Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) has recently announced the introduction of a new non-spinnaker rating for CR4 and CR5 to promote white sails racing in Dublin Bay.

The move comes following the success of the VPRS rating system in the Sports Boats Class, which has been expanded to other classes. With a certificate costing only €25 and no need to get a boat measured, it means that those who do not need IRC ratings can get certified at a much lower cost.

Commodore Ed Totterdell explained, "For the 2024 season, boats currently competing in CR4 and CR5 will be able to compete in a new VPRS Division. This will promote non-spinnaker racing in DBSC by opening another area of competition and fun for all."

DBSC Commodore Ed Totterdell Photo: Michael Chester

Class Captain Catherine Day welcomed the initiative, saying, "I am delighted by the overwhelmingly positive response to trialling the new VPRS rating system for the 2024 season.

This initiative promises to offer a fair opportunity for all our class members, ensuring that boat characteristics, rather than crew performance, are the primary focus in DBSC racing. We will continue to support Echo throughout the class too."

Applying for a VPRS Certificate couldn’t be easier, say the organisers, and DBSC has put a link on their membership form for those who need to obtain one.

Any DBSC Cr4 or CR5 member who needs more information is welcome to contact DBSC by emailing [email protected].

The move is expected to promote non-spinnaker racing in Dublin Bay, offering a fair opportunity for all class members.

The new rating system will ensure that boat characteristics, rather than crew performance, are the primary focus in DBSC racing.

The initiative is expected to be welcomed by racing enthusiasts and could lead to more participants joining the races in the future.

Strong easterly winds and big seas may have prevented the final race of the AIB-sponsored DBSC Spring Chicken Series from sailing on Sunday morning (March 10) – the first cancellation of the six-race mixed cruiser and one design league – but there was still plenty of fun ashore at a well-attended National Yacht Club-hosted prizegiving at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Champions 2024 - The crew of the J80 Jambon collect their prizes at the National Yacht Club on Sunday, March 10th

As regular Afloat readers know, sportsboats occupied the podium places after the penultimate race with fourth-placed J80 Jambon moving to the front of the mixed cruisers handicap fleet (the second time she has topped the scoreboard in this six race series) after her seventh-placed finish last Sunday.

After five races sailed and one discard, the 1720 No Show is second by two points on 36 with the one-time leader, another 1720 sportsboat, Long Island Legend in third.

Results are downloadable here.

A new overall leader goes into this Sunday's final race of the AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Dublin Bay as sportsboats occupy the podium places.

The fourth-placed J80 Jambon has moved to the front of the mixed cruisers handicap fleet (the second time she has topped the scoreboard in this six race series) after her seventh placed finish last Sunday.

After five races sailed and one discard, the 1720 No Show is second by two points on 36 with one-time leader, another 1720 sportsboat, Long Island Legend in third.

Download the latest results below as a PDF file

After four races sailed in the AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Dublin Bay, the 1720 sportsboat Long Island Legend replaces the J80 Jambon at the top of the scoresheet.

With two races to go in the series, only ten points separate the top ten boats overall after organisers applied a discard. 

The third race of the six-race series saw sunny conditions accompanied by a good breeze, providing an ideal setting for the competitors. The 40-boat fleet was safely home before gale-force winds swept the bay on Sunday afternoon.

Overall, Long Island Legend leads by a point from the J109 Joker II on 27. In third place is another J80, Derry Girls on 30 points, with one-time leader Jambon dropping to fourth overall on 31.

Download the latest results below as a PDF file

A third race win last Sunday means the J80 'Jambon' moves into the  AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series lead on Dublin Bay.

The Dun Laoghaire Harbour sportsboat crew are five points ahead of second-placed Just Jasmin, a Bavaria Match 35, on 32 points.

Derry Girls, another J80 entrant, lies third on 38 points in the 40-boat fleet.

The fleet sailed in moderate westerly winds for its third race. 

From February 4 to March 10 (first gun 10:10), six races will be run using a progressive handicap on a case-by-case basis.

Racing continues in the National Yacht Club hosted series this Sunday at 10.10 am off Dun Laoghaire.

Download the results below as a pdf file.

The AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series fleet is expecting moderate westerly winds for their third race this Sunday on Dublin Bay.

ECHO Handicaps and start times for the 40 boat have been published and are downloadable below

As Afloat reported earlier, the racing came to an exciting conclusion last Sunday as 'No Show', the 1720 sportsboat, clinched the top spot. The second race of the six-race series saw sunny conditions accompanied by a good breeze, providing an ideal setting for the competitors.

The third race starts at 10.10 am off Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Dublin Bay came to an exciting conclusion last Sunday as 'No Show', the 1720 sportsboat, clinched the top spot. The second race of the six-race series saw sunny conditions accompanied by a good breeze, providing an ideal setting for the competitors.

However, the day didn't go without incident. During the race, the crew of J109 'Joker' had to deal with a man overboard situation. Fortunately, their practised procedures paid off, and the crew quickly recovered with no damage, albeit a bit wet, according to organisers.

The final results for the second race of the series are available for downloadable below, and organisers have announced that the Katanca result will be corrected to 'retired' in the overalls next week, ensuring fairness and accuracy in the final standings.

Multiple championship-winning J109 Joker II of the Royal Irish Yacht Club won the first race of the DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Sunday.

The results are downloadable below.

As Afloat reported previously, strong westerly winds reduced the fleet to 17 boats as winds gusted to over 20 knots on Dublin Bay. 

Second was the recent winner of the 2023 Turkey Shoot Series, the 1720 Optique with third place, on modified ECHO handicap, going to the quarter tonner Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club in County Wexford.

Racing in the six races series hosted by the National Yacht Club continues next Sunday.

Between the delivery of its new committee boat and the strong entries received so far, it looks like a great season ahead for Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC).

DBSC Commodore Ed Totterdell visited builder Gerry Smyth Boats on St. Brigid's holiday weekend and was delighted with the progress. “We have a firm delivery date of March, and she will be on station for the first race of the season,” he told Afloat.

With a bumper edition of the pre-Christmas Turkey shoot successfully concluded and with racing already underway in the Spring Chicken Warm-Up Series, DBSC 2024 summer racing begins in April

DBSC has received entries for each of its racing classes, with, for example, over half of the B211 class having entered so far. "With a very busy season on the bay, including the club regattas, J Cup, J109 Europeans, ICRAs and IRC European Championships, we have a lot of work to do to make sure we provide all our members a season to remember and receive these entries helps with that planning", Totterdell said. 

Ruffian 23s will now start with the DBSC Red Fleet for Saturday Summer Series racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

"We intend to contact the Class Captains of CR0, 1 and 2 shortly and ask that they poll their members who have entered as to whether they would like to start their race (Starred races do not count towards season points) for the Saturday of the ICRAs," he says.

"It is important, therefore, that everyone has a voice, and we urge members to put their entries in as soon as possible, he notes.

Some classes have also approached DBSC to change their racing schedule, such as the Ruffians now starting with the Red Fleet on Saturdays and the FF15s changing their position in the start sequence, putting them as second start to the SB20s.

Between making these changes, designing some new regatta-type courses, commissioning and launching the new committee boat and working with the clubs to ensure DBSC can run racing while they run championships, it is shaping up to be a busy and exciting 2024 season.

A fleet of up to 25 brave DBSC 'Spring Chicken' entrants braved strong westerly winds for the first race of the six-race series on Sunday (February 4).

The blustery 25-knot westerly winds presented quite the challenge for the first race of the 2024 season on Dublin Bay.

The series for mixed cruisers and one designs runs until March 10 (first gun 10:10), using a progressive handicap on a case-by-case basis in the AIB-sponsored event.

Sunday's fleet included a number of championship-winning cruisers, including multiple J109 champion Joker II With sailmakers Maurice O'Connell and Mark Mansfield onboard) from the Royal Irish Yacht Club and Wexford Quarter Tonner Snoopy, the 2021 ICRA Class Three National Champion.

Crew of the J109 Joker II enjoy the strong wind conditions for the first race of the 2024 DBSC 'Spring Chicken' Series on Dublin Bay Photo: Maurice O'Connell

One-designs, cruisers, and other boats that don't often compete in races are all "quite welcome," according to DBSC.

The 2023 Series attracted a fleet of nearly fifty boats, and organisers are expecting a similar fleet as the series progresses.

Race one results are being calculated.