Volvo D2D Speedster – Privateer Sees Off Dublin Bay-Tuskar in Less Than Five Hours

7th June 2023

Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Turbo Privateer in this afternoon's opening moments of the 2023 Volvo 270-mile Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Credit: Afloat

D2D Wed, 730 pm - Ron O’Hanley’s highy-tuned Cookson 50 Turbo Privateer from America flies on, and was past the Tuskar Rock by 18:40 hours with the last of the sluicing ebb helping her to 17 knots. Although boats with special offwind potential such as the newer Sunfast 3600s and 3300s, like John O’Gorman’s 3600 Hot Cookie from Dun Laoghaire (briefly the overall IRC leader) and the 3300 Cinnamon Girl (Cian McCarthy, Kinsale YC) have had their moments of glory, as the 270-mile Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race progresses, the conditions are tending to average out, thereby eliminating the effect of localised areas of less wind.

John O’Gorman’s 3600 Hot Cookie from Dun Laoghaire, an early overall IRC leader with J125 Jackknife (inshore) in the Dublin Bay stage of the 2023 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Photo: Afloat

Cian McCarthy gets ready to set the spinnaker on the Sunfast 3300 Cinnamon Girl with Sam Hunt steering on Killiney Bay shortly after the start of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Photo: Afloat

But in a sunny nor’easter Ireland’s southeast corner is usually a breeze place, and with the added element of the turn of the tide approaching, Privateer’s position strengthens by the minute.

Frank Whelan of Greystones sailing their relatively newly-arrived Elliott 57 Opal in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Photo: Afloat

On down the fleet meanwhile, there have been intriguing changes in fortune.

Andrew & Sam Hall's J/125 Jackknife from Pwllheli exits Dublin Bay in the opening minutes of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Photo: Afloat

And while Frank Whelan of Greystones and his crew have become more confident in sailing their relatively newly-arrived Elliott 57 Opal, not so very far astern is Andrew & Sam Hall from Pwllheli’s attractive J/125 Jackknife, romping along to lie second overall on IRC, but with less of the remaining tidal advantage in prospect at Tuskar.

Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (RIYC) inshore in Killiney Bay (blue and yellow kite) and Pete Smyth’s Sunfast 3600 Searcher (NYC) shortly after the start of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Photo: Afloat

The two early race stars, Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (RIYC) and Pete Smyth’s Sunfast 3600 Searcher (NYC), are still very much in contention, with Searcher currently third, Rockabill VI fourth, Hot Cookie still going well at fifth, and Pwllheli’s Mojito the first of the J/109s at sixth.

Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (RIYC) reaching in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2023 Photo: Afloat

But on current weather predictions, and with the first of the new flood tide going to hit the smaller boats at the Tuskar, Privateer is already looking like a done deal – she’s on course and on 18 knots south of the Saltees as we sign off this report at 19:30 hrs.

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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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.