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Vintage Sigma 33 'Boojum' Takes a DBSC Turkey Shoot Race Win as Dublin Bay Winter Series Reaches Halfway

20th November 2024
J109s (from left) Indecision, Riders on the Storm and Jump the Gun emerge from the back of Dun Laoghaire's East Pier in the third race downwind leg to the Muglins Rock in the 2024 AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay
J109s (from left) Indecision, Riders on the Storm and Jump the Gun emerge from the back of Dun Laoghaire's East Pier in the third race downwind leg to the Muglins Rock in the 2024 AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay Credit: Afloat

The vintage Sigma 33 one-design Boojum took an 11-second win in last Sunday's third race of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay.

In another great turnout for the 72-boat entry, the 1978 David Thomas design beat the Beneteau 31.7 Camira on modified ECHO handicap with a corrected time of one hour, 4 minutes and 52 seconds in the third race of the mixed cruiser series with winds gusting over ten knots.

Third was the Jeanneau 36i Sirocco. 

Overall, after three sailed, the leader after two races, the 2024 DBSC champion J97 Windjammer drops to fourth, while the Oceanis 36i Calypso tops the scoreboard from Camira, with the 1976 vintage Club Shamrock Taiscealai lying third.

The 1976 vintage Ron Holland-designed Club Shamrock, Taiscealai lies third overall after three races sailed at the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin BayThe 1976 vintage Ron Holland-designed Club Shamrock, Taiscealai lies third overall after three races sailed at the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Download race three and the overall results in the seven-race series below.

With a strong wind forecast, racing is scheduled to continue this Sunday.

Published in Turkey Shoot
Afloat.ie Team

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Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Winter Series

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Turkey Shoot Series reached its 20th year in 2020.

The popular yacht series racing provides winter-racing for all the sailing clubs on the southside of Dublin Bay in the run-up to Christmas.

It regularly attracts a fleet of up to 70 boats of different shapes and sizes from all four yachts clubs at Dun Laoghaire: The National Yacht Club, The Royal St. George Yacht Club, The Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as other clubs such as Sailing in Dublin. Typically the event is hosted by each club in rotation.

The series has a short, sharp format for racing that starts at approximately 10 am and concludes around noon. The event was the brainchild of former DBSC Commodore Fintan Cairns to give the club year-round racing on the Bay thanks to the arrival of the marina at Dun Laoghaire in 2001. Cairns, an IRC racer himself, continues to run the series each winter.

Typically, racing features separate starts for different cruiser-racers but in fact, any type of boat is allowed to participate, even those yachts that do not normally race are encouraged to do so.

Turkey Shoot results are calculated under a modified ECHO handicap system and there can be a fun aspect to some of the scoring in keeping with the Christmas spirit of the occasion.

As a result, the Turkey Shoot often receives entries from boats as large as Beneteau 50 footers and one designs as small as 20-foot flying Fifteens, all competing over the same course.

It also has legendary weekly prizegivings in the host waterfront yacht clubs immediately after racing. There are fun prizes and overall prizes based on series results.

Regular updates and DBSC Turkey Shoot Results are published on Afloat each week as the series progresses.

FAQs

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome. Boats range in size from ocean-going cruisers at 60 and 60 feet right down to small one-design keelboats such as 20-foot Flying Fifteens. A listing of boats for different starts is announced on Channel 74 before racing each week.

Each winter from the first Sunday in November until the last week before Christmas.

Usually no more than two hours. The racecourse time limit is 12.30 hours.

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

Racing is organised by Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Series is rotated across different waterfront yacht clubs for the popular after race party and prizegiving. The waterfront clubs are National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC), Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

© Afloat 2020