Most offshore sailors would be well pleased to have notched their season’s start with a win in April, but Howth’s Simon Knowles goes into May with two bullets already in the bag for the J/109 Indian in the first races of the ISORA Viking Marine 2024 programme.

Curiously enough, although he was frustrated by unseasonably flukey and sometimes non-existent winds in his February challenge with a chartered J/122 in the RORC Caribbean 600, he says he likes the concentration challenge of light wind racing provided it’s on a reasonably level playing field. And he certainly has demonstrated his expertise in the soft going, with several established and new contenders left in Indian’s wake.

There was a second consecutive ISORA coastal race win for the Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian crew skippered by Simon Knowles on Sunday after a light to medium air test in the longest race of the Viking Marine series so far.

The north Dublin boat took its first coastal win in similar conditions last weekend as Afloat reported here

Just under eight weeks before the big circuit, things are hotting up for Round Ireland Race campaigners with a potent 14-boat offshore fleet on show in ISORA's fourth coastal mini-series race off the Dublin and Wicklow coasts.

Second overall on IRC was Coquine Alan Hannon's Belfast Lough-based JPK 1030, which eclipsed her bigger sistership, the ISORA champion 2023 Rockabill VI, which finished third in spite of a fast exit out of Dublin Bay in the first stage of the race.

All three podium finishers are in training for the 700-mile Round Ireland. 

The latest addition to the fleet is a canting-keel 57-footer. The Greystones Harbour Elliott 57, Opal (Frank Whelan), took line honours as expected, sporting a new set of sails for season 2024.

(Above and below) the canting keel Opal skippered by Frank Whelan from Greystones Harbour, an Elliott 57, was the largest boat in the ISORA fleet and was the line honours winner in the 28-mile race Photo: Afloat

ISORA's Race 7, the fourth Irish Coastal Race, began at 11.00 a.m. for all classes for the 28-mile race. It started at Dun Laoghaire's Outfall buoy at the West Pier, then passed the Muglins (S), to Moulditch Buoy (P), to East Kish (P), and back into Dublin Bay to a finish at DL between the pier heads, which the line honours winner Opal completed in a time of three hours and 42 minutes.

Simon Knowles steered the Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian to a second light-air win in ISORA's coastal mini-series sponsored by Viking Marine Photo: Afloat

The race had all the necessary ingredients to reward the competitors: steady wind, spring sunshine, a competitive fleet and a local pod of harbour porpoises to escort the boats past Dalkey Island to boot! 

Second overall on IRC, Alan Hannon's Belfast Lough-based JPK 1030 Coquine navigated. a course close to the south shore of Dublin Bay in the fourth ISORA coastal mini-series race sponsored by Viking Marine Photo: Afloat

The fleet clung to the Bay's southern shore in a bid to escape the worst of a building flood tide. It meant most of the the fleet put in multiple gybes as they sailed downwind in the north-west wind under asymmetric spinnaker but Rockabill VI with the advantage of a symmetric kite needed only two or three gybes to clear Dublin Bay and had the ability to run dead downwind in the useful gusts presented by the offshore wind of ten knots or so.

Third overall Paul O'Higgins' JPK 1080 Rockabill VI clears the Muglins to starboard and sets a course for Moulditch buoy off Greystones under her symmetric spinnaker Photo: Afloat

There were a number of retirals including Nick Miller's First 31.7 Mayfly and Michael Murphy's Sigma 38, State O'Chassis.

A Dublin Bay pod of harbour porpoises escort the ISORA boats past Dalkey Island and the Muglins Photo: Afloat 

The next ISORA fixture is the first cross-channel race of the season which is May 11th's 75-miler from Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli in North Wales.

National Yacht Club organisers have confirmed that the 15-boat ISORA fleet will race a 28-mile coastal race from Dun Laoghaire.

As Afloat reported previously, the Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian (Colm Buckley and Simon Knowles) returns to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour line this Sunday at 11 am for the fourth of five races in ISORA's Viking Marine Coastal Series.

Forecasts say light northwest winds will take the 15-boat fleet off the line on Sunday morning. 

Sunday's ISORA coastal race will start off Dun Laoghaire using the outfall buoy as the pin end of the start line Photo: Afloat

The April mini-series is part of the overall Irish Sea offshore racing season and is organised by the National Yacht Club for the Vincent Farrell Trophy.

ISORA's Race 7 - the fourth Irish Coastal Race course will be: Start at DL Outfall, Muglins (S) 53 16.52 N 06 04.58 W, Moulditch Buoy (P) 53 08.548 N 06 01.23 W, East Kish (P) 53 14.35 N 05 53.56 W and finish at DL between pier heads.

Having won last Sunday's race, the Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian (Colm Buckley and Simon Knowles) returns to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour line this Sunday at 11 am for the fourth of five races in ISORA's Viking Marine Coastal Series.

Forecasts say light northwest winds will take the 15-boat fleet off the line on Sunday morning. 

The April mini-series is part of the overall Irish Sea offshore racing season and is organised by the National Yacht Club for the Vincent Farrell Trophy.

The Wicklow-based Elliott 57 Opal (Frank Whelan) from Greystones Harbour Photo: Afloat

 The final course – most likely the longest of the series so far – will be selected on Saturday.

The ISORA champion JPK 10.80, Rockabill VI Photo: Afloat

A mixed cruiser racer fleet is slated to contest the 30-miler, which has a five-hour time limit and includes most of last week's race entry, including the ISORA champion JPK 10.80, Rockabill VI, the IRC Coastal division winner of the 2023 Sovereign's Cup, Checkmate XX, and the second-race joint winner, Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia.

Checkmate XX from Howth in light airs mode Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Alan Hannon's Belfast Lough, JPK 10.30 Coquine, will also return on Sunday. The largest boat in the fleet, the Wicklow-based Elliott 57 Opal (Frank Whelan) from Greystones Harbour, will make its 2024 ISORA debut. 

The ISORA Race fleet for the fourth of five races in the Viking Marine Coastal Series on April 28th

Sailing Instructions are downloadable below

Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian (Simon Knowles) was the winner of Sunday's 11-boat Viking Marine coastal race with ISORA JPK 1030 debutante Alan Hannon finishing second.

A light wind start for the third ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

The J109 Indian crew make the best of the light winds Photo: Afloat

The third coastal race of 2024 got underway in less than five knots off Dun Laoghaire Harbour's West Pier, but by the time the fleet reached Scotsman's Bay and exited Dublin Bay off Dalkey Island, the breeze had increased to a steady six or seven knots, producing some champagne conditions by the time the race was shortened at north Kish to satisfy the four-hour limit.

The unmistakable decal of Alan Hannon's Belfast Lough JPK 1030 Coquine with Rockabill VI ahead and to leeward Photo: Afloat

Finishing third was reigning ISORA champion (Paul O'Higgins, Royal Irish Yacht Club) in the larger JPK 1080, Rockabill VI.

Reigning ISORA champion Paul O'Higgins's JPK 1080, Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

"Those that turned out were rewarded with a great race", ISORA boss Peter Ryan told Afloat. 

The ISORA fleet leave the bay on race three of the Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series Photo: Afloat

The next ISORA race on the 2024 calendar is on Sunday, April 28th following Saturday's first DBSC race of the season. After that, ISORA's Irish and Welsh fleets will then combine for the first cross-channel race.

Crews anticipate shortening Sunday's 24-mile course in ISORA's third Viking Marine coastal race due to a light wind forecast, keeping the duration to the promised four-hour time limit. 

That will be in marked contrast to last Saturday's sail-busting weather that saw an eight-boat fleet race a fast course in 20-knot westerlies under spinnaker to North Kish on Dublin Bay.

A three to five-knot north-easterly is forecast for Sunday morning off Dun Laoghaire as Ireland's biggest marine leisure centre enjoys the first fine boating weekend weather of the year.

Sunday's course will follow the usual start for all classes at 11 am: from the Dun Laoghaire Outfall buoy to the Muglins (S) to Bray Outfall (P) to North Kish (P), then to ISORA Dublin Virtual (S) and a finish between the pier heads at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Sunday's ISORA's third Viking Marine coastal race course will follow a usual start from the Dun Laoghaire Outfall buoy for all classes at 11 am to the Muglins (S) to Bray Outfall (P) to North Kish (P), then to ISORA Dublin Virtual (S) and a finish between the pier heads at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

As Afloat reported earlier, the fleet is hotting up for the third race. The Belfast Lough JPK 1030 Coquine, skippered by Alan Hannon, arrived in Dun Laoghaire on Wednesday for the weekend fixture.

Among the contestants are last week's Dun Laoghaire joint winners, the J122 Aurelia (Chris Power Smith) from the Royal St. George Yacht Club and ISORA 2023 champion, the JPK 1080 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) from the Royal Irish Yacht Club. 

Some early mid-week training on Dublin Bay has ensured the return of the J122 Aurelia (Chris Power Smith) from the Royal St. George Yacht Club to the ISORA circuit has been a successful one Photo: Afloat

Also expected are visitors to the bay from the nearby Howth Yacht Club. 

Following Saturday's dead heat for first place in ISORA's season coastal race opener, 14 boats have entered next Sunday's four-hour race. 

Among the contestants are last week's Dun Laoghaire winners, the J122 Aurelia (Chris Power Smith) from the Royal St. George Yacht Club and ISORA 2023 champion, the JPK 1080 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) from the Royal Irish Yacht Club. 

Also expected are visitors to the bay from nearby Howth Yacht Club and also from Belfast Lough with the JPK 1030 Coquine skippered by Alan Hannon.

Sunday's race featured strong and gusty south westerly conditions for a fast race to North Kish and back as Afloat reported here.

Upbeat ISORA race organiser Peter Ryan says online entry is still open for next weekend's race. 'All are welcome,' he adds, and 'Good weather is guaranteed'.

Entries for the April 21st ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour

The first Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race of 2024 at Dun Laoghaire on Saturday produced a dead heat for first place on IRC rating, according to race organisers at the National Yacht Club.

Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia from the Royal St. George Yacht Club made the best of gusty southwest winds to win the line honours, but the smaller champion Rockabill JPK 10.80, skippered by Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, put up a sturdy defence to share victory in the first challenge of the season. 

"It was a dead heat for first place. Amazing! Never saw it happen before!" ISORA boss Peter Ryan told Afloat.

Although there was a 15-boat entry, only an eight-boat fleet contested the 18-mile race out of the Bay to the Kish Bank and back this Saturday morning at 11 a.m.

ISORA Race Officers Barry MacNeaney and Larry Power of the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Bright sunshine and offshore winds of up to 20 knots set the scene for the season opener, which welcomed Aurelia's return and a new ISORA arrival, the J/99 Mister Ollie.

The 2023 champion Rockabill VI was the best starter, even if an hourglass hoist cost vital seconds. The French design established an early lead off the West Pier start line in the sub-three-hour race to finish with a corrected time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 00 seconds, exactly the same as Aurelia in a first for ISORA racing.

Tom Shanahan's J109 Ruth came third.

(Above and below) The JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI, skippered by Paul O'Higgins of the Royal Irish Yacht Club on her way to a dead heat for first place with Aurelia in the gusty April 13th Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat

The fleet sailed a tight starboard hand reaching leg out to North Kish and a beat back to port, passing the Dublin ISORA virtual mark on the relevant side.

North Kish and back keeping dublin isora virtual on the appropriate side was the course for the April 13th Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race

Two J109s made a potent start in the eight-boat fleet, with the Shanahan boat powering off the line under blue spinnaker, easily matching the bigger Aurelia and ahead of Simon Knowles's sistership Indian from Howth Yacht Club.

Simon Knowles' J109 Indian (above) was chasing Tom Shanahan's J109 Ruth (below) hard before blowing a spinnaker (bottom) in a gusty opening leg of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. 

John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat

Jonathan Stanley's J99 Mister Ollie competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat 

Michael Murphy's Sigma 38 State O'Chassis competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat

David Simpson's Swan 37 Albireo competing in the first race of the 2024 Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series race Photo: Afloat

The next Irish coastal is Sunday, April 21st, with an 11.00 start for a scheduled four-hour race.

The absence of a gale warning and a forecasted flat sea state means tomorrow's second ISORA Coastal Race from Dun Laoghaire will go ahead in gusty southwesterly winds, albeit over a shortened course.

A straw poll of skippers was in favour of the race proceeding even though, at one point, it looked like the weather window to start a race had closed in.

The course announced on Friday lunchtime has been shortened to north Kish and back, passing the Dublin ISORA virtual mark on the relevant side.

"The decision to start or to continue rests wholly with the Skipper", ISORA chief Peter Ryan reminded competitors. 

The second race of the Viking Marine Irish coastal series is due to start at 11 a.m. off Dun Laoghaire. Weather forecasts predict strong southwesterly winds gusting up to 35 mph on Saturday afternoon. 

Ryan is allowing for a three-hour race with all boats finished by approximately 2 pm.

As regular Afloat readers know, the first race was postponed last weekend due to Storm Kathleen and is scheduled to be re-run at a later date with a suggestion from Afloat's W M Nixon that double points could be awarded for the April 13th race, and forget about any later re-staging of the first blocked race of 2024.

Final Sailing Instructions are below.

Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Race Entries for Race Two on April 13th 2024

ISORA cruiser-racers are looking for a 'weather window' to get their 2024 season underway this Saturday morning (13th April).

The second race of the Viking Marine Irish coastal series is due to start at 11 am off Dun Laoghaire, but weather forecasts predict strong southwesterly winds gusting up to 40 mph on Saturday afternoon. 

Nevertheless, ISORA chief Peter Ryan believes a 'weather window may exist' that will allow for a three-hour race with all boats finished by 1400 hours.

As regular Afloat readers know, the first race was postponed last weekend due to Storm Kathleen and is scheduled to be re-run at a later date with a suggestion from Afloat's W M Nixon that double points could be awarded for the April 13th race, and forget about any later re-staging of the first blocked race of 2024.

Further updates on Saturday's race status are awaited from ISORA HQ. Sailing Instructions have been published and are below.