Following very closely after the Dingle Race, ICRA Nationals in Crosshaven and the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale, it was understandable that the numbers of ISORA boats taking part in the Lyver Race was small. The "grim" forecast of no wind did not encourage any boats to take part either. Never the less, five ISORA boats joined the 10 other boats and came to the start shortly after 19.00 on Friday the 1st July.

In view of the forecast the Sailing Committee shortened the race to the minimum requirements of RORC to qualify for the Fastnet Race – 75 miles. The time limit for the race was 24 hours after the start. With little wind at the start, and a north going tide just starting, they chose a "waypoint" just south of the Isle of Man as the turning mark and then to Howth.

This decision turned out to be inspired. The little wind there was there at the start was from the north-west so the first leg was a beat to the waypoint. Those boats who took the north leg from the start shot away in the tide while the others appeared to remain static in
Holyhead Bay. The forecast was for the wind to veer around to the south later. All through the night the winds were very fickle and boats had the chase constantly fluctuating breezes. Despite the little wind, it held for most of the night. At day break the wind started to pick up from the forecasted South and boats popped their kites and headed for the waypoint. There was a great gathering of boats at the waypoint with 12 boats visible around the waypoint.

The next leg to Howth was a white sail reach. This turned out to be an intensive chase with the J111 "Arabella" taking the lead followed by two Prima 38's, Stephen Tudor's "Sgrech" and Matt Davis's " Raging Bull". The wind from the south increased in strength as the fleet approached Howth.

While "Arabella" took line honours, it only managed to take 2nd place overall. "Sgrech" took 1st place and "Raging Bull" took 3rd place. All the boats that had not retired, managed to complete the course within the time limit.

The boats taking part in the race were fitted with trackers. The progress of the race can be followed by clicking the following link: http://live.adventuretracking.com/lyver2011

The prize-giving took place in Howth Yacht Club on Saturday evening.

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUE + SAT SERIES 2 05/07/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Leila R Cooper; 3, Aura I Malcolm; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Leila R Cooper; 2, Oona P Courtney; 3, Zaida T Houlihan TUESDAY SERIES 2 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Harlequin Clarke/Egan; 2, Yellow Peril N Murphy; 3, Gold Dust Walls/Browne; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; 3, Arctic Fox G Barry; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Jabberwocky S Knowles; 2, Northside Dragon J Bourke; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan; 2, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Ile Molene Byrne/Stanley; 2, Harlequin Clarke/Egan; 3, Yellow Peril N Murphy; Squib HPH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Arctic Fox G Barry; 3, Pot Black I & R McMurtry

Ruigrock, Murphy, Guilfoyle and Flannigan Sailed to Laser Glory on Dublin Bay in the best conditions of the Summer so far. Across the bay in Howth Harlequin took the Puppeteer Nationals title. In a build up to Thursday's Dun Laoghaire regatta Tiamat Returned to Cruisers Zero with a Win. Pat O'Neill Sailed to E Boat National Championship victory and across the Irish sea an Irish yacht won the Three Peaks Yacht Race.

In Cork Harbour 'Mid-Summer Madness' regatta attracted 40 Boats. We have the photos. There was a Fun Time for Cruisers at Cove Sailing Club's 'At Home' Regatta.

Galway's Martin Breen is June's Sailor of the Month and the Waterford Tall Ships Parade of Sail Photos are here.

Reasons to be cheerful? You bet. Click here to read how Dublin Bay sailors celebrate these wins.

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUE + SAT SERIES 2 (RACE) 28/06/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Deilginis Deilginis Group; 2, Isobel B & C Turvey; 3, Aura I Malcolm; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Deilginis Deilginis Group; 2, Isobel B & C Turvey; 3, Echo B & H Lynch TUESDAY SERIES 2 1 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Gold Dust Walls/Browne; 2, Ibis S Sheridan; 3, Trick or Treat A Pearson; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Arctic Fox G Barry; 2, Shadowfax P Merry; 3, Puffin E Harte; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Jabberwocky S Knowles; 2, Kootamundra D O'Grady; 3, Northside Dragon J Bourke; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Shockwave E Quinlan; 2, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Gannet T Chillingworth; 2, Cloud 9 C Feeley; 3, Geppetto O'Reilly/McDyer; Squib HPH: 1, Arctic Fox G Barry; 2, Shadowfax P Merry; 3, Puffin E Harte

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUESDAY SERIES 2 (RACE) 21/06/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Ibis S Sheridan; 2, Yellow Peril N Murphy; 3, Ile Molene Byrne/Stanley; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; 3, Fantome N MacDonell; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Jabberwocky S Knowles; 2, Kootamundra D O'Grady; 3, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan; 2, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Ile Molene Byrne/Stanley; 2, Wey Hey Finnegan/Others; 3, Geppetto O'Reilly/McDyer; Squib HPH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; 3, Fantome N MacDonell

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUE + SAT SERIES 2 (RACE) 07/06/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Rita Curley/Lynch; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Oona P Courtney; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Echo B & H Lynch; 2, Rita Curley/Lynch; 3, Aura I Malcolm TUESDAY SERIES 2 (RACE) 07/06/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Mojo Stanley/Callen; 2, Blue Velvet C & K Kavanagh; 3, Harlequin Clarke/Egan; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Shadowfax P Merry; 2, Klipbok E Dalton; 3, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Gelert J Flynn; 2, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; 2, Investwise G May; 3, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Mr. Punch NiBhraonain/Wilson; 2, Arcturus McAuliffe/McDermott; 3, Ile Molene Byrne/Stanley; Squib HPH: 1, Shadowfax P Merry; 2, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; 3, Puffin E Harte

The Lambay Race, at 115 years old one of the longest established sailing events in Ireland, takes place on Saturday 11th June, with a fleet of over 160 boats expected to compete in Howth Yacht Club's annual regatta.

According to Regatta Chairman James Markey, the entries are on target for another 160+ boats across the 13 classes participating. "We traditionally have a late surge in the week leading up to the Race and this year will be no different," he said.

An Offshore Committee Boat will start the races for Classes 1, 2, 3, White Sail Cruisers (A and B fleets) and Shipman.

On the Inshore Course, the one-design classes racing are Etchells, SB3, Puppeteers, Ruffian 23s, E-Boats, Squibs and Howth 17 Footers.

Feeder races have been organised for the Shipman and E-Boat classes from Dun Laoghaire and Clontarf respectively.

The 'Lambay Lady Trophy' will be awarded to the class winner with the largest time differential over the runner-up.

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. WEDNESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 01/06/2011 Class 1 IRC: 1, Tiger Hughes/Harris; 2, Trinculo M Fleming; 3, Makutu Doyle/Others; Class 1 HPH: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Makutu Doyle/Others; 3, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 2 IRC: 1, Sunburn I Byrne; 2, King One D Cullen; 3, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; Class 2 HPH: 1, C'est la Vie Flannelly/Others; 2, Indigo Eadie/Ritchie; 3, Sunburn I Byrne; Class 3 IRC: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Hard on Port F O'Driscoll; 3, Starlet Bourke/Others; Class 3 HPH: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Midnight Sun Howard/Others; 3, Jibberish O'Kelly/Others; White Sails HPH: 1, On the Rox J & C Boyle; 2, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche; 3, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; White Sails IRC: 1, Alphida H Byrne; 2, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 3, On the Rox J & C Boyle

HOWTH YACHT CLUB. TUE + SAT SERIES 1 (RACE) 31/05/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Rita Curley/Lynch; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Echo B & H Lynch; 2, Oona P Courtney; 3, Aura I Malcolm TUESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 31/05/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Harlequin Clarke/Egan; 2, Yellow Peril N Murphy; 3, Gold Dust Walls/Browne; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Geppetto O'Reilly/McDyer; 2, Nefertari Morgan/Murray; 3, Yellow Peril N Murphy; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Fantome N McDonnell; 2, Shadowfax P Merry; 3, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; Squib HPH: 1, Pegasus Smyth+Friends; 2, Shadowfax P Merry; 3, Pot Black I & R McMurtry; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Northside Dragon J Bourke; 2, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; 3, Jabberwocky S Knowles; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Shockwave E Quinlan; 2, Investwise G May; 3, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy

Howth Yacht Club: WEDNESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 25/05/2011 Class 1 IRC: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 1 HPH: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 2 IRC: 1, Dux A Gore-Grimes; 2, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; 3, Sunburn I Byrne; Class 2 HPH: 1, C'est la Vie Flannelly/Others; 2, Dux A Gore-Grimes; 3, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; Class 3 HPH: 1, Hard on Port F O'Driscoll; 2, Hellyhunter L McMurtry; White Sails HPH: 1, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche; 2, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 3, Alphida H Byrne; White Sails IRC: 1, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 2, Alphida H Byrne; 3, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche