Seventeen Flying Fifteens turned out on a sunny Saturday afternoon for two races in the DBSC Series with Gerry Ryan & John McAree winning the first victory in their new boat IRL 4045, Ian Mathews & Keith Poole won the other race but the winner of the day with two seconds was David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne.

Race 1: the tide was coming in and the wind from the E-NE, Mulvin went partially into the middle and then to the right where he was just ahead of Gorman and Mathews at the weather mark. There were not many opportunities for catching up but on the second beat Mathews went more left and took the lead at the weather mark to win the race, Mulvin stayed second with Colin and Mulligan getting in ahead of Gorman who had gone to the right in search of wind on the run to the finish.

For Race 2 the winds had shifted to the NE and the PRO reset the course. The big question was would it flick back? Those on the right including Gorman and the Cahill brothers hoped it would but it was not to be as Ryan and Mulligan on the left came into the weather mark just ahead of Mulvin. On the second beat Gorman had gained and moved into second only to lose it by hitting the weather mark and doing turns. On the run Mulvin persevered and passed Mulligan as they both stayed uptide on the left, meanwhile Ryan was more on the right and when he went around the right gate he had a lift and wind and was soon in a comfortable lead he was not to lose.
Thanks to the PRO and his team who did a greta job on the day in difficult conditions, in particular he kept the fleet informed of his plans as the wind remained shifty and light. John O Sulllivan & Ken sported the yellow spinnaker and true to form they stayed in the peleton!

This Thursday the DBSC series continues.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Results for Saturday, 28 May 2016

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 2. Thirty Something (Kavanagh\Gaffney\Lubliner), 3. Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan)

BENETEAU 31.7 ECHO- 1. Thirty Something (Kavanagh\Gaffney\Lubliner), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan)

CRUISERS 0 ECHO - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 2. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly), 3. Bon Exemple (C Byrne)

CRUISERS 1 ECHO - 1. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al)

CRUISERS 2 ECHO - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Utopia (J Healy)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Utopia (J Healy)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Asterix (Boushel/Meredith/Counihan), 2. ENIGMA (J MONAGHAN ET AL), 3. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain)

CRUISERS 3 ECHO - 1. Quest (J Skerritt & B Cunningham), 2. Billy Whizz (P & D Shannon), 3. Small Wonder (H Kelly)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. The Gruffalo (K Poole/I Mathews), 2. Ignis Caput (David Mulvey), 3. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. nn (Gerry Ryan), 2. Ignis Caput (David Mulvey), 3. As Good As It Gets (Ben Mulligan)

GLEN - 1. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor), 2. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 3. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche)

MERMAID Race 1- 1. Jill (P Smith/P Mangan), 2. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Jill (P Smith/P Mangan), 2. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 2. Paramour (Larry Power et al), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SB20 Race 2- 1. Defiant (G Jones & D Dion), 2. Mephisto (S & T Bourke)

SB20 Race 1- 1. Mephisto (S & T Bourke), 2. Defiant (G Jones & D Dion)

SHIPMAN ECHO - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 3. Viking (Brian Glynn et al)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 3. Viking (Brian Glynn et al)

SIGMA 33 ECHO - 1. Enchantress (Larkin/Bonner/Nicholl), 2. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 3. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 2. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 3. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Little Demon (Sheila Power)

Sportsboat Race 1 - 1. Jester (D Curtain), 2. Jawesome III (M Dyke & B Darcy), 3. GRADUATE (D O'KEEFE)

Sportsboat Race 2 - 1. Jester (D Curtain), 2. Jawesome III (M Dyke & B Darcy), 3. GRADUATE (D O'KEEFE)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS ECHO- 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. More Mischief (E Doyle & P O'Toole), 3. Sweet Martini (B Carswell)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. Persistence (C Broadhead et al), 3. Cevantes (P Conway)

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Results for Thursday, 26 May 2016

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Camira (P Beamish), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Avalon (R.Conan/J.Fox)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 2. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 3. Camira (P Beamish)

CRUISER 5A Echo - 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 3. Edenpark (Liam Farmer)

CRUISER 5A - 1. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 2. Warrior (D Shanahan), 3. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al)

CRUISER 5B Echo - 1. More Mischief (E Doyle & P O'Toole), 2. Menapia (J Sweeney), 3. Fortitudine (D & A Clarke)

CRUISER 5B - 1. More Mischief (E Doyle & P O'Toole), 2. Menapia (J Sweeney), 3. Fortitudine (D & A Clarke)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 3. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 3. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 2. Ruth (L Shanahan), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Dear Prudence (B Lyons & J Given), 2. Boomerang (Paul Kirwan), 3. Ruth (L Shanahan)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Antix (D Ryan), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power)

CRUISERS 3 A Echo - 1. Running Wild (B & S Foley), 2. ENIGMA (J MONAGHAN ET AL), 3. Cries of Passion (B Maguire)

CRUISERS 3 A - 1. Running Wild (B & S Foley), 2. Cries of Passion (B Maguire), 3. ENIGMA (J MONAGHAN ET AL)

CRUISERS 3 B - 1. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 2. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 3. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea)

CRUISERS 3 B Echo - 1. Jiminy Cricket (M Tyndall), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 3. Small Wonder (H Kelly)

SIGMA 33 Echo - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Enchantress (Larkin/Bonner/Nicholl), 3. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire)

This Saturday all Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Cruiser racing will be started from its West Pier starting hut at Dun Laoghaire as opposed to the more usual committee boat starts on Dublin Bay. The move is the first of a series of three afternoon coastal races as published in this year's busy racing programme for the Bay. The series is known as the 'DBSC/Royal Alfred' Trophy Race Series. The demand for coastal races is on the increase with the 2016 ISORA season already off to a buoyant start with a race to Wicklow and a race to Holyhead already boasting numbers not seen since the 1980s.

Race Officers for this weekend's fixtures are Barry MacNeany (a former Commodore of the Royal Alfred, Larry Power a former RAYC Treasurer. Former Alfred Secretary Debbie Horan will be officiating as a timekeeper ensuring a strong presence for the club after its incorporation with DBSC at the start of this season.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Results for Tuesday, 24th MAY 2016

CRUISERS 3 Tuesday - 1. Wynward (W McCormack), 2. Capilano (S Soran), 3. Jiminy Cricket (M Tyndall)

FIREBALL - 1. No Name (S Oram), 2. Goodness Gracious (Louise McKenna), 3. Clandog Millionaire (C Clancy)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Slipstream (Julie Ascoop), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne)

Laser - 1. Paul Keane (RIYC), 2. E Delap (DMYC), 3. D Maloney (RSGYC)

PY CLASS - 1. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 2. Tom Murphy (K1), 3. S Gordienok (Laser Vago)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Different Drummer (D Tonge), 2. Ruff Diamond (D.Byrne et al), 3. Ruff Justice (B Dobson)

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Results for Saturday, 21 May 2016

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Thirty Something (Kavanagh\Gaffney\Lubliner)

BENETEAU 31.7 ECHO- 1. Thirty Something (Kavanagh\Gaffney\Lubliner), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

CRUISERS 0 ECHO - 1. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 3. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)

CRUISERS 1 ECHO - 1. Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Jigamaree (R Harris)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 2 ECHO - 1. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 2. Utopia (J Healy), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Utopia (J Healy)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Asterix (Boushel/Meredith/Counihan), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain)

CRUISERS 3 ECHO - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Asterix (Boushel/Meredith/Counihan), 3. Wynward (W McCormack)

DRAGON Race 1- 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Zu (M Minch/C Grimley/T Pearson)

DRAGON Race 2- 1. Phantom (D.Williams), 2. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Deranged (N Colin), 2. Rollercoaster (Tom Murphy), 3. Ash (Joseph Coughlan)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton), 2. Bob (F Mitchell & G Grier), 3. Rhubarb (John O'Sullivan)

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

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 2. Ripples (Frank Bradley), 3. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy)

SB20 Race 1- 1. AlertPackaging.com (J Burke & D Burke), 2. Sin Bin (Michael O'Connor), 3. Venuesworld.com (Ger Dempsey)

SB20 Race 2- 1. Sin Bin (Michael O'Connor), 2. Mephisto (S & T Bourke), 3. AlertPackaging.com (J Burke & D Burke)

SHIPMAN - 1. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 2. Ruadh (J.O'Connor/J.O'Callaghan)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Moonshine (R.Moloney)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire)

SIGMA 33 Echo - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Moonshine (R.Moloney)

SQUIB Race 1 - 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Nimble (Brian O'Hare), 2. Tais (Michael O'Connell), 3. Femme Fatale (V Delaney)

Sportsboat Race 2- 1. GRADUATE (D O'KEEFE), 2. Third Time Lucky (N O'Neill & R Johnson)

Sportsboat Race 1 - 1. Third Time Lucky (N O'Neill & R Johnson), 2. GRADUATE (D O'KEEFE)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. The Great Escape (P Rigney), 2. Xerxes (D O'Neill), 3. Act Two (M O'Leary)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C Broadhead et al), 2. Act Two (M O'Leary), 3. Cevantes (P Conway)

Thursday evening presented a strong westerly wind with flood tide making a good Dublin Bay chop and wet sailing conditions on a Flying Ffteen. On the way out to “Freebird” the DBSC flag ship, some of the spinnaker issues the SB’s experienced were a signal for the conditions out on the bay.

Off the line and into the first beat to Harbour mark the boats at the Committee Boat end had the advantage and were making good way. First around the weather mark was “Rollercoaster” closely followed by “Ignis Caput” ” (your scribe is advised of the translation “Fire Ahead”) and followed by “Hi Fibre”. The broad reach to Omega was just flying fifteen sailing at its best. Around Omega and a wobbly run to Poldy with the fleet closing in on the Dragons. Once around Poldy and a beat back to Omega and back out to Poldy followed by a long beat to Bay mark. It was on this leg that “Flyer” made up a number of places and “Rhubarb” lost her boom horse line requiring a run away on the beat to sort the problem.

Once around Bay a beat back out to East and on to the finish in the direction of the harbour. “Ignis Caput” (David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne) got the gun with “Hi Fibre” second and “Flyer” third. Another excellent evening course set by the DBSC “Freebird” team. Ashore there was much activity as boats were packing up to head to the Northern Championships at Portaferry.

Read more: Full DBSC Thursday results

The SB20 fleet enjoyed white water surfing conditions this evening on Dublin bay with speeds in excess of 15 knots being reported and plenty of wipeouts, (in some cases multiple!), across the fleet. The OOD opted for the relatively long (but perfect for the conditions) N2 course meaning a decent beat to harbour mark would be followed by a wild sleigh ride back down the bay towards Dalkey island and plenty of reaching legs thereafter to allow the SBs to "get up and dance".

There was an individual recall at the start with the heavy pin bias and the flooding tide catching Bad Kilcullen out on their first venture out in Dublin bay this season. The rest of the fleet managed to stay clean and drove off the line on starboard towards the shore in a fresh F4 SW breeze. One by one the boats peeled off onto port with Sin Bin (Michael, Dave and John) and Alert Packaging (Justin, Henrik and Ed) holding on starboard the longest before flipping over onto the "lumpier" port tack. This paid dividends for those two as the tide caught most of the fleet out resulting in practically all of the boats over-standing by some margin. Sin Bin and Alert Packaging, closer to the mark when making their approach, fared better than most and rounded in first and second with several boatlengths advantage on the chasing pack.

Around the mark, the kites went up and the boats took off! As the fleet hurtled towards Dalkey island at 15 knots, dancing across the waves, the crews struggled to tame the beasts and avoid expensive broaches. After the wild ride, a couple of short upwind/downwind legs followed testing the crews boat handling skills to the max, requiring slick hoists, drops and gybes to stay in the game. Unfortunately for Alert Packaging, they were caught out by a sudden gust on the second downwind leg causing them to spin out and lose valuable distance and places as they struggled to get the boat back on its feet. Unfortunately for Alert Packaging, in the melee that ensued, Venuesworld.com (Ger, Chris and Peter), Sacre Bleu (Richard, Colin and Mark) and Sunday Brunch (Dave et al) were able to overtake them. The fleet gamely battled on and were treated to a screaming reach across the bay from bay mark out to east followed by a beat back up towards the harbour to finish.

At the finish it was Sin Bin in first followed by Venuesworld.com in second and Sacre Bleu in third. The prodigal sons on Sunday Brunch battled back after an early broach to record another creditable fourth place finish ahead of Alert Packaging, Smoke on the Water (Bob et al) and Tiger Lite (Niall, Niallo and Ronan). Although there were plenty of smiles after racing, the fleet learnt that we have plenty of things to practice before the next breezy day! Some good breeze forecast for this Saturday (on one of the prediction models anyway!) so we may get to put what we learnt into practice sooner rather than later...

Read more: Full DBSC Thursday results

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Results for Thursday, 19 May 2016

BENETEAU 31.7 ECHO - 1. Camira (P Beamish), 2. Thirty Something (Kavanagh\Gaffney\Lubliner), 3. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster), 2. Levana (Jean Mitton), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

CRUISER 5A ECHO - 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. Aurora (Ray Conway), 3. White Lotus (Paul Tully)

CRUISER 5A - 1. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 2. Warrior (D Shanahan), 3. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al)

CRUISER 5B ECHO - 1. Cevantes (P Conway), 2. More Mischief (E Doyle & P O'Toole), 3. Nirvana (B Neeson)

CRUISER 5B - 1. Cevantes (P Conway), 2. More Mischief (E Doyle & P O'Toole), 3. Calypso (Howard Knott)

CRUISERS 0 ECHO - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 1 ECHO - 1. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Jedi (A Sarratt et al)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 2. Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins), 3. White Mischief (Tim Goodbody)

CRUISERS 2 ECHO - 1. Antix (D Ryan), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power)

CRUISERS 3 A ECHO - 1. Lady Rowena (D Bolger), 2. Running Wild (B & S Foley), 3. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn)

CRUISERS 3 A - 1. Quest (B Cunningham & J Skerritt), 2. Running Wild (B & S Foley), 3. Lady Rowena (D Bolger)

CRUISERS 3 B ECHO - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Chinook (A Bradley), 3. Saki (Paget McCormack et al)

CRUISERS 3 B - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 3. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Zu (M Minch/C Grimley/T Pearson)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Ignis Caput (David Mulvey), 2. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 3. Flyer (Niall Coleman)

GLEN - 1. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche), 2. Glencoe (Rose Mary Craig et al), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Diane ll (A Claffey/C Helme), 2. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada), 3. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe)

SB20 - 1. Sin Bin (Michael O'Connor), 2. Venuesworld.com (Ger Dempsey), 3. Sacrebleu (R Hayes & C Galavan)

SHIPMAN - 1. Viking (Brian Glynn et al), 2. Malindi (B.Smith/A.Gray), 3. Curraglas (John Masterson)

SHIPMAN ECHO - 1. Viking (Brian Glynn et al), 2. Malindi (B.Smith/A.Gray), 3. Curraglas (John Masterson)

SIGMA 33 ECHO - 1. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Enchantress (Larkin/Bonner/Nicholl)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Springer (I Bowring)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Springer (I Bowring)

SQUIB - 1. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 2. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 3. Pintail (T McAllister)

After the champagne conditions enjoyed by the ten Fireballs that contested the Ulsters on Belfast Lough on the weekend just past, a marginally smaller fleet of eight boats had slightly less glamorous conditions on Scotsman’s Bay in Dun Laoghaire last night for the Tuesday DBSC race. The blue skies and accompanying temperatures gave way to slightly overcast conditions and a forecast that suggested we could expect rain from the west. The rain didn’t materialise until much later in the evening and we enjoyed good wind conditions, though it wasn’t coming from the direction that XCWeather had suggested, SSW, but rather from the east.

With a flooding tide, the scheduled start was 3hrs off high tide and everyone would be thinking head inshore. And so they did off a crowded committee boat end. With the tide pushing the fleet behind the line, there was room for a bit of aggression on the start line and the fleet got bunched up with Frank Miller & Cormac Bradley sitting to weather of Noel Butler & Stephen Oram with the Clancy brothers, Conor & James in close proximity. Slightly astern of them could be found the other players, Louis Smyth & Joe O’Reilly, Louise McKenna & Hermine O’Keeffe, Cariosa Power & Marie Barry, Mary Chambers & Brenda McGuire and Darragh McDonagh & crew.

While everyone decided to go inshore for the windward/leeward course, the initial decision on how far out to go to the left before the right hand turn was the only variable off the line. Once inshore, the next decision was how far in to go, relative to the starboard layline. Team Clancy, Butler/Oram and Miller/Bradley opened a marginal gap on the balance of the fleet with Butler/Oram leading the charge to the weather mark. Team Clancy and Miller/Bradley crossed each other with Team Clancy tacking to occupy a weather slot on the layline approach relative to Miller. Miller bailed out and conceded the 2^nd place rounding to Team Clancy to give a rounding order of Butler, Clancy, Miller, Smyth, McKenna and Chambers.

The fleet headed offshore to benefit from the flooding tide and the lead two boats got into close company as they headed off to the leeward mark. Unusually, Team Clancy gained the upper hand on this downwind leg to round the leeward mark in the lead. Thereafter, the running order was unchanged. There was some confusion on our boat as to how many laps we were sailing and in the bar afterwards it turned out we weren’t the only ones confused. 

A triangle-sausage-triangle course was set for the 2^nd race of the evening. With slightly less tide, the fleet were a little less cramped at the committee boat end but an individual recall was signalled at the start and Messrs Butler and Oram went back and restarted. Chambers/McGuire were well placed at the start but in her enthusiasm to tell her helm what signals were flying – after the two sound signals – Brenda went swimming and that inhibited their progress up the beat. Even though conventional wisdom would suggest otherwise, Power/Barry went hard left, against the tide and didn’t seem to suffer any consequence of theoretically fighting the tide. We surmised later that there may have been better breeze further out. Team Clancy powered away and were never seen again. By this stage an Irish Naval vessel had taken up station to windward of the course so the first reach of the triangle might have been a little more subdued than the RC might have preferred. Behind the Clancys the ladies were in the driving seats, with McKenna and Power leading the chasing pack, Smyth and Butler were next, followed by Miller, being pressed by Chambers with McDonagh only marginally further astern.

The second reach was a lot tighter and this allowed the heavier male crews to close up on the ladies in front. Smyth and Butler were still in close company but Miller was able to sail through Power wind to gain a place. Rounding astern of Butler and Oram, Miller was persuaded by his crew to head out to sea, buoyed by the success of Power on the first beat. However, while no distance was lost, no places were gained either. The running order at the second windward mark was Clancy, McKenna, Smyth, Butler, Miller, Power, Chambers, McDonagh and everyone gybed onto port reflecting a shoreward shift in the wind.

Butler and Smyth were both getting “hot and bothered” as they sailed down the sausage with a robust exchange of who was where and what the other should be doing! Within a short distance, McKenna, Smyth, Butler and Miller were sharing a modest piece of water with the leeward mark approaching rapidly. Miller’s crew intervened again to suggest an early spinnaker drop and gybe which was rewarded when a gap big enough for 1½ Fireball widths (at least) to round the mark unmolested. This time there would be no hitch to sea. As Butler, Smyth and Miller headed inshore, Smyth was the meat in a very tight sandwich.  Having gone out the back, Smyth was then able to tack first – onto starboard. Butler and Miller hung on a bit longer before tacking and sailing in parallel up the right hand side of the beat though neither were in a position to round the weather mark.  

Having sailed to a position to leeward of the weather mark both had to put in a tack to get back to the starboard layline – only to be met by a single-hander of the PY fleet approaching the weather mark on starboard.  Miller bore off to round the transom of the single-hander and tacked outside him to round. It seems this was not to Butler’s satisfaction, we were to learn later (in the bar) as the manoeuvre led to shouting which we assumed to be directed at the single-hander, incorrectly.  The two Fireballs rounded in close company and Miller edged ahead on the first reach keeping a wary eye on both Butler and Smyth who was hovering should either of the other two get it wrong. Overlapped for a large part of the leg, Miller eked ahead in time to push Butler outside him at the gybe mark and gybed ahead. On the second reach a gap of a couple of boat-lengths developed in Miller’s favour as the pair headed to the last leeward mark of the evening.

The expectation was of a short hitch to windward for the finish after the leeward mark, but though the committee boat was flying a blue flag – on station – it was sitting to leeward of the leeward mark. Team Clancy were long gone so they weren’t of any help in deciding how to finish. So after an anxious exchange of views, Miller & Bradley decided to drop and round the leeward mark conventionally. To their relief, there was a finishing sound signal and the first glimpse of an “S for shorten” flag.  Thus the finishing order was Clancy, Miller, Butler, and Smyth.

After 6 races completed, Noel Butler & Stephan Oram lead with 8pts, followed by Louise McKenna & Hermine O’Keeffe with 15pts and Louis Smyth & Joe O’Reilly with 17pts.