Communications in Irish sailing clubs and classes are changing. For example, this year the Lasers on Dublin Bay SC will only be via an opt–in 'WhatsApp' group organised by Paul Keane from the Royal Irish YC. 

DBSC racing for the growing class will be the same format as last year; Tuesdays, two races each night, Full rigs and Radials (times adjusted) and attractive entry fees of €163 or €107 for under–25s.

The aim is to build on last year’s 30 entries and regular turnouts in the teens. First race is April 26, 7pm first gun.

As Keane commented on Afloat.ie: 'Credit where credit is due. The Dun Laoghaire Moths have been using WhatsApp since they started their fleet and the Cork Monkstown Laser Fleet also use it to great effect. I am lucky to be included on both of these conversations and what continually strikes is the constant friendly chat. Setting up a group for the Leinster Lasers and trying something new seemed a simple thing to do. I hope now we can re-create some of the camaraderie I've been privy to in the other fleets and see bigger turnouts at all of our events'.

As well as Tuesday nights there is four Waterfront club regattas on Saturdays in late June/early July as well as two other key dates for Bay Laser racers:
May 21/22 Laser Master (Over 35) Irish Championships, National YC.
July 16/17 Laser Leinster Champs, also NYC.

email Paul your mobile number at [email protected] for DBSC Laser updates. Nightly results will be available on Afloat.ie in our dedicated DBSC results section.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's (DBSC) Spring Chicken series is heading for its conclusion this weekend and if the last race is sailed this Sunday morning a discard kicks in to add extra spice to the overall handicap results. (See handicaps, starts and results files downloadable below).

The prizegiving for the Rathfarnham Ford sponsored series takes place in the National Yacht Club after racing where DBSC organisers have promised a few extra prizes to boot! 

J109 Dear Prudence leads the 46–boat DBSC Spring Chicken sailing cruiser fleet into Sunday's third race. Joint second is another J109, the ICRA champion Joker II, tied with an Irish National Sailing School 1720 sportsboat.

Another two races sailed will allow a single discard before the series concludes on March 13.

Full results are downloadable below together with handicaps and start times. 

The worst kept secret in Dublin sailing circles became public after a Royal Alfred Yacht Club EGM  last night voted in favour of the motion 'that the Royal Alfred Yacht Club be incorporated into Dublin Bay Sailing Club'. The proposal was passed by an overwhelming majority of RAYC members present.

DBSC will attempt to stage the second race of its Spring Chicken Series after a fortnight of cancellations due to strong winds. Starts and handicaps for the 46–boat fleet are downloadable below for Sunday's race. 

Winds gusting to over 40 knots led to the cancellation of the second race of DBSC's Spring Chicken series on Dublin Bay this morning.The 46–boat fleet will gather again next Sunday for the six race warm-up event.

The DMYC Frostrbite series for dinghies was also blown out at Dun Laoghaire this afternoon.

After a tricky end to the first race where a 1720 had to be rescued from the surf on Dublin Bay, the second race of the Rathfarnham Ford sponsored DBSC Spring Chicken series starts this Sunday morning. 

Downloadable below are last Sunday's results along with Handicaps and Starts for next Sunday's 46–boat fleet. 

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Spring Chicken series got off to a dramatic start on Sunday when a 1720 sportsboat was rescued from the surf in the north-west of Dublin Bay. 20–knot winds and big seas made for a testing first race for the 46–boat fleet.

A 1720 sportsboat competitor was involved in a man overboard incident that ended up with the yacht also getting into difficulties. The Dun Laoghaire lifeboat was standing by to assist but the crewman was recovered from the water and the boat towed out of the surf by a DBSC committee vessel without the need for the lifeboat. A DBSC spokesman said the club was very grateful for the RNLI assistance offered.

First race results will be issued later in the week

This morning's first race of the DBSC Spring Chicken series has been cancelled due to strong winds. A fleet of up to 50 cruisers are expected for the first yacht racing series of the 2016 season with racing up to 13th March 2016.

Sailing Instructions for this weekend's DBSC Spring Chicken Series hosted by the National Yacht Club have been published (download a copy below). An estimated fleet of 40 or 50 will be racing each Sunday morning on Dublin Bay from 7^th February to 13^th March 2016 inclusive.