#dbscturkeyshoot – With the tweets from the Dublin Bay Buoy giving an average wind speed of 10kts and gusts of 16kts, the two INSC teams (INSC1 skippered by Kenneth Rumball, INSC2 skippered by Alexander Rumball) headed out to the second DBSC Turkey Shoot race with smiling crews after the baptism of fire from the previous week writes Kenny Rumball. Such light southerly winds meant most 1720s thumbed a tow from passing engine driven yachts to hitch a lift to the outer harbour. As the training days for both INSC teams were mostly blown out, the two teams took advantage of the lighter conditions to practise a few hoists gybes and drops of the bigger mast head spinnakers on the 1720s.

Shifty conditions gave Fintan Cairns and his team on Freebird a tricky course to lay, so shifty that between the second and third start, there was almost a 50 degree shift from the south to south east turning a square start line into a heavily biased pin end line inside the sequence. INSC2 lined up for a run in on port tack at the pin end whereas INSC1 took a more conservative start on starboard tack near the pin end. INSC2 pulled off a great start but with a narrow infringement with a RIYC boat forcing the INSC2 team to do a few penalty turns. INSC1 got buried in the line and immediately set about rolling into a few tacks in the shifty conditions to pull back into the race. It was anybody's guess as to what was the best track up the beat, INSC2 went out towards the left side with one of the Royal St George 1720s, Merlin, helmed by Ben Cooke and the National Yacht Club entry helmed by Brian Matthews. INSC1 took a route more up the middle of the track availing of the puffs and shifts coming in from the right hand side of the beat. The boats on the left ended up in a hole near the top mark with the other Royal St George entry helmed by Hugh Butler storming in on the starboard lay line in a lovely little bit of pressure. INSC1 tacked out to fall in behind the Royal St. George boat around the top mark, a quick hoist in almost no wind on the top reach allowed INSC1 to roll most boats by the next mark on the trapezoid course. At this stage INSC1 had managed to squeeze through and find some breeze to gain a dominant lead over the rest of the fleet. INSC2 after struggling in the hole on the top left of the beat had managed to work through the fleet in the downwind legs using some smart sailing to get up into the top end of the fleet.

INSC1 continued with its lead massively reduced up the last beat as the breeze died off again towards the top of the course but still managed to claim line honours followed in a very close finish between the NYC's Brian Matthews and the RstGYC's team lead by Ben Cooke with Brian Matthews and team claiming the narrow spot for second over the water.

The INSC race team then returned to the water in a horrendous downpour before the start of the DMYC Frostbite series which was unfortunately abandoned today due to lack of wind.

#turkeyshoot – The champion Sigma 33 White Mischief was the winner of a drama–filled first race of the 2014 DBSC Turkey Shoot on Dublin Bay last Sunday. Second was Black Velvet with the A35 Another Adventure third. Full results for the Rathfarnham Ford sponsored series is downloadable below.

#dbscturkeyshoot – The sailor at the centre of Sunday's air-sea rescue drama on Dublin Bay has been released from hospital. Rescue services who responded to the emergency suspected a spinal injury to a crew member after they were called to the dismasted yacht Elandra, a competitor in the Rathfarnham Ford Sponsored DBSC Turkey Shoot series.

Race organisers said last night no spinal or major injuries were sustained. Happily, the injured male sailor, who was kept in hospital overnight only for observation, is said to be making a good recovery.

The organisers have thanked rescue services including the Coast Guard and the RNLI.

#glensailing – The Glens are celebrating 50 years sailing and racing together as a class in Dublin Bay Sailing Club, writes 'Glenshane' skipper Pete Hogan. As a very successful season draws to a close for the 12 or so Glens in Dublin Bay there seems all prospects that the fleet can continue for a further 50 years.

The story of the Glens is worth repeating. Designed by the celebrated Scottish Marine architect Alfred Milne in 1945 the Glens were built by the Bangor boatyard over the following 20 years. Possibly 39 Glens, at least, were built which gives them claim to be Milne's most successful design and also one of the last of Alfred Milne Senior's designs. The firm still exists. He also designed the Dublin Bay 21's and the 24's which were recently in the news on Afloat.ie

At first the Glens were confined to the North but started appearing in Dublin over 50 years ago. Glenluce G67 celebrated last year being 50 years in the sole ownership of the O'Connor family. They started racing together as a class under DBSC organisation in 1964 and have been racing ever since.

Glens are classic little yachts, retaining their looks up to today as reminders of what sailing boats looked like before the era of plastic mouldings, high freeboards and self-draining cockpits. 25 ft. long with a full keel and sensible sail plan they represent state of the art pocket cruisers of the period.

Glens were often compared to Dragons. They are heavier, shorter and carry a bit more sail. But they were never allowed to become the development class which the Dragons became and never made the seismic shift into fibreglass construction. Their handy size however, has allowed them to survive just as the 17's in Howth survive and thrive. There is a mini wooden boat building fraternity centred on the Glens and their needs. The Brennan boatbuilding family in Dun Laoghaire, all three generations of it, being its mainstay.

Moored out in front of the Royal St George YC and each painted a distinctive different colour, the Glens have become as iconic a fixture in Dun Laoghaire as the bandstand, Teddy's ice cream shop or the fishermen casting their lines from the pier. Long may they continue.

The Glen keelboat. Illustration by Pete Hogan

Anyone interested in getting involved in the Glen Class in Dublin could contact Pete on 087 930 9559 or click HERE

 

#turkeyshoot – The 2014 Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Series sees the third time the INSS has entered two 1720 Sportsyachts into the exciting winter series writes school principal Kenny Rumball. The 1720s are skippered by Kenneth and Alexander Rumball as part of our race training programme where we aim to teach our crews the techniques and intensity required to race at the top of the fleet. With a training weekend having been blown out the previous weekend and the reserve day being the Saturday afternoon before racing also blown out, our teams had little practise time ahead of stepping on to the boats on Sunday morning. Initial forecasts and the weather in the morning was a manageable 16-18kts.

Boats rigged, masthead spinnakers plugged in, the two teams headed out into slightly more breeze than forecast, a quick change down from mast head to fractional kites prior to the start as we now saw gusts up pas t 20kts. Both teams started well with INSC1 (Kenneth) more towards the starboard end of the line and INSC2 (Alexander) more towards the pin end of the line. Neither INSC teams made the mistake of going to the far right of the bay where the prior two fleets mistook the Flying Fifteen windward mark as our windward mark despite assurances from the committee boat that the mark was 'well left'. INSC1 sailed up the middle of the beat covering Colin Byrne and his team on RIYC and Brian Matthews skippering a 1720 from the NYC. INSC2 went the best way up the beat and went well left, popping around the top mark ahead of most of the the two fleets that started prior to us. INSC2 attempted to fly the masthead spinnaker on the top reach but were wiser and doused it before taking an early bath. INSC1 rounded as third 1720 and could not catch INSC2 or the experienced crew racing the NYC boat with Brian. The pecking order at the top of the fleet stayed much the same with Brian and his team from the NYC claiming the spot of first 1720 across the line followed by INSC2 and then INSC1. A thrilling start to the series in challenging conditions with some breakages and an injury to which both INSC teams express their best wishes to the injured crew member.

'Big Boat' racing over, and the attention turned to the DMYC Frostbite Series where for the first time, the INSC/INSS gave our club members the opportunity to race in this fantastic series in our fleet of performance dinghies backed up by on the water support and coaching and a de-brief after every race. With views from the team INSC skippers Kenneth and Alexander sailing their Fireball and RS400 respectively and on the water support given by Glyn Williams, our new programme give a unique perspective on how to improve your dinghy racing. We have four adult members sailing Laser dinghies with one of our dinghy instructors also chartering one of our lasers before forgetting the four double handers we have entered crewed by members of our Junior Club programme.

Following on from the mornings racing the conditions had somewhat moderated slightly for the afternoon. Our new racers thoroughly enjoyed the intensity of the new experience with big smiles and a steep learning curve ahead of them. Also racing were other members of our junior club in their RS Feva dinghies. All sailors enjoyed a thorough debrief after racing in the INSC Clubhouse where Kenneth gave his inside view on how to win the days race after a close battle with long time competitor Noel Butler a former INSS pupil. Alexander was able to give his view and answer questions from the perspective of the coach RIB for the day due to a parts delay for his RS400.

All our sailors then made their way to the DMYC Clubhouse for some coffees and hot soup with Carlos and Fiona behind the bar and kitchen delighted to see some new faces.

Our winter racing programmes are now full but if you are interested in these programmes, we will have some spots available after the Christmas break.

rnli – A sailor with suspected spinal injuries on a dismasted yacht is receiving hospital treatment this afternoon after a rescue operation on Dublin Bay involving the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat and Irish Coast Guard helicopter.

The incident occurred shortly after 11am when the 33-foot yacht was taking part in a regular Sunday morning race on Dublin Bay. The mast snapped in the breezy conditions and hit the crew-member leading to concerns for a possible spinal injury.

The Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC) in Dublin was alerted and the RNLI lifeboat at Dun Laoghaire was requested to launch along with the Irish Coast Guard helicopter at Dublin Airport at 1108am. The disabled yacht was located midway between the West Pier and the South Bull Wall.

The operation was complicated by the collapsed rigging hanging over the side of the boat that prevented the crew from using the engine. Lifeboat crew were able to board the vessel to deliver first aid treatment and the winchman paramedic from the helicopter was transferred on board to assess the casualty.

To minimise movement and prevent a worsening of the suspected injury, it was decided that the yacht would be taken in tow by the lifeboat to shore where a waiting ambulance transferred the casualty to hospital for full assessment and treatment. The yacht was towed to a yacht club in Dun Laoghaire where the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard unit winched the casualty to the waiting ambulance.

#dbsc – Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) celebrated its 130th Anniversary last night (Saturday September 27th) with a dinner in the National Yacht Club. Held after the last race of the Club's 2014 season, it was very appropriately attended by a full house of 130 racing enthusiasts who honoured the incomparable contribution the club has made to the development of sailing from Dun Laoghaire during the past 130 years.

Originally founded in 1884 as a club to provide racing for boats too small to be properly facilitated by the big boat-oriented sailing programmes of the large established yacht clubs, DBSC quickly evolved into an interactive force for the greater good of all yacht racing in the Bay, co-ordinating all the racing in and out of Dun Laoghaire harbour, and influencing the development of yacht design through the commissioning of classes such as the Dublin Bay 25s of 1898, the Dublin Bay 21s of 1902, the Dublin Bay Mermaids of 1932, and the Dublin Bay 24s of 1938.

Then as yacht building first became a matter of series construction in wood, followed by mass assembly in glassfibre, DBSC's influence continued, as its official recognition of a new one design - once it had achieved sufficient boat numbers - became fundamental to the new design's growing acceptance and continuing success in racing in the bay.

Over the years, the club has also refined its provision of racing and handicapping for very diverse cruiser classes, such that in Dublin Bay, boats of a very markedly cruiser type, which would be most unlikely to be raced at all in other sailing centres, are regularly raced in the annual programme which also features out-and-out racing machines. The club's long-established Thursday evening cruiser-racing fixture in particular is a remarkable sporting-sociological happening, as nearly two thousand South Dubliners regularly go straight from their work for hotly-contested evening racing afloat which is then followed by sailing suppers at whichever of the four waterfront clubs their boat is affiliated to.

Standing aside from all this, Dublin Bay SC thrives because of its continuing existence as a totally separate club, albeit without a clubhouse. It has a membership of 1300, and registers 400 boats. There's an elected officer board supported by a large core group of voluntary sailing administrators who record, keep and analyse the results. Highly experienced voluntary officials man the two committee boats to organise races over courses which have been developed and refined over the years to maximize the quality of the sport, and they also man the cub's only premises – a race staff hut for shore finishes at the West Pier.

Current DBSC Commodore Pat Shannon – who races in one of Dublin Bay's growing newer OD classes, the First 211 – hosted this lively gathering in the NYC last night. It was emceed by noted Dun Laoghaire waterfront personality Brian Mathews, and a succession of speakers spoke briefly but passionately of what the club means to them and their sailing, and of the enormous voluntary effort which is central to the ethos of DBSC.

Particular praise was reserved for long-serving DBSC Honorary Secretary Donal O'Sullivan, and for active sailing enthusiast and longterm race officer Hal Bleakley, who retired from very many years of RO duties on Saturday after officiating at his last race. One of the club's most distinguished sailors, Tim Goodbody, who in addition to local, national and international sailing success, has also been one of the leading developers of the most effective courses on the bay, received a special award as the person who most completely typifies the Dublin Bay SC spirit. And former Race Officer Colin McMullen – who also led the club in development of computer use in organizing yacht races – brought the house down with a Gilbert & Sullivan-inspired song about the lot of the race officer afloat and ashore.

Guest speaker W M Nixon of Afloat.ie concluded the evening by pointing out that not only is DBSC probably unique in sailing worldwide, but it is a remarkable example to other sailing centres. He continued that if it had been necessary to meet the work demands and challenges of this very special totally voluntary organization from scratch in order to meet the needs of the rapidly growing numbers sailing in Dun Laoghaire during recent decades, then it would have required an expensive feasibility study funded by the Sports Council in Ireland and the EU in Brussels, followed by lengthy consultation with research units in prestigious establishments such as the Harvard Business School. The result would inevitably have been a very expensive professionally-manned secretariat in an equally expensive suite of offices. But instead, Dublin Bay sailors were in the happy position of having a highly professional race service provided entirely by skilled volunteers of the highest calibre, and the spirit of the club is a wonder to behold.

Read WM Nixon's Blog on DBSC here

#dbsc – BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Fiddly Bits (Timmins/Quigley/Murray/Breen)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Kernach (Eoin O'Driscoll)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 2. Jedi (A Sarratt), 3. Ruth (L Shanahan)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Jedi (A Sarratt), 2. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 3. Ruth (L Shanahan)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Black Sheep (E Healy), 3. Graduate (D O'Keeffe)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Black Sheep (E Healy), 3. Graduate (D O'Keeffe)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Cri-Cri (P Colton), 2. Quest (J Skerritt), 3. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Quest (J Skerritt), 2. Cri-Cri (P Colton), 3. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello)

DRAGON Race 1- 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Whisper (C Hogan)

DRAGON Race 2- 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Sir Ossis of the River (D Bergin), 3. Phantom (D.Williams)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Betty (D & S Gorman), 2. Fflogger (Alan Dooley), 3. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Betty (D & S Gorman), 2. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

GLEN - 1. Glenshane (P Hogan), 2. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor), 3. Glenariff (Adrian Lee)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Slipstream (Julie Ascoop), 2. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 3. Squalls (Stephen Harrison)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Slipstream (Julie Ascoop), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)

PY CLASS Race 1- 1. David Dwyer (Laser), 2. Richard Tate (Laser)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. David Dwyer (Laser), 2. Richard Tate (Laser)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruff Nuff (D & C Mitchell), 2. Paramour (Larry Power et al), 3. Bandit (Kirwan/Cullen/Brown)

SHIPMAN - 1. Curraglas (John Masterson), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 3. Euphanzel lll (M Muldoon)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire)

SQUIB - 1. Buzz Lite (G.O'Connor), 2. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 3. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans)

SQUIB - 1. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 2. Glassilaun (D O'Neill), 3. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Xerxes (Dan O'Neill), 2. Warrior (D Shanahan), 3. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 2. Warrior (D Shanahan), 3. Xerxes (Dan O'Neill)

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Magic (D.Espey), 2. Fiddly Bits (Timmins/Quigley/Murray/Breen), 3. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Magic (D.Espey), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et al)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 3. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Wow (George Sisk), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. Lively Lady (Derek Martin)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Powder Monkey (C Moore), 2. Indecision (Declan Hayes et al), 3. Boomerang (Paul Kirwan)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Something Else (J.Hall et al), 2. Powder Monkey (C Moore), 3. Gringo (Tony Fox)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Jawesome 111 (M Dyke & B Darcy), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Antix (D Ryan)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Jawesome 111 (M Dyke & B Darcy), 3. Utopia (J Healy)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Quest (J Skerritt), 2. Saki (McCormack/Ryan/Ryan), 3. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Quest (J Skerritt), 2. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello), 3. Asterix (Boushel/Meredith/Counihan)

DRAGON Race 1- 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Whisper (C Hogan)

DRAGON Race 2- 1. Whisper (C Hogan), 2. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al), 3. Zu (M Minch/C Grimley/T Pearson)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Fflogger (Alan Dooley), 2. Hi Fibre (Michael McCambridge), 3. Ash (Joseph Coughlan)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Fflogger (Alan Dooley), 2. Flyer (Niall Coleman), 3. Ash (Joseph Coughlan)

GLEN - 1. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor), 2. Glenroan (T O'Sullivan), 3. Glencree (J.Bligh/H.Roche)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Dart (Pierre Long), 2. Squalls (Stephen Harrison), 3. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dart (Pierre Long), 2. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 3. Squalls (Stephen Harrison)

MERMAID Race 1- 1. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan), 2. Tijuana (David Stedmond)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Aideen (B.Martin/D.Brennan), 2. Tijuana (David Stedmond)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 2. Ruff Nuff (D & C Mitchell), 3. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe)

SHIPMAN - 1. Gusto (C Heath/G Miles), 2. Curraglas (John Masterson), 3. Viking (Brian Glynn et al)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 3. Springer (I Bowring)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 3. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson), 3. Buzz Lite (G.O'Connor)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Nirvana (Bernard Neeson), 2. Afternoon Delight (Michael Bennett et al), 3. Sweet Martini (Bruce Carswell)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 2. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan), 3. Warrior (D Shanahan)

#sb20 – 11 SB20s battled it out for honours in the final Sunday Series on Dublin Bay in a shifty force 3 easterly breeze yesterday.

After 4 races in series 3, Manamana (Graham, Ronan and Katie) were tied with Should Be... (Michael, Dave and Kieran) on four points after both boats carded 1,1,2,2 score lines last weekend. However, with four more races scheduled and a second discard due to kick in, there was plenty of opportunity for the chasing pack to make up lost ground. In true SB class style, this series was going to go down to the wire...

Race 1 got off to a clean start from a pin end biased line. Odin (James, Ted and Keith) bravely tried to port tack the fleet but Rubadubdub (Nick, Conor and Rob) were bossing the pin and forced them to tack over onto starboard. Odin managed to squeeze them off and led half the fleet, including Should Be... out to the left while the other half of the fleet, including Manamana, headed out to the right. As the boats progressed up the beat, the wind started shifting to the left and the boats on the left side of the course led into the weather mark. Should Be... led around followed a few boatlengths behind by a closely knit bunch including Odin, Alert Packaging (Justin, Bob and Anonymous) and Rubadubdub. Series joint leader Manamana were unlucky in that they were caught on the wrong side of the shift up the beat and rounded deep in the pack with plenty of work to do.

The boats soaked down the run and at the leeward gate both Should Be... and Alert Packaging opted for the right hand gate. Odin broke off from the leaders and headed out to the right hand side of the course but was quickly followed by both Should Be... and Alert Packaging. Also in close pursuit was Venuesworld.com (Ger, Chris and Rory) and Manamana who had made a great recovery and were charging up the fleet. With the wind shifting around through 20 degrees, the boats gained and lost on each other as they battled up the second beat and at the weather mark it was Should Be... by the narrowest of margins from Alert Packaging. After an incident at the wing mark, Alert Packaging had to do a 360 degree penalty turn which allowed Odin to get back into second place and they would hold that position to the finish. At the finish it was Should Be... in first followed by Odin in second, Alert Packaging in third, Venuesworld in fourth and Manamana in fifth.

Race 2 saw a reversal of fortunes for the early series leaders when Manamana got off to a great start and led the fleet to the first weather mark while Should Be... found themselves buried behind a wall of sails with a lot of work to do to catch up. Again, the left side of the beat seemed to pay and at the weather mark, Venuesworld held a narrow lead over Bad (Jerry, Jimmy et al), Manamana, Alert Packaging, Odin and Rubadubdub ahead of Should Be... in seventh.

As the boats made their way around the course, Manamana skilfully held on to their lead but there were plenty of place changes behind them with Should Be... sneaking up to second by the leeward mark. At the next weather mark, Manamana bravely gybed off shortly after rounding the weather mark leaving Alert Packaging and Should Be... a few boatlengths behind to continue on to the right down the run. The move paid off handsomely with Manamana pulling out a sizeable lead over their nearest challengers. In the end it was Manamana by a comfortable margin from Alert Packaging in second, Should Be... in third, Venuesworld in fourth, Odin in fifth and Rubadubdub in sixth. At this stage, it was all tied at the top for the series lead with Manamana and Should Be... each counting seven points with Should Be with a marginally better discard.

Race 3 saw an individual recall at the start with Probably (Ian, Mark and Billy) recalled while the rest of the fleet made their way towards the weather mark in a wind that was gradually beginning to die. Venuesworld once again showed the fleet a clean pair of heels and led at the weather mark from Alert Packaging with Bad in third followed closely by Should Be..., and Odin. Down the run, Venuesworld extended their lead to a clear margin but Alert Packaging were chasing hard, shadowing their every move. There were plenty of place changes up the next beat as the competitors struggled with the oscillating breeze.

By the top of the second beat, Should Be... had snuck into second place behind Venuesworld with Odin in third, Alert Packaging in fourth and Manamana making another storming charge up into fifth place and chasing hard. Despite some very close quarters manoeuvres and near misses, the places remained that way until the finish with Venuesworld in first, Should Be... in second, Alert Packaging in third and Odin in fourth a single second ahead of Manamana!

So, with one race to go in series 3, Manamana needed to win the race in order to win the series. Nothing else would do but a win would guarantee them the series. For their part, Should Be... just needed to make sure Manamana didn't win, relying on their slightly better discard to get them over the line.

Race 4 saw another hotly contested start and first away was Venuesworld with Alert Packaging once again in hot pursuit. Manamana experienced some traffic at the start and quickly tacked off to the right side of the course joining Odin out right. Should Be... we're anxious to get over and cover Manamana but were blocked from tacking by Probably on their weather hip and near astern. After a number of boatlengths, Should Be... managed to tack over to cover but Manamana now had some decent separation out on the right hand side of the course. It would now all depend on the wind shifts for these two boats while around them the rest of the fleet were getting on with trying to win the race. As the boats approached the starboard lay line, Manamana, to leeward of Should Be... tacked onto starboard first. This time, the wind gods smiled on Should Be... and a left hand shift meant that they were able to cross 3-4 boatlengths ahead of Manamana and tack ahead and to weather doing maximum damage with their wind shadow.

Up ahead, Alert Packaging rounded the weather mark in first followed closely by Venuesworld in second, Probably in third, Odin in fourth and Rubadubdub in fifth. Should Be rounded in sixth just ahead of Seriously Bonkers (Peter, Michael et al) with Manamana further back still. The wind was gradually dying further and the boats struggled down the run. At the leeward mark, Alert Packaging still held the lead from Venuesworld with Odin in third place ahead of Rubadubdub in fourth. Despite their best intentions to keep Manamana at the back of the fleet, both Should Be... and Manamana made gains down the run and Should Be... rounded in fifth inside Manamana at the leeward mark.

The race leaders chose the right side of the final beat while astern the series leaders had a tacking duel with Should Be... frantically trying to keep ahead of Manamana. Their tacking duel inadvertently took these two boats out to the left side of the course to the port tack lay line. Up ahead, the wind died further out on the right side of the course and Manamana and Should Be... came storming in from the left giving the leaders a fright. Venuesworld and Should Be... managed to sneak ahead of early pace setter Alert Packaging at the end of the beat. At the finish it was Venuesworld in first just ahead of Should Be... in second, Alert Packaging in third, Manamana in fourth and Odin in fifth. Overall, Should Be... pipped Manamana for the series by two points.

Finally, as we have reached the end of the DBSC season, it is important to express our deep gratitude to all the volunteers that have helped to make the season such a successful one. In particular, Barry O'Neill has been our (almost) ever-present OOD and his organisation, professionalism and commitment have been the cornerstone to the great racing that we have enjoyed all season long. Con Murphy kindly took over the reigns in Barry's rare absence and did a superb job in very difficult conditions earlier in the season. Barry has been ably assisted on Sundays by an equally committed and great team on the committee boat including Fionnuala Loughrey, Cathy Booth, Barbara Conway, Michael Keogh, Ger Bythell, Dave Barry, Bob Allen, Jim C, Owen Laverty, Owen McNally, Steve Beresford, Jerry Dowling and other guests that have made the racing possible and so enjoyable. Many thanks to you all for your very valued contribution. Last, but by no means least, an honourable mention must go to Joanne Sheehan from DBSC and her excellent team of James Tate, Herbie Fowler, Ciaran Nolan, Conor Lynch, Maurice Johnson, James Traynor. They never let us down and were most obliging and helpful throughout the entire season. We are most grateful to them for their help this year and sincerely appreciate their efforts on our behalf.

Look forward to seeing you all in Lough Ree at the end of this month (27/28 September) for the midlands – Michael O'Connor