New York’s Finest Turbos Into Immediate Lead In Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Dash

7th June 2023

Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Turbo class Privateer streaked into the lead at the start of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Credit: Afloat

D2D Race Wednesday 4 pm - In Dublin Bay’s increasingly sunlit nor’easterly breeze this afternoon, the pre-start positioning of the 43-strong fleet had barely got itself in order and away with the 14:00 hrs start of the biennial National Yacht Club Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race before it became extremely obvious that the inclusion of “Turbo” in the marque name of Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Turbo class Privateer was in no way fanciful.

Frank Whelan’s canting-keel Elliott 57 Opal from Greystones at the start of today's Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

New York Yacht Club’s finest was going like a rocket from the off, and while boats of comparable size were struggling to get over nine knots, she was merrily and immediately reeling off ten and then 11-plus on the dial, such that she was off Greystones within 45 minutes and making along at 14-15 knots, while her nearest challenger in performance potential - Frank Whelan’s likewise canting-keel Elliott 57 Opal – was still at Bray Head.

Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (Royal Irish YC) got a front line start in the 42-boat Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race fleet with Royal Cork ace Chris Bateman on mainsheet and Mark Pettit on helm Photo: Afloat

However, while conditions were still in the reasonably run-of-the-mill area, it was the Steady Eddy favourites aboard Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (Royal Irish YC) who found themselves pacing with larger boats, and holding the IRC lead narrowly from Pete Smyth’s Sun Fast 3600 Searcher (National YC) and the J/109s Mojito (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) and Indian (Simon Knowles, Howth YC).

Pete Smyth’s Sun Fast 3600 Searcher (National YC) pictured shortly after the start of the 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Afloat

ISORA champion J/109 Mojito (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC) in Killiney Bay shortly after the start of the 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Afloat

Indian (Simon Knowles, Howth YC) in Killiney Bay shortly after the start of the 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Afloat

But then at 16: 00 hrs and already south of Wicklow Head, Privateer was right in the groove on 15 knots-plus and surging while now showing as IRC leader overall, yet with Rockabill hanging on tightly to second.

The view from Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600 Searcher now racing downwind under symmetrical spinnaker and showing Rockabill VI 200 metres ahead in the first hours of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race. Photo: Maurice O'Connell

Either way, the forecast wind pattern is looking good for record times, though as suggested in Saturday’s overview of the race, it now looks more likely that they may have more wind than’s needed – albeit from the east – down around and beyond the Fastnet tonight and tomorrow.

Published in Dun Laoghaire Dingle

Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Live Tracker 2023

Track the progress of the 2023 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race fleet on the live tracker above and the leaderboard below

Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Live Leaderboard 2023

The 16th edition of the 280-mile race organised by the National Yacht Club starts at 2 pm on Wednesday, June 7th, on Dublin Bay.

Read the full 2023 race preview by WM Nixon here
Read all the D2D Race News in one handy link here
Listen to Lorna Siggins's interview with Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann on Afloat's Wavelengths here

WM Nixon will be posting regular race updates and analysis throughout the 2023 race here

Published in Dun Laoghaire Dingle

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Dun Laoghaire to Dingle

About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race Information

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down to the east coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry.

The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

It never fails to offer a full range of weather, wind and tide to the intrepid entrants, ranging from a 32ft cruiser to a 79ft all-out racer.

Three divisions are available to enter: cruiser (boats equipped with furlers), racing (the bulk of the fleet) and also two-handed.

D2D Course change overruled

In 2019, the organisers considered changing the course to allow boats to select routes close to shore by removing the requirement to go outside Islands and Lighthouses en route, but following input from regular participants, the National Yacht Club decided to stick with the tried and tested course route in order to be fair to large and smaller boats and to keep race records intact.

D2D Course record time

Mick Cotter’s 78ft Whisper established the 1 day and 48 minutes course record for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race in 2009 and that time stood until 2019 when Cotter returned to beat his own record but only just, the Dun Laoghaire helmsman crossing the line in Kerry to shave just 20 seconds off his 2009 time.