Thursday (Day 5) 12:30 hrs: With a further shuffling of the pack accelerated by the prospect and subsequent arrival of strong Atlantic winds laid on by the now diminishing go-through of Storm Jimmy, Steady Eddy performers are moving up through the Round Ireland Race ranks. The Rosslare Lifeboat crew - racing the Mills 36 Prime Suspect with their cox'n Keith Miller of Kilmore Quay as skipper - are now ranking second in IRC 2 behind class leader Rockabill VI.

The J/109 Indian skippered by Simon Knowles of Howth Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Admittedly their high rating (Mark Mills doesn't really do low rating, he does high speed instead) means they're back in 16th overall. But they are right on line to take the Services Prize, they have that second in IRC 2, and they're currently off the entrance to Strangford Lough, showing a clean pair of heels boat-for-boat to the likes of such luminaries as the J/109 Indian (Simon Knowles, Howth) and the legendary Holland 39 Imp (George Radley, Cove).

The legendary Holland 39 Imp (George Radley of Cove Sailing Club) Photo: Afloat

OPTIMUM TIME FOR REACHING ROCKABILL IV

Up ahead, the leaders of the mid-fleet IRC pack, Mark Emerson's A13 Phosphoros II and the Hall family's Lombard 46 Pata Negra, are going to be early on the optimum time for reaching the latitude of Rockabill. High Water Dublin this afternoon is 16:50 hrs, which means that to get the full benefit of the south-going ebb, you should be at Rockabill no earlier than 16:00 hrs, but both are going to be ahead of that.

\The Hall family's Lombard 46 Pata Negra Photo: Afloat

They last had a close crossing of tacks at 06:56 hrs this morning in mid-channel, but after that they emphasised their previous approach of Pata Negra being to the west, while Phosphorous plugged down the middle. Both are now on starboard, but while Phosphorous is to the east and making better speed, she isn't quite laying the course, whereas Pata Negra to the west is on track for Wicklow and already in the afternoon's latest veering of the wind.

GLUED TOGETHER

Four miles astern of her and with 46 miles still to sail, First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen) and J/121 Darkwood (Mike O'Donnell) are still glued together after more than 690 miles sailed, but with the lower rating Darkwood is 16th OA while Checkmate is 19th.

The First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen) Photo: Afloat

Thirteen miles further astern again, Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI is nicely placed to be at her namesake rocky duo of islets pretty well on the optimum button tidewise, and that may help her move up the overall ranking from her current 7th overall, though of course she continues to have a good lead in IRC 2.

Nicely placed - Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI Photo: Afloat

BELLINO STAYS AHEAD IN TWO-HANDERS

On down the line, Two-Handed and IRC 3 leader Sunfast 3600 Bellino (Rob Craigie & Deb Fish) is past St John's Point, but she has yet to fully experience the benefit of the veering wind being found further south, and is a degree or two below laying the course to Wicklow. Nevertheless she is pacing with larger boats in the same area, and lies 7th overall.

Third overall and first in IRC 3 and Sailing Schools is the old warhorse Desert Star. Irish Offshore Sailing's re-furbished Sunfast 3700 had the benefit of the North Channel's south-going flood (yes, I know it's confusing) to get her past the South Rock lightfloat at 11:50 hrs making 7.5 knots over the ground, but the wind up there is still well southwest, and she may need a tack toward the Strangford Lough entrance to get her more quickly into the veered wind already benefitting most of the boats ahead of her.

THE LEGION OF THE REARGUARD

We'll take another look at it in late afternoon, meanwhile all salutations to Robert Marchant and his Dunmore East crew in the Fulmar 32 Fulmar Fever, the Legion of the Rearguard. They've still to reach Tory Island which they're approaching from west by south at 6.4 knots, and they've come through the most of an Atlantic gale out there beyond Donegal. If they can stick at it all the way back to Wicklow, they'll have the mother and father of a welcome no matter what time they arrive.

A file photo of Robert Marchant's yellow–hulled Fulmar 32, Fulmar Fever, a SCORA stalwart and a hardy competitor in this year's Round Ireland Race Photo: Bob Bateman