As of 19:00 Friday evening, the entry for the inaugural Kish Challenge for the racing and cruising fraternities has reached the fifty mark, with twenty-eight racing entries and twenty-two cruising entries.
Further, in my engagement with Dublin Port Company without whose approval this event would not be feasible, we have been able to amend the course to use the Muglins as a turning mark of the course – leaving it to Port on the outbound leg to the Kish and to Starboard on the homebound leg. This gives the Challenge a number of advantages:- a) it means there is no ambiguity or confusion about the turning mark, b) it removes the worry of laying a mark in deep water and trusting that it will stay in place, c) it keeps the fleet closer to shore to provide a better visual spectacle and, finally d) it keeps the boats further away from the Traffic Separation Zones. A “win-win” all round.
The racing fleet has an 11:00 start, and the cruising fleet has a “starting window” of 11:15 – 11:30. In this way, it is hoped we can generate some separation between the two fleets.
Competitors are encouraged to review the sailing instructions regarding the declaration of their cruising status and the rules that apply when a racing boat comes into close quarters with a cruising boat.
Currently, XCWeather is showing a light wind on Sunday and a mixed bag of cloud, sunshine and light drizzle! What better way to close out the 2025 summer sailing season!
