All the starts and finishes were on a transit below the village square with the vast majority of the racing inside the harbor, so all was visible from the pubs and the tables set up in the village square. It is one of the few locations where sailboat racing is a spectator sport.
There were four days of racing, two races each day with Sunday the closing day a parade of sail. Thirty-five boats of various sizes shapes and ages competed.
The weather was perfect, a little heavy at times requiring many boats to reef, but since the courses were inside the harbor, smooth water provided some exciting sailing.
The 'golden oldies' that prove wood does last were out in force: Iolaire 1905, Peggy Bawn 1897, and Fife was represented by three Cork Harbor one designs and a Howth 17, all built in 1897.
Traditional Irish boats were well-represented, a restored Galway Hooker, a replica of a West Cork mackerel yawl, also of a Heir island Lobster boat, both built by Hegartys of Old Court, proving that traditional wooden boatbuilding is alive and well in west cork.
The Ettie class of 16’ gaff half decked lapstrake centerboard day sailors has been revived with new boats, and the wonderful Gubby Williams modern 16’ half decked center boarders were also represented, as were the modern classic fiberglass boats (at least pre-l975 design).
The after race parties were excellent barbeques, a wonderful pig roast, entertainment every night with bands, an Irish rather than a Scots piper, and Jeremy Irons not only raced his little gaff yawl Blue Moon but one evening entertained everyone with wonderful humorous stories of his adventures – and misadventures – while sailing.
The closing night was dancing in the square until midnight, with fireworks.
