#calvesweek – There has been a marked increase in entries to Calves Week this year writes Claire Bateman. Entries are up 25% with boats coming to Schull from clubs around the coast for the 4 day regatta. Boats from Waterford and Kerry Sailing Clubs are joining the usual strong contingents from Kinsale, Crosshaven and Dublin, and a few new visitors from the UK completed the strong racing line up. With 15 boats competing in some classes, some great days' racing is promised in the Cork Dry Gin sponsored event.
With light winds from the south east backing south forecast for the starting day's racing, Race Officer Neil Prendeville kept the starts clean with separate guns for the four cruiser classes as well as the two Whitesail classes outside Copper Point. He chose a windward course for the fleets out around the Calf Islands. The cruisers were able to hoist their spinnakers from a laid mark south of West Calf Island with a leeward run back to the Amelia Buoy. Class 0/1 completed 3 rounds with the other classes completing fewer laps. A sailing breeze picked up, allowing the various fleets the opportunity to complete before the weather unexpectedly closed in.
With a spread of entrants from sailing clubs around the country, racing competitively against each other, winners were produced from around the country. Conor Doyle in Freya from Kinsale YC) took line honours and won Class 0/1, IRC ahead of Colman Garvey in True Penance (RCYC) and Rob McConnell in Fools Gold (Waterford Harbour SC). In Echo, Freya again took the honours, ahead of local boat Infinity with Dave Harte and Des Cummins in Dear Prudence (RStGYC). In Class 2 IRC while Dexterity from Foynes YC (McEneff/Madden/Hobbs) took line honours, on corrected time the day went to Frank Desmond, RCYC, on Bad Company ahead of Derek Dillon, Foynes YC, in Big Deal and Viking with Robert Dix/Brian McKernon (Howth YC). Big Deal took Echo honours, ahead of Val Kriss (Nigel Dann, KYC) and Bad Company.
Class 3 saw a 1:2 punch for Cobh SC, with Billy Burke and Danny McCarthy's Sigma 33, Muskateer, first over the line in Class 3 and rewarded with first in both IRC and Echo, ahead of Adrian Tyler on a Hunter Impala, Whyte Knight. Jimmy Nyhan on Outrigger (RCYC) and Padraig O Donovan on Chameleon (KYC) took third in IRC and Echo respectively.
Saoirse, under Richard Hanley from Kinsale YC won Class 4 IRC and Echo respectively, ahead of local boats Witchcraft (Simon Nelson) and Barossa (Edmund Krugel) in Echo.
In the fleet of larger whitesail boats, John Dowling in Samba (RCYC) crossing the line first and getting both IRC and Echo honours. Ger Hayes' First 36.7, Y-Dream took second in both handicaps. Dufour 425 Act 2 (Roche, O'Leary, Andrews) took third place in IRC, and new entrant Samatom, a UK based
XC45 sailed by Bob Rendell, was third in Echo. In Whitesail 2, Ashanta took IRC honours, with local boats Aoife under Hugh O'Donnell, and Giggles under Peter Morehead, first and second in Echo, ahead of Calypso, another UK based boat under John McCarthy (MBSC).
In keeping with friendly nature of the club, any newcomer to Schull has been offered a "buddy boat" – a local captain to share important details like the need for attention to the local sailing hazards and where to get a good meal after an
