held off a strong finishing pack to take 5th.

Next weekend the Flying fifteen heads north for the East Coast Championship at Whitehead in County Antrim. A fleet of over 25 boats are expected.Download notice of race below.

DBSC results here

#flyingfifteen – Thursday 30th April on a sunny and chilly evening with c 9 knots from the east and a flood tide, 16 Fifteens crossed the starting line for the DBSC Thursday evening series, with Jack Roy PRO and his efficient team on 'Freebird'.

With some boats being a little too eager, there were one or two over the line at the start. The fleet  tacked to East Mark, with 3920 (David & Sarah Gorman) just ahead of 4028 (David Mulvin and RonanBeirne) with the latter taking the lead at the mark.

Back to Bay Mark off the wind followed by close tacking to the shore to the Bulloch rocks to avoid the flood tide on the course to Island Mark.

Off-wind, 4028 consolidated the lead as the fleet then progressed to Molloy Mark. Back out for a short beat to East Mark and on to Omega and Harbour Mark on a run in very light airs, with all boatts avoiding the various other classes on different courses.

On this long slow run 3920 took a course towards the pier narrowing the gap and 4008 (Niall Coleman & Mick Quinn) likewise to gain a few places. 4028 got the gun with 3920 second and 4008 third.

DBSC results here

#dbsc – BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levana (Jean Mitton), 3. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Aurelia (Chris Power Smith), 3. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Wow (George Sisk), 3. Aurelia (Chris Power Smith)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Ruth (L Shanahan), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Ruth (L Shanahan), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Antix (D Ryan), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Jambiya (Ryan & Lattimore)

CRUISERS 3 A Echo - 1. Hard on Port (F O'Driscoll), 2. Quest (B Cunningham), 3. Cries of Passion (B Maguire)

CRUISERS 3 A - 1. Quest (B Cunningham), 2. Hard on Port (F O'Driscoll), 3. Cries of Passion (B Maguire)

CRUISERS 3 B - 1. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 2. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 3. Taiscealai (B Richardson)

CRUISERS 3 B Echo - 1. Jiminy Cricket (M Tyndall), 2. Small Wonder (H Kelly), 3. Saki (Paget McCormack et al)

Combined Classes Echo - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

Combined Classes - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Ignis Caput (David Mulvey), 2. Betty (D & S Gorman), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

GLEN - 1. Glenmiller (P Cusack), 2. Glenmarissa (F.Elmes), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada), 2. Diane ll (A Claffey/C Helme), 3. Bandit (Kirwan/Cullen/Brown)

SB20 - 1. Venuesworld.com (Ger Dempsey), 2. Sin Bin (Michael O'Connor)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Euphanzel lll (M Muldoon), 3. Gusto (Heath, Miles, Crisp, Duggan)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Leeuwin (H&C Leonard & B Kerr)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Popje (Ted McCourt)

SQUIB - 1. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 2. Sidewinder (R&R Westrup), 3. Femme Fatale (V Delaney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. More Mischief (Eamonn Doyle), 2. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 3. Just Jasmin (Philip Smith)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 2. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 3. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al)

#flyingfifteen – The Flying Fifteen fleet turned out in good numbers again with 13 boats competing in the first DBSC Saturday race of the season on a surprisingly cold day. Race Officer Suzanne McGarry and her team on Freebird managed to get in two races in varied and tricky conditions.
Race 1: the tide was coming in and the wind from the north was a good force three but shifty, the committee boat was biased end at the start, Ben Mulligan sailing with Alan Green got a great start. After a short while on the starboard most boats tacked out to the right, Gorman/Doorly kept going and on the shift got into the lead before the weather mark just ahead of Mathews/Poole and Mulligan who was closely followed by Galvin and Mulvin, this is how it stayed down wind. On the second beat the wind was getting lighter and patchy, Mathews took the lead but Gorman got back by going more left, these two changed lead a few time on the next lap with Gorman eventually getting ahead. On the fourth lap the race was shortened, there was slight confusion as the leeward mark was close to the committee boat/line. Gorman was out on the left and went straight to the line as did Mathews, with no hooters they went back and rounded the leeward mark and then finished with Gorman winning, as all this was going on Mulligan slipped past Mathews to finish second. The Galvin brothers were fourth with Justin Maguire fifth.
Race 2: There was little or no wind now but racing started with the majority of boats starting at the pin and heading out left, Gorman tacked off to the right to get clear air, this worked as he took the lead, closely followed by Mathews, Mulvin and Mulligan. On the second beat Gorman kept the boat moving and had a good lead as he head over to the lef towards the weather mark, when he tacked the boats just stopped- no wind! Mathews and Mulvin with Mulvin taking the lead. On the slow drift down towards the finish, any of the three could win. Mathews gybed inside Mulvin and got the win, followd very closely by Mulvin with Gorman in third. Mulligan/Green were a comfortable fourth, with Maguire fifth and Sherry sixth..

Well done to the PRO Suzanne McGarry and here team on Freebird for persevering and getting the racing in. This Thursday the DBSC series continues.

#flyingfifteen –  The Mitsibushi Motors sponsored Flying Fifteen fleet turned out in good numbers with 13 boats competing in the first race of the DBSC 2015 season on a beautiful sunny evening with a nice force 3 breeze from the S/SE on Dublin Bay.

In their eagerness to get the season started and with the help of a strong ebbing tide a number of boats were over the line, some went back and some didn't! The pin was biased but there was more wind in towards the shore. Colman/Quinn and O'Sullivan/Ryan who started at the pin and tacked across were in good shape approaching the first mark followed closely by Doorly/Green and Alan Balfe.

This is the way it stayed for the first half of the race, Doorly got past O'Sullivan on the run down to Pier mark, it was a beat back up to Omega mark and then a run to Pier, on the run the wind was stronger from the back and the fleet closed up with Gorman, sailing with Sarah, and McCambridge moving up the fleet after poor starts. Colman remained in front with Doorly close behind and then a gap to Mulvin/Beirne. Colman/Quinn crossed the line but there was no gun so Doorly/Green got the first gun of the season. Mulvin was second with Gorman third followed by Balfe and O'Sullivan who had sailed a very good race.

Well done to the PRO Jack Roy and his team on Freebird for a great race in perfect conditions. This Saturday the DBSC series starts and it is hoped that a few more boats will make it out.

Full DBSC results from last night's racing here

#flyingfifteen – One of Dublin Bay's most popular one design keelboat classes, the double handed Flying Fifteen, has been boosted with news of a new fleet sponsor for the upcoming 2015 season.

The Dun Laoghaire Flying Fifteen Fleet, which is mainly based in the National Yacht Club with over 25 registered boats, is delighted to announce that they are partnering with Mitsubishi Motors Ireland in what promises to be another exciting season.

Mitsubishi Motors Ireland is delighted to be on board as the fleet sponsor. Gerard Rice, Managing Director, says "Our new sponsorship of the Dun Laoghaire Flying Fifteen's fleet is an important partnership considering our heritage in the sailing community, who use our range of 4x4 vehicles for their reliability and superior performance".

The 2015 season is shaping up to be very busy with the class recently publishing its 2015 fixture list with events in Strangford Lough, Dunmore East, Dromineer and Antrim with the season's finale, the Mitsubishi Motors Championships of Ireland hosted by the National Yacht Club in September.

#flyingfifteen – The Irish Flying Fifteen fixtures for 2015 has been announced for 2015. There are two events in Northern Ireland and two in the Republic with the premier event, the Championships of Ireland, confirmed for the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on September 11th.

There is no announcement yet on a return to Lough Derg's for the Freshwater Regatta in October. The Fifteens travelled to Dromineer for the first time in 2014 but came away with no races sailed after a drubbing at the Tipperary venue. 

The full fixtures are as follows:

East Coast Championship, County Antrim YC, Whitehead, 16th-17th May

North Coast Championship, Strangford Lough SC, Whiterock, 13th-14th June

South Coast Championship, Wateford Harbour SC, Dunmore East, 4th-5th July

Championship of Ireland, NYC, Dun Laoghaire, 11th-12th-13th September

#flyingfifteen – With a turnout of 18 boats Dave Gorman & Dave Cahill won the final two races on Sunday to win the overall  National Yacht Club Flying Fifteen Series comfortably. Niall & Nicky Meagher were second on equal points with Niall Colman & Mick Quinn in third.

The wind was from the east with the tide ebbing causing a nice swell, after a recall the fleet got going, those on the right seemed to fare best. Gorman led at the weather mark followed by David Mulvin, Alan Green sailing with Gerry Donleavy, Colman and then Mulvin.

On the run Mulvin dropped back to fourth. By the next weather mark Gorman still led, Green dropped to fourth after going to the right gate which didn't pay so it finished Gorman first, Colman second, Mulvin third, Green fourth.

For race 2 the wind had shifted to the right more and after the course was reset the fleet got going for the last race of the season. It was all very close at the weather mark, Colman lead from Murphy, Gorman, Ryan, the Meaghers and Green who had done turns after hitting a boat while on port- not good!. The first two did a gybe set and lost out to Gorman who stayed on the right but at the gate it was neck and neck. Gorman went to the right and Colman to the left which looked the better side but when they crossed half way up the beat it was Gorman who was a boat lenght ahead. Closely behind at the gate Ryan and Dooley were battling it out for third place and fourth place. On the beat Dooley moved up to third while Ryan finished sixth as the Meaghers and Green got fourth and fifth.

The Silver Fleet was won by Mick McCambridge & Peter Murphy and the Bronze by Joe Coughlan. In what is a very popular series thanks must go to PRO Ian Mathews and his team including rib drivers.

#flyingfifteen – Sixteen Flying Fifteens again came out in much calmer conditions than last week as the frostbite series continued on Sunday. In very tricky conditions with the wind struggling to get above 7–knots PRO Ian Mathews managed to get the two scheduled races in. The first race was shortened and won by Niall & Nicky Meagher in Ffantastic Mr Fox in fine style and they also had an third in the second race which was won by Dave Gorman & Dave Cahill who still lead the series with two final races next week.

Race 1: the wind, the little there was, was from the w-sw and the tide was flooding, three boats managed to be over the line and went back. The fleet split both ways and those on the right seemed to have a bit more wind. In the last third Gorman appeared to have the fleet covered on the approach to the weather mark. Green, sailing with Keith Poole today, tacked early and seemed to get his own private wind to lift him up to the mark in first place as Gorman, Dooley and Colman were becalmed. Down the run the wind really died off. The fleet bunched up with the wind from behind, for a while it looked like Geraldine and Mick along with Gorman would sneak through the middle but it was those at the back and who went left that made the gains. The PRO shortened the race and finished at the gate. The Meagher's, who had been in the front group managed to stay in the lead and take the gun, but David & Valerie Mulvin along with Gerry Ryan in Deranged powered their way around the other boats to finish second and third, with Alan Dooley in fourth, Gorman fifth and Green sixth.

Race 2 got going after a short wait for the breeze to settle. Gorman along with Poole & Green were in the second row on the start and tacked off to the right, a couple of shifts later they were first and second and they were to stay that way till the end. At the pin end and to the left there was a lot less wind and it was not the place to go. Again there were a number of boats over the line and they didn't all go back this time. The wind was a bit steadier for this race, Mulvin and Balfe followed in third and fourth place at the weather mark. After a poor first beat the Meagher's were catching up on each leg, on the last run they passed Balfe and on the final beat managed to overtake the Mulvin's to take third place and remain second overall ahead of Niall Colman & Mick Quinn.