Cork Harbour's Dave Barry will defend his SB20 Eastern title this weekend at the Eastern Championships at Howth Yacht Club. 

As Afloat.ie previously reported, the National 18s, the RS400 and RS200 fleets will share the limelight off Ireland's Eye. The SB20s and N18s will race on one course and the RS400 and RS200s on another. 

Back from the Vendee Globe, solo skipper Enda O'Coineen is set to rejoin the sportsboat fleet for the first championships of 2017 as is the National Yacht Club's Roger Bannon, who has taken on the role of class measurer. 

The 2017 season is an important build–up for the class as the SB20 Europeans will be staged by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in 2018.

No sooner has Howth Yacht Club completed its Spring Warmer Series for keelboats than it is preparing for its first dinghy event of the 2017 Summer season.  HYC will host the RS Eastern Championship over the 22nd April and 23rd April.

The RS classes will be joined by Cork Harbour's travelling National 18s and the SB20 sportsboat class. 

In the run up to the championships, the RS Feva class are staging a two day training session in Howth. Training is open to all sailors around the country regardless of ability. 20 boats are expected for the Easterns and there is a lot of renewed interest in the class now from Optimist sailors looking to try a two hander. 

An early bird entry discount has been extended until tomorrow (April 12), according to HYC's Ross MacDonald. Enter here.

The 2017 Spring Warmer series sponsored by Key Capital Private came to a conclusion at Howth Yacht Club on Saturday. The final day of the season opener provided the sailors with some champagne sailing conditions with 15–knots of breeze and glorious sunshine.

In the Cruiser Class Paddy Kyne’s Maximus with two race wins took the honours by one point from the very consistent Flashback (Patterson/Paddy Gregory /Don Breen). In third place was Stephen Quinn’s Lambay Rules.

The J24 racing was dominated by Steve Atkinson’s Bad with three first places and a fourth. Second was Jumpin Jive (M. Usher). The new K25 team completed the podium. It was great to see three K25 youth teams out competing.

Howth Yacht Club’s “Taste of Sailing” initiative goes from strength to strength. The programme sees experienced sailors racing with those new to the sport or new to HYC. Five teams took to the club J80s for the Spring Warmer this year.

The SB20 fleet was the largest fleet with 10 boats. Locals Shane Murphy, Daragh Sheridan and John Phelan on Two Men & Their Monkey won the event with a race to spare from Colin Galavan’s Sacrebleu who scored a race win in the final race with a fantastic first run setting them up for a big lead which they never relinquished. Third place was Dave Barry on Lia.

The SB20s are staying in the same venue for their Eastern Championships to be held in two weeks’ time on 21 & 22 April.

The prizegiving took place with Vice Commodore Emmet Dalton on hand to present the prizes.

Roger Bannon, who has has returned to the Irish SB20 fleet this year, will take up the role of Class Measurer for 2017-2018.

Bannon, a former Flying fifteen and Mermaid champion, previously acted as class measurer in the sportsboat class.

The Irish class association is preparing to host the 2018 European Championships on Dublin Bay at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The Graham Elmes Memorial Trophy will be presented to Cork Harbour's Dave Barry and the crew of SB20 Lia as winners of the 2016 Travellers Trophy at Friday night's SB20 Annual Class Dinner at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

The class trophy is awarded to the top ranking boat across all regional events including the National Championships.

The 2018 SB20 European Championships will be hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club and new class captain Ger Demspey is promising an exciting season ahead on Dublin Bay.

There are still a few tickets available for Friday's dinner and can be booked directly with the RIYC.

Michael O'Connor, Owen Laverty and Davy Taylor had a convincing second day to take the SB20 honours with at the conclusion of the regatta at Lough Derg Yacht Club at the weekend.

A fresh breeze of 12 -16 knots allowed the boats to enjoy two final races superbly organised by LDYC.  Second was Justin Burke, Gareth Nolan and Ed Cooke in 'Alert Packaging'. Third was Aidan O'Connell, Jonathan Hogg & Domonic Hegarty in 'Upwind Casualty'.

The fleet enjoyed the convivial surroundings of Lough Derg, Co. Tipperary along with the Flying Fifteen and Squib fleets.

The autumnal colours adding to the relaxed atmosphere at this end of season regatta. 14 SB20s turned out to battle for line honours. 'OUTLAW' Gary Pollard, Owen McLernon & Trevor Darcy took the Silver Fleet trophy the Hermes Cup.

Results are below

The 2018 SB20 European Championships will be hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire it has been announced.

The Irish staging of the event in two years time will be in the same year as the World Championships are heading down under to Tasmania.

Next year's Europeans are in Cowes and the Irish class is hoping to attend the British south coast event in numbers in antcipation of the 2018 Dublin Bay fixture. The Irish class is keen to recruit new blood to contest the Irish event and noting top secnod hand boats are available to buy at around £10,000stg.

An exciting 2017 Championship schedule includes old favourites Howth YC and Royal Ulster YC as well as a return trip to Mayo YC.

This year's World Championships will be held in Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes making it highly accessible from Ireland.

2017
21st – 22nd April Eastern Championships Howth Yacht Club, Dublin
26th – 27th May Northern Championship Royal Ulster Yacht Club, Bangor
16th – 17th June Western Championship Mayo Yacht Club, Mayo
06th – 09th July Southern Championship Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire (as part of Volvo DL Regatta)
26th – 1st Aug World Championships Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, UK
15th – 17th Sept National Championships Howth Yacht Club, Dublin
21st – 22nd Oct Midland Championships Lough Derg Yacht Club, Tipperary

Following its lively Southern championships at the weekend, the SB20 Ireland AGM takes this Friday October 7th 2016 at the Royal Irish Yacht Club. The meeting will be boosted by an influx of new blood into the class as it plots the 2017 season including highlights; Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta in Dublin Bay next July and the SB20 Worlds on the doorstep in Cowes.

Both class president, Peter Lee and DBSC Class Captain James Gorman are stepping down after completing their respective terms. 

Ger Dempsey will take over from Gorman as SB20 Dun Laoghaire Class Captain. His first job will be to muster the 15–boat Dublin fleet for the season's last hurrah at the SB20 midland championships taking place on Saturday & Sunday 22nd & 23rd October at Lough Derg YC. 

Dave Barry, Dan O'Connell and Jimmy Dowling sailing Lia are the SB20 2016 Southern Champions following four wins from six races at the National Yacht Club at the weekend.

Second in the 14–entry event was Howth Yacht Club's Two Men and Their Monkey sailed by Darragh Sheridan, Shane Murphy and John Phelan.

Third was Justin Burke's Alert Packaging entry with crew Gareth Nolan and Henrik Olerud. Full results are downloadable below.

A start at the 14–boat SB20 Southern Championships at the National Yacht Club. Photo: Afloat.ie