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Kinsale Yacht Club has announced entry is open for its staging of the Dragon Gold Cup, sponsored by Astra Construction Services Ltd, from September 6 to 13, 2024.

This year's event will attract over 60 teams from more than 20 countries worldwide.

The Dragon Gold Cup, which was first presented in 1937 by the Clyde Yacht Clubs Association, brings together competitors from around the world to compete in a friendly spirit. The event is renowned for its world-class racing programme, camaraderie, and hospitality.

This will be the third time that Kinsale Yacht Club has hosted the prestigious event, having previously done so in 1977 and 2012. The club is known for its exceptional hospitality and will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that this year's event is a resounding success.

The organising committee, chaired by Maeve Cotter, has already begun preparations for the event, which will include registration and equipment inspection from September 5 to 7. On September 7, a warm-up race will allow competitors to familiarise themselves with Kinsale's outstanding open water race area.

Championship racing will be held from September 8 to 13, and the event will be one of the most challenging inshore keelboat regattas in the world. The Race Committee may adjust the programme if races are lost, but just one race per day is scheduled, and the races are run over a very large windward/leeward course with leg lengths of two miles or more.

Dragon Gold Cup 2024

In addition to the overall Gold Cup prizes, there will also be prizes for the top Corinthian, all amateur, crews. Competitors wishing to enter the Corinthian competition must submit their full crew lists with confirmation of the World Sailing ID and valid G1 categorisation for each crew member by September 7, 2024.

Online Entry is now open with a special Early Bird entry fee of €850 for those who enter by June 30, 2024. From July 1, the entry fee will be €950, and entry will close on August 26, 2024.

The entry fee includes craning in and out, trailer parking, berthing, and tickets to the Gold Cup Gala Dinner and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for all members of the crew.

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Members of the British Dragon Association (BDA) and their guests came together at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, London, for the BDA’s Annual General Meeting and Dinner in January.

The evening kicked off with the AGM, where outgoing Chairman Simon Barter was delighted to report that participation in UK based Dragon racing has seen a strong resurgence, with numbers regularly racing in club and regional events at the highest levels for some years. The meeting then elected its new Class Chairman Andy Moss, of the Burnham on Crouch Dragon fleet. Andy, owner of Hands Off GBR 760, has been racing Dragons for 20 years and has been a regular traveller to the regional and national events, Oostende and France.

2024 British Dragon Championship Events

Also confirmed at the meeting were the dates and venues for the 2024 British Championship events, which are:

  • 1-2 June South Coast Championship – Cowes, IOW
  • 22-23 June Classic/Vintage Championship - Aldeburgh
  • 7-8 July Northern Area Championship – Abersoch, Gwynedd
  • 9-12 July Edinburgh Cup (Open British Championship) – Abersoch, Gwynedd
  • 21-23 September East Coast Championship – Medway, Kent
  • 28-29 September Scottish Championship – Edinburgh, Scotland

After the AGM pre-dinner drinks were served in the bar, and then guests were called through to the Royal Thames’ delightful dining room, which overlooks Hyde Park. With some 50 Dragon sailors and guests in attendance, including visitors from the Irish Dragon fleet, the highlights of the evening were a delicious three course meal followed by the presentation of the prestigious Citron Trophy, and the premier of an exciting new video.

The Citron Trophy is awarded to the Dragon which has achieved the best cumulative results in the combined British championship events during the past season. The winner for the 2023 season was Gavia Wilkinson-Cox of the Cowes fleet and her team racing GBR831 Jerboa. A member of the British fleet for almost 50 years, this is the second time that Gavia has engraved her name on this prestigious award.

After the trophy presentation, Gavia then switched hats from award-winning sailor to Chair of the organising committee for the 75th Dragon Edinburgh Cup and British Grand Prix, which was run by the Royal Yacht Squadron in August 2023. This special celebration regatta attracted an exceptional entry and brought together sailors from across the 75-year history of the British Open Dragon Championship. As one of only four International Dragon Grand Prix events in 2023, it also attracted some of the best sailors from around the world to compete, and Gavia and her media team took the opportunity to create a very special video to mark the occasion.

In introducing the premier of the video Gavia explained, “A key part to promoting the British Dragon Class, in perpetuity, has been the production of a film of the regatta. Whilst of course being a record of the 75th Edinburgh Cup – the aim has been to highlight and profile the diversity of the class: young, not so young, male, female! I am grateful to Rick and James Tomlinson for the production of this film. I hope the BDA and our fleets can make constructive use of this film – which will live for posterity on Youtube and other social media sites. Tonight marks the premier of the film. Not quite the BAFTA’s, but important non the less! Enjoy!”

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Irish Dragon sailors were in action in Portugal at the weekend with Royal Cork and Baltimore's Harry Durcan on board the winning boat in round two of the Algarve Dragon Winter Cup at Vilamoura.

Durcan was part of a four-up British entry skippered by Pete Cooke with Torvar Mirsky and Peter Nicholas, who tied on points with Portugal's Pedro Rebelo de Andrade but won on the tie-break rule.

Also racing from Ireland was Dun Laoghaire's Jonathan Bourke with Conn Harte-Bourke and Sam Gullivan, who finished seventh in the 11-boat fleet.

Round three of the Cup sets sail on February 16th.

In a big year for Irish Dragon sailing, Kinsale Yacht Club will stage the class's prestigious Gold Cup this September.

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Royal St George Yacht Club's Jaguar Sailing Team of Martin Byrne, Adam Winkelmann and Rory Byrne took third overall at last weekend's Yacht Club de Cannes, Coupe D’ Hiver des Dragons.

17 Dragons from eight countries competed with victory going to the Finnish “Genewave” with Jouko Lindgren at the helm.

Italy's Transbunker Team of Yevgen Braslavets, Andrea Zaoli, Paolo Bozzano (Yacht Club San Remo) were second.

Dragon competition in Ireland reaches a high point next year with the staging of the international Dragon Gold Cup in Kinsale in September.

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Preparations are underway in Kinsale for celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of one of the most prestigious international sailing events. From 6 to 13 September 2024, Kinsale will welcome Dragon sailors from across the globe to compete for the Kinsale Yacht Club Dragon Gold Cup, which has been raced annually since 1937 and will be sponsored by Astra Construction Services Ltd.

This will be the third time that Kinsale Yacht Club (KYC) has hosted the Dragon Gold Cup, the first being in 1977 and the second in 2012. The venue is hugely popular with the Dragon sailing community, and many international teams are expected to compete alongside a strong Irish contingent. International Dragon Association Chairman Gérard Blanc is looking forward to returning to Kinsale, saying, "Since the last Gold Cup in Ireland in 2012, I know that many international Dragon sailors are excited to be returning to one of their favourite venues in the southwest of Ireland. Kinsale is a fantastic place to sail, and a legendary social welcome awaits you. I plan to be there and look forward to meeting as many of you as possible”.

Crews from some 20 nations across Australasia, Asia, North America, and Europe are already confirmed. In attendance will be some of the best sailors on the planet, including multiple Olympic medallists, America’s Cup veterans, World, Continental, and National Champions. The regatta will also feature a Corinthian Division for all amateur crews, who will race alongside the professional teams whilst scoring in their own ranking.

The crew of Dragon Whisper off the Old Head of Kinsale Photo: Dave CullinaneThe crew of Dragon Whisper off the Old Head of Kinsale Photo: Dave Cullinane

Kinsale’s open ocean race area has minimal currents and excellent sailing winds and is backed by southern Ireland’s spectacular coastline, including the famous Old Head of Kinsale. KYC is renowned for creating international regattas of the highest quality and for its generous Irish hospitality.

Kinsale Yacht Club Dragon Gold Cup 2024

The Gold Cup has always been an event aimed at fostering camaraderie amongst the teams and their friends and family. In addition to a superb social programme, which will include opening and closing ceremonies and a special 80th Anniversary gala dinner at Actons Hotel, plus après sailing daily and other social events.

As Afloat reported previously, already, several companies have confirmed their sponsorship of the event, including principal sponsor Astra Construction Services Ltd, a Carrier-based residential construction company, whose managing director Stephen McCarthy will also provide the committee boat for the regatta. TNG Swiss Watches are signed up as the official timekeeper and will be presenting timepieces to the Gold Cup Open and Corinthian Champion helms. Guinness and Cork City Council are also onboard as sponsors, whilst Actons, The Trident and Perryville House hotels will be offering special rates for competitors, which can be booked via the event website.

Heading up the organising committee is Maeve Cotter, an experienced Dragon sailor with international event management experience. “I am really looking forward to welcoming our Dragon sailing friends to our lovely harbour for the Kinsale YC Dragon Gold Cup in 2024 and to celebrating the 80th anniversary of this historic competition.”

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Counting four race wins Kinsale Yacht Club's Shawn Kingston, Donal Small and Conor Hemlock, sailing 'Grey Hare' were the clear winners of the Dragon Class at a cut-short Lough Derg Yacht Club Freshwater Keelboat One Design Regatta on Sunday. 

Five races were sailed on Saturday with one discard, but racing was abandoned on Sunday by Race Officer John Leech due to a lack of wind at Dromineer. 

Clubmates Colm Dunne, Colm Daly, and Harry Lewis sailing Ghost were second on 11 points but only after count back sharing the same points as Royal St. George's Serafina helmed by Ronan Murphy. 

Seven Dragons competed.

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Early in the 1960s, Sid Smith – a builder and developer from Bury near Manchester – secured the site for the modest holiday home of his dreams beside the harbour in Glandore in West Cork. Summers in Glandore with much sailing for his young son Lawrie, became an essential element in Smith family life, and though Lawrie went on to a stratospheric career in international sailing, whenever possible, he has listed Glandore Harbour Yacht Club as his home base. Thus, in September 2023, thanks to Lawrie, the Dragon Gold Cup – the class’s supreme prize – was added to Glandore’s trophy haul.

It was a particularly timely outcome with the 2024 Gold Cup scheduled for Kinsale. And with autumn rapidly advancing, we are reminded that the Smiths were so fond of Glandore that they were among the families who spent Christmas and New Year there, with Sid Smith’s authentic rendition of Ilkley Moor a midwinter party favourite.

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A fifth race in warm sunshine and a light east-south-easterly concluded the 2023 Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup in Torquay. Going into the final day, British Olympian, America’s Cup and Whitbread Race veteran Lawrie Smith and his crew of Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow already had victory within their grasp. Smith knew what he had to do, and he executed it perfectly, starting near the favoured pin end, he sailed smart, kept out of trouble and cruised home in fifth place to secure his second Gold Cup win.

The fifth and final race was a stunner with constant place changes and a nail-biting last leg to decide second and third overall that saw Gilmour, sailing for the Yanmar Racing Team with Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour, take his first race win of the series from Germany’s Jan Woortman. Behind him Dragon World and European Champion Wolf Waschkuhn of Switzerland, sailing with Joao Vidinah and Charles Nankin, knew that to beat Gilmour for the silver medal he needed to finish fourth or better. As he came to the line he was neck and neck with Britian’s Graham Bailey and Smith. Right on the line, Bailey surged in to take third and all eyes turned to see if Smith would get past him or not. By just a matter of a few feet Waschkuhn took fourth place to secure the second step on the podium, with Gilmour on the third.

After racing Peter Gilmour was happy with the outcome. “We’re not disappointed, we went through a few calculations down the last run. If we could sail back to Wolf to park him up was one of the options, but we thought no we’ll just continue on and see what happens. It was close but he did a good job of hanging in there. I think they probably had a pretty nervous time onboard too. It was great to have the Yanmar team here, they’re coming out to learn as they want to host their own international regatta in the future, and I think it all helps. I think Yanmar is pretty keen to build Dragon sailing in Japan, so it will be interesting to see their takeaways from this event.”

Lawrie Smith and his crew of Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow cross the finish line in race five to win the 2023 Dragon Gold Cup Photo: Alex IrwinLawrie Smith and his crew of Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow cross the finish line in race five to win the 2023 Dragon Gold Cup Photo: Alex Irwin

In the Corinthian Division it all came down to the last race between Britain’s David Tabb sailing with Laerke Norgard and Graham Latham, and Austria’s Christoph Skolaut, sailing with George Skolaut and Martin Lutz, who went into the day on equal points. Tabb got the upper hand on the first beat and although Skolaut did his best to catch up it wasn’t to be. On the line Tabb finished in eighth place and claimed the Dragon Gold Cup Corinthian Trophy. Skolaut took twelfth in the race and the silver medal, and third overall in the Corinthian Division went to Ireland’s Neil Hegarty, Peter Bowring and David Williams.

David Tabb, who finished ninth in the overall standings, was very pleased with his new team’s performance, noting that this was only their second regatta together. “Top ten overall is good so we’re very pleased. We weren’t expecting to win as with Graham on board we’re 40kg underweight. It was Graham’s second regatta and the first time we’ve ever had the same team twice, so that’s nice. All in all, it was nice sailing, I’m a bit surprised to be honest. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as easy. I thought it would be a lot harder. We seemed to just find lanes and go quite fast, so nothing clever, we keep ourselves clear and try to not get into any fights. Every time we got in a fight, we made a mess of it, so we know we’re not the sharpest of teams, so we just try to keep clear and get on. The boat’s lovely and Stavros [Martin Payne] did a great job of teaching me how to sail and set it up.”

At the prize giving the first presentations were for race five with third placed Graham Bailey of Bluebottle, second placed Jan Woortman and Peter Gilmour and their teams receiving Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup 2023 glasses.

There was then a special presentation of a new kitbag to the youngest sailor in the fleet, 12-year-old Diogo Reis of Portugal, an Optimist sailor who raced with Peter Cunningham, Martin Westerdahl and Pedro Rebelo de Andrade. Asked what he thought of his first Gold Cup he responded, “It was fun!”.

First to receive their prizes were the Corinthians with David Tabb, Laerke Norgard and Graham Latham receiving a huge cheer as they came to the stage. In his acceptance speech, David not only thanked his crew and the organisers, but also paid tribute to the sponsor Yanmar and to his fellow Dragon sailors, who he thanked for making he and his crew so welcome since they joined the fleet two years ago.

Next was the Gold Cup itself with Lawrie Smith, Ruaridh Scott, Goncalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow coming up to receive the historic trophy. In his thank you speech Lawrie said, “Before I thank other people I need to thank these guys [his crew]. I don’t sail that much and Ruaridh and Goncalo kind of get me and Animal [Richard Parslow] just to do what we’re told as we’re a bit old for this, but we hung in there, so thanks guys. Also, thanks to an awful lot of people who helped us when we broke the mast the other day, that was really appreciated as without you we’d not be here. The Royal Torbay and all the volunteers were amazing. I always like coming here, it’s such a great yacht club, the racing is always good, and I know there’s an awful lot of work that goes into organising these things, and it takes a long time, and on behalf of all the sailors we really appreciate that. And Stuart [Childerley, Race Officer] – you and your team didn’t put a foot wrong mate, it was perfect racing all week, the beat was square, the run was square, and it was bang on. And then the Dragon Class, as we all know it’s still pretty much the only one design boat where you can go around Europe and you can race every other week, and it’s thanks to all the people behind the scenes that make this such a great class.".

The next presentation was the Silver Cup, which is awarded to the boat that finishing exactly halfway up the final overall results. A special cheer went up as Britain’s Owen Pay, John Mortimer and Chris Brittain came up to receive the trophy.

Finally, the Nations Cup was awarded, which goes to the top performing three boat national team in the competition. The three boat teams are made up of each country’s top performing boats from the first race. This year, the Nations Cup was won by the British team of Lawrie Smith’s Alfie, Grant Gordon’s Louise Racing and David Tabb’s True Story.

To close the ceremony Ireland’s Peter Bowring took the opportunity to invite all the competitors to take part in the 2024 Dragon Gold Cup, which will be hosted by Kinsale Yacht Club in County Cork, Ireland from September 5 to 13 and to the Irish Championship in Dunleary from 22 to 25 August.

OVERALL TOP FIVE

  • 1st - Lawrie Smith, GBR815, Alfie - 1, 3, 2.7(RDGc), 3, 4, 5 = 17.5
  • 2nd - Wolf Waschkuhn, SUI318, 1quick1 - 4, 4, 12, 6, 4 = 30
  • 3rd - Peter Gilmour, JPN56, YRed - 3, 12, 13, 2, 1 = 31
  • 4th - Stephan Link, GER62, Dessert Holly - 13, 10, 6, 5, 6 = 40
  • 3rd - Bo Johansen, DEN423, Deja Vu Ver. 2.0 - 2, 24, 1, 2, 1, 15 = 45

Overall results here

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Torquay finally delivered perfect sailing conditions for day five of the Dragon Gold Cup 2023, where the previously abandoned race four was re-sailed in glorious sunshine and a south-south-easterly breeze which built from around 10 to 15 knots through the race.

With the minimum required number of four races now completed the championship is valid and with a fifth place in today’s race, Lawrie Smith sailing GBR815 Alfie for the Glandore Yacht Club has further tightened his grip on the overall lead with a 15-point delta on his nearest rivals.

The remainder of the podium is still wide open, however, as just eight points now separate second to sixth place in the no discard series. Going into the final day SUI318 Wolf Waschkuhn is on 27 points, with DEN423 Bo Johansen and JAP52 Peter Gilmour both on 30 points, BEL82 Xavier Vanneste is on 34 and GER62 Stephan Link counts 35 points.

Two races remain to be sailed on the final day, so the Race Committee has brought Friday’s first start time forward to 11:15 in the hope that the second race can get underway before the 14:30 latest warning signal cut off time.

As the competitors arrived in the race area for the restart of the previously abandoned race four, the breeze was already well established and after an initial general recall, the U flag came out of the Race Committee's locker and they were off at the second attempt. Both Andy Beadsworth sailing TUR12 and Peter Cunningham in CAY9 were disqualified for being over the line. After racing Beadsworth protested the Race Committee’s decision but the jury did not find in his favour.

At the weather mark Michael Zankel sailing POR90 once again headed the fleet from Bo Johansen in DEN423, Stephan Link GER62, Jan Woortmann GER1221, David Tabb GBR818, Peter Gilmour JAP56, and overall leader Lawrie Smith who slotted into seventh in GBR815. Eighth to round was Graham Bailey in GBR192, the famous 75 year old Bluebottle, who was showing her face at the front of the fleet for the first time this week.

Down the first run it was very tight and as they round the first leeward gate Johansen had just crept ahead to round the starboard gate a few seconds ahead of Zankel. Link held third, with Woortman fourth, Gilmour fifth, Tabb sixth and Smith still seventh.

By the top of the second beat Zankel had reclaimed the lead, Woortman was up to second with Johansen third and Gilmour fourth. Smith had pulled up to fifth while Link was down to sixth.

Zankel began to extend his lead on the second run and by the leeward mark he had a decent cushion over Johansen, with both opting for the port gate. Gilmour and Woortman rounded the starboard gate in tight formation, Link rounded fifth and Smith sixth. The leading six had opened up a decent gap on the chasing pack which was now led by Wolf Waschkuhn and Laurie Rechard.

As the fleet came to the line Zankel took his second victory of the regatta by a big margin. Second to fourth were all overlapped on the line and after by the narrowest margin it was Gilmour who took second, with Johansen third, Woortman fourth, Smith fifth, Link six and Waschkuhn pulling up into sixth. Back ashore however, Tabb protested Woortman for tacking in his water and Woortman was disqualified.

After racing Graham Bailey spoke about how unusually testing the conditions have been here in Torquay, saying, “We had sparkling conditions out there today, we had about 11 to 13 knots, that sort of order and just great open water racing, it’s fantastic. It’s been difficult. I don’t want to say a difficult venue because I think that it’s just that the weather models have been difficult, they’ve shown it’s been difficult weather. It’s not been straight forward. So I wouldn’t blame that on Torbay which we love, we’ve just had tricky weather. But it’s tricky for everybody so it’s completely fair and some workout better than others. So it’s been a challenge, but it’s never been absolutely obvious. It’s one of those venues and weather conditions where you never give up and even down to the last beat there’s always something to be had, there are holes to be had, snakes and ladders, so it keeps it pretty open and you’ve got to be on your toes all the time.".

In the Corinthian all amateur division David Tabb was the top performer, narrowly beating Christoph Skolaut with GBR763 Simon Barter third. In the overall Corinthian standings Skolaut continues to lead the competition from David Tabb with Peter Bowring’s IRL225, being helmed by Neil Hegarty, third. Peter Bowring summed up their feelings about the regatta so far saying, “It’s been a great event. Torbay have put on a fantastic event but we’re finding it difficult. That’s more down to us and the conditions, but that’s sailing.”.

Once again, the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup 2023 regatta marquee was ready and waiting to welcome the crews home with more tasty hot snacks and a plentiful supply of complimentary cold beers, which were much needed after a long day on the twelve and a half mile race course.

Later in the evening the crews came together in the elegant waterside ballroom of the Imperial Hotel Torquay for party time at the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup Gala Dinner. After welcome drinks guests enjoyed a delicious three course dinner.

Speaking after dinner, International Dragon Association (IDA) Chairman Gerard Blanc thanked the British Dragon Association and the Royal Torbay Yacht Club for their tremendous work in organising the event, Yanmar for their most generous and ongoing support of the Dragon Class and the competitors for travelling from so far afield to take part.

On behalf of the event Sponsor, Yanmar Marine International, Mr Kitamura paid tribute to the organisers and the Dragon sailors for the exceptional quality of the regatta and spoke of the synergy between Yanmar and the sailing community.

Special tributes were also paid to Race Officer Stuart Childerley and his team who have done a most impressive job in running racing despite some of the most challenging conditions the Dragon fleet has ever seen.

One of the highlights of a most enjoyable gathering was the presentation of the prestigious Børge Børresen Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the first race in the Gold Cup. This very special trophy goes to Lawrie Smith, Ruaridh Scott, Concalo Ribeiro and Richard Parslow of Alfie. The trophy was presented by the IDA's Championship Coordinator Martin "Stavros" Payne and the presentation included the now traditional bottle of Glenfiddich whisky, which the winners greatly enjoyed consuming from the trophy.

The late Børge Børresen is a legend amongst Dragon sailors. At 16 years old, he built one of the first Dragons in Denmark in 1936 with his brother Albert. For some 65 years, he was the preeminent Dragon builder, constructing multiple Olympic, World, European and National Championship winning boats. One of his greatest contributions to the class was his leadership in translating the Dragon from wooden to GRP construction. The fact that a 1938 wooden Dragon like Bluebottle is racing on a level playing field this week against the very latest boats off the production line is testament to the work that Børresen did in devising the scantlings for the GRP boats. He was also an exceptional sailor, participating in the Gold Cup 51 times consecutively, winning as a crew for Thorkil Warrer in 1951 and 1956 and as helm in 1967 and 1985. He won many other major Dragon regattas, including, at the age of 75, the World Championship sailing with Jesper Bank.

Two races remain to be sailed on the final day of the six-race no discard series, which concludes on Friday, 15 September.

PROVISIONAL TOP FIVE AFTER THREE RACES

  • 1st - Lawrie Smith, GBR815, Alfie - 1, 3(RDGc), 3, 5 = 12
  • 2nd - Wolf Waschkuhn, SUI318, 1quick1 - 4, 4, 12, 7 = 27
  • 3rd - Bo Johansen, DEN423, Deja Vu Ver. 2.0 - 2, 24, 1, 3 = 30
  • 4th - Peter Gilmour, JPN56, YRed - 3, 12, 13, 2 = 30
  • 5th - Xavier Vanneste, BEL82, Herbie - 5, 8, 8, 13 = 34

Overall results here

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Day four of the Dragon Gold Cup 2023 in Torquay brought frustration for the sailors and race committee alike, as race four of the six-race series had to be abandoned on the second beat when the wind died off completely. As a result, there are no changes in the overall standings, and Lawrie Smith of Glandore YC continues to lead the fleet from Switzerland's Wolf Waschkuhn with Belgium’s Xavier Vanneste third, Andy Beadsworth sailing for Turkey fourth and Denmark’s Bo Johansen fifth.

The fleet had gone afloat early for an 09:30 start, knowing that the wind was likely to drop off by lunchtime. It took three attempts to get the race underway, but eventually, they started under the U flag and with a clear line. Conditions were already light and shifty, but it was sailable, so away they went under grey skies in about 6 knots from 045 degrees on a 2.5-mile first leg.

PROVISIONAL TOP FIVE AFTER THREE RACES

  • 1st - Lawrie Smith, GBR815, Alfie - 1, 1, 3 = 4
  • 2nd - Wolf Waschkuhn, SUI318, 1quick1 - 4, 4, 12 = 20
  • 3rd - Xavier Vanneste, BEL82, Herbie - 5, 8, 8 = 21
  • 4th - Andy Beadsworth, TUR12, Provezza Dragon - 16, 6, 2 = 24
  • 5th - Bo Johansen, DEN423, Deja Vu Ver. 2.0 - 2, 24, 1 = 27
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Dun Laoghaire Harbour Information

Dun Laoghaire Harbour is the second port for Dublin and is located on the south shore of Dublin Bay. Marine uses for this 200-year-old man-made harbour have changed over its lifetime. Originally built as a port of refuge for sailing ships entering the narrow channel at Dublin Port, the harbour has had a continuous ferry link with Wales, and this was the principal activity of the harbour until the service stopped in 2015. In all this time, however, one thing has remained constant, and that is the popularity of sailing and boating from the port, making it Ireland's marine leisure capital with a harbour fleet of between 1,200 -1,600 pleasure craft based at the country's largest marina (800 berths) and its four waterfront yacht clubs.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bye-Laws

Download the bye-laws on this link here

FAQs

A live stream Dublin Bay webcam showing Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance and East Pier is here

Dun Laoghaire is a Dublin suburb situated on the south side of Dublin Bay, approximately, 15km from Dublin city centre.

The east and west piers of the harbour are each of 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) long.

The harbour entrance is 232 metres (761 ft) across from East to West Pier.

  • Public Boatyard
  • Public slipway
  • Public Marina

23 clubs, 14 activity providers and eight state-related organisations operate from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that facilitates a full range of sports - Sailing, Rowing, Diving, Windsurfing, Angling, Canoeing, Swimming, Triathlon, Powerboating, Kayaking and Paddleboarding. Participants include members of the public, club members, tourists, disabled, disadvantaged, event competitors, schools, youth groups and college students.

  • Commissioners of Irish Lights
  • Dun Laoghaire Marina
  • MGM Boats & Boatyard
  • Coastguard
  • Naval Service Reserve
  • Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  • Marine Activity Centre
  • Rowing clubs
  • Yachting and Sailing Clubs
  • Sailing Schools
  • Irish Olympic Sailing Team
  • Chandlery & Boat Supply Stores

The east and west granite-built piers of Dun Laoghaire harbour are each of one kilometre (0.62 mi) long and enclose an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2) with the harbour entrance being 232 metres (761 ft) in width.

In 2018, the ownership of the great granite was transferred in its entirety to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who now operate and manage the harbour. Prior to that, the harbour was operated by The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, a state company, dissolved in 2018 under the Ports Act.

  • 1817 - Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.
  • 1820 - Rennie had concerns a single pier would be subject to silting, and by 1820 gained support for the construction of the West pier to begin shortly afterwards. When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed Kingstown, a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years. The harbour was named the Royal Harbour of George the Fourth which seems not to have remained for so long.
  • 1824 - saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.
  • 1826 - Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year. The service was transferred from Howth whose harbour had suffered from silting and the need for frequent dredging.
  • 1831 - Royal Irish Yacht Club founded
  • 1837 - saw the creation of Victoria Wharf, since renamed St. Michael's Wharf with the D&KR extended and a new terminus created convenient to the wharf.[8] The extended line had cut a chord across the old harbour with the landward pool so created later filled in.
  • 1838 - Royal St George Yacht Club founded
  • 1842 - By this time the largest man-made harbour in Western Europe had been completed with the construction of the East Pier lighthouse.
  • 1855 - The harbour was further enhanced by the completion of Traders Wharf in 1855 and Carlisle Pier in 1856. The mid-1850s also saw the completion of the West Pier lighthouse. The railway was connected to Bray in 1856
  • 1871 - National Yacht Club founded
  • 1884 - Dublin Bay Sailing Club founded
  • 1918 - The Mailboat, “The RMS Leinster” sailed out of Dún Laoghaire with 685 people on board. 22 were post office workers sorting the mail; 70 were crew and the vast majority of the passengers were soldiers returning to the battlefields of World War I. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat near the Kish lighthouse killing many of those onboard.
  • 1920 - Kingstown reverted to the name Dún Laoghaire in 1920 and in 1924 the harbour was officially renamed "Dun Laoghaire Harbour"
  • 1944 - a diaphone fog signal was installed at the East Pier
  • 1965 - Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club founded
  • 1968 - The East Pier lighthouse station switched from vapourised paraffin to electricity, and became unmanned. The new candle-power was 226,000
  • 1977- A flying boat landed in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, one of the most unusual visitors
  • 1978 - Irish National Sailing School founded
  • 1934 - saw the Dublin and Kingstown Railway begin operations from their terminus at Westland Row to a terminus at the West Pier which began at the old harbour
  • 2001 - Dun Laoghaire Marina opens with 500 berths
  • 2015 - Ferry services cease bringing to an end a 200-year continuous link with Wales.
  • 2017- Bicentenary celebrations and time capsule laid.
  • 2018 - Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company dissolved, the harbour is transferred into the hands of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

From East pier to West Pier the waterfront clubs are:

  • National Yacht Club. Read latest NYC news here
  • Royal St. George Yacht Club. Read latest RSTGYC news here
  • Royal Irish Yacht Club. Read latest RIYC news here
  • Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. Read latest DMYC news here

 

The umbrella organisation that organises weekly racing in summer and winter on Dublin Bay for all the yacht clubs is Dublin Bay Sailing Club. It has no clubhouse of its own but operates through the clubs with two x Committee vessels and a starters hut on the West Pier. Read the latest DBSC news here.

The sailing community is a key stakeholder in Dún Laoghaire. The clubs attract many visitors from home and abroad and attract major international sailing events to the harbour.

 

Dun Laoghaire Regatta

Dun Laoghaire's biennial town regatta was started in 2005 as a joint cooperation by the town's major yacht clubs. It was an immediate success and is now in its eighth edition and has become Ireland's biggest sailing event. The combined club's regatta is held in the first week of July.

  • Attracts 500 boats and more from overseas and around the country
  • Four-day championship involving 2,500 sailors with supporting family and friends
  • Economic study carried out by the Irish Marine Federation estimated the economic value of the 2009 Regatta at €2.5 million

The dates for the 2021 edition of Ireland's biggest sailing event on Dublin Bay is: 8-11 July 2021. More details here

Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Offshore Race

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down the East coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry. The latest news on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race can be found by clicking on the link here. The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

The 2021 Race will start from the National Yacht Club on Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

Round Ireland Yacht Race

This is a Wicklow Sailing Club race but in 2013 the Garden County Club made an arrangement that sees see entries berthed at the RIYC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour for scrutineering prior to the biennial 704–mile race start off Wicklow harbour. Larger boats have been unable to berth in the confines of Wicklow harbour, a factor WSC believes has restricted the growth of the Round Ireland fleet. 'It means we can now encourage larger boats that have shown an interest in competing but we have been unable to cater for in Wicklow' harbour, WSC Commodore Peter Shearer told Afloat.ie here. The race also holds a pre-ace launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Laser Masters World Championship 2018

  • 301 boats from 25 nations

Laser Radial World Championship 2016

  • 436 competitors from 48 nations

ISAF Youth Worlds 2012

  • The Youth Olympics of Sailing run on behalf of World Sailing in 2012.
  • Two-week event attracting 61 nations, 255 boats, 450 volunteers.
  • Generated 9,000 bed nights and valued at €9 million to the local economy.

The Harbour Police are authorised by the company to police the harbour and to enforce and implement bye-laws within the harbour, and all regulations made by the company in relation to the harbour.

There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire:

  • No 1 berth (East Pier)
  • No 2 berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 3 berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 4 berth  (St, Michaels Wharf)

Berthing facilities for smaller craft exist in the town's 800-berth marina and on swinging moorings.

© Afloat 2020