Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

In its 117-year history it has organised summer racing, and only with the construction of the marina in 2001 did any prospect of winter racing materialise, as boats on moorings were always hauled ashore from September to April.

But now, because of the Harbour Company’s major expansion of marina facilities in the Harbour, the club, with 1,800 members and 350 boats, are anticipating a demand for year-round racing.

They already have a foretaste of what may happen during the Club’s Sunday morning winter racing. Up to this it’s been a relaxed, laid-back affair, but if swing moorings disappear altogether, many regular Dublin Bay sailors – with all–year round access to the water – may well be looking for serious winter racing as an alternative to or extension of their summer programme.

This may not be such an extravagant idea as once appeared only a few years ago. The seasons appear to be changing. Irish winters don’t seem as harsh as they were, and with the experience of many seasons of light, frustrating winds in summer months, many would welcome the choice to extend their racing into the winter period.

Costello reckons it will mean providing permanent racing marks in the Bay, additional expenditure on committee vessels, more race officers and volunteers to man starting lines, as well as more secretarial and results personnel, but a year-long series is only around the corner.