Lasers are dominating the May League at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour, where Simon Butler in a Laser 7 leads the dinghy league Class 1 on 15 points after seven races, with the Laser II duo of Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg in second place on 18 and John Moynihan in another Laser third on 25 in a 505.

Class 2 is headed by RS Feva XLS - Daisy and Ruby Duggan first; Lucy O’Connell and Kate O’Connor second; and Jack Horgan/Noah Joyce third.

Cove Sailing Club's Kieran Dorgan prevailed in the final race of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club on Saturday in Cork Harbour to win the League and coveted Yard of Ale trophy. 

In a light air climax, Dorgan won two of the three races sailed today to be four points clear of Monkstown Bay's own Ronan Kenneally on 26 points. 

In third place was Kenneally's clubmate Arthur O'Connor on 49 points. 

Final Day of action at the MBSC Laser League in Cork Harbour

The league ran for six Saturdays and attracted a fleet of 14 boats and only lost one day due to lack of wind.

Typically, this winter series is run by the Laser sailors themselves, but this year, for the first time, it came fully under the burgee of MBSC. 

MBSC is one of a few clubs with their race area right on their doorstep. Race Officer Alan Fehilly (featured in Mary Malone's vid below) reviews the series.

MBSC Winter Laser League Prizegiving 2023

The prizegiving was held in the pleasant MBSC clubhouse at De Vesci Place, where Dorgan collected not only the 'Yard of Ale' but €150 in prize money.

Also up for grabs were CH Marine vouchers for second and third place in this open event.

Maritime times past in Cork Harbour

In a marking of times past for Cork Harbour, the conclusion of the dinghy league coincided this weekend with the 50th anniversary of the launching of the Rolf Jacob, a 50,000-ton bulk carrier into the river across from MBSC, as Bob Bateman's historic photo documents below 

The Rolf Jacob, a 50,000 ton bulk carrier is launched in Cork Harbour at Verolm Dockyard on February 10th in 1973 Photo: Bob Bateman

At Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour, where eleven races have been sailed in the club’s Winter Laser League, racing resumed on Saturday when Kieran Dorgan from Cove Sailing Club just around the corner at Whitepoint, continued to lead the fourteen boats entered.

With three discards applied in the eleven races, he has a total of 18 points, but it is a narrow lead over the home club’s Ronan Kenneally, who is just one point behind on 19. There is a big gap then to third-placed Robert Scallan who is on 33 points.

So the battle for overall honours as the league enters its final stage this Saturday is between Dorgan and Kenneally.

With a third different leader in as many weeks, Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023 has sailed eight races in  Cork Harbour, and Kieran Dorgan from Cove Sailing Club is at the top of the scoreboard.

After one discard is applied, Dorgan shares the same 12 points as Ronan Kenneally.

In third overall is week one leader James Murphy with 22 points.

MBSC is one of a few clubs with their race area right on their doorstep, leading to multiple short, sharp racing from the village's Sand Quay.

As Afloat reported previously, starts are 'all-in' from 10.12 am, with the overall series winner collecting the coveted MBSC 'Yard of Ale' and €150 prize money on February 11th.

Also up for grabs are CH Marine vouchers for second and third place in this open event.

Results are below

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023 got a full three races in at Cork Harbour on Saturday, January 14th, in a 15 to 20 bitingly cold westerly breeze but bitingly cold coupled with a 3.5-metre tide sluicing past Monkstown.

James Murphy has lost his lead and now sits in second place after five races in the 11-boat fleet, two points behind local ace Ronan Kenneally on 13 points.

There is no messing around at the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023 with short sharp races and starts of 3,2,1 minutes. Alan Fehilly, as PRO, is helped by a dedicated team of mark layer and rescue boats Photo: Bob Bateman

In third overall is Robert Scallan. 

MBSC is one of a few clubs with their race area right on their doorstep.

Hardy annual Munster Laser sailors turnout every year for a blast, rain, hail or snow at the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat reported previously, starts are 'all-in' from 10.12 am, with the overall series winner collecting the coveted MBSC 'Yard of Ale' and €150 prize money on February 11th.

Also up for grabs are CH Marine vouchers for second and third place in this open event.

The aim is to get in three quick races Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League between 10 am and 12 noon each Saturday Photo: Bob Bateman

Results are below

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser League 2023 Day Two Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023 got off to a blustery start in Cork Harbour on Saturday, January 7th, when the scheduled third race was cancelled as gusts hit 30 knots.

James Murphy's results of two and three in the opening two races have secured the overall lead in the seven-boat fleet. 

The numbers for the first race were smaller than usual, but there is no doubt the weather alerts for Saturday had a part to play in this.

In second overall is Philip Doherty with Arthur O'Connor third. 

The third race of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023 was abandoned when gusts were over 30 knots, and many competitors capsized Photo: Bob Bateman

MBSC is one of a few clubs with their race area right on their doorstep. Race Officer Alan Fehilly (featured in Mary Malone's vid below) was expected to go afloat to run racing but opted for the town marina due to the weather.

As Afloat reported earlier, there was an all-in start at 10.12 am, with the overall series winner collecting the coveted MBSC 'Yard of Ale' and €150 prize money on February 11th.

Also up for grabs are CH Marine vouchers for second and third place in this open event.

In race two of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) Laser Winter League 2023, previous league winner Ronan Kenneally lost his boom Phoo: Bob Bateman

Results are below

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser League 2023 Day One Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's Winter Laser League in Cork Harbour begins this weekend and runs for six Saturdays until February 11th.

There will be an all-in start as close as possible to the village's Sand Quay at 10.12 am, with the overall series winner collecting the coveted MBSC 'Yard of Ale' and €150

Also up for grabs are CH Marine vouchers for second and third place in this open event.

A sunny day brought the crowds out for the annual Monkstown Bay Sailing Club St Stephen’s Day Race in Cork Harbour.

The dinghy club combined the annual fixture with its fun raft race from the Sand Quay. The event was run as a fundraiser for the RNLI.

A fleet of 13 dinghies competed. The sailing instructions dictated racing would start at 1.45 pm, the assurance given that they would be ashore by 2.30 pm to allow the Raft Race to start at 3 pm.

The annual Monkstown Bay Sailing Club St Stephen’s Day dinghy race in Cork Harbour preceded the raft race Photo: Bob Bateman

Five rafts participated in the race with a lot of cheering and encouragement from the large crown on shore.

Crowds gathered for the fun and games in the annual Monkstown Bay Sailing Club raft race Photo: Bob Bateman

Low tide and light winds died following the dinghy race provided ideal conditions for some dubious-looking rafts as Mary Malone's slipway video shows

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club St Stephen’s Day Dinghy and Raft Race Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club members elected Jacqui O’Brien as Commodore at their annual meeting on Sunday.

Richie Harrington was appointed Vice Commodore and Alan Fehily Rear Commodore. Sandy O’Brien is Hon. Secretary and Kieran O’Leary Hon.Treasurer.

Committee members are: Ewen Barry, Brian Dineen, Sandy Rimmington, Michael O’Brien, Chris Granby, Ronan O’Driscoll, Ronan Kenneally, David Doherty, Brendan O’Connell, and Andrew Moynihan.

Laser sailor John Moynihan was awarded a Lifetime Honorary Membership for his dedication to the club. He has been a stalwart of the Laser fleet for many years.

Conditions were tough for dinghy sailors in Monkstown Bay in Cork Harbour on Saturday, the final day of the club’s October Dinghy League, with strong, gusty winds and heavy, driving rain showers.

The Race Committee decided conditions were too strong for Class 2, so racing for the smaller dinghies was cancelled. After a postponement, six of the senior sailors in Class 1 got in a race to close the season for Class 1.

The determined group of five Lasers and a 505 battled the challenging conditions. Ewen Barry and John Coakley, sailing the 505, won the race, the seventh of the series and won the league overall. Second was Daniel Mallon in a Laser Radial, who also finished second overall. Third on Saturday, in a Laser II, were Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg who placed fourth overall in the series.

Third overall in the league was David O’Connell, the Laser veteran of the club, who finished fourth on Saturday. In the club’s overall league results for the season, he is top sailor, leading Class 1 where Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg finished second. Charles McCarthy and Rory O’Connor were third for the season, sailing a 505.

Five races decided Class 2 October League, won by Olin Bateman, with Ethel Bateman second, both sailing Laser 4.7s. Isobelle Clarke Waterman and Conor Donald Kelly were third in an RS Feva XL. Waterman was season’s Class 2 overall winner. Second were Isobel O’Connor and her father, Tim, racing their Mirror and third Tony Geraghty and Daragh Killeen in another RS Feva XL.