#dlregatta – As tonight's Dublin Bay Sailing Club summer season gets underway, Ireland's biggest sailing event at the same venue, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, is preparing to welcome some potent visitors to the Bay in July as its massive fleet is now expected to hit the 400 mark.
UK visitors are swelling the ranks of some 28 classes; IRC Cruisers, One Design Keelboats and Dinghies with 40% of the current entry coming as visiting sailors from overseas.
As well as Nigel Bigg's new C&C 30 design, there's a strong fleet of Beneteau and Corby designs making the trip across the Irish Sea. Kevin Aitken's Animal (Beneteau First 36.7) from the Clyde Cruising Club will be joined by Helensburgh sistership Carmen 2 (Paul Scutt and Alan Jeffrey). Liverpool Yacht Club is sending Jim Cartwright's Beneteau Daydream Believer and Kenneth Roberts Ker 36. Another Clyde visitor is the Sigma 38, Engima skippered by Howard Morrisson. Welsh yacht Impostor, a Corby 33 from South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club, will be skippered by Richard Fildes. Swansea is sending the Dubois 37, Dark Angel.
A record 68 clubs are currently represented with many of the 2013 class champions returning.
In 2009, the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) launched a case study on the socio-economic significance of the regatta. Six years ago, the biennial event attracted an entry of 449 entries. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly three million to the local economy.
For the latest updates on Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2015 click this handy link
Read also WMN Nixon's recent Afloat.ie blog: Dun Laoghaire Regatta Promises Champion Quality Yacht Racing For All