Kinsale Yacht Club rivals its South coast Royal Cork neighbour with four offshore entries into Wednesday's 280-mile Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race. 

It's a strong turnout for the West Cork club that also has the biggest entry into the race in the form of Conor Doyle's fifty-foot X-yacht Freya. 

Kinsale also has a potent double-handed entry from Cian McCarthy sailing his Sunfast 3300, Cinnamon Girl (stratospherically rated at 1.026)

Kinsale's Cian McCarthy is sailing his Sunfast 3300, Cinnamon Girl double-handed in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Bob Bateman

Finbarr O'Regan's new J109 Artful Dodger will make its debut in the race and with one favourite J109 now out of the race and O'Regan's successful track record in his former Elan 333, this new Kinsale combination may be something of a dark horse in a race that will be raced along largely familiar south coast waters for the KYC crew.

The Dublin J109 Wakey Wakey has been sold to the south coast, is now known as Artful Dodger and makes her racing debut under the Kinsale Yacht Club burgee this week in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Afloat

As Afloat's WM Nixon visualises here there could be a scenario where the Xp50 and the Xp44 WOW (George Sisk, RIYC) – along with other biggies like Robert Rendell's new Grand Soleil 44 Samatom – will get themselves clear ahead in a separate group and keep piling on the lead in increasingly different conditions from the rest of the fleet.

Kinsale Yacht Club Entries in the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race

• Artful Dodger J109, IRL1713, Skipper: Finbarr O'Regan, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.006
• Cinnamon Girl SUNFAST 3300, IRL 1627, Skipper: Cian McCarthy, Class: Double handed Racing, Rating: 1.026
• Freya Xp50 IRL 5077, Skipper: Conor Doyle, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.084
• Meridian Salona 45, IRL 4076, Skipper: Thomas Roche, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.094

Tom Roche's Meridian Salona 45 from Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat reported, the race is shaping up to be a highlight of the sailing season and has attracted a formidable line-up of Irish offshore sailing talent.

38 boats are lined up for Wednesday's start at 2 pm, a date that WM Nixon is calling a Clarion Call for Ireland's 2021 Sailing Season.

The Notice of Race has been published for the Squib South Coast Championships taking place on 17 & 18 July at Kinsale Yacht Club.

With a return to racing expected for 7th June, Kinsale hopes to attract entries from Glandore to Killyleagh and all the Irish Squib fleets in between. 

Racing will take place in the waters outside Kinsale Harbour between the Old Head and the Sovereign Islands.

Competition, say organisers, is expected to be 'extremely high' as the Irish National Championships are scheduled just three weeks later in Killyleagh Yacht Club in Northern Ireland.

Entries will be accepted up until 12th July 2021.

Download the NOR and entry form below.

Kinsale Yacht Club has confirmed its O'Leary Insurance Group Sovereign's Cup from 23rd to 26th June 2021.

"Having considered the recent announcement on the easing of government restrictions and after consulting all stakeholders, we have agreed that we can hold our reduced size Sovereign's Cup", said Regatta director Anthony O'Neill.

"We believe that there is a pent-up demand among all sailors to get back racing and that this year's event, albeit a more 'on the water' regatta, will cater very well for that demand".

Anthony O'Neill, Sovereigns Cup Regatta Director

"We are very happy to be in the position that our early decision to plan for a smaller event with a target of 50 boats has now been proven to have been a prudent one. While the government announcement last Friday has effectively given the 'green-light' to sailing in controlled situations, there still remains many uncertainties and challenges for event organisers. Not least among those are restrictions and measures that may be required ashore", O'Neill said. 

"All of us at Kinsale Yacht Club are working hard to provide the best possible racing in June"

For that reason, a final decision on the level of social activity in Kinsale Yacht Club will not be made until closer to the event.

"We will be guided at that time by the guidelines in place with regards to numbers allowed at Events and Social Gatherings" he added.

"If the expected clarifications/alterations to the guidelines do not allow for the use of our Club facilities, then we are confident that participant's needs can be accommodated at the outdoor facilities of the Restaurants, Cafes and Bars in the town".

In addition, all Hotels and Guesthouses will have indoor dining available for those participants who are residents.

"All of us at Kinsale Yacht Club are working hard to provide the best possible racing in June", ONeill concluded.

There was good news from Kinsale this week as a yacht club member, Stephen McCarthy and his construction company Astra Construction have become the Gold sponsor to back the yacht clubs' hosting of the Dragon Gold Cup in 2024.

After the disappointment of having to cancel the 2020 event, Kinsale has been rewarded with the hosting of the 2024 edition, an exceptionally prestigious event that has in the past attracted royalty and Olympic winners.

Speaking of the sponsorship Stephen McCarthy, himself a keen sailor and father to offshore supremo Cian McCarthy, wanted to support Kinsale Yacht Club, and the Gold Cup was the perfect match for him.

Stephen commented, "Astra Construction are delighted to be on board for the 2024 Dragon Gold Cup. Although we are the title sponsor, our primary aim is to promote our wonderful Yacht Club and have the event called the Kinsale Yacht Club Gold Cup 2024. I am excited to be involved so early in the cycle and look forward to working with the organisers to ensure a truly memorable and successful event."

Michael Walsh Commodore of Kinsale Yacht Club welcomed the announcement by adding, "Stephen has been incredibly generous, not only by becoming the Gold sponsor of the event but also offering his time and energy to help in any way with the other volunteers in running the event to the exacting detail required of the Gold Cup Deed of Gift. Kinsale Yacht Club's success is based around its volunteers, and Stephen has absolutely defined what the Yacht Club is all about by not only sponsoring the event but also volunteering to help out."

Daniel Murphy of the 2024 organising committee and current Dragon class captain commented that "Work has already begun here in Kinsale for 2024. We are delighted to welcome Stephen and thank him for his support and faith in us to run a world-class event. The Dragon class in Kinsale is certainly enjoying a rejuvenation at present, with a growing fleet of active and competitive boats and more on the horizon. The attraction to the fleet in Kinsale is the fun and camaraderie within the group and being able to sail in a beautiful venue like Kinsale."

It is fair to say that all in Kinsale Yacht Club already have their eye firmly on running a spectacular event in 2024, the yacht clubs' third time welcoming the Gold Cup to Kinsale.

The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport reminds seafarers of the important of passage planning and regular weather forecast checks during voyages.

It comes following the recommendations in the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report into the rescue of five sailors from the yacht Loa Zour amid severe storm conditions off the Spanish coast in June 2019.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a crew from Kinsale Yacht Club were rescued from the 40ft yacht on 6 June 2019 just days after they had set out from West Cork for the Spanish port of A Coruña, after experiencing extreme conditions amid the surprise Storm Miguel.

The MCIB report found that while the storm was “an unusual and unexpected weather event”, and the skipper of the Loa Our “showed good judgement in his decision and actions in broadcasting a Mayday distress VHF transmission and activating the vessel’s EPIRB”, he was also unaware of the details of the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft and the requirement to submit a passage plan to a shore-based authority.

“If the basic tenets of the passage plan had been observed in detail with respect to updated weather forecasting during the voyage, observing the limitations of the boat design capability and staying within reach of a safe haven by taking a more circuitous route around the coastline of the Bay of Biscay, then the crew of yacht Loa Zour may have been better prepared before encountering Storm Miguel 85 [nautical miles] north of A Coruña,” the report states.

Marine Notice No 19 of 2021 highlights the relevant advice contained within the Code of Practice and related Marine Notices, and can be downloaded below.

West Cork's Kinsale Yacht Club is looking forward to having members who live more than five kilometres from Kinsale visit the club marina to use their boats for family cruises from 12th April.

Club Commodore Mike Walsh says KYC is also looking forward to junior sail training recommencing in pods of not greater than 15 after 26th April.

The Government announced yesterday the phased easing of some Covid-19 restrictions during the month of April as Afloat reported here. 

Kinsale Yacht Club is planning to host its biennial Sovereign's Cup Regatta from June 23, one of the key regattas of the Irish sailing calendar.

Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Mike Walsh

"We expect to be organising family 'cruises' in company in the vicinity of Kinsale harbour after 26th but we are awaiting clarification from Irish Sailing on whether this is permissible under current guidelines", Walsh told Afloat.

"We understand that IS is lobbying to have competitive racing included with training activities when this aspect is allowed to open up and await eagerly the outcome of these discussions, he added.

The Government says it plans to continue this cautious approach, gradually easing restrictions, while a substantial level of the population is vaccinated during April, May and June, after which, it should be safe to reopen society more widely.

The number of entries for June's O'Leary Insurance Group Sovereign's Cup exceeded the target of 50 boats over the weekend.

As Afloat reported last month, there was an immediate uptake for the even when entries. The current entry list is available here.

Kinsale's Regatta Director Anthony O'Neill and his organising committee have closed the online entry system until further notice. The Government's Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions and guidelines will now be closely monitored to determine if more boats may be accommodated in the event.

Kinsale Yacht Club says a regatta waiting list has now been set-up and any boat interested should email Anthony O'Neill at [email protected] stating Boat Name, Sail No., Rating, Owners Name and Club.

Kinsale Yacht Club is now operating a waiting list for its June Sovereign's Cup Regatta Photo: Bob Bateman

KYC say the calibre of boats taking part in June has not been affected by the lower number of entrants necessitated by Covid-19.

Coastal Division

In the Coastal Division, Conor Doyle's Xp50 Freya, the biggest boat in the fleet, along with Tom Roche's Salona 45 Meridian, both from KYC are potential winners.

Ahead of the regatta, Doyle's crew will have honed their boat-handling skills in the Dun Laoghaire to Race earlier in June.

Conor Doyle's Xp50 Freya from the host club Photo: Afloat

Other Sovereign's Cup regatta boats that will also have benefitted from the D2D race will be George Sisk's Xp44 WOW, Denis and Annamarie Murphy's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo, and the Burke/Lemass/Rigley team's Beneteau First 40 Prima Forte. These bigger boats will be joined by two other smaller boats, also competing in the D2D which are Johnny Treanor's Grand Soleil JustTina and David Riome/Mark Leonard's Valfreya from the host club.

Dublin J109s 

In IRC Zero, Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice and Niall Dowling's Ker 40+ Arabella are sure to feature strongly. In IRC 1 the J109's are set to repeat their 2019 'Battle of Kinsale' with Richard Colwell/John Murphy's Outrajeous, Simon Knowles' Indian and the Shanahan Family's Ruth.

Simon Knowles' J109 Indian from Howth Yacht Club will compete in IRC One of the Sovereign's Cup Photo: Afloat

These along with Paul and Deirdre Tingle's X-34 Alpaca will be expected to do well as like the bigger boats in the Coastal Division they are also competing in the D2D race.

Eight Half Tonners will race in IRC 2 division of the Sovereign's Cup 2021 Photo: Bob Bateman

Eight Half Tonners Sign Up

In IRC 2 no less than eight Half Tonners will be participating. George Radley's Cortegada will be making the trip over to Kinsale from Cobh in Cork Harbour to take on the seven entries from Dublin Bay. Among those will be the 2019 IRC 2 winner Nigel Biggs in Checkmate XVIII and 2019 Irish Half Ton Cup winners Michael Wright and Rick DeNeve in Mata.

Nigel Biggs in Checkmate XVIII

White Sails

The White Sail Divisions will be book-ended by KYC's James Matthews' new acquisition Fiscala, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49, and the biggest boat in White Sail.

In White Sail IRC2, will be the smallest boat Shillelagh, a Blazer 23 owned by Kinsale Yacht Club Ex-Commodore and former Sovereign's Cup winner John Twomey.

All in all, there should be intriguing racing in the battles not just for the individual class titles but for The Sovereign's Cup, the Portcullis Trophy and the Michelle Dunn Prix d'Elegance Trophy which are the perpetual trophies awarded for the best overall performing boat in IRC, the best overall performance in Echo and the best-presented boat at the event.

Registration is now open for the 2021 O'Leary Insurance Group Sovereigns Cup which will take place 23rd to 26th June in Kinsale Yacht Club, click here to enter online.

Participants will sail in Classes 0, 1, 2, Coastal and White Sail under PRO Jack Roy and RO Peter Crowley.

Due to the uncertainty around Covid-19 the event will be limited to 50 boats as outlined by Anthony O'Neill, Regatta Director. "Our reason for making this revision to our plans for the event is driven by the potential uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that may be required at different times during 2021. We are taking the prudent approach that will allow maximum flexibility to proceed with the event given the capacity of our clubhouse and marina."

With a limit of 50 boats, early entry is essential.

If KYC have no option but to cancel the event all competitors will be refunded their entry fees in full.

There are only a few harbours in Ireland where you get the feeling that the land is effortlessly embracing the sea rather than endlessly battling it, but Kinsale is undoubtedly one of them.

The picturesque port town provides a gentle interaction which is emphasised at Christmas, when the long nights bring the opportunity for the festive lights afloat and ashore to blend with one another in a maritime display of faith, hope and love.

Boats at Kinsale marina are lit up for Christmas 2020. Photo by KYC Commodore Mike Walsh

The details of a revised plan for the O'Leary Insurance Group Sovereign's Cup 2021 have been published by Kinsale Yacht Club together with a Notice of Race (NOR).

The Notice of Race is downloadable below as a PDF document (2mb)

Sovereign's Cup Regatta Director Anthony O'Neill has outlined how plans for the event, which is to take place from 23rd to 26th June 2021, have been revised and the reasons for doing so.

"We are all only too aware of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions necessary to curtail the spread of infection. We also know that this has led to the cancellation of many planned events this year. Given the potential uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that may be required at the time of this event, the target number of entries will be 50 boats".

This total number of boats may, at the discretion of the Organising Authority (KYC), be increased in order to have a reasonable number of boats in each division and at the same time remain compliant with Covid-19 guidelines in effect at the time of the event. It is intended that boats will be participating in IRC Classes 0, 1, 2, Coastal and White-sail.

Our reason for making this revision to our plans for the event is driven by the potential uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that may be required at different times during 2021. We are taking the prudent approach that will allow maximum flexibility to proceed with the event given the capacity of our clubhouse and marina.

In addition, our clubhouse may be restricted to booked table service only for food and beverages. Given that our marina is in the town we are confident that the local hotels, restaurants and bars will cater for the participants not accommodated in our clubhouse.

If the prevailing Covid-19 restrictions next June are such that we have no option but to cancel the event all competitors will be refunded their entry fees in full.

Registration opens on January 5th here

Listen to Sovereign's Cup Regatta Director Anthony O'Neill's July podcast with Tom MacSweeney here