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SB20 Venuesworld.com Leads AIB Turkey Shoot with Two to Go

3rd December 2025
The DBSC Turkey Shoot Race 3 fleet sails past Dun Laoghaire's East Pier under spinnaker in bright winter sunshine on Dublin Bay.
The DBSC Turkey Shoot Race 3 fleet sails past Dun Laoghaire's East Pier under spinnaker in bright winter sunshine on Dublin Bay Credit: Barry O'Neill

The SB20 Venuesworld.com continues to be the overall leader in the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot 2025, topping the 62-boat fleet after three races with just two rounds left to sail.

The 1.200-handicap boat has amassed just 40.5 points, placing her narrowly ahead of the J80 Jitterbug on 47 points. Third place is held by the Mustang 30 Peridot on 50 points.

Despite a standout win in Race 3, the Beneteau 31.7 Mayfly sits mid-fleet in 32nd overall on 97 points, demonstrating how consistency across races is key in the no-discard series so far.

Only seven points separate the top three boats, and less than 20 points divide the top ten, setting up a tense finish in Dublin Bay.

Discards are yet to be applied, which could further shake up the order.

DBSC organiser Fintan Cairns noted, “The racing has been incredibly tight, and we’re expecting a thrilling conclusion over the next two Sundays.”

Sunday, November 30th's third race was sailed in beautiful light and sunny conditions with a breeze of five to nine knots. 

"we were kept busy as Race Officers set a triangle/sausage/triangle course, shortened in the end" J122 skipper Chris Power Smith told Afloat.

Racing continues next weekend from Dun Laoghaire Harbour, with the fleet back on the water at 10:30 am.

Download results below

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Published in Turkey Shoot, SB20
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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

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

 

 

 

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