#isora – A former steel hulled BT Global Challenge yacht was the winner of a 'punishing' second ISORA offshore race from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire on Saturday morning. The 15–boat fleet faced a fetch into 30 plus knots of wind that veered to produce a beat at the end of the 60–miler as the boats apporached the Dublin coastline. See results for download below as a jpeg file.

Conor Fogarty's entry SY 2041' made the best of the Irish Sea's harsh conditions, another good preparation race for next month's 700–mile Round Ireland race. 

One great ISORA racer and supporter lost its mast on Friday night, just north of Holyhead when heading for the race start area. The Isle of Man based Sigma 33, Polished Manx skippered by Kuba Szymanski ended up being towed to Holyhead by the RNLI.

Holyhead's all weather Severn class RNLI lifeboat launched to the 33ft–yacht dismasted in a force seven gale at 2.20am, according to RNLI sources.

The ISORA entry had got into difficulties eight miles out when its mast broke leaving the vessel 'helpless in huge seas' off the Skerries light. The coxswain asked if the yacht crew were able to cut free the rig as weather conditions made it hazardous to pass lifeboat crew to assist in the big sea swell. This was done and the lifeboat escorted Polished Manx under her own power to Holyhead marina, a journey of some six hours. Holyhead coastguard co-orientated the callout.

Szymanski, who has raced thousands of miles including last year's D2D and Fastnet races, has made contact with ISORA commodore Peter Ryan to say he aims to be back on the startline with a new mast for the next ISORA on May 24th. 'If it can be done, he is the man to do it', says Ryan.

ISORA Race 2 (Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire) Report by Peter Ryan: 

As with Race 1, the weather was not kind to ISORA competitors. Strong and gusty conditions all the previous week with DBSC cancelling their Thursday racing did not encourage those skippers who were considering taking part in the race from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire. Although a window of opportunity arose for boats delivering on Friday only 15 boats came to the line at 08.30 on Saturday 10th May. The usual start time was delayed due to shipping movements.
As the boats left Holyhead marina and made their way in the strong and gusty southerly winds to the start line between the pier head an Clipera bouy, they were met by the ominous sight of one of our fellow competitor Kuba Szymanski's "Polished Manx", with no rig, being escorted by Holyhead lifeboat towards the marina. Thankfully all were safe aboard.
There was concern about the weather forecast for the race when the Sailing Committee met on Friday evening at the pre-race soiree in Holyhead sailing Club. After the usual consideration and consultation there was unanimous agreement to make the race as short as possible – from the start direct to the finish.
The forecast for the race was for Force 6-7 south west veering west later and decreasing towards the Irish coast. Some parts of that forecast were incorrect – the wind only moderated for a time and it touched at Gale 8 several times. The race started with a southerly Force 7 and soon most boats had reefed down for the weather. Holyhead boat "Pipedreamer" did not start as they tore their mainsail while putting it up.
Things did not appear too bad as the fleet left the line and headed west towards Dun Loaghaire. Anyway, not until they reached the overfalls and out of the lee of the North Stack!!! Luckily the wind was from the south and allowed most boats to avoid most waves as they broke around them.
Quickly into the lead were the "big boats" "2041" the Challenge 67, "Mermaid IV" Beneteau First 50 and Andrew Hall's J125, "Jackknife". It was the Past ISORA Chairman's first race since retiring from offshore several years ago. Very soon the fleet split into three groups – the "big boats", the three J109's and Adelie and the rest.
Many boats took a southerly course to prepare for the veering wind. However the wind, that varied in strength from 18 to 34 knots, did not appear to have read the forecast. When the boats were only 20 miles off Dun Laoghaire there was no sign of the westerly wind. Most boats then took a more northerly course toward the finish.
Then as the leaders approached the Kish bank, the squalls appeared and with them driving rain and veering winds, resulting in a beat for the last 15 miles to the finish for most boats.
There was close racing is all the groups. At the front, "Jackknife" just squeezed over the finish line for line honours with only 90 seconds separating them from "2041". The J109's had a close match all during the race with positions being changed between them several times. The three J109's "Ruth", "Mojito" and "Sgrech" were never more than a few hundred metres apart at any time. When they were forced to beat towards the end of the race, there was separation. "Ruth" managed to nose 60 seconds ahead of her level rated opponent "Sgrech" as they crossed the finish line. "Mojito" finished 90 seconds behind "Sgrech"
"2041" took the Overall and Class1 win while "Adelie" took Class 2. "Yahtzee" took the Silver Class.
The tired, wet and battered crew made their way back to the National Yacht Club for the usual "après sail" and the regular discussion about "Why in God's name do we race offshore???"
Those crew off boats who did not compete, followed the race using the AIS trackers. Facebook commentary on the progress of the race was provided by, past two handed and currently one-handed offshore sailor, Liam "Lula Belle" Coyne and also by Andrew "Jedi" Sarratt. The commentary demonstrated the potential effect of the tracking for the general public interest in the offshore racing. Only four boats managed to successfully use the "Predictwind" tracker. As the tracking is becoming a huge part of the offshore racing scene. A big push will be made to get more boats "activated" for the next race.
The next race takes place on the 24th May and acts as a feeder to get boats some of the way towards Liverpool for the Liverpool – IOM – Dun Laoghaire weekend on the first weekend in June.

#rsgyc – The RStGYC May/June Friday Series (open to all comers) for Laser and RS dinghies had another two great races last night writes Heather King. Good to see the increased turnout and we were lucky with a little ridge of higher pressure between a series of lows and by start time the breeze had eased all the way back to a very pleasant 10 knots, blowing out from the direction of Seapoint's Martello Tower.

#rstgyc – Races were rattled off by surely one of the youngest Race Officers Dun Laoghaire has ever seen for adult racing. Adam Hyland, who has represented the George overseas with distinction and topped national rankings in both the 420 and Optimist classes, performed one master-stroke in particular. He noticed he had time pre-start to shift his freshly-laid course 200 yards offshore. He saw fresher breeze and, crucially, big flicks to the left and, had he not relaid, the weather mark would have required a position way South, which would have been a very interesting obstacle course over the West pier !

RSs went off first for 3 rounds W/L and at the first mark the Boys Craig/Foley led in a 200 from Ryan/Murphy in the 400. However, Emmet and Luke in the bigger rig soon showed great speed and downwind angles, allied to slick boathandling, to dominate both races for the rest of the night. Craig/Foley led the 200s home comfortably in race one but were further back in the two lap second race when Clodagh and Adrian Hinkson staged a remarkable comeback on the lead 200 raced by Laser/Fireball ace Justin Maguire. The Hinksons carried a beautiful, soaking downwind course in a softening breeze and, had they not required one final gybe just a few metres from the line, they would surely have pipped Maguire and crew Heather Craig. Downwind finishes sure are interesting !! The other 200 and 400 crews all had their moments in the challenging patchy, shifty conditions.

The Lasers sailed two rounds each time and it was good to see some additional new faces this week in Ross O'Leary, Conor O'Leary and Peter Docherty. Things were competitive, especially when Ross challenged in race One and Conor got well in the mix in race Two. However Patrick Cahill again showed apalling disrespect for his elders, claiming both guns ! This Radial sailor will have no problems at all with the Full rig going forward, that much is clear. It also shows this Friday series is absolutely perfect for younger sailors anywhere close to the transition stage between the smaller Laser rig and the Full. Plus what better way to take a little break from studies on a Friday night ?

Hyland wrapped things up to give his two old sea dog assistants a rest onboard the flagship and things looked decidedly gloomy and dark for 8 o'clock. Sure enough the heavens later opened up but boats were all derigged and pints and burgers were already being guzzled down under cover on the balcony.

We'll welcome more next week for sure as 4 or 5 cyclists were absent, not on the visting Giro D'Italia but away terrifying people with their lycra on the island of Mallorca. Lads, please note the lycra is out on this racetrack, especially "Giro pink". The peloton will no doubt also be boosted by the returning Hugh Sheehy. Expect double figure turnouts in both RSs and Lasers. 

Regatta entry here

#isora – The arrival of three Howth Yacht Club boats onto the ISORA scene this season has produced immediate results with HYC entry Dux, an X302 yacht skippered by Anthony Gore-Grimes winning the first ISORA race from Dún Laoghaire to Arklow on Saturday. 

Although the strong winds and big seas cancelled most of the local inshore racing for Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC), the 15–offshore yachts came to the line off Dun Laoghaire's East pier in what was some of the strongest breezes of the day. Dux followed by top performing J109 Ruth (Liam Shanahan of the National Yacht Club) made the best of the 40 – knot southerly winds that saw a number of retirals on the upwind leg along the Dublin and Wicklow coasts. Conditions dictated a shortened course to the Wicklow outfall buoy instead of North Arklow, a reduced distance of some 38 miles instead of 50 that produced an early (and welcome) high speed reaching leg back to Dublin Bay.

The provisional results for Race 1a - the Dún Laoghaire day race (incorporating the first Royal Alfred Yacht Club Coastal Series) is available to download below as a jpeg file.

In a move that has drawn the international support of ISAF's offshore working party, the ISORA crews are experimenting with iphone navigation during the race and 'virtual marks' to adjust the courses. 

In deploying the new mobile technology ISORA has teamed up with app developer 'Predict Wind Tracker'. 

Unfortunately on Saturday, ISORA did not get to use them to full effect. The weather was so awful that the basis of the course was to keep as close to land as possible but away from banks and headlands.

This, says Peter Ryan of ISORA, is a cost effective method of recording any offshore race that can be viewed live and also replayed after the event. ISAF's David Brunskill has offered to judge any issues surrounding the use of the virtual marks.

First race winner Dux sailed by seasoned campaigner Anthony Gore-Grimes'  Photo: Robert Bateman

Ryan adds that if the innovative approach to setting courses is successful, 'it will radically change offshore racing to the betterment of all', a sentiment supported by the world sailing body.

The next race is the Holyhead to Dún Laoghaire qualifying race on 10th May. This is followed by the return race from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead on 24th May. One of the highlights of the ISORA series this year is the Midnight Race from Liverpool to Douglas on 6th June.

#dunlaoghairelifeboat – Both RNLI lifeboats at Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay were called out yesterday afternoon following a 999 emergency call that a two-person canoe was drifting close to shore off Dalkey.

The Irish Coast Rescue 116 helicopter at Dublin Airport and Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit were also tasked due to concern for the occupants of the craft.

The incident occurred at around 1.15pm but was stood down 15 minutes later when the two canoeists were located safe and well with friends by the CG shore team at Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey.

The ILB recovered the canoe and returned it to them before returning to station.

#dlhc – Royal St. George Yacht Club vice–commodore Justin McKenna has been appointed to the Board of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. Well known yachtsman McKenna is a former chairman of the Dun Laoghaire Comnied Yacht Clubs and the current vice–chairman of the country's biggest yacht club, the Royal St. George that occupies a key location within the harbour on Dun Laoghaire's waterfront.  He joins two new Board members appointed to the Board by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD and come into effect immediately.

The appointments are:

· Mark Finan who is a barrister-at-law with particular expertise in regulatory compliance, European and international law. He lives in Monkstown, Co Dublin.

· Justin McKenna who is a solicitor at the Dún Laoghaire-based solicitor practice, Partners at Law.

· James Jordan is a retired SIPTU trade union official and continues to be a community activist in the Dún Laoghaire area. He lives in Glenageary, Co Dublin.

The Board of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company now comprises eight members, which is the maximum membership it can have.Speaking on the appointments, Chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, Eithne Scott Lennon said: "The appointment of three additional members to the Board of the Harbour Company by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, gives us greater strength as we move into one of the most active development phases in the Harbour's history. "Following on from the Harbour Company's development plan, we are now embarking on the execution of some major infrastructural projects which will – I believe – position Dún Laoghaire as the primary leisure port facility in Ireland."

Plans include the delivery of an International Diaspora Centre on the historic Carlisle Pier, a deep cruise berth facility and a new mixed use housing and retail development. A number of initiatives to add to the leisure offerings at the Harbour have already been instigated, including the Urban Beach project, the Shackleton Exhibition and the new drive-in movie initiative which will commence later this month.

A key area of development for the Harbour Company has been the increase in cruise-calls to Dún Laoghaire in recent years, and we expect to deliver 100,000 leisure visitors and crew to Dún Laoghaire and its hinterland in 2015

#corkweek – July's Royal Cork Yacht Club's Cork Week regatta will share the same title sponsor as Dun Laoghaire regatta according to this morning's Irish Times Sailing Column. It's a move that gives the Swedish car marque the headline name to both of Ireland's big sailing events.  As previously reported by Afloat.ie, the Crosshaven event has had a number of key changes to its format for 2014 aimed at reducing costs for both competitors and organisers alike. 

The new sponsorship deal will be a shot in the arm for the biennial event that is Ireland's longest running international regatta, a sporting event that became a global name in the nineties when competitor boat numbers reached 700 in 1998 to rival the UK's Cowes week regatta.

Royal Cork's John Roche is to chair the new week with top Cork helmsman Anthony O'Leary in charge of the famous Cork Week courses.

The J109 fleet will race for national honours as part of the week and a new trophy for short handed competition is also to be introduced. Royal Cork's own 1720 sportboat fleet will also be racing.

The Irish Times has more on the story here.

#fireball – The combination of "N over A" was flying over the DMYC Clubhouse again yesterday, Sunday 23rd February, signalling that racing for the day had fallen victim to the weather. While conditions were mild, the forecast was for F4 - 6, rising to F8 later in the afternoon.

In contrast to previous Sundays when racing was cancelled but training sessions under other organisations continued, yesterday there was no sailing activity at all in Dun Laoghaire's harbour except for the hardy INSS Squib sailing adventure

#frostbites – Thanks to weekend storms both east and south coast sailing frostbite series were cancelled yesterday. Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club's Frostbite Dinghy harbour series was scrubbed and likewise on the south coast where Kinsale's renowned sheltered harbour was no match for the south westerly gale that prompted an orange alert warning from Met Eiereann and the Coast Guard.

Both series are expected to resume next Sunday.

#DunLaoghaire - The Irish Times reports that a planning application has been lodged for the proposed 'urban beach' on Dun Laoghaire's waterfront.

The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company submitted its application to An Bord Pleanála just before Christmas for the €2.5 million project, a joint venture with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) inspired by the Badeschiff in Berlin.

Set to be constructed on berth 1 at the East Pier of Dun Laoghaire Harbour, the artificial beach will come with a floating, heated swimming pool built on a converted river barge, plus a cafe, changing area and other facilities.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the proposals were available for public consultation in September (click HERE to see an artist's impression of the completed project) and the final application will itself be open for submissions till 3 February 2014.

And it may only be the first of such 'urban beach' facilities for the South Dublin town, according to a local council member.

Independent councillor Victor Boyhan says DLRCC is still committed to its own plans to redevelop the derelict Victorian baths south-east of the East Pier that last operated as the Rainbow Rapids in the 1990s.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

#Cruises - Dun Laoghaire Harbour officials have reported a "huge endorsement" by American cruise companies of their plans to transform the Dublin Bay port into a top cruise destination.

The team from the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, joined by a senior official from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, has just returned from an informal sales trip to Seattle, Los Angeles and Miami where they pitched the port's plans for a new cruise liner quay to some of the top operators in the industry.

Speaking to Afloat.ie, Dun Laoghaire Harbour chief executive Gerry Dunne described the trip as "very successful" in drumming up interest for the new berth proposals.

It's expected that the new development would future-proof the harbour to accommodate the next generation of cruise liners currently too large to dock in Dun Laoghaire or Dublin Port - which itself has plans for a modern cruise terminal.