#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.

#d2d – The National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire harbour has announced its 12th staging of the biennial Dingle Skellig Hotel Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race which will start on Friday 12th June. It follows on a week from Howth Yacht Club's Lambay race so this time round it may be viewed with more interest by several more boats from across Dublin Bay too. The Notice of Race for the 2015 D2D is downloadable below. 

For 2015, defending champion in the Dingle Race is Brian O'Sullivan of Tralee with the veteran Oyster 37 Amazing Grace, which came good in the end in 2013 with a new breeze which knocked pending leader Antix (Anthony O'Leary) off the winning perch.

The 2015 Dingle Race also acts as a useful if rather indirect feeder for the ICRA Nationals at the Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale from June 24th to 28th, there could be all sorts of sharp boats lining up to take the prize.

More in Afloat's 2015 sailing season preview by WM Nixon here.

The Notice of Race for the 2015 D2D is downloadable below as a pdf file.

#mothsailing – The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy and Howth Yacht Club's Alistair Kissane qualified for the Gold Fleet of the 2015 foiling Moth World Championships in Sorrento, Australia.

Consistent results on the second day of the regatta meant that both Murphy in 62nd place and Kissane in 70th are through but unfortunately Bangor's Olympian Ryan Seaton just missed the cut, qualifying for Silver Fleet in 82nd place.

As Afloat.ie reported earlier, the Irish crews are in celebrated company, with leaders including America's Cup syndicate campaigners such as Emirates Team New Zealand's Pete Burling, and Artemis Racing's Nathan Outerridge as well as other notables such as Tom Slingsby, Iain Jensen, Scott Babbage, Dean Barker and Ray Davies.

Speaking to reporters, Irish Olympic Radial sailor Murphy, said after day two:
"It was stressful conditions, pretty wavy on the downwinds and I also learnt how to pitch-pole less; in the first race I pitch-poled five times, in the second race only twice, in the third race only once and in the last race I didn't pitch-pole at all, so I was getting better each race with not trying to kill myself on the downwind. Stressful but a lot of fun!"

The top 79 of the 153 sailors make the 'cut' for the Gold Fleet following the second day of racing at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club in Victoria.

New Zealand's Peter Burling reeled off four straight wins to take the lead on the 2nd day, sounding the warning bell for the other 159 competitors. With the fleet split into Blue and Yellow, Burling was in the Blue fleet on a course closer to shore. Defending world champion Nathan Outteridge (AUS) was in the Yellow on a course further out and on the receiving end of bumpier conditions and scored 3-2-2-1 results.

Ashore Burling said: "I won all four races – the last one by over a lap, which is pretty pleasing in this fleet. it's all come together here," he said referring to his disappointing results at the Worlds in 2011 and 2013. I did well in the light and shifty weather yesterday and today was as good. I put a lot of work into improving my game for this event. We were in flatter more manageable water than the Yellow fleet, but even so, I dropped off the foil at one stage and fell back to 11th, but I still got back and won. Everyone had a swim, or crashed or overtook," the 2012 Olympic 49er silver medallist said of the course, which was closer to the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, host for the event.

On Nathan Outteridge, Burling said: "Both of us have different commitments now – me with Emirates Team NZ and him with Artemis Racing (AC syndicates). We're still good mates, but things are slightly different now. He is my biggest challenge for this title, of course."

Full details here

#santa – Santa Claus arrived by boat yesterday into Dun Laoghaire harbour and headed straight to a packed National Yacht Club where sackfuls of presents were handed out to children of all ages.  

Everyone – big and small – was entertained all day long, with the very special guest of honour arriving at noon and accompanied by his Elves.

Next weekend (December 14) Santa is scheduled to make another waterfront appearance at the Royal St. George Yacht Club and on the other side of Dublin Bay at Howth Yacht Club too.

#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.

#isora – ISORA held its annual prizegiving dinner dance at the NYC on Saturday 15th November. 171 members and guests packed into the dining room of the club to be treated to a superb night's dining and entertainment.
ISORA's guests at the event were Larry Power, Commodore of the National Yacht Club, Derek Matthews, Commodore of the Royal Dee Yacht Club and Barry MacNeaney, Commodore of the Royal Alfred Yacht Club.
The MC for the evening was Peter Ryan, Chairman of ISORA, who directed the traditional toasts made by each of the guests and Andrew Hall, past Chairman of ISORA. Due to the numbers of people in the dining room the Royal Navy tradition of not standing for the Loyal Toast to the "President of Ireland" was invoked. It was also noted that the Royal Dee YC will be celebrating their 200th anniversary next season and that between the three clubs present at the dinner, it represented 501 years of sailing existence!
Anne-Marie Ryan presented the numerous trophies and prizes to the members. The winner of the Overall ISORA championship for 2014 was Liam Shanahan and "Ruth". Liam was presented with the coveted "Wolf's Head" trophy by the Commodore of the Royal Dee YC, whose emblem is the "wolf's head". ISORA sailors and recent successful Round Britain & Ireland Race two-handed class winners, Liam Coyne and Brian Flahive were presented with ISORA's "Penmaen Plate", a trophy dedicated to a past Chairman of ISORA, Anthony Jones, and award to that member that has most exhibited the "Spirit of ISORA". Pwllheli Sailing Club won the Team Prize.

Anne-Marie Ryan presenting the "Penmaen Plate" to Round Britain & Ireland Sailor. Liam Coyne. Photo: GP Foto

Other awards included a presentation to the Manx Sea Scouts who marshalled and looked after the ISORA fleet during their visit to the Isle of Man during the season.
At the dinner Commodore Derek Matthews of the Royal Dee YC announced that in celebrating their 200th anniversary next year they were organising, in conjunction with ISORA, the Royal Dee Irish Sea Offshore Championship next season. It will be a championship using offshore courses and will consist of the RORC Lyver Race from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and the four Offshore Races as part of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta. The event, while part of the VDL Regatta, will be based in the NYC.

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Anne-Marie Ryan presenting an award to Manx Sea Scouts for "Services Rendered" Photo: GP Foto

Earlier at the well attended ISORA AGM it was agreed to run 14 races as part of their series next season – 6 traditional cross channel races including the RORC Lyver Race and an offshore weekend that will include a Friday evening race from Holyhead to Douglas, Isle of Man and another race on the Sunday morning from Douglas to Dun Laoghaire. The Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race will also be part of their Series. Subject to confirmation with Greystones marina it was decided that two Day races would take place simultaneously from Dun Laoghaire and Pwllheli to finish in Greystones on the day before the Greystones Regatta. This will allow those boats to partake in this new popular event. It was also decided to that the day races that start in Dun Laoghaire would not necessarily finish at the same venue but would finish in Wicklow or Howth, subject to weather conditions etc.
Other issues discussed and agreed at the AGM that ISORA would continue its practice of specifying a mandatory Safety requirement in accordance with the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations.

#mothsailing – After the International Moth class worlds in Hayling Island this Summer it was back to the drawing board for the Irish Moth building development programme. Chris Allen of Voodoo Boats in County Wicklow has made another 50 modifications to the hull, deck and rig based on earlier trials and lessons learnt from entering the boat at the Hayling Island event.  
The Irish Voodoo Moth "V2.0″  is now back at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, the "spiritual home" of the class, according to NYC sailing manager Olivier Prouveur.
The foiling Moth fleet will be in action this Bank Holiday week-end at the NYC with International Race Officer Con Murphy in charge of delivering a fast pace programme of racing over three days...

#srbi – The National Yacht Club and ISORA have announced that Liam Coyne, Co-Skipper of "Lula Belle" will give a talk in the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire on the 12th November at 20.30. All are welcome to attend this unique presentation.

The "Dynamic Duo" of Liam Coyne and Brian Flahive came together for only one race in the season of 2014. They had sailed two-handed together for many years taking an active part in ISORA and also competing in the D2D, Round Ireland and the Fastnet races.

The full story of their campaign featured in WM Nixon's weekly sailing blog on Afloat HERE.

At the end of last season Brian had moved to live in Malta so it was decided that if they were to sail together again they would have to make it "worthwhile". To make it worth the trip from Malta they decided to enter the 1800 mile Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race!!! As the organisers had only just allowed two-handed entries for the first time, they seized the moment and entered.

They could not have picked a worst year to take part in this race. The weather conditions for the start were affected by the remnants of Hurricane Bertha. So bad was the weather that the organisers changed the direction of the race to go anti-clockwise around the course. To avoid the worst of the weather the start was also delayed for 18 hours. 28 boats took part in the race.

Racing Two-Handed around Britain and Ireland requires all round skill, great seamanship and tenacity. Most of the time the Two-Handed pair are alone on deck while the other sleeps. It can be a lonely existence on deck and the lack of sleep and the effects of exposure to the harshest of conditions is bound to take its toll on both yacht and crew.

Lula Belle overcame all the challenges that the course could throw at them. Despite significant breakages and technical problems, they limped over the finish line at 11:40:54 on Saturday 23rd August in an elapsed time of 12 days 02 hours 40 minutes and 54 seconds. They took 5th place overall in the race and 1st in the Two-Handed Class and the combined IRC Three and IRC Four Class.

Liam Coyne will give a talk on his adventure. He will talk about the technical and mental preparation required before and during the race. With the inclusion of video excerpts he will describe the challenges both he and Brian faced and how they dealt with them.

This talk is a great opportunity for any sailor who ever dreamt of racing offshore to learn about the severe challenges Liam and Brian lived through while taking part in what is probably the most challenging offshore race ever.

Liam will give his talk in the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire on the 12th November at 20.30. All are welcome to attend this unique presentation.

Bar food is available in the Club before the talk.

For any enquiries contact Peter Ryan – 087 2545037 or [email protected]

#sb20 – After the SB20 Midlands event in Lough Derg that was unfortunately blown out last weekend, the discard was applied to the 2014 results to decide overall rankings writes class president Justin Burke. Three points separated the top three teams after a season that saw four different regional event winners.

Being the only team to win two regionals, Dinghy Supplies (Daragh Sheridan, Shane Murphy & John Phelan) are sure to feel hard done by in missing out on the overall ranking by .67 of a point.

Corona Extra's (Graeme Grant, Ronan Downing, Tara Flood/ Breffni Jones) consistency pulled them through to take the title counting a 1st, 5th, 2nd and a 4th.Yachtsman.ie (Davy Taylor, Marty O'Leary, Lisa Neary & Rachel Williamson) edged third away from Shark Bait (Darren Martin,Roger Pannell & Simon Murray) by a single point.

Other than some frost-bite sailing out of the National Yacht Club (NYC) in November most SB's have been packed up for the winter.

The first Regional event planned for 2015 is the Easterns in Howth Yacht Club which will be preceded by the spring warmer out of the same club. This is sure to provide the fleet with some breezy conditions in preparation for the 2015 worlds which are being held on Lake Garda in early July. The fleet will be arranging a training event for any and all boats prior to the worlds in order to maximise the best results for the Irish competitors.

Over 10 Irish boats are currently planning on attending the worlds at one of Europe's premiers sailing venues. With the 2016 worlds already confirmed for Cascais, Ireland are lodging a strong bid and are hopeful in securing the 2017 worlds.

The remaining dates and locations for the 2015 Irish circuit will be published once they have been confirmed with the respective clubs.