dJuly has been non-stop for RS Sailing and its various classes in Ireland.
With the recent announcement of the Sports Capital Grants, many sailing clubs throughout Ireland submitted successful applications for new sports equipment in their training classes.
The RS Zest Singlehanded dinghy has been particularly popular, perfect for Adult Sail training courses or to be crewed by two younger sailors.
The other more popular boat has been the RS Quest, the definitive all round sailing dinghy, perfect for a range of courses in the Irish Sailing and Royal Yachting Association framework from taste of sailing to kites and wires and adventure sailing.
Back in the popular racing classes for RS Sailing in Ireland, the RS Fest this year was held in Lough Derg Yacht Club in Dromineer over the weekend of the 6th and 7th of July.
Sponsored and subsidised by MarineServices.ie the official agents for RS Sailing in Ireland, the Fest is designed every year to bring together the main RS racing classes for a weekend of RS racing fun. The popular Feva, Aero RS 200 and RS 400 fleets were all in attendance over the two days.
Above Fast RS sailing on Lough Derg in an RS 200 and below in an RS Feva
Above Fast RS sailing on Lough Derg in an RS 200 and below in an RS Feva
John Leech was Principal Race Officer and with the assistance of the Gipsy Buoy Robotic Marks laid a trapezoid course with inner and outer loops to accommodate all four fleets on one track. The robotic marks really came into their own when laying this course with perfect reaching angles, allowing for fast-reaching conditions on the blustery Saturday.
Robotic marks really came into their own when laying this course with perfect reaching angles
Ashore, Fred Tottenham and his team put on a fantastic show with a delicious meal that all sailors and their families could attend. This was followed by a disco for the younger sailors and good music for the older sailors who made use of the large bar in LDYC.
Above and below, scenes from the 2024 RS Fest regatta on Lough Derg
Despite Leech’s best efforts to get another few races away on Sunday, the weather gods did not play ball and racing had to be cancelled early in the day.
Literally the following weekend, MarineServices.ie was off to Cork for the arrival of six RS21 Keelboats that had eager charterers awaiting their arrival in Crosshaven for Cork Week.
Liam Willis and Kenny Rumball spent Friday afternoon, with the assistance of the Cork Week organising committee, getting these boats in the water and ready for charter crews to go test sailing as early as Saturday lunchtime. That's not bad, considering the truck arrived 24 hours before. When stacked, the boats have to be individually offloaded, placed onto keels, and then launched before the masts can also be stepped. Such is the ease of the 21 that this could all be completed by just two very eager persons.
Liam Willis (left) and Kenny Rumball competing in the RS21 class at Volvo Cork Week Regatta Photo: James Tomlinson
Kenny and Liam then sailed their boats as part of Cork Week, with class president Nigel Rolfe also bringing across his boat and bringing the class up to nine boats for Cork Week.
The racing for Cork Week was well documented last week, however the main takeaway was the fun the charter crews had and how quickly they got to grips with the exciting keelboats.
Plans are afoot already to have the charter fleet available for Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta next year, with rumours that the Italian sailors where the fleet is very popular may come with their boats for a European Championships as part of the regatta next year.
The RS Aeros are racing in Swords Sailing and Boating Club this weekend
The fun racing in the world’s most popular dinghy classes doesn’t stop there, the RS Aeros are racing in Swords Sailing and Boating Club this weekend while the RS 200 and 400s are racing in Carrickfergus the weekend of the 9th -11th of August, with the Feva’s hosting their Nationals on the weekend of the 16th and 18th of August in Ballyholme Yacht Club.
