Baltimore Sailing Club in West Cork is, predominantly, a ‘summer club’ that is very busy when seasonal visitors arrive in the village from Cork City, Dublin and other locations. That does not limit its ambitions to develop the sport as its newly-elected Commodore Grahame Copplestone has been telling me.

The annual general meeting this week had a list of planned events that it hopes to host, starting in April and this year running possibly into October/ November. The list includes Munster Lasers – 16th-17th April; Wazsp Southerns/Foil Event – 14th – 15th May; National 18’s South Coast – 4th -5th June; 1720 Nationals – 1st, 2nd 3rd August or 8th, 9th 10th August; Baltimore Cup – August weekend; ITRA Nationals –late October/November.

1720 sportsboats are strong in Baltimore Sailing Club where class ace Robert O'Leary (left) is the club Sailing Secretary Photo: Deirdre Horgan

Grahame Copplestone takes over from outgoing Commodore Charlie Bolger who has agreed to stay on as a club committee member. Peter O’Flynn has been appointed as Vice Commodore; Tom Bushe – Treasurer; Etain Linehan – Secretary; Sheila O’Sullivan – Rear Commodore; Rob O’Leary – Sailing Secretary, with Committee Members - Ruth Field, Dee Griffiths, Pierce Ryan, Glenn MacCarthy and Fiona MacCarthy.

"The 1720 Class has become a major part of the club"

The 1720 Class has become a major part of the club and owners of these boats are encouraging a “cohort of younger sailors to join the fleet,” the new Commodore says. He told me that the club is putting a lot of emphasis on retaining younger sailors in the sport and is also intending to develop more cruiser racing.

The Heir Island Sloop raced at Baltimore Sailing Club is designed for local one-design racing and day sailing on the semi-sheltered waters of Long Island Bay and Roaring Water Bay in South West Cork

Graham Copplestone is my first podcast guest in 2022. Listen to his interview here where he outlines in detail the club plans, starting with its position as a summer club.

Proof of the continuing resurgence of the 1720 sportsboat class was evident in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour at the weekend with the arrival - and naming of - another addition to the Royal Cork fleet.  

Given the number at the "Europeans Championships" in Dunmore East in September, where numbers were just under 30 boats, the 2022 season already looks sure to be a highlight of July's Cork Week Regatta when the club's design will take centre stage. 

It's obvious there's been some TLC that went into this lovely new addition, her silver-grey topsides looking every inch the perfect finish!

1720 'Breaking Bad' - silver grey topsides

As to the identity of the skipper of Breaking Bad, there's no confirmation from Crosshaven yet, but insiders say a Laser National Champion may take the helm.

Everyone at UK Sailmakers Ireland is proud of how well our customers performed at last weekend's 1720 European Championships at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club.

We would also like to congratulate the McBearla's team on their overall victory.

UK Sailmakers Ireland has put every effort into making our sails the fastest on the race track, and it's showing with all our sails on the podium in Dunmore East: 

1. McBearla IRL 2000 Rope Dock
2. Elder Lemon IRL 2888 Robert Dix
3. Live Wire IRL 1755 Baltimore sailing Club
4. Probably Legal IRL 1804 Mia Murphy

We would also like to thank Waterford Harbour Sailing Club for running an excellent event. Julian Hughes and his team did a fantastic job.

De Ja Vu IRL 1777 Ross Johnson running deep down the inside, making gains on the fleet. 

Root 1 IRL 1848 Julian Hughes rounding the right-hand leeward mark

Full Irish IRL 1748 David Kenefick leading a split gybe in the fleet downwind 

Elder Lemon IRL 2888 Robert Dix setting as he rounds the wing mark and goes on to win race 5 with his XD carbon sails 

On Saturday, fog cut short the final day of racing of the 1720 European Championships at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club, handing the overall title to Ross McDonald and the McBearla crew. 

Although the stage was set for a thrilling final three races to decide the podium places, overnight scores stood, meaning McDonald and his RopeDock Atara crew won by an impressive margin of 16 points.

A 27-boat fleet, one of the biggest in recent years, had gathered at Dunmore East for the three-day event.

As Afloat reported earlier, McDonald took an early lead in Thursday's first races. It's a return to the performance that McDonald found in July when he won the Eastern Championships on his home waters at Howth.

A 27-boat 1720 fleet, one of the biggest in recent years, had gathered at Dunmore East for the three day Euros event

Thanks to a win and a sixth-place scored on Friday afternoon, another Howth helmsman, Robert Dix, finished second place by a point at the helm of Elder Lemon.

Baltimore's Mark Hassett skippering Live Wire finished third. 

The host club's Cian Finnegan won the Under-25 trophy. The 1720 top rookie prize also stayed with the hosts as Rob McConnell took the award in tenth place.

The interclub trophy, based on the top three aggregate scores, went to Baltimore Sailing Club.

1720 Europeans Top Ten Overall

1 1720 Rope DocK Atara 1720 2000 HYC/RCYC McBearla's 7.0 1.0 2.0 4.0 (17.0) 1.0 32.0 15.0
2 1720 Elder Lemon 1720 2888 BSC Robert Dix 2.0 (28.0 DSQ) 5.0 17.0 1.0 6.0 59.0 31.0
3 1720 Live Wire 1720 1755 BSC BSC 4.0 (16.0) 14.0 6.0 4.0 4.0 48.0 32.0
4 1720 Probably Legal 1720 1804 RCYC Mia Murphy 5.0 7.0 12.0 7.0 (19.0) 3.0 53.0 34.0
5 1720 Dutch Gold 1720 2020 BSC Rob O'Leary 1.0 10.0 10.0 (28.0 OCS) 8.0 7.0 64.0 36.0
6 1720 Spiced Beef 1720 184 BSC Fionn Lyden 9.0 11.0 4.0 3.0 (13.0) 11.0 51.0 38.0
7 1720 True worth 1720 1812 WHBTC Ben Scallan/Doireann Lawlor 17.0 (23.0) 7.0 13.0 10.0 2.0 72.0 49.0
8 1720 The Connor K 1720 1722 RIYC Kenneth Rumball 8.0 6.0 11.0 18.0 6.0 (28.0 BFD) 77.0 49.0
9 1720 Smile 'n' Wave 1720 1722 BSC Ben Cooke 3.0 8.0 15.0 14.0 (16.0) 10.0 66.0 50.0
10 1720 Fools Gold 1720 1749 WHSC Rob McConnell 22.0 4.0 3.0 1.0 (24.0) 21.0 75.0 51.0

Results here

The stakes are high this morning for the final day of racing at the 1720 Europeans 2021 at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club, where the top three boats have already discarded teens or higher results after six races sailed.

A 27-boat fleet, one of the biggest in recent years, has gathered at Dunmore East, but so far proceedings have not gone as expected for pre-championship favourite Robert O'Leary and his Dutch Gold crew from Baltimore Sailing Club.

Instead, the Ross McDonald skippered Rope Dock Atara from Howth, and Royal Cork hold a commanding 16-point lead going into today's final three races, according to provisional results (see link below).

The 'McBearla' crew count two race wins on their scoresheet from six starts but will also be well aware they are discarding a 17 from race five.

This week's performance is a return to the form that McDonald found in July when he won the Eastern Championships on his home waters at Howth.

Thanks to a win and a sixth-place scored on Friday afternoon, another Howth helmsman, Robert Dix, now holds second place by a point. Therefore, the 1976 Olympian and his Lemon crew will be keen to keep a clean score sheet as they are discarding a disqualification from the second race on Thursday.

With only five points separating second O'Leary in fifth place, the national champions remain in contention for a podium later today. 

Top five after six races sailed at 1720 Europeans 2021 at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club

1 1720 Rope DocK Atara 1720 2000 HYC/RCYC McBearla's 7.0 1.0 2.0 4.0 (17.0) 1.0 32.0 15.0
2 1720 Elder Lemon 1720 2888 BSC Robert Dix 2.0 (28.0 DSQ) 5.0 17.0 1.0 6.0 59.0 31.0
3 1720 Live Wire 1720 1755 BSC BSC 4.0 (16.0) 14.0 6.0 4.0 4.0 48.0 32.0
4 1720 Probably Legal 1720 1804 RCYC Mia Murphy 5.0 7.0 12.0 7.0 (19.0) 3.0 53.0 34.0
5 1720 Dutch Gold 1720 2020 BSC Rob O'Leary 1.0 10.0 10.0 (28.0 OCS) 8.0 7.0 64.0 36.0

 Results here

The McBearla's Rope Dock Atara leads the 1720 European Championships at Dunmore East after three races sailed in an impressive fleet of 27 boats. The Cork-Dublin crew skippered by Ross McDonald of Howth counts a 7, 1, 2 to lead from National Champion Robert O'Leary and the Dutch Gold crew are second on 21 points with scores of 1,10 and 10. 

Waterford Harbour local entry Red Eye (Alex Coleman) is lying third on 22 points 

Racing starts continues at 10.55 am this morning (Friday) and Saturday.

Results are here

10 boats entered in the first 24 hours of registration opening this week for the 1720 European Championships from September 23th to 25th 2021 at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club, one of the first major one-design championships of the sailing season.

The prediction follows a 20 boat fleet assembled in Cork Habour for the class national championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club a week ago.

"We expect to break the 25 boat mark, possibly exceed 30" upbeat organiser Julian Hughes told Afloat.

The Nationals was dominated by Robert O'Leary's Dutch Gold crew from Baltimore Sailing Club who are now pre-event favourites for the European crown at Dunmore East. 

As regular Afloat readers will know, the 1720 Euros were originally scheduled June 4th but moved to September due to COVID. 

The entry fee for the Audi Waterford sponsored event is €275. This fee includes boat lift fees (in & out).

Hughes says there will be a fleet crane in ahead of the championships and there will also be a crane out immediately post-racing with two cranes on the dock to speed up lift-out. 

More here

1720 sportsboat champion Robert O'Leary and the Dutch Gold crew from West Cork successfully defended their national title today with a domination of the 20-boat sportsboat fleet in Cork Harbour.

O'Leary took five wins from six starts and did not need to sail the final race this afternoon at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Baltimore Sailing Club clubmate Fionn Lyden sailing Spiced Beef finished second overall on 25 points, some 13 points behind O'Leary.

Howth's Dan O'Grady took third place on 30 points sailing Wet & Black.

The impressive sportsboat fleet was made up largely of south cost boats; five from Baltimore, five from Waterford Harbour, eight from Royal Cork and two from the east coast at Howth. 

The event serves as a useful warm-up for the fleet's Europeans Championships on 23rd September at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club.

Howth's Dan O'Grady took third place on 30 points sailing Wet & Black Photo: Bob Bateman

For a 1720 day one photo gallery click here. See the day three gallery below.

Results are here

Day 3 1720 National Championships Photo Gallery By Bateman below

Defending 1720 sportsboat champion Robert O'Leary and the Dutch Gold crew from West Cork are stamping their authority on a 20-boat National Championship fleet after five races sailed at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

After one discard, O'Leary has built on his day one lead and sits on four nett points, 11 points clear of Baltimore Sailing Club clubmate Fionn Lyden sailing Spiced Beef on 15 points.

Howth's Ross McDonald in RopeDoc Atara is on the same points in third place. 

The impressive sportsboat fleet is made up largely of south cost boats; five from Baltimore, five from Waterford Harbour, eight from Royal Cork and two from the east coast at Howth. 

Racing continues in Cork Harbour today. For a 1720 Day One photo gallery click here

Results are here

Two race wins put Robert O'Leary top of the 20-boat 1720 National Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club after two races sailed in Cork Harbour.

Westerly winds of 18 to 20 knots got the championships off to a great start even though it took three attempts to get the fleet started on the first race.

Racing was held on the Harbour's eastern bank, the ebb tide from East Ferry pushing the fleet up to the startline.

Lying second overall is the recent winner of the East coast Championships, Ross McDonald's Atara from Howth Yacht Club who counts a 3 and a 5.

Third is Baltimore Sailing Club entry Livewire on nine points.

Racing continues tomorrow when the 1720s will be joined by the SB20s who race for southern championship honours.

Results are here

Day One 1720 National Championships Photo Gallery