DBSC Turkey Shoot Marks 25th Silver Anniversary

Q: What is the start time for the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series?

The first warning signal is at 10.10 am.

DBSC Turkey Shoot Marks 25th Silver Anniversary

7th October 2025

Afloat.ie Team

The AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot celebrates its 25th silver anniversary in 2025 with seven Sunday races on Dublin Bay, welcoming keelboats, cruisers, one-designs and boats new to racing.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club will mark the 25th silver anniversary of its AIB Turkey Shoot Winter Series this year, still running under its founding organiser, Fintan Carins.

The long-running series runs from Sunday, 2 November, to Sunday, 14 December, with seven races scheduled on Sunday mornings.

The Turkey Shoot fleet size varies, but recent years have seen around 70-80 boats competing. For example, 72 boats competed in the 2024 series, and 73 competed in 2022.

The first gun will sound at 10.10 am each week. Racing will use a progressive time-on-time handicap system.

AIB Turkey Shoot Winter Series organiser, Fintan Cairns

"Keelboats, cruisers, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome," Cairns told Afloat.

Entry is €70, which includes temporary membership of Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Online entry is available at www.dbsc.ie

The closing date is Wednesday, 29 October, with late entries subject to 'handicap adjustment'.

Sailing instructions will be issued on 2 November and emailed in advance.

After racing, food and prize draws will take place at the Royal Irish Yacht Club. "You have to be there to win," Cairns states.

"We are delighted to welcome AIB and all weekly sponsors back on board. It adds greatly to the series," he adds.

DBSC's Peter Fleming will also join the team to assist in running this year’s winter programme.

The Notice of Race is now available as a downloadable pdf below

At a Glance: DBSC AIB Turkey Shoot 2025 (25th Anniversary Edition)

Dates: Sunday 2 November – Sunday 14 December
Races: Seven Sunday morning races
Start time: First gun at 10:10 hrs
Venue: Dublin Bay, hosted by Royal Irish Yacht Club
Entry fee: €70 (includes temporary membership of DBSC & RIYC)
Deadline: Wednesday 29 October
Entry: Online at www.dbsc.ie

Downloads

TURKEY SHOOT 2025 NORLOGO.pdf (104 Downloads)

Published in Turkey Shoot, Royal Irish Yacht Club

Published in Turkey Shoot

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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

What is the start time for the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series?

The first warning signal is at 10.10 am

Who can race in the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series?

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.

When is the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series held?

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

How long does a Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series race take?

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

How many races are in the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

What club hosts the Dublin Bay DBSC Turkey Shoot Series?

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).