The Flying Fifteen fleet for the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta boasts a 22-boat entry with two visitors from Dunmore East and all the Flying Fifteen club fleets in Dun Laoghaire represented.

The National Yacht Club takes the lion’s share of representation, understandably as this is where the bulk of the DL fleet is situated, but four boats (from seven) hail from the Royal St George and the DMYC has a solitary representative, which translates to a 100% turnout for them.

“Defending Champions”, David Gorman and Chris Doorly, who took the majority of race wins in 2019, are back to defend their title. GivenVolvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta the projected robust winds, they must be considered one of the favourites on the podium. David (4099), with a selection of crews, currently dominates the DBSC Saturday Series thus far, proving that he has the form and speed to do well. Chris is no stranger to the front of the fleet and has enjoyed National success with David.

But who will join them as front-runners? There are a number of obvious selections, starting with Shane McCarthy (4085) crewed by Alan Green.

Shane is a very successful helm, holding the GP14 “Triple Crown” – World, British and Irish Titles at one stage and is also an accomplished Solo campaigner. Add to that Alan Green’s very substantial FF pedigree, and you have a very potent on-the-water combination.

FF pair - Ian Mathews and Keith Poole Photo: Afloat

Ian Mathews (4093) flies in and out for the major events of the year, and his week-to-week absence from Dublin Bay doesn’t seem to adversely affect a seamless transition into the boat and with long-term crew Keith Poole. They too must be considered as a combination who will be looking at a podium finish.

Next up must be one of the visiting combinations from Dunmore East, Lee Statham and Andy Paul (4070). They are always competitive and this showed at the Frostbites at the end of last season that Dublin Bay holds no surprises for them.

Given the projected weather conditions, there is the potential for some dark horses to emerge from the chasing pack, and one of those must be the most recent recruit to the fleet, Phil Lawton (3803) – an Irish Olympian.

Individual race podiums will be sought and shared by the likes of Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (4028), who lead the DBSC Thursday Series, Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey (3955), Alastair Court & Conor O’Leary (3753), Niall Meagher & Nicki Mathews (3938) and a brand new combination of Tom Galvin & Cormac Bradley (3757) might enjoy the breeze enough to get to the upper rungs of the ladder.

On a day that started with grey skies and torrential rain showers in my part of the world, the latter part of the day presented an evening of sunshine and light winds for a fifteen-boat fleet of Flying Fifteens in the third DBSC Thursday of 2023. In that regard, it was also in stark contrast to the previous Thursday when huge seas from the Easterly that had blown hard all day caused racing to be cancelled.

There was some doubt ashore as to whether a race would take place so genteel were the conditions ashore, but once outside the harbour, it was apparent that there was a nice breeze for this early part of the season – a NE of around 10 knots at its strongest. With high tide at approximately 17:00, relative to an 18:40 start this was also going to be a factor in the prevailing conditions.

A group of Fifteens decided that the best way to get underway was to start on port at the pin. Included in this group were David Gorman & Chris Doorly (4099), Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (4028) and Shane McCarthy & Cormac Bradley (4085). Alan Green & daughter Caroline (4026) were close to this group but on the opposite tack. An early exchange of hails characterised the start between Gorman & McCarthy right on the pin, and given the wind strength, the fleet also found themselves having to negotiate a course populated by Dragons (3) and Sportsboats. An interesting interpretation of a port on starboard situation also manifested itself on this first beat to an “installed” Zebra mark.

At the first weather mark, Zebra, an inflatable, the lead group was Gorman, Green and McCarthy, with Colin and Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey (3955) a little further behind. McCarthy came up the port lay-line, found a spot in the train of boats coming in on the starboard lay-line and then kissed the weather mark, prompting a penalty turn. That allowed Dumpleton & Colin to take advantage on the water.

The spinnaker leg to Bay was a challenging leg in the still fickle conditions, with both wind and tide having to be managed. Alan Green led the fleet around Bay with Gorman and McCarthy in close pursuit, and my sense was that Dumpleton and Colin occupied the next two places. The leg to Battery was a no-tack beat, resulting in no place changing. The first three went right initially for the long beat to East with Green ahead and to leeward of Gorman and McCarthy about five boat-lengths behind Gorman but to weather of him. McCarthy started closing the straight-line distance between them while maintaining his height, but Gorman tacked off, earlier than the other two, before McCarthy also went left. This leg was the making of the race for the winner. Gorman went hard left and came up the left-hand side of the beat smelling of roses – and in reality, was never threatened thereafter. Later, he would claim they were “just lucky”, but that claim has been made too many times in conditions like these.

Dumpleton and McCarthy also went left, but while the former enjoyed a good dividend from the investment, McCarthy wasn’t as fortunate and at times, the likes of Frank Miller & Suzie Mulligan (3845), Adrian Cooper and Joe (3896) and Phil Lawton (3803) were a lot closer than had been the case earlier in the race.

By the rounding of East, on the way to Bay for the second time, there was an established order with Gorman and Dumpleton comfortable in 1st and 2nd, Green and Colin 3rd and 4th but still in “close-ish” company relative to each other. McCarthy rounded fourth with Gill Fleming (3747) close on his transom. There was more wind for the second spinnaker leg to Bay, and at this stage, the majority of the boats ahead of the Flying Fifteens were SB20s. Green caused a flurry of excitement at Bay by a very late realisation that he was rounding the mark the wrong way, resulting in a very late adjustment of course and a flogging spinnaker that became a hindrance to upwind progress.

Having gone left once, Gorman paid his dues by going left again, safe in the knowledge that he had ample distance on the next boat. Dumpleton did likewise, while the next three worked a middle and left approach to the early part of the beat to the finish before coming in from the right-hand side of the course to finish.

DBSC: Flying Fifteens; Thursday 11th May.
1. David Gorman and Chris Doorly, 4099
2. Ken Dumpleton and Joe Hickey, 3955
3. Neil Colin & Margaret Casey, 4028
4. Alan and Caroline Green, 4026
5. Shane McCarthy & Cormac Bradley, 4085.

Overall (after two races sailed).
1. Neil Colin & Margaret Casey 5pts
2. Niall & Laura Coleman, 9pts
3. Phil Lawton & crew, 10pts
4. Alan & Caroline Green, 11pts
5. David Gorman & Chris Doorly, 14pts.

Seventeen boats contested the Flying Fifteen Westerns in Connemara this past weekend with visitors from Strangford Lough (1), Dunmore East (2) and Dublin Bay (6).

Early arrivals on Friday were treated to an evening’s sail on a Galway Hooker and photographs of the occasion show that they appeared to enjoy a sunny evening on the water. Indeed, sunshine seems to have been the order of the day for the entire weekend.

On Saturday evening, there was a tie on points between Ian Mathews & Keith Poole (NYC/4093) and Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (DMYC/4028), with the former scoring 4, 2 and the latter 2 x 3rd. The locals, Niall & Ronan O’ Briain (FFC/4092) took the last spot on the podium counting a 6, 1. Visitors occupied the next three spots with Charlie Boland & Rob O’Connell (WHSC/3883) on 9pts (1,8), Andrew Baker & Peter Chamberlain (SLYC/3756) also on 9pts (2,7) and Lee Statham & Andy Paul (WHSC/4070) on 13pts, (9,4). Stalwarts of the class and one with a World Championship regatta already sailed in 2023, Chris Doorly and Alan Green were in the unaccustomed location of 8th overall counting 8,6. That left them astern of another local boat, Dermot Flatherty & Joe McDonagh (FFC/3704).

A further three races were sailed on the Sunday that gave the northerners, Baker & Chamberlain the Western title as they scored a 1,4,3 with a two point margin, after discard, on Niall & Ronan O’Briain (4,7,1) who had a single point advantage over Green & Doorly (3,2,2).

Ben Mulligan Memorial Trophy Photo by Chris Doorly

Flying Fifteen Chonnemara, the host club, commissioned a special trophy, made on the Arran Islands, in memory of Ben Mulligan and the first recipients, a youth crew from the home club, were Cian Mac Donnacha & Siofra Mac Donnacha.

With six Dun Laoghaire-based Flying Fifteen crews contesting the Western Championships in Connemara and one other absentee, a turnout of ten boats for the second Saturday of DBSC 2023 wasn’t too bad a head count and those who made the effort to get out enjoyed a hut-based start and a single long race with a course that spanned Bullock in the East and Seapoint in the West of Dublin Bay.

Some new combinations were on the water with Alastair Court crewing for Peter Sherry and Cormac Bradley crewing for David Gorman but there were regulars in attendance as well; Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey, Niall & Laura Coleman, Louise McKenna & Hermine O’Keefe and Mick Quinn & Mary Jane Mulligan.

The wind strength was around 10knots with maybe a little more in the gusts, and the Race Officer picked a course from the “H suite of courses”, suggesting a wind direction of SSE, which was in keeping with the forecast I studied beforehand.
Our assessment was to start at the outer end of the line to benefit from the “just-turned” tide and avoid any wind shadow from the harbour wall. A number of others shared that view with the Colemans, Dumpleton & Hickey, and McKenna & O’Keeffe in a group at the outer end of the line. We didn’t see a signal that anyone had been declared OCS, but it turned out there were a number of transgressors in this regard.

The Colemans went furthest on the initial starboard tack off the start line and were followed in this respect by Gorman and Dumpleton. Gorman soon felt that he was not where he wanted to be and took a short port hitch to clear his wind before reverting to his starboard tack course. About 3 – 400m off the start line he was crossed by Coleman on his inward journey to the shore. However, Gorman persevered with his seaward route and by keeping a weather eye on the SB20s and the Dragons (2), soon made his decision to commit to the port layline for the rounding of Battery. At this stage, while the Colemans were much further inshore, they were also quite a bit down on Gorman, meaning that Dumpleton, who had stayed out to sea that bit longer, was Gorman’s closest chaser. Gorman rounded Battery with a 50m lead on Dumpleton, and these two kept close company all the way to Pier, where a J80 was soon made aware that trying to get around Pier in the close company of two competitive Flying Fifteens wasn’t in his best interests.

With Dumpleton astern and slightly to leeward, Gorman applied a loose cover to make sure nothing untoward happened on the second beat to Bullock. At Bullock, the rewards for that tactic were a slightly enhanced lead over the chasing boat. Behind them the Colemans, Adrian Cooper & Tom, the ladies and Sherry & Court were a moderately comfortable distance astern of Dumpleton.

On the next spinnaker leg to Pier, Gorman pulled out a short distance on Dumpleton which meant that it was a case of watching his chaser rather than actively applying the cover to be doubly sure he wasn’t catching. By Omega, however, the scene had changed for Dumpleton. Now he had two boats to watch, the Colemans and Cooper, one either side of him. The attention of Dumpleton to his more immediate situation meant that Gorman was able to get away a bit more on the long spinnaker leg to Seapoint – which must be one of the longest legs of the suite of DBSC courses on offer. At this stage, all the fleets that had started at the hut were converging on Seapoint so the general location of this mark was easy to distinguish.

The three Fifteens behind Gorman kept close together, with the Colemans sailing the inshore track and Cooper outside Dumpleton. Dumpleton may have lost second place at the preliminary stages of this leg, but at Seapoint, he and Coleman rounded with probably less than a boat length between them. By going in low, Dumpleton came out high and into the weather slot relative to Coleman. That allowed him to dictate how the last leg would be sailed. Cooper dropped out of the running by not being able to maintain the height of the other two.

From Seapoint to Turning mark it was an easy beat until a tack was required inside Turning mark for the short hitch to the finish. Silence greeted the Colemans and Peter Sherry/Alastair Court on crossing the finish line.

DBSC: Saturday 6th May.
1. David Gorman & Cormac Bradley, 4099
2. Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey, 3995
3. Adrian Cooper & Tom, 3896
4. Jill Fleming & crew, 3747
5. John O’Sullivan & Pat Keirsey, 3762.

As the Flying Fifteen World Championships in Australia pass the halfway point, Ireland's John Lavery and Alan Green will be hoping that a full series can be sailed following a black flag penalty in race seven that has knocked them out of the top ten overall.

The National Yacht Club pairing, who were ninth overall, and as high as seventh after a very solid start, dropped five places to 14th after the setback. 

If more than nine races are sailed, however, two discards come into play, allowing the possibility of an Irish recovery.

There was just one race on Monday on yet another hot late summer day in Fremantle as the regatta passed the halfway point. The fleet was held ashore for a few hours until a soft sea breeze perked up about midday.

Race 7 began in 7 - 11 knots from the SW.

Course six was set, which consisted of two windward/leeward legs followed by a beat to the finish. The race was started under black flag after one general recall.

Britain's Graham Vials and Chris Turner maintain a comfortable lead in the championship. Australia's Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan are second, with Britain's Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader third.

Full results here

Wednesday is a layday with two races scheduled for Thursday

After six races sailed and five to count, Ireland's John Lavery and Alan Green are in the top ten of the Flying 15 World Championships at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Australia.

Steady sailing from Dublin Bay's Lavery and Green saw them in seventh overall after four races sailed, but the pair have dropped after six to ninth overall. 

The NYC duo are on the same nett points as Australian's Philippa Packer and Dean McAullay in eighth overall. 

There will be a maximum number of 12 races for the World Championships. 

In a mix of conditions so far in Fremantle – including a long second day on the water waiting for the wind to fill in – Britain's Graham Vials and Chris Turner have made it three wins in six races to take a comfortable lead in the championship.

Britain's Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader are lying second, and Australia's Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan are third.

Top ten after six races sailed of the Flying 15 World Championships at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Australia

Full results here

77 boats from 4 continents are entered, with overseas entries travelling from as far away as South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and all over Australia to compete at the 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship (March 9 - 25) to be sailed at Fremantle in West Australia.

Containers of boats have arrived from the UK, New Zealand and the East Coast of Australia.

As Afloat reported earlier, Flying Fifteens have travelled from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, the majority of those taking the two-three day trip across the Nullabor Plain to get to WA.

A number of former World Champions are listed in the line-up. On paper, one of the strongest crews competing comes from Graham Vials and Chris Turner sailing (GBR 4071 - Floaty McFloat Face), representing Derwent Reservoir SC/Lyme Regis SC, respectively.

Vials and Turner are four-time world champions in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2019 and UK F15 champions in 2014 and again at the last two UK Nationals held in 2019 and 2021. Like many competitors, though, they have had limited big regatta experience over the last couple of years due to regatta cancellations caused by the global pandemic.

Graham Vials and Chris Turner sailing (GBR 4071 - Floaty McFloat Face), representing Derwent Reservoir SC/Lyme Regis SC Photo: Afloat

Vials explains: “Chris and I sailed the UK Nationals in the UK in the summer last year, which we were lucky enough to win shortly after Chris had recovered from knee surgery. In our usual style, we haven’t done anything since then, so we will be looking to blow
the cobwebs away with the pre-worlds regatta and get some time on the water before the worlds. I haven’t sailed at Fremantle before; I have done lots on the East coast but never ventured West, so really looking forward to it”

Turner of Ovington Boats says, “This is my third trip to Perth; the first time was as a coach at the ISAF World Championships, the other times on business. I have been sailing the OK outside of the F15, but mainly rehabilitating from knee surgery; April last year was my third op”

So both crew members come into this regatta a little undercooked, but how much will a record 5th world title drive them to succeed?

Another former F15 World Champion in 2005 and former Australian National Champion is Nick Jerwood representing South of Perth YC/Fremantle SC, sailing (AUS 4015 - Best Foot Forward). Nick has teamed up with local WA sailmaker Brad Sheridan for the regatta.

Nick Jerwood and Brad Sheridan will compete at the 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship Photo: Johnny Fullerton

“Brad and I teamed up for the Fremantle Worlds soon after Janet retired from F15 sailing due to back problems. We had some initial success at the 2019 WA States with a win in Esperance and have been working on improvements for the Worlds ever since. Brad is a very talented sailmaker and owner of Aus Sails, so our partnership has brought with it the opportunity to build and optimise our own sails, which I have found very exciting and rewarding”

Grant Alderson has teamed up with Luke Paterson sailing (AUS 3933 - El Toro), representing the host organising club, the Royal Freshwater Bay YC.

Grant won the 2009 World Championship, crewed by club colleague Dean McAullay. Grant spends most of his time now as a top Australian coach and boat rigger but knows the WA waters well.

“I am very much looking forward to sailing in another Flying 15 World Championship. My last was back in 2013, so a significant absence! Having a World Championship in your own backyard was to good to ignore. A quick makeover of (AUS3933) and we are ready to tackle the waters off Fremantle’

Ian Pinnell of Pinnell & Bax Sails

Ian Pinnell (of Pinnell & Bax Sails) is sailing (GBR 4096 - Oooh La La) from Northampton SC, crewed by Ian Cadwallader. Ian is one of the class sailmakers and races a number of other classes at the top level.

He raced in the 505 class at their world championship on the same course (Owen Anchorage) as the F15s will be racing.

Racing under the flag of Hong Kong (HKG 3972 - Australian Expat Finance) are Ashley Smith and Adam Kingston. They are current Australian National Champions (sailed in 2020), and the pair based in Queensland represents the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. They also won the Australian Nationals in 2015.

Another crew from the Royal Hong Kong YC sailing (HKG 3722 - All Torque) is Peter Britten and Oliver Merz. Incidentally, there are F15s from no less than 7 Royal yacht clubs racing at the 2023 Worlds.

Around 50 boats are racing under the Australian flag. A strong West Australian fleet comes from both ends of the state, from Geraldton YC to the north of Perth to Esperance Bay YC on the SW corner of West Australia.

Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and South of Perth Yacht Club are located on the Swan River just inland from the ocean off Fremantle. Both clubs have a strong posse of sailors racing at the 2023 F15 Worlds. These include regular club race winners;

David Yu and Chris Nelson sailing (AUS 3859 - Tuffen Up), Hamish Carnachan & Peter Mudford sailing (AUS 3809 - Neffarious) and Greg Leaversuch & Peter Barblett sailing (AUS 3992 - Glamour Buoys).

Flying Fifteens round a gybe mark at the 2019 World Championships on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Philippa Packer is skippering (AUS 4063 - Firefly) with another former F15 World Champion crew, Dean McAullay. Philippa is one of about 20 female sailors racing in the class at these World Championships.

A big fleet from South of Perth YC includes another regular race winner, (AUS 4072 - The Answer) sailed by Greg Tonnison & Nick Robinson

There are some local WA sailors from other classes who have strong credentials. Lachy Gilmour & Ryan Donaldson have represented Australia in Olympic classes (49er). They are one of the youngest and no doubt fittest of the crews. (AUS 3980 - Ffast Lane 3 - RFBYC / EBYC)

Rod Beurteaux & Simon Wilder have acquired a new boat (AUS 4108 - Uh Oh) sailing for South of Perth YC / East Fremantle YC. Successful sailors from the Viper sports boat class and know WA waters well.

Around ten crews are families sailing together. These include brothers Mike and Paul Dunbar sailing (AUS 3986 - Ineffable) from SoPYC and the father and son team from the UK, Charles and Charlie Apthorp. Charles is another former World and European Champion in the class.

Nine New Zealand-based F15’s have made the journey across the ditch to race at these championships representing the Royal Akarana YC, Manly SC and Napier SC. Amongst these, Murray Gilbert and Jonathan Burgess (NZL 3840 - Ffrenetic)
came third at the 2017 Worlds in Napier, New Zealand. The pair has also won the New Zealand Nationals in the class.

Irish duo John Lavery & Alan Green (IRL 4083 - Phoenix) Photo: Afloat

Two boats have made the trip down under from Dublin in Ireland. Seasoned F15 campaigners John Lavery & Alan Green (IRL 4083 - Phoenix) and Niall Meagher & Nikki Matthews (IRL 3938 - Ffantastic Mr Fox) come from the National YC in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.

One competitor has made the journey all the way from South Africa. Alexander Campbell & Ralph Thomas have toured the world in the F15 (RSA 4009 - Rand Hedge), representing the Royal Natal YC / PYC.

The oldest F15 in the fleet designated as a (Silver fleet boat) comes from Parkstone YC, Poole Harbour in the UK, sailed by Graham Latham and Sarah Briscoe (GBR 2876 - Gripple Nipper).

All the entries are listed on the regatta website here 

Flying Fifteen World Championship 2023 Regatta Dates:

• Mar 9 - 12 - Registration & Measurement
• Mar 12 - Invitational Race
• Mar 13 - 16 - Australian Championship
• Mar 17 - Lay-day
• Mar 18 - 25 - Flying Fifteen World Championships

Two National Yacht Club boats from Dun Laoghaire – the stronghold of Irish Flying Fifteen sailing – will contest the 2023 World Championships next month in Fremantle, Western Australia.

Former Irish national champions John Lavery and Alan Green, along with Niall and Nicky Meagher, will compete in the March 18 event that has drawn a fleet of over 77 boats. 

The host organiser of the 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship is the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, which is located on the Swan River where most of the dinghy/keelboat racing takes place, however, the attraction of sailing on the Indian Ocean waters off Fremantle, (about 3 km downstream from the RFBYC) is too much to ignore for organisers.

'Clear turquoise waters, good sea breezes and downwind surfing waves'

The infamous 'Fremantle Doctor' sea breeze regularly blows from lunchtime onwards throughout most of the summer months, easing slightly in late summer.

Flying Fifteen duo Niall and Nicky Meagher of the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Photo: Chris Doorly

"The March timetable has been chosen as the weather conditions are generally more forgiving at this time of year. The infamous 'Fremantle Doctor' strong sea breezes have usually weakened" say the organisers

The event host is the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club but the regatta will be sailed out of Fremantle Sailing Club on the pristine waters of Owen Anchorage in the Indian Ocean off Fremantle. The facilities at Fremantle Sailing Club are world class and Fremantle is renowned throughout the world for its unique sailing conditions.

Incredibly 77 entries are already on their way to sailing paradise. This figure would not have been possible without the funding provided by key sponsors including Endeavour Homes and the transport and logistics provided by the MSC group.

Flying Fifteens are coming from as far away as South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and all over Australia. Whilst the overseas boats are being shipped to Fremantle, it takes a good three days to tow a F15 from Queensland to West Australia, a similar distance as New York to San Francisco or London to Istanbul! -- Jonny Fullerton

Regatta Dates:
Mar 9 - 12 - Registration & Measurement
Mar 12 - Invitational Race
Mar 13 - 16 - Australian Championship
Mar 17 - Lay-day
Mar 18 - 25 - Flying Fifteen World Championship

flying15worlds2023.com2023 Flying Fifteen World Championships
Fremantle, Western Australia: The host organiser of the 2023 Flying Fifteen World Championship is the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club which is located on the Swan River where most of the dinghy / keelboat racing takes place, however the attraction of sailing on the Indian Ocean waters off Fremantle, (about 3 km down stream from the RFBYC) is too much to ignore for organisers.

'Clear turquoise waters, good sea breezes and downwind surfing waves'

The infamous 'Fremantle Doctor' sea breeze blows regularly from lunchtime onwards throughout most of the summer months, easing slightly in late summer.

"The March timetable has been chosen as the weather conditions are generally more forgiving at this time of year. The infamous 'Fremantle Doctor' strong sea breezes have usually weakened" say the organisers

The event host is the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club but the regatta will be sailed out of Fremantle Sailing Club on the pristine waters of Owen Anchorage in the Indian Ocean off Fremantle. The facilities at Fremantle Sailing Club are world-class and Fremantle is renowned throughout the world for its unique sailing conditions.

Incredibly 77 entries are already on their way to 'sailing paradise', according to promoters.

Flying Fifteens are coming from as far away as South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand and all over Australia. Whilst the overseas boats are being shipped to Fremantle, it takes a good three days to tow a F15 from Queensland to West Australia, a similar distance as New York to San Francisco or London to Istanbul!

20023 Flying Fifteen World Championship dates:

• Mar 9 - 12 - Registration & Measurement
• Mar 12 - Invitational Race
• Mar 13 - 16 - Australian Championship
• Mar 17 - Lay-day
• Mar 18 - 25 - Flying Fifteen World Championship

More here

One of the largest one-design fleets in Dublin Bay Sailing Club, the Flying Fifteens, gathered at the end of November in the Royal St. George Yacht Club to mark the close of the 2022 season. In contrast to the previous two seasons, a full schedule of racing had been provided by DBSC with a season that ran from the last Thursday in April to the first Saturday in October. Over four further weekends in October and November, Keith Poole and a varying group of volunteers provided Frostbite racing for the fleet that got up to eleven boats on the water and was marked by the turnout of Lee Statham and Andy Paul from Dunmore East who contested every race apart from the penultimate race when the outhaul on their main broke before the start.

Halfway through the Frostbite Series, we were all stunned by the sudden passing of Ben Mulligan, As Good as It Gets 3688 and Enfant de Marie 4081, in the last week of October and the passing of Ciaran Crummey earlier in the season.

The Royal Irish has had a Flying Fifteen join its numbers late in the season (Phil Lawton), but he was not in attendance but the other three clubs, Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, the Royal St George, and the National Yacht Club, had good turnouts.

The 2022 Class Captain, Jill Fleming, ably assisted by Ronan Beirne, opened the prize-giving after dinner by noting the activities of the fleet over the summer, making specific reference to the Dalkey Race, held in late summer, our involvement in the Women on the Water Regatta where Ciara Mulvey had enjoyed success, the Captain’s Prize, the travelling contingent that supported our provincial events in Connemara, Whitehead, Dunmore East and a lively Lough Derg at the close of the season. Special mention was given to John Lavery and Alan Green who contested the Europeans in Hayling Island and a number of other UK-based events. We also enjoyed a healthy turnout at the Nationals hosted in Dun Laoghaire. She also acknowledged the Class prize-winners at the DBSC prize-giving, Neil Colin and Margaret Casey, David Gorman and Michael Huang and ben Mulligan (R.I.P.) and Cormac Bradley.

The principal prize-winners on the night were as follows;

Scroll down for a prizegiving gallery of images

Saturday Series: David Gorman & Michael Huang/Chris Doorly; Fomo, 4099
Thursday Series: Neil Colin & Margaret Casey; Fuzzy, 4028
Saturday Silver Fleet: Tom Murphy & Carel le Roux; Fflagella, 4057
Most Improved Boat: Alastair Court & Conor O’Leary; Ffinisterre, 3753
Travellers’ Trophy: John Lavery and Alan Green; Phoenix, 4083
Endeavour Trophy: Joe Coughlan & Andrew Marshall; Ash, 3913
Overall Thursday Crew: Margaret Casey; Fuzzy, 4028
Overall Saturday Crew: Cormac Bradley; Enfant de Marie 4081

Fleet Prizes: 

Gold Fleet
1. Ben Mulligan & Cormac Bradley – Enfant de Marie, 4081
2. Neil Colin & Margaret Casey – Fuzzy, 4028
3. Keith Poole & Tom Galvin – Mike Wazowski, 4093

Silver Fleet
1. Tom Murphy & Carel le Roux – Fflagella, 4057
2. Alastair Court & Conor O’Leary – Ffinisterre, 3753
3. Adrian Cooper & Joe McNamara – Rockafellas, 3896

Bronze Fleet
1. Joe Coughlan & Andrew Marshall – Ash, 3913
2. John O’Sullivan & Pat Kiersey – Rhubarb, 3762
3. Mick Quinn & MaryJayne Mulligan – MAXV, 3960

As he collected the last trophy to be presented on the evening, the Heineken Plate for winning the Gold Fleet overall with Ben Mulligan, Cormac Bradley was prompted from the floor to say a few words. He noted that Ben would have really enjoyed the evening and getting the acclaim from his peers for a very successful season. We would all miss him at evenings such as this, in chance conversations over the winter but most especially at the start of the next summer season. Sail on, Ben, I hope you find the star by which you chart your further onward passage!

Flying Fifteen Prizegiving Photography by Frank Miller

Neil Colin (L) and Margaret Casey (R), All Season Thursday DBSC Flying Fifteen Winners, Ross Doyle Tankard

Alan Green with the DBSC Flying Fifteen DAF Trophy (for most distance travelled – with John Lavery)

 Margaret Casey with the Frank Burns Trophy for Best Crew Overall in the DBSC Flying Fifteen Thursday Series

Cormac Bradley with the Godkin Trophy for Best Crew Overall in the DBSC Flying Fifteen Saturday Series

Conor O’Leary (L) and Alastair Court, Most Improved, DBSC Flying Fifteen Neophyte Trophy

 Pat Kiersey (L) & john O’Sullivan (R), 2nd Overall Bronze Fleet in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

 Mick Quinn, (and MaryJayne Mulligan), 3rd Overall Bronze Fleet of the DBSC Flying Fifteens, with Jill Fleming

 Adrian Cooper (L) & Joe McNamara (R), 3rd Overall Silver Fleet of the DBSC Flying Fifteens

Joe Coughlan (L), Jill Fleming and Andrew Marshall (R), Endeavour Trophy (Dalkey Race) & 1st Overall Bronze Fleet, Hellgate Trophy in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

Conor O’Leary (L) and Alistair Court (R), Second Overall Silver Fleet in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

Keith Poole (L) and Tom Galvin (R), 3rd Overall Gold Fleet in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

Tom Murphy (R) with Adrian Cooper, Saturday Silver Fleet, Halfway Mug (donated by the Cooper family) & 1st Overall Silver Fleet in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

Neil Colin and Margaret Casey, 2nd Overall Gold Fleet in the DBSC Flying Fifteens

 2023 Class Captain Robin Hilliard and his deputy/crew/daughter, Dascha, make a presentation to outgoing Class Captain (2022) Jill Fleming

Dun Laoghaire Flying Fifteen stalwart and crew to Jill Fleming in recent seasons, Frank Burgess, makes a presentation to Jill

The Dun Laoghaire Flying Fifteen fleet held their AGM last night, chaired by the outgoing Captain, Jill Fleming and attended by seventeen members with representation from the three Dun Laoghaire clubs which have “Fifteens” on their decks, the National Yacht Club, the Royal St George Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club.

A minute’s silence was observed at the start of the meeting to mark the passing of former members Ciaran Crummey and Ben Mulligan.

A brief report by the Captain, referenced the 69 races sailed in the 2022 season, including DBSC, the Captain’s Prize, the race to Dalkey, involvement in the “Women on the Water Regatta”, and the Frostbites.

She referenced the campaigning in UK waters of John Lavery & Alan Green (4083) and wished them well for the Worlds to be sailed in Fremantle in March 2023.

She also reported that Keith Poole will represent the Class on the 2023 DBSC committee.

The “election” of officers will see the following individuals manage the affairs of the fleet for 2023;

• Captain: Robin Hilliard.
• Vice-Captain: Joe Hickey.
• Secretary: David Mulvin (returning).
• Treasurer: Peter Sherry (returning).
• Safety Officer: Adrian Cooper (returning).
• Recorder: Peter Murphy (returning)
• Trophy Secretary: Ronan Beirne (returning)
• Technical Officer: Alan Green (returning).

Peter Sherry, Treasurer, reported on the financial affairs of the fleet for 2022 and advised that the finances are in a healthy condition.

In his absence, Jill Fleming presented the report of the Safety Officer, Adrian Cooper, who raised a number of issues in his report

• the requirement to have whistles and safety knives on board each boat (per crew member)
• the requirement to have buoyancy bags inflated inside buoyancy tanks and advised that a small pump for the purpose of inflating the bags was available in the NYC boathouse
• the protocols for operating the winches in the NYC and,
• the use of paddles when operating under reduced sail.
• The meeting also discussed the need for a session on man-overboard recovery and the requirement that crews helm the boat out to and in from the race area so they are competent to helm in an emergency situation.

A discussion on calendar dates took place but is subject to liaison with the FFAI, the national committee.

"particular concern at different DBSC classes converging at leeward marks"

Under any other business, there was a robust discussion on the format of the DBSC races with particular concern at different classes converging at leeward marks at the same time despite having used a separate weather mark.

The meeting closed with a reminder that the DLFF fleet prize-giving is scheduled for Friday night at the same venue – the Royal St George Yacht Club, with a warning signal at 19:00.