Donal O’Sullivan’s retirement after 27 years as Honorary Secretary of Dublin Bay Sailing Club provides the opportunity for honours from all sides for someone whose contribution to the continuing vitality of one of the world’s largest yacht racing organisations is unparalleled.

He belies his age with a continuing enthusiasm for sailing and a sense of erudite curiosity on all topics which enhances his many friendships.

The fact that he compiled the comprehensive history of DBSC for its Centenary way back in 1984 is only part of the lengthy achievement of a very accomplished contributor to our sport.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club has announced its key dates for the 2019 sailing season, which kicks off right after Easter.

Tuesday races will begin on 23 April with the last races taking place on 27 August. Thursday racing takes place in the same weeks, from 25 April to 29 August.

Saturday races will begin on 27 April and will continue through to 28 September.

As Afloat.ie reported previously, last Friday's DBSC prizegiving was a gala affair at the Royal St.George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire for the country's biggest yacht racing club. 

As well as six premier awards for best performances, DBSC Commodore Chris Moore congratulated over 100 different winners from 22 DBSC classes.

All the results from 2018 season are here.

Check out our prizegiving gallery from the night below: 

Philip and Richard Lovegrove with their trophy haul

Race Officer Suzanne McGarry won the Viking Award for her outstanding contribution to sailing

Fireballer Frank Miller won the best performing dinghy award

DBSC volunteers

The retirement at the end of this month of eighty–five-year–old Donal O’Sullivan, Dublin Bay Sailing Club’s (DBSC) Honorary Secretary, after 27 years, is a significant moment in the history of one of Europe’s oldest and biggest yacht racing clubs.

In 1968, when Donal lent his next-door neighbour a hand to pull a new 17-foot sailing dinghy up a driveway, he can’t really have imagined what the next 50 or so years might have in store for him.

It was his then neighbour, Olympic helmsman Johnny Hooper, in Deansgrange in South Co Dublin who needed a hand with a new 505 that set Donal’s mind racing about getting afloat himself.

Incoming Commodore Jonathan Nicholson (left) and Donal OSullivan at the Hon Sec's Commendation Dinner at the Royal St. George Yacht Club on Saturday

Back then, small boat sailing was in its heyday in Dun Laoghaire with massive dinghy fleets and queues to get down the slipways for club racing.

Through a family connection, Donal got his first tack with Frank Lemass in 1968 in a Dragon keelboat from the National Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire’s East Pier.

It was Lemass, the club Commodore of the time, who proposed Donal for membership of the National, his waterfront club to this day.

It was from this base, in his early 30s — an age that would be regarded as a late starter these days — that Donal set out in a variety of small craft from the East Pier.

He sailed on another Dragon, too, with Dalkey sailor Brendan Ebrill before owning or part-owning a series of dinghies and small keelboats including Water Wags, an Enterprise, Fireball and Ruffian, and he still sails a Shipman.

It was this immersion in so many classes and with so many different sailors that led Donal to the lifelong conviction that dinghy sailing is the only true introduction to sailing.

“To understand how the forces work on a sailing boat, then the dinghy is essential to the feel of things”, he says.

Donal, a polyglot, uses the German word ‘fingerspitzengefühl’ to best describe the finest ‘seat of the pants’ Dublin Bay sailors who have this superb boat handling, gleaned from many hours of dinghy sailing.

Not only did Donal’s keen observation skills give him a lifelong love afloat, but his administrative talents ashore were also quickly identified by his skipper — and ESB work colleague — Brendan Ebrill as being very useful in the intricacies of the organisation of the sport of sailing on the capital's waters.

Past DBSC Commodore Pat Shannon (left) and Current Commodore Chris Moore present Donal with a special chart of his beloved Dublin Bay at his Commendation evening

Brendan, who served as Donal’s predecessor as DBSC Honorary Secretary, was proved right and Donal served on the club’s protest committee at the suggestion of another of his DBSC skippers, Fireballer John Donnelly.

Donal served two terms on the General Committee over a 10-year period that marked the start of a 40-year administrative relationship with DBSC.

As part of his committee work, he became the driving force behind the club’s centenary in 1984. Donal recognised the significance of the anniversary and how much it could be worth to the club. Under Commodore Michael O’Rahilly, they produced a week of waterfront celebrations that greatly lifted the club's profile.

As part of this work, Donal brought his publishing skills to the fore to compile a 126-page book, Dublin Bay A Century of Sailing, that to this day remains the authoritative work on the club’s sailing history.

Dublin Bay A Century of Sailing was published in 1984 and compiled by Donal. To this day. is remains the most comprehensive record of DBSC activities

It was obvious, then, when Brendan retired as Hon Sec in 1991, who the ideal candidate to replace him was.

In taking on the role, Donal set about applying the administrative rigour he had used in his professional career, and this contributed to the safe stewardship of the club at a time that saw huge growth in yacht racing in Dublin throughout the 1990s.

Always with an eye on the future but with a deep regard of the club's rich history, Donal has been the keeper of the DBSC flame in both good times and in bad. In rough seas recently, when the recession impacted on sailing throughout Ireland, Donal has been a steady hand on the DBSC tiller. Founded in the same year as the GAA, in his unflappable style, Donal would often ben be called on to calm matters down at committee meetings with the observation that DBSC had already 'survived two World Wars and countless recessions'.

Without a clubhouse and physical waterfront presence, DBSC can be easily overlooked, yet with a fleet of nearly 300, this is one of Europe’s biggest yacht clubs.

It is the biggest recreational user of the Dublin Bay’s waters, and a sight to behold every Thursday and Saturday for Dubliners who walk the city shores and see Dun Laoghaire as a suburb of sails.

Donal’s community spirit has earned him the respect of all the bay’s stakeholders from harbourmasters at Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port, to club commodores, regatta organisers and local civic authorities. His view that Dubliners enjoy the privilege of such a splendid bay and the fact DBSC is welcoming to all who have the club's objectives at heart and who pay a modest subscription has endeared him and DBSC to the community at large.

Over the years, Donal has had to fight the corner for sailing against so many different threats to the Dublin Bay race tracks that are set across the country's busiest shipping lanes.

But whenever he is called on to defend sailing’s rights on DBSC’s behalf, whether it’s cruise liners, oil rigs or harbour headaches, it has always been articulated in a clear, genuine and meaningful way — and it is one of the reasons Dublin sailors continue to enjoy such unfettered access to their city’s waters.

Every summer, DBSC goes about its business — quietly, efficiently and without fanfare — staging weekly racing for what is effectively a fleet the size of Cork Week. It is the work of many hands, but it has, until this month, all been coordinated by one man from the same home office in Deansgrange where the dream of going sailing was born over 50 years ago.

'For he's a jolly good fellow" - Wendy Bass and Carmel Winkelmann, (both seated) part of DBSCs race management team lead the tributes to Donal in the Royal St. George Library

On November 26th, the club's agm bears witness to a changing of the DBSC Guard when Donal officially steps down. Interestingly, it is the outgoing Commodore Chris Moore who will fill his shoes. Moore, over a nine-year period, has also served as rear and vice commodore. The agm will elect a new Commodore Jonathan Nicholson, Vice Commodore Ann Kirwan and a new Rear Commodore Eddie Totterdell. Before that, however, it will be a busy wind-down for Donal with DBSC's annual gala prizegiving next week on November 16

Dublin Bay Sailing Club has released further details about this weekend’s end-of-season race day at the Royal St George.

Amendments to the sailing instructions will see the Blue Fleet (including Shipmans) start and finish at MacLir, displaying a blue pennant, while the Red Fleet will start an finish at the Freebird, displaying a red pennant. Green Fleet boat will race with the Red Fleet.

There will be no starts or finishes at the West Pier (Hut) Line. Macular will be stationed in the northern quarter of the racing area, with the Freeboard in the southern quarter.

Two races will be sailed for each class if possible, and both qualify for Series 2 points.

Also, racing will start around two hours earlier than usual, with the first warning signals at noon.

Boats will be scored up to 20 minutes after the finish of the class leader, after which they will be declared DNF.

Full details of the updated race instructions for tomorrow, Saturday 29 September, are available to download below or from the DBSC website.

There was a buoyant turnout of 146 entries last night for the final Thursday race of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) 2018 season.

The fleet included 100% turnouts for both Cruisers Zero, Cruisers 3A and 31.7s for the Dublin Bay evening race.

DBSC Saturday races, meanwhile, have an extended scheduled, running until 29 September.

Results below:

Cruiser 0 IRC: 1. Rockabill VI, 2. Hot Cookie, 3. Lively Lady

Cruiser 0 ECHO: 1. Hot Cookie, 2. D-Tox, 3. Lively Lady

Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. Chimaera, 2. Jalapeno, 3. White Mischief

Cruiser 1 ECHO: 1. Black Velvet, 2. Chimaera, 3. Jump The Gun

Cruiser 1 J109: 1. Chimaera, 2. Jalapeno, 3. White Mischief

31.7 One Design: 1. After You Too, 2. Camira, 3. Levana

31.7 ECHO: 1. Camira, 2. Kernach, 3. Avalon

Cruiser 2 IRC: 1. Lady Rowena, 2. Windjammer, 3. Elandra

Cruiser 2 ECHO: 1. Lady Rowena, 2. Elandra, 3. Albireo

Cruiser 2 Sigma: 1. Elandra, 2. Rupert, 3. Gwili Two

Cruiser 3A IRC: 1. Cartoon, 2. Running Wild, 3. CriCri

Cruiser 3A ECHO: 1. Cartoon, 2. Running Wild, 3. Enigma

Cruiser 3B IRC: 1. Asterix, 2. Cacciatore, 3. Maranda

Cruiser 3B ECHO: 1. Eleint, 2. Asterix, 3. Pamafe

Cruiser 5A ECHO: 1. Katie Nua, 2. Melusine, 3. Shearwater

Cruiser 5B IRC: 1. Cevantes, 2. Vespucci, 3. Vertigo

Cruiser 5B ECHO: 1. Nirvana, 2. Nauti Gal, 3. Vespucci

Sportsboat: 1. Jester, 2. Jheetah, 3. Zelus

Dragon: 1. Phantom, 2. Zu, 3. Hy-Brasil

Flying 15: 1. Betty, 2. No Name, 3. As Good As It Get

Ruffian: 1. Shannagh, 2. Carmen, 3. Ruffles

Shipman: 1. Viking, 2. Jo Slim, 3. Twocan

B211 One Design: 1. Plan B, 2. Marissa XIV, 3. Small Wonder

B211 ECHO: 1. Yikes, 2. Plan B, 3. Marissa XIV

Squib: 1. Sidewinder, 2. Periguin

Glen: 1. Glendun, 2. Pterodactyl, 3. Glencoe

Cruiser 0 IRC: 1. Rockabill VI, 2. Wow, 3. Lively Lady

Cruiser 0 ECHO: 1. Wow, 2. Rockabill VI, 3. Lively Lady

Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. White Mischief, 2. Bon Exemple, 3. Ruth

Cruiser 1 ECHO: 1. Ruth, 2. White Mischief, 3. Platinum Blond

Cruiser 1 J109: 1. White Mischief, 2. Ruth, 3. Juggerknot

31.7 One Design: 1. Levante, 2. Indigo, 3. Attitude

31.7 ECHO: 1. Levante, 2. Kalamar, 3. Bluefin Two

Cruiser 2 IRC: 1. Windjammer, 2. Leeuwin, 3. Rupert

Cruiser 2 ECHO: 1. Leeuwin, 2. Helter Skelter, 3. Windjammer

Cruiser 2 Sigma: 1. Leeuwin, 2. Rupert, 3. Enchantress

Cruiser 3 IRC: 1. Dubious, 2. Enigma, 3. Starlet

Cruiser 3 ECHO: 1. Dubious, 2. Saki, 3. Starlet

Cruiser 5 IRC: 1. Act Two, 2. Cevantes

Cruiser 5 ECHO: 1. Act Two, 2. Shearwater, 3. Spirit

SB20: 1. Bad-Kilcullen, 2. Know How Do, 3. Carpe Diem

Sportsboat: 1. Jambiya, 2. Toute Si

Dragon: 1. Phantom

Flying 15: 1. The Gruffalo, 2. As Good As It Get, 3. Nimble

Ruffian: 1. Bandit, 2. Ruffles, 3. Ripples

Shipman: 1. Viking, 2. Jo Slim, 3. Invader

B211 One Design: 1. Ventuno, 2. Beeswing, 3. Chinook

B211 ECHO: 1. Ventuno, 2. Beeswing, 3. Yikes

Race 2:

SB20: 1. Venuesworld.com, 2. Carpe Diem, 3. Bad-Kilcullen

Sportsboat: 1. Jambiya

Flying 15: 1. The Gruffalo, 2. Glass Half-Full, 3. Hera

Tonight's DBSC racing programme was abandoned due to lack of wind on Dublin Bay. 

With barely, a ripple on the bay, Dublin Bay buoy recorded just 2 knots of wind. 

Meanwhile, results for Wednesday's (6th June) Water Wag Race were: 1. Pansy, 2. Moosmie, 3. Swift

This Saturday's DBSC racing will be 'starred' to make room for the DMYC Regatta, the first of the waterfront club's Summer highlights.

31.7 - 1. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

31.7 - 1. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

B211 - 1. Small Wonder (H Kelly & J McStay), 2. Beeswing (Pat Shannon), 3. Chinook (Andrew Bradley)

B211 - 1. Small Wonder (H Kelly & J McStay), 2. Beeswing (Pat Shannon), 3. Chinook (Andrew Bradley)

Cruiser 0 - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. D-Tox (Patrick McSweeney)

Cruiser 0 - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Lively Lady (Keith Martin), 3. D-Tox (Patrick McSweeney)

Cruiser 1 - 1. Juggerknot (Andrew Algeo et al), 2. Jigamaree (Ronan Harris), 3. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody)

Cruiser 1 - 1. Juggerknot (Andrew Algeo et al), 2. Jigamaree (Ronan Harris), 3. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody)

Cruiser 1 - 1. Platinum Blonde (Paul Egan)

Cruiser 2 - 1. Antix (Derek Ryan), 2. Elandra (Joe Conway), 3. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove)

Cruiser 2 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Windjammer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Elandra (Joe Conway)

Cruiser 2 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Elandra (Joe Conway)

Cruiser 3A - 1. Quest (Barry Cunningham), 2. Running Wild (B & S Foley)

Cruiser 3A - 1. Running Wild (B & S Foley), 2. Quest (Barry Cunningham)

Cruiser 3B - 1. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 2. Escapade (Una O'Dwyer), 3. Papytoo (M Walsh/F Guilfoyle)

Cruiser 3B - 1. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea)

Cruiser 5A - 1. Shearwater (Eamonn Doyle), 2. Katie Nua (Thomas Dunne et al)

Cruiser 5B - 1. Sweet Martini (Bruce Carswell), 2. Vertigo (Malachi Muldoon), 3. Afternoon Delight (Bennett/Brennan/McKay)

Flying 15 - 1. Betty (D & S Gorman), 2. Ignis Caput (David Mulvin), 3. Frequent Flyer (Chris Doorley)

Glen - 1. Glendun (David Houlton), 2. Glenmiller (P Cusack)

Ruffian - 1. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada), 2. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 3. Ripples (Frank Bradley)

Shipman - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 3. Twocan (David Freeman)

Shipman - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Invader (Gerard Glynn), 3. Viking (Fergus Mason)

Sportsboat - 1. Jester (Declan Curtain), 2. Jheetah (Andrew Sarratt), 3. Finding Saoirse (Fiona Staunton)

It’s big, it’s unique, and it’s the focal point of recreational interaction with the sea for one of the more affluent areas of population in Europe writes W M Nixon. But anyone visiting Dun Laoghaire Harbour for the first time, someone who knows something of sailing’s complex organisation afloat and ashore in other major sailing centres, might well wonder how a place with so many potentially conflicting demands and interests can manage to run a harmonious, successful and multi-faceted weekly sailing programme year after year.

The answer is Dublin Bay Sailing Club, which is the net that holds it all together despite the Harbour having four different waterfront clubs, each of which takes great satisfaction in its distinctive history, with the oldest dating back to 1831. These clubs in turn have their four clubhouses, and histories that they can proudly call their own, independently of the three neighbouring clubs. And the pride the members take in the club and clubhouse to which they give their first loyalty is indicated by the unmistakable initials – or sometimes even the full name – of the specific club on the transom of their boat, and through club insignias on their own clothing.

With such devotion, you might expect that each club would want to run its own complete annual sailing programme. Certainly each club runs its own Junior Training Programme, and matching Adult Introductory Courses. And every other year, when the biennial four–day Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is not being staged, each club will put on its own regatta, with flags flying, music playing, and traditional hospitality – strawberries and cream, the lot - being laid on for fellow sailors, mostly from the other clubs in Dun Laoghaire, but also from clubs north and south of Dublin Bay.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club racing in the 1880s. Originally formed in 1884 to cater for small boats, the Club has evolved into today’s umbrella organization to organize the weekly programme for all Dun Laoghaire’s racing boats, and it thus caters for the waterborne sport of thousands of enthusiasts. Photo courtesy NYC.

Yet despite the potential for rampant individuality, thanks to the existence of Dublin Bay Sailing Club as an umbrella body to which everyone gives an extra layer of loyalty, the regular shared sailing programme is smoothly structured. And the publication of the DBSC 2018 Yearbook gives us an unrivalled overview of an exceptionally effective organization which is right up to the minute in its preparation for the new season, yet has a history going back to 1884.

The diligent listing of every boat which races within its ambit, and the class with which they race (there are 21 different classes in all) provides us with a preview of potential winners. That said, the future inclusion of some hot new boats as yet un-named could add a frisson of extra interest, but the DBSC machine runs so smoothly that they can accommodate these additions at the appropriate time.

And it’s also true the different classes vary enormously in their numbers. The stately craft in Cruiser 0 muster just five boats, and once again George Sisk’s successful Farr 42 WOW is listed as entered, after setting the pace in 2017. But so too is Paul O’Higgins’ high-rated (in ECHO terms) JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI. Yet we know already that Rockabill VI is entered for the Volvo Round Ireland Race with the significant presence of Mark Mansfield on board, so that will take pressure off WOW for a week or two in the continuing Dun Laoghaire programme.

The J/109 Windjammer (Lindsay Casey and Denis Power) won the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company Trophy for Best Newcomer in 2017. Photo: Afloat.ie

By contrast, Cruisers 1 musters 22 boats, thanks in large measure to some of Dun Laoghaire’s substantial J/109 fleet being included. 2017 saw Tim & Richard Goodbody’s J/109 White Mischief as Cruisers I Champion, while another J/109, Lindsay Casey & Denis Power’s Windjammer, won the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Trophy for best newcomer in 2017. But under the cruiser classes division lines, she races in Cruisers 2, where they now number 24 boats thanks to the inclusion of the formerly One Design Sigma 33 Class, where Rupert (Dick & Philip Lovegrove) was best boat in 2017.

The biggest One-Design Keelboat Class is the Flying Fifteens with 29 boats, and last year they provided the winner of the top One Design to take the George Arthur Newsom Cup with Ben Mulligan on As Good As It Gets, surely the favourite going into the season of 2018.

The Flying Fifteens are the numerically largest One-Design keelboat class in Dublin Bay, and one of the largest in the DBSC programme in all categories

“Age shall not wither them….” Despite their origins back in the 1880s, the Water Wags still see new boats being built, and they are now the largest class listed in the DBSC Yearbook 2018. Photo courtesy Water Wags.

However, the well-supported Flying Fifteens are out-stripped numerically by the Lasers, of which 30 are listed as expecting to race regularly during 2018. But the Lasers in turn are out-numbered by the most senior class of all, the Water Wags, that classic dinghy class which has its origins in 1887, though today they race a design which the class introduced in 1900.

You might well think that such cherished classics are only occasionally used, but in fact the Water Wags provide robust racing, and on their final evening race of the 2017 season, they honoured the Water Wag Class Presidency of yachting historian Hal Sisk by mustering a record turnout of 31 boats out of 32 known to exist. That was showing it to the newer classes, and no mistake. And winners on that evening were David and Sally MacFarlane with the 107-year-old Mousmie.

Technically speaking, there’s no greater contrast that that between the traditional Water Wags and the lift-keel sportsboats of the SB20 class which have 18 boat entered for 2018’s racing, and they include Michael O’Connor’s super-successful Sin Bin which had a stellar season last year, winning both the Corinthian World title in the Solent, and the Irish Nationals at Howth.

Chris Johnston’s Prospect, one of the top performers in the well-supported First 31.7 Class. Photo: Afloat.ie

As for the numerically biggest Cruiser One-Design Class, that’s the First 31.7 with 15 boats, with Chris Johnston’s Prospect winning the Feanor Trophy for the Thursday series, which is the heart of the cruiser classes weekly racing.

However, such is the long and active history of Dublin Bay SC over 134 years, morphing from a club to provide racing for small boats into the umbrella organization looking after the entire Dun Laoghaire racing fleet, that they now have so many trophies that the Annual Prize-Giving in November is a real “Shift the Silverware” business which has to be skilfully choreographed. But here again the club’s experience and its deep pool and willing and able volunteers – they’ve something like 90 active voluntary workers afloat and ashore – keep things running smoothly.

“Shifting the silverware” – the array of trophies at DBSC’s annual prizegiving includes many of incalculable historical value.

Despite not having the maintenance of a clubhouse to take up time and energy, Dublin Bay Sailing Club has to devote resources to the upkeep of its two purpose-built committee boats, the catamarans Mac Lir and Freebird. They also have a shoreside Race Officers hut at the end of the West Pier that had been “brought in” for the winter - good thinking, as Storm Emma did real damage down there, and the DBSC Starters Hut, scene of much inter-volunteer banter amidst the hard work of race records maintenance, would have been swept clean away.

Mac Lir is one of the two catamaran committee boats needed by DBSC to keep its complex programme in operation.

With so many boats and classes involved, each class is expected to have its own formally-appointed Record Keeper, which is something that could be usefully copied across the entire sailing scene. Anyone who has ever tried to write a history of a yacht or sailing club will soon learn that the only obligation of past generations has been to maintain the minutes of the General Committee and the Annual General Meetings. Actual sailing records are often very sparse, so DBSC is like a breath of fresh air in having this requirement of its constituent classes.

But although class record keepers may change from year to year, ultimately the continuing viability of any club will depend on the long-term presence of key voluntary workers, and in Dublin Bay SC they have this extraordinary corps of at least 90 people who regularly give unstintingly of their own time to facilitate the sailing of others.

Queen of them all in DBSC is Carmel Winkelmann, who was recently very properly honoured at the annual Irish Sailing Awards by a special Presidential Award from Irish Sailing President Jack Roy, who is himself not slow in stepping up to the plate when volunteers are needed – he has officiated as Race Officer at major events at home and abroad, but every Thursday Jack Roy is out there on the bay, Senior Race Officer with Dublin Bay SC at the biggest evening racing turnout in their busy weekly programme.

The way in which such effective volunteers are selected is sometimes one of the great mysteries, but in Dublin Bay Sailing Club’s case a significant factor is the presence of long-time Honorary Secretary Donal O’Sullivan, whose wisdom in spotting useful administrative talent is a legend in Irish sailing.

The Keeper of the Flame. Donal O’Sullivan, long-time Honorary Secretary of Dublin Bay SC. “His wisdom in spotting useful administrative talent is a legend in Irish sailing”.

Meticulous himself in his maintenance of all that is needed in running such a complex club, he has a sixth sense of who would be useful to bring into the tent, and it was he who ensured that Chris Moore is the current DBSC Commodore.

Chris Moore’s rise to prominence in sailing has by no means been by the establishment routes you might expect. Although a Dun Laoghaire boy (he has lived in the same house in Glenageary for 48 years) he was from a non-sailing family. The Boy Scouts were his main interest, such that by his early 30s (having taken a Marketing Degree in Rathmines and started a career in medical supplies) he was the Scouts Commissioner for Dun Laoghaire, with 18 troops under his oversight.

Chris Moore. When he retires as DBSC Commodore in November, he will have completed a total of 27 years in executive flag officer roles - first at Bray Sailing Club, then at the National Yacht Club, and currently at Dublin Bay Sailing Club

However, another Scout administrator, Bruce Carswell, had taken him for a sail in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and he was sufficiently interested to acquire a Mirror Dinghy to keep at the family summer home at Kilbegnet near Arklow. But his efforts to teach himself to sail this little boat in Dun Laoghaire were such that when his wife Sandra noted that Bray Sailing Club were offering Adult Learning Courses, she determinedly persuaded him to sign up, and Bray provided the base for the proper start of his sailing career.

It soon also provided the beginning of his of long experience of sailing administration. People see Chris Moore as both a safe pair of hands and as a diplomat and persuader who gives unstintingly of himself, knowing when to retrench but equally knowing when to start the grand projects. Thus he was recruited into the administrative stream in Bray SC, and served for four years as Commodore.

A first taste of real performance sailing – Chris Moore racing the Fireball Artful Dodger, which he bought from Roger Bannon

The first foray into keelboat racing with the Ruffian 23 QB2 and sailing from the National YC. Much of Chris Moore’s Ruffian 23 campaigning was done in partnership with David Fenton.

But his own sailing was also developing with all the zeal of the convert, and he progressed it with several boats, both cruisers and dinghies. He has particularly fond memories of two Fireballs which had both been immaculately finished from Plycraft hulls by Roger Bannon, but as he then moved on towards Ruffian 23 racing in Dun Laoghaire, this confirmed his involvement with the National Yacht Club which he joined in 1989.

There, his favourable reputation was such that he was recruited as Rear Commodore without even having served on the Committee. By the time he retired as NYC Commodore in 2005, he’d left his imprint on the club, for he firmly believed that in an active sailing club the changing rooms are the most important facilities in the place, and his upgrading of the changing rooms in the NYC set a new standard for Ireland.

The Sigma 33 Powder Monkey

By 2005 he had developed his sailing career through two Ruffian 23s and then into the Sigma 33s with a “sort of” syndicate, but he had equally spent much of his spare time in club administration. However, his time of voluntary work was by no means over, for the eagle eye of Donal O’Sullivan had recorded Chris Moore’s possibility availability for DBSC, and so began another lengthy period in harness, this time continuing until the Dublin Bay SC AGM in November this year when he finally steps down from the top post after serving his time through all the DBSC Commodore roles.

At the age of 73, his zest in sailing remains undiminished – the current boat is the J/109 Powder Monkey with which they were pioneers of J/109 racing in Dublin Bay more than dozen years ago.
And his willingness to buckle down when a bit of hands-on work is required is renowned. When I made the first phone call to set up the necessary conversations and memory trawling which this piece needed, it was to find that the Commodore DBSC was in the depths of the club’s Committee Boat Mac Lir, clearing out surplus items for a proper re-commissioning of this important vessel.

In all, he removed two marina barrows of what the rest of us might call detritus. Then when next we talked, he’d been clarifying his thinking on being Commodore in organisations as diverse as Dublin Bay SC, the National YC, and Bray Sailing Club. All of it was pure gold, and quietly entertaining with it. If he’s not careful, some time after November he’ll find himself being recruited on the motivational speaker circuit………Meanwhile, he will continue beyond November in another of his roles – he’s the long-serving Round Ireland Speed Record Commissioner.

Chris Moore and his friends racing the J/109 Powder Monkey. Photo: Maurice O’Connell