Grainne and Sean O'Shea's Gung Ho from the Royal Irish Yacht Club repeated last Saturday's Cruisers III success with another win in blustery conditions on the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) course this afternoon writes our Dublin Bay Correspondent.

The Superseal 26–foot design topped the Club's biggest class of 35 sailing cruisers for the second Saturday on the trot, this time in west north west winds gusting to 25 knots.

The O'Shea's beat the DMYC Sonata Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell) and John Barnard's Hydro 28 Hyflyer for first place on IRC Handicap. The results were repeated on the local ECHO handicap too.

In Cruisers one,  Colin Byrne's top performing X-34 Xtravagance, also from the Royal Irish, emreged as a winner. Second was John Hall's J109 Something Else.

Courses were set across 40 square miles, extending from Salthill and Seapoint on the western side of Bay to the Burford Bank on the east.

Keelboats reached right along the southern shore across Dun Laoghaire harbour mouth and Scotsman's Bay down to Dalkey island.

The Royal Alfred's Baily Bowl competition for the J109s, 31.7.s' and Sigma 33 was race for this morning over two windward leeward courses and followed by the DBSC class race. All three races counted for the Baily Bowl.

In the one designs the Royal St. George's Diane ll (Bruce Carswell) handled the spinnaker leg well in the Ruffian 23 fleet to win from David Meeke's Alias. Third was former Flying fifteen sailor Lorcan Balfe sailing Cresendo.

In the Shipman class the Royal St. George's Christine Heath was the winner from the National Yacht Club's Curraglass (John Masterson).

Full DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 14 MAY 2011 are below:

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll), 2. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 3. Violet Flame (B.Murphy/L.Osbourne)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Contango (Barry Cunningham), 2. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 3. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 3. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 3. Hyflyer (John Barnard)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 3. Hyflyer (John Barnard)

DRAGON - 1. Phantom (D.Williams/P.Bowring), 2. Aphrodite (Michael Doorly et al)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Deranged (C.Doorly), 2. Frequent Flyer (D Mulvin), 3. Snow White (Frank Burgess)

GLEN - 1. Glenshesk (L.Faulkner et al), 2. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 2. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 3. Cresendo (L Balfe)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath), 2. Curraglas (John Masterson), 3. Malindi (B.Smith/A.Gray)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 3. Elandra (R.Hance et al)

SQUIB - 1. Femme Fatale (Joe O'Byrne), 2. Little Demon (Marie Dee)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 3. Windshift (R O'Flynn et al)

With 15 knots from the west gusting up to 25, rarely are conditions more perfect for a Thursday night yacht race than those that greeted the large Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) fleet tonight.

The fleet responded in force with great turnouts in many of the 17 classes.

Second in class one was the offshore racer, the J109 Jedi (Sarratt/Austin/McGuinness) and third was another J109, John Maybury's Joker.

There are no results issued for class zero and in class two the elderly half tonner Dick Dastardly (Brian Cusack) beat the relatively new J80 Jester (Declan Curtin) on IRC handicap.

Race officers set long courses both in the northern race area and south eastern bay area from the Mac Lir and Spirit of Irish Committee Boats respectively.

Cruiser classes got either 'N1' or 'N2' courses - westerly race track configurations that featured no less than six turning marks giving the cruisers long reaching legs in the excellent conditions and plenty of boat handling practise.

On the one design course the 'sight of the night' was the blistering speed of the SB3s who reached across Scotsman's bay from harbour mark to Dalkey island mark. Andrew Algeo's Flutter set an impressive pace (16 knots plus?) drawing out a lead of 20 boat lengths or more from 2010 overall winner Sin bin (Barry O'Neill). Alas not all the SB3s managed the tricky reach so well. White Noise in particular taking several minutes to recover from a serious broach at the tail end of the 12 boat fleet.

There was a great turnout in the Flying fifteens with Frank Burgess taking another win in the 12 boat fleet. Glassilaun (D O'Neill) won the Squibs but it was disappointing that only three of the nine boats flew kites.

Few of the many shoreline spectators would have noticed though such was the volume of boats filling Scotsmans bay at 8pm tonight.

Full results below:

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 12 MAY 2011

BENETEAU 31.7 ECHO- 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke), 3. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Contango (Barry Cunningham), 2. Jedi (Sarratt/Austin/McGuinness), 3. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne)

CRUISERS 1 ECHO - 1. Contango (Barry Cunningham), 2. Jedi (Sarratt/Austin/McGuinness), 3. Joker 11 (John Maybury)

CRUISERS 2 ECHO - 1. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 2. Jester (Declan Curtin), 3. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 2. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 2. Janx Spirit (T McGrath), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)

CRUISERS 3 ECHO - 1. Small Wonder (Hugh Kelly), 2. Taiscealai (Brian Richardson et al), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams/P.Bowring), 3. Zu (P.Dee et al)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. Mellifluence (Tom Leonard), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

GLEN - 1. Glenmarissa (F.Elmes/W.Higgins), 2. Glenshane (P Hogan), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al), 2. Carmen (Michael Hinkson et al), 3. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada)

SB3s - 1. Flutter (Andrew Algeo), 2. Sin Bin (Barry O'Neill), 3. Defiant (R.Hudson/J.Hooper)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Euphanzel lll (Louis McSherry et al), 3. Gusto (C Heath)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 3. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire)

SQUIB - 1. Glassilaun (D O'Neill), 2. Pintail (M Muldoon & B Stevens), 3. Lola (Frank Whelan)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS ECHO - 1. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Edenpark (Liam Farmer)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

Spot the mark was the order of the day on Dublin Bay for this afternoon's Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) race as boats, ships and racing marks appeared - and disappeared - in a sea mist that persisted all afternoon.  The south easterly breeze that had prevailed this week means Forty foot mark, located just off Sandycove point, has got more than its fair share of use. Last Thursday's courses came in to play again this afternoon in Scotsmans bay.

David Williams of the Royal St. George Yacht Club sailing Phantom produced the same form as Thursday night to win from Michael Doorly in Aphrodite in a seven boat Dragon fleet. In the Flying fifteen's Frank Burgess  of the National Yacht Club won both races. The SB3 results have not been recorded and nor have Cruisers Zero. John Maybury's Cruiser one entry, the J109 Joker, was a winner on IRC and Chris Moore's J109 Powder Monkey was the ECHO handicap winner. The rest of the DBSC results from this afternoon's race are below:

As the DBSC fleet sailed back to their moorings more boats appeared out of the mist around 4.30pm. It was the leading pack of the ISORA fleet returning from their second race to Rockabill and back. And bringing them home was Bay regular Derek Martin's Lively Lady. Click for our ISORA story here.

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Flying Machine (Conor O'Gallagher), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Fiddly Bits (Kevin Byrne et al), 3. Flying Machine (Conor O'Gallagher)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 2. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 3. Aztec 3 (Peter Beamish)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Powder Monkey (C.Moore/M.Byrne), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Aztec 3 (Peter Beamish)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 2. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 3. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 2. Bendemeer (Lindsay Casey Power), 3. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Hyflyer (John Barnard), 3. Cacciatore (Anne O'Callaghan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Hyflyer (John Barnard), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 2. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson)

DRAGON - 1. Phantom (D.Williams/P.Bowring), 2. Aphrodite (Michael Doorly et al), 3. Susele (Michael Halpenny)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. The Big Bow Wow (N.Meagher/N.Matthews), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 3. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole)

GLEN - 1. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor), 2. Glenshesk (L.Faulkner et al), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne), 3. Squalls (Stephen Harrison)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Squalls (Stephen Harrison), 3. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne)

MERMAID - 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 3. Kim (D Cassidy)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 3. Kim (D Cassidy)

PY CLASS - 1. E Ryan (RS400), 2. F.Heath (Laser 1), 3. Desmond McCarthy (Laser 1)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. F.Heath (Laser 1), 2. Desmond McCarthy (Laser 1), 3. E Ryan (RS400)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 2. Ripples (Frank Bradley), 3. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath), 2. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 3. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 3. Popje (Ted McCourt)

SQUIB - 1. Femme Fatale (Joe O'Byrne), 2. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 3. Nimble (Brian O'Hare)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Femme Fatale (Joe O'Byrne), 2. Nimble (Brian O'Hare), 3. Kookaburra (P & M Dee)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo- 1. Sea Safari (Jacquelin Smith), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Nirvana (Bernard Neeson)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

Ann Kirwan sailing Ruff'n'Ready made the most of 15–knot south easterly breezes on Dublin Bay to beat a 13-strong DBSC Ruffian fleet tonight.  It was a fleet race that remained tightly packed for the duration of the one hour competition. Second was club mate Bruce Carswell's Diane II who outwitted early leader Derek Mitchell in Ruff 'n'Nuff at the Forty foot weather mark. Third was Lorcan Balfe's Crescendo from the National Yacht Club.

Disappointingly spinnakers were unable to be flown on the first offwind leg in all but the Dragon fleet. Winner David Williams sailing Phantom was the first to fly, breaking out the big pink sail and the chasing pack of five followed suit. Second was Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody) and third Susele (Michael Halpenny). The six boat SB3s though were more reticent and assymetrics did not appear until half way along the offwind leg where gusts appeared strongest. DBSC has not published results for the SB3 class tonight. The nine boat Flying Fifteens also white sailed along the reach and it was the National Yacht Club's Michael McCambridge's Hi Fibre who emerged the winner.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 5 MAY 2011

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Fiddly Bits (Kevin Byrne et al), 3. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 3. After U Too (Michael Blaney)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Jedi (Sarratt/Austin/McGuinness), 2. Raptor (D.Hewitt et al), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Jedi (Sarratt/Austin/McGuinness), 3. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 3. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Lady Rowena (David Bolger), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Two Step (Ross Doyle)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Small Wonder (Hugh Kelly), 2. Lady Rowena (David Bolger), 3. Carrabeg (D.Martin/R.Deasy)

DRAGON - 1. Phantom (D.Williams/P.Bowring), 2. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 3. Susele (Michael Halpenny)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 2. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 3. Flyer (Niall Coleman)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm), 3. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al), 2. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 3. Cresendo (L Balfe)

SHIPMAN - 1. Curraglas (John Masterson), 2. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 3. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Moonshine (R.Moloney/D.O'Flynn), 2. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 3. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody)

SQUIB - 1. Buzz Lite (G.O'Connor/B.Foster), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Little Demon (Marie Dee)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Misty (Trevor Wood), 2. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney), 3. Calypso (Howard Knott)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 3. Nauti-Gal (J & J Crawford)

Moderate easterly winds produced a great night's sailing on Dublin Bay tonight for the second Tuesday night race of the DBSC Summer season. In the Fireball dinghy class S. Oram's unnamed boat entry won again from Louis Smyth's 'Licence to Thrill'. Gary O'Hare lead the Laser fleet and picked up the Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) win from P. Keane. Third on PY was E. Ryan's RS400 dinghy.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 3 MAY 2011

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)

MERMAID - 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney)

PY CLASS - 1. Gary O'Hare (Laser), 2. P Keane (Laser 1), 3. E Ryan (RS400)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Graduate (D O'Keeffe), 2. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle), 2. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey), 3. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson), 2. Maranda (Myles Kelly)

FIREBALL - 1. nn (S Oram), 2. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 3. Elevation (N.Colin/M.Casey)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glenshesk (L.Faulkner et al), 3. Glenshane (P Hogan)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Icicle (C & J Murray), 2. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

Colin Byrne sailing Xtravagance won in both IRC and ECHO handicap divisions in this afternoon's first Dublin Bay Sailing Club Saturday race of 2011. The Royal Irish Yacht Club entry beat the Commodore's yacht Gringo (Tony Fox) for the top slot in Class One in an afternoon that blew away the winter cobwebs.

Today's 15 knot Easterly breeze was the perfect antidote to the disappointment of the abandonment of the first race last Thursday due to lack of wind.

In other fleets, Keith Kiernan's Cor Baby won class 2 and the Sonata Jammie Dodger (Dermot O'Neill) won class three, currently the Bay's biggest cruiser class with over 30 entries.

On the one design courses Joe Coughlan's Ash beat Frank Burgess's Snow White in the first race of the Flying Fifteen's, a result that was reversed in the second race.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 30 APRIL 2011

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 1 - ECHO 1. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 2. Gringo (Tony Fox), 3. Adrenalin (Joe McDonald)

CRUISERS 2 - ECHO 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Kamikaze (P.Nash/B.McIntyre), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill), 2. Carrabeg (D.Martin/R.Deasy), 3. Supernova (K.Lawless et al)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson)

BENETEAU 31.7 - , 3. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 ˆ ECHO 1. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 2. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 3. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll)

FLYING FIFTEEN ˆ RACE 2 1. Ash (Joseph Coughlan), 2. Snow White (Frank Burgess)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. Ash (Joseph Coughlan), 3. PFO (Valerie Mulvin)

MERMAID - 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney)

PY CLASS - 1. P Keane (Laser 1), 2. Sean Flanagan (Laser)

PY CLASS - RACE 2 1. Sean Flanagan (Laser), 2. P Keane (Laser 1), 3. Desmond McCarthy (Laser 1)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 2. Cresendo (L Balfe), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath), 2. Whiterock (Henry Robinson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Popje (Ted McCourt), 2. Pippa lV (G.Kinsman/K.Blake/M.O'Brien)

SQUIB - 1. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Little Demon (Marie Dee)

SQUIB - RACE 2 1. Kookaburra (P & M Dee), 2. Little Demon (Marie Dee), 3. Tais (Michael O'Connell)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS ˆ ECHO 1. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott)

It would not have been a problem if the 80-metre Irish Lights Vessel Granuaile moored in Scotsman's Bay was the only obstacle for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) fleet to overcome tonight. It was obvious though – as soon as the first guns sounded – there were bigger issues for course setters as the evening's timid easterly breeze started to die.

As the flags drooped on DBSC's Spirit of the Irish committee boat shorter courses were set for the 17 classes – and 200 or more competing boats – but to no avail, the fickle light wind was not going to hold out.

As the Dragon and SB3 classes started their race it was apparent that even the fetch from the back of the East pier to East mark was going to be a big ask with such adverse tide.

After all but one of the white sail fleet failed to cross the start line the Race officer was forced to rule them out of time.

Even though it looked like there was breeze out beyond the Burford bank there was nothing in the inner bay area;  crews sat to leeward, spinnakers collapsed and the first race of the 128th DBSC sailing season was abandoned.

There could be anything up to 500-boats afloat for events right across the bay and out in to the Irish Sea.

Joining the 390 boat DBSC fleet for its 128th season is a gathering of over 300 dinghies in Dun Laoghaire for the Mitsubishi Youth National Championships at the Royal St. George and National Yacht Clubs. It's an important event because it is a dry run for next year's ISAF Youth Worlds on Dublin Bay.

The National Yacht Club is also host for the first race of the 2011 ISORA offshore season. Up to 17 starters from a possible ISORA entry list of 40 are confirmed for the first race to Holyhead. First gun for ISORA is at 0755. An Early one!

Across the bay in Howth there is a competitive fleet assembled for the SB3 Eastern Championships. A notable feature of the event is the inclusion of Olympic campaigner Annalise Murphy.

Ashore, Réalt na Mara Dun Laoghaire RNLI's new D-class lifeboat is to be officially named during a ceremony on the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire this Saturday at 12 noon. The lifeboat is to be named by Mr and Mrs Pat and Kathy Kenny. RTE presenter Pat Kenny and his wife Kathy have been long-standing supporters of the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboats.

Mid week forecasts show good sailing winds for the weekend. Met Eireann is forecasting Southeast to east force 2 to 4 breezes, light enough for a gentle start to the season but there's still a chance of stronger for Saturday afternoon. Listen to Eddie English's weather prediction from Cork Harbour.

Making its debut for the first time under the club burgee was an International Moth dinghy. The ultra fast hull was airborne at just eight knots of breeze, making even the trapezing Fireballs look slow. But despite the pace the new fangled dinghy did not feature in the overall Portsmouth Yardstick (PY)  results. See below.

A healthy turnout of six 'balls, urged on by the fact that the class World Championships is in Sligo in 46 days time, got some trapezing gusts and some planing waves downwind in a north-easterly breeze of 6-8 knots. S. Oram took the winning gun from Louis Smyth sailing Licence to Thrill.

Single handed Lasers boasted twice the Fireball turnout to be the biggest class racing in Scotsman's bay tonight. It's a show of strength from a class surely worthy of its own start if this kind of turnout can be maintained.

Sean Craig won the Laser race from Peter Craig but the overall PY result went to E. Ryan's RS400.

Two Dublin Bay Mermaids and disappointingly, a single IDRA 14, No.124, Squalls also competed.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 26 APRIL 2011

FIREBALL - 1. nn (S Oram), 2. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 3. Incubus (C Power/M Barry)

MERMAID - 1. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan)

PY CLASS - 1. E Ryan (RS400), 2. Sean Craig (Laser), 3. Peter Craig (Laser)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Free Spirit (John O'Reilly)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 2. Pamafe (Michael Costello), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Maranda (Myles Kelly), 2. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson), 3. Artemis (J.Giles)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 2. Icicle (C & J Murray), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 2. Pippa lV (G.Kinsman/K.Blake/M.O'Brien)

SQUIB - 1. Tais (Michael O'Connell), 2. Periguin (N.Coakley/J.Redahan)

More DBSC News here.

In a break away from traditional 'hut' starts on the West Pier this season Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Thursday night sailing will feature two committee boats on duty. The new procedures are detailed in the 2011 Dublin Bay Sailing Club Annual published this week.

The DBSC summer season starts in two weeks time. The first Tuesday race is April 26th. The first Thursday race is on April 28th and the first Saturday race is April 30th. 

Thursday night racing brings some of the biggest turnouts of the season, some evening boasting up to 200 boats for the mid-week round the cans racing.

The club's own MacLir committee boat will be servicing the Blue Fleet in the northern section of the racing area of Dublin Bay. The Royal Irish Yacht Club's Spirit of the Irish vessel will service the Red Fleet in the south-east section.

Unless weather conditions dictate otherwise, there will be no racing at the Hut but the format of Tuesday and Saturday racing will remain unchanged from previous years.

Writing in the 2011 yearbook, DBSC commodore Tony Fox refers to the course layouts:

"Inevitably, the changes have required re-drafting of courses and some re-location of marks. Omega has moved from its original position not far from the West Pier to serve as a hub for the Red Fleet marks which, with the addition of a new Bay Mark, form a natural circle. Similarly, Middle mark becomes the hub of the Blue Fleet circle. Some shifting of mark positions has ensued ‚ the only radical change is that of Poldy, which was situated too close to the shipping lane for comfort; it will now be stationed roughly between East and Island Marks. Martello Mark is now redundant."