#cruiserracing – The three day ICRA Nationals begin next Friday (June 13th) at the Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire. The entry of one hundred and eleven boats from all parts of Ireland will inevitably see the numbers emphasis on the large home fleet, but W M Nixon reckons this will make the visiting rock stars try even harder.

The Spirit 54 Soufriere would attract admiring attention in any fleet. And under Stephen O'Flaherty's enthusiastic ownership, she has frequently made the scene - often with racing success – in classic yacht events. Nevertheless, to take this long and shapely beauty into the cut and thrust of Ireland's top national cruiser-racer championship is a truly sporting gesture. But as a star in a James Bond movie, Soufriere is accustomed to mixing the rough with the smooth.

It was in Casino Royale (2006) that Soufriere made her debut on the Tinseltown stage, sailing serenely into Venice with Daniel Craig as 007 taking the helm from co-star Eva Green. But it's far from the sheltered waters of the Serenissima that Soufriere will be competing in six day's time, yet her crew and the hundreds of other sailors who are shaping up for the ICRA Nationals 2014 on Dublin Bay will be hoping for a happy mix of good weather and decent sailing breezes to put away some high quality sport.

With six days to go, forecasters are reluctant to firm up their opinions on the expected state of the fickle Irish weather, particularly as it operates in the peculiar climatic laboratory which is Dublin Bay. But the folk who put their faith in anticipated Polar Jetstream movements are encouraged by fairly clearcut suggestions that this indicator and activator of our meteorology may finally be moving northwards towards its proper summer position by next weekend. But whether or not it does so in time to significantly benefit the ICRA Nationals is currently a moot point.

Whatever, the most recent charts we've seen have been showing a marked tendency towards southwest to northwest winds six days hence. You might well think that would provide a steady breeze coming down the Liffey Valley and out across the bay for splendid sailing on relatively smooth water. But as dear old Dublin town heats up with the summer temperatures building towards Bloomsday on June 16th, all sorts of quirks can be introduced into the weather, with afternoon sea breezes with varying touches of east in them playing havoc across the underlying gradient.

As for the Jetstream, the least we can hope for is that it won't be lying across Ireland. Ideally, its underlying path will be swirling away northwards. But if it has settled down unseasonably far south to make life disagreeable in northwest Spain or even across France, then we might just get lucky, as Scotland was in 2012, when they'd superb weather while Ireland had an unpleasant summer with the Jetstream like a nasty girdle across Munster.

Either way, we can do nothing about it. But as last summer's late-forecast arrival of good weather in time for the four day Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta showed, "Here Comes Summer!" is sailing's greatest recruiting slogan. Fleet numbers soared in a last minute rush, and boats which had spent the early part of the season with a shortage of hands found themselves almost embarassed by the arrival on board of willing crewpersons seeking any escape from the heat of the city.

ICRA boats being an altogether more serious proposition than casual local classes, it's likely that the total is pretty well fixed at this stage. But for those who batter around the high seas in weather good and bad from season's start in April, they surely deserve a reward in good sailing after a mix of 2014 weather which, so far, could most kindly be described as "interesting".

The ICRA Nationals 2014 are being hosted by the Royal Irish YC from their wellnigh perfect location within Dun Laoghaire marina, where their fine neo-classical building of 1851 vintage (it's the world's oldest complete purpose-designed yacht club premises) is conveniently positioned beside totally sheltered modern waterfront facilities, yet within easy reach of the open sailing waters of Dublin Bay.

The Royal Irish YC's prime location and historic clubhouse within Dun Laoghaire Marina's sheltered water provides a perfect location for hosting major keelboat events. Photo: W M Nixon

The club in turn have brought in sponsorship for the ICRA Nats from Teng Tools, a company whose management have been long involved in offshore racing success, with Alan Crosbie of TT sailing in this event aboard the vintage Mills-designed Quarter Tonner Quest, a boat of contemporary relevance whose history includes association with such luminaries of Irish sailing as Marcus Hutchinson and Gordon Maguire.

Thanks to Dublin Bay's time-honoured tradition of enthusiastically racing boats which in most other sailing areas would be seen only as cruisers, the entry list includes the usual mix of modern performance craft from builders such as X Yachts of Denmark, J Boats of America, Elan of Slovenia, Beneteau and Jeanneau of France, and Hanse and Bavaria of Germany, and they'll be lining up with venerable cruisers such as the vintage Nich 31 Saki and others such as Soufriere for whom success is a bonus to be treasured in the simple pleasure of sailing a comfortable much-loved boat.

The Nich 31 Saki is regularly raced in Dublin Bay, and for the ICRA Nationals she'll be competing in Class 4 against the likes of First 211s and a Hunter Sonata. Photo: David O'Brien

For those who are looking for razor-sharp virtually boat-for-boat racing, Class 1 is surely the place to be, where the active fleet of Dublin Bay J/109s, rating around the 1.015 to 1.017 mark, find themselves head to head with last year's ICRA Nats star performer, Philip Byrne's XP 33 Bon Exemple from the host club, whose helming lineup includes current Irish Champion Ben Duncan.

However, inter-area rivalry is a great spur to success, and the pride of Fingal, Pat Kelly's J/109 Storm from Rush SC, has several years of ICRA success under her belt, including the Boat of the Year title. Another 'out of Bay' challenger in the J/109s is Ian Nagle's Jelly Baby from the Royal Cork, so it will be wall-to-wall J/109s in Division 1, a formidable prospect for one of the smallest boat in the class, Denis Hewitt and partners' Mills 30CR Raptor, whose personnel includes top ICRA mover and shaker Fintan Cairns.

The J/109 has proven an ideal size for Dublin Bay and Irish Sea racing. Photo: David O'Brien

Father and son team of Neil and George Kenefick from Crosshaven will be campaigning their Quarter Tonner Tiger as Nathan Kirwan Trust during the ICRA Nats. Photo: Bob Bateman

The Dun Laoghaire emphasis in the fleet is an added peformance incentive for any visitors, and great things are expected in Division 3 from the Kenefick family's hot Quarter Tonner Tiger from Cork, which races this series as Nathan Kirwan Trust with former champion helm George Kenefick on the helm. Another visitor which has been making waves in the Irish Sea this year is the Shannon Estuary-based Dehler 34 Big Deal (Derek Dillon, Foynes YC), which has been scoring success in ISORA racing as part of the buildup to participation in the Round Ireland Race in three weeks time. The Dehler 34 has been around since 1980 or so, but this well-engineered cruiser-racer has deservedly proven an enduring success in Irish waters.

Further down the size scale, there's an impressive turnout of Corby 25s racing against Big Deal in Division 2 where winning will be an impressive notch in the bedpost as the lineup includes Anthony Gore-Grimes' regularly successful X 302 Dux from Howth, while Division 3 sees the continuing friendly (well, fairly friendly) war between vintage Quarter Tonners and J/24s such as Flor O'Driscoll's Hard on Port.

Anthony Gore-Grimes' X 302 Dux has been a regular and successful participant in ICRA events for many years. Photo: Bob Bateman

As for the Corinthians sailing non-spinnaker in Divisions 5 & 6, Eastsiders are pinning their hopes on the two extra-keen Howth boats. David Sargent's Elan 33 Indulgence, and the veteran Club Shamrock Demelza aboard which Windsor Laudan and Steffi Ennis have turned white-sail racing into an art, and a very successful one at that.

Transparency is all. George Sisk and his seasoned crew aboard the Farr 42 WOW will be racing with the second-highest rating in the fleet. Photo: W M Nixon

Up among the biggies in Division 0, Soufriere at 54ft is longest of all, and the highest rated at 1.135, but close astern is George Sisk's Farr 42 WOW, which rates 1.124. This provides a challenge for her senior crew, though we're assured that WOW doesn't stand for "We Ould Wans". Quite. There's a good outside challenge here with Denise Phelan's potent Mills 36 Jump Juice from Cork, the XP38i Roxstar (Findlay & Anderson) from the Clyde, the Corby 40 Converting Machine (Dave Cummaford) from Pwllheli, the pride of Arklow which is the Tyrell family's J/122 Aquelina, ICRA Commodore Nobby Reilly's Mills 36 Crazy Horse from Howth, and Lynx, Martin Breen's Reflex 38 which sails thousands of sea miles, many of them with racing success, for the honour of Galway Bay SC.

The Tyrrell family's J/122 Aquelina from Artklow is an active contender throughout the season. Photo: W M Nixon

The main man. Nobby Reilly of Howth, Commodore of ICRA, at the helm of his Mills 36 Crazy Horse. Photo: Bob Bateman

Martin Breen's Reflex 38 Lynx from Galway, seen here racing round Ireland, will be hoping to add ICRA success to her established offshore achievements.

Thus the lineup is what you'd expect of a sailing community emerging from several years of economic recession. There are few if any brand new boats, only a small group are travelling any significant distance to take part, and within the local fleet, as with the visitors, there's a marked emphasis on well-loved boats which have been with their owners for quite some time, but are continuing to give excellent value and great sport for the day that's in it.

And finally, if you don't believe a word about Soufriere being in a James Bond movie, here's the clip from Casino Royale. Soufriere was already being built when the request for her use in the film came through. But who could decline such a thing? It's even better than having a genuine Beken photograph of your boat.

Once upon a time, back in 1990, I sailed into Venice and motored right up the crowded Grand Canal as far as the Rialto Bridge with the late great Brian Hegarty on the Hallberg Rassy 42 ketch Safari of Howth. We'd a better time of it than poor old James Bond. We didn't have to waste time with the distraction of writing resignation letters on the laptop. For we were on our holliers, and believe me, arriving in Venice in the morning sunshine on a fine cruising yacht merits your full attention. It is one of life's great and magical experiences.

Meanwhile, back in Dublin Bay, first gun in ICRA Nats 2014 is at 1055hrs Friday June 13th, racing continues through Sunday May 15th, right hand side of the boat continues to be starboard, and the wind being on it usually confers right of way.

ICRA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2014, 13th to 15th June 2014 ENTRIES (AS AT 6/6/14)

Division	Sail No	Boat	Type of Boat	Club	IRC
0	IRL9852	Crazy Horse	Mills 36	HYC	1.084
0	IRL5718	Loose Change	IMX 40	RIYC	1.073
0	IRL1974	Soufriere	Spirit	RIYC	1.135
0	IRL4208	WOW	Farr 42	RIYC	1.124
0	IRL1644	Lively Lady	First 44.7	RIYC	1.107
0	IRL2007	Jump Juice	Ker 37	RCYC	1.103
0	GBR6940R	Converting Machine	Corby 40	Pwllheli SC	1.095
0	IRL1281	Aquelina	J-122	Arklow SC	1.083
0	GBR4041R	First Forty licks	First 40	East Down YC	1.080
0	GBR8038R	Roxstar	XP 38i	Clyde CC	1.077
0	IRL4007	Tsunami	First 40.7	NYC	1.055
0	IRL7386	Lynx	Reflex 38	GBSC	1.051
-
1	EI1906	ZURI	Hanse 37	Carlingford SC	#N/A
1	IRL3511	Adventure	A35	GSC	#N/A
1	IRL638	State O’ Chassis	Sigma 38	RIYC	#N/A
1	IRL3307	Rockabill V	Corby 33	RIYC	1.041
1	IRL3709	Axiom	X 37	RIYC	1.035
1	IRL3061	Fools Gold	A35	WHSC	1.028
1	IRL9609	Jelly Baby	J109	RCYC	1.027
1	IRL28898	Powder Monkey	J109	NYC	1.025
1	IRL7778	Gringo	A 35	NYC	1.024
1	IRL811	Raptor	Mills 30CR	RIYC	1.020
1	IRL1141	Storm	J109	HYC/Rush SC	1.017
1	IRL8088	Jedi	J109	RIYC	1.017
1	IRL1206	Joker II	J109	RIYC	1.017
1	GBR8933R	Bon Exemple	XP 33	RIYC	1.016
1	IRL1383	Ruth	J109	NYC	1.015
1	GBR9047R	Mojito	J109	Pwllheli SC	1.015
1	IRL1129	Jump The Gun	J109	RIYC	1.014
1	IRL9898	Indecision	J109	RIYC	1.013
1	IRL29213	Something Else	J109	NYC	1.013
1	IRL7991	Jigamaree	J109	RIYC	1.011
1	GBR8609R	Jetstream	J109	NYC	1.009
1	GBR2620L	Fox in Sox	X 34	RIYC	1.003
1	IRL3471	Black Velvet	First 34.7	RIYC	1.001
1	IRL1367	Boomerang	First 36.7	RStGYC	1.000
1	IRL3470	Flashback	First 34.7	HYC	0.989
-
2	IRL1310	After You Too	Beneteau 31.7	RStGYC	#N/A
2	IRL3438	Albireo	Swan 371	RIYC	#N/A
2	IRL7317	Attitude	First 31.7	RIYC	#N/A
2	GBR8747T	Movistar Bleu	Elan 333	Killyleagh YC	0.967
2	IRL7284	Red Rhum	Dehler DB1	RStGYC	0.967
2	IRL8750	Jester	J 80	NYC	0.957
2	IRL1188	Utopia	X 3/4 Ton	DL Marina	0.956
2	IRL8094	King One	Half Tonner	HYC	0.953
2	IRL6909	Extreme Reality	Beneteau 31.7	RIYC	0.952
2	FRA079	Graduate	J 80	RIYC	0.952
2	IRL993	Prima Nocte	Beneteau 31.7	RIYC	0.950
2	IRL4170	SLACK ALICE	GK Westerly 34	WHSC	0.949
2	GBR66R	Checkmate XV	Humphreys Half Tonner	RStGYC	0.943
2	IRL5522	The Big Picture	Mg30	HYC	0.942
2	IRL8223	Kamikaze	Sunfast 32	RStGYC	0.941
2	IRL2552	Fusion	Corby 25	HYC	0.935
2	IRL2506	Alpaca3	Corby 25	RCYC	0.931
2	IRL2507	Impetuous	Corby 25	HYC	0.930
2	IRL3492	Big Deal	Dehler 34	Foynes YC	0.929
2	IRL2525	Tribal	Corby 25	GBSC	0.929
2	IRL25007	Smile	Corby 25	GBSC	0.929
2	IRL988	DUX	X-302	HYC	0.929
2	IRL7495	Maximus	X-302	HYC/WHSC	0.925
2	IRL521	Bendemeer	Beneteau First 325	RStGYC	0.925
2	IRL1103	Solgari Viking	X-302	HYC	0.923
-
3	GBR8148	Squawk	Sigma 33 ood	BYC/RUYC	#N/A
3	I8709	Cri-Cri	Quarter Tonner	RIYC	#N/A
3	ITA10767	Don Giovanni	Ceccarelli	HYC	#N/A
3	IRL9311	Borraine	Aphrodite 101	RIYC	#N/A
3	IRL4384	Django	J24	Lough Ree YC	#N/A
3	IRL5795	Black Sheep	Mustang 30	NYC	0.919
3	GBR5507T	Peridot	Mustang 30	RIYC	0.916
3	IRL4464	Springer	Sigma 33 ood	RStGYC	0.912
3	IRL4536	Elandra	Sigma 33	DL Marina	0.912
3	IRL4633	White Mischief	Sigma 33 ood	RIYC	0.911
3	IRL34218	Lady Rowena	Sadler 34	RStGYC	0.911
3	IRL999999	Nathan Kirwan Trust	1/4 ton	RCYC	0.907
3	IRL508	Quest	1/4 ton	RIYC	0.905
3	FRA9186	Cartoon	Quarter Tonner	RIYC	0.902
3	IRL8188	Alliance II	Laser 28	HYC	0.896
3	IRL4533	Crazy Horse	J24	Sligo SC	0.887
3	IRL680	Euro Car Parks Kilcullen	J24	HYC	0.887
3	IRL4794	Hard on Port	J24	RStGYC	0.887
3	IRL9508	Huggy Bear	Impala 28ood	NYC	0.884
3	IRL728	Maximus	J24	Foynes YC	0.884
3	IRL851	Taiscealai	Club Shamrock	RIYC	0.876
3	IRL7500	Supernova	Quarter Tonner	RIYC	0.870
-
4	IRL1208	Capilano	Beneteau First 211	RIYC	#N/A
4	IRL2121	Chinook	Beneteau First 211	RIYC	#N/A
4	IRL2111	Syzrgy	Beneteau First 211	RStGYC	#N/A
4	307	Wynward	Beneteau First	RIYC	#N/A
4	IRL246	Saki	Nicholson 31	RIYC	#N/A
4	IRL6556	Challenger	Challenger Europe	HYC	#N/A
4	IRL1689	Chouskikou	First 28	DL Marina	0.870
4	8245N	Asterix	Hunter Sonata	DL Marina	0.823
-
Non-spinnaker Corinthian Cup
5	IRL37747	Windshift	Sunfast 37	RStGYC	#N/A
5	IRL607	Effex II	First 35	RIYC	#N/A
5	IRL532	Orna	Grand Soleil 40	NYC	1.021
5	IRL3506	Just Jasmin	Bavaria Match 35	RIYC/DMYC	0.995
5	IRL8478	Warrior	Beneteau 34.7	ISA-DBSC	0.984
5	IRL1357	Humdinger	Sunfast 37	Carlingford SC	0.972
5	IRL3339	Indulgence	Elan 333	HYC	0.958
5	IRL1333	White Lotus	Elan 333	DL Marina	0.957
5	IRL3400	Brazen Hussy	Dufour 34	HYC	0.950
5	IRL5687	To Infinity and Beyond	Dehler 37 CR	RStGYC	0.949
-
6	IRL1217	The Great Escape	Bavaria 33	RIYC	#N/A
6	IRL1309	Syledis in blue	Beneteau oceanis clipper 323 LK	Bray SC	#N/A
6	IRL5013	Sweet Martini	She 31	RStGYC	#N/A
6	IRL966	More Mischief	Beneteau First 310	DL Marina	#N/A
6	IRL2860	Pure Magic	Feeling 286 Special	Bray SC	#N/A
6	IRL1166	Edenpark	Jeanneau Sun Odyssey	RIYC	0.977
6	IRL5643	Calypso	Beneteau Oceanis 361	RStGYC	0.928
6	IRL1502	Vespucci	Dehler 31	RIYC	0.876
6	IRL100	Demelza	Club Shamrock	HYC	0.875

A PDF version of this entry list (with owners names) is available to download below

#waterwags – The Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta on Wednesday 21st May was earlier than usual. 22 Water Wags turned up to compete in the regatta race of 5 laps of a windward leeward course. Tom Hudson, race officer, decided to split the large fleet with Division 2 starting 3 minutes before the rest of the fleet. It was a wonderful evening with sunshine, a high tide and 8-10 knots of wind.

Polly, Penelope, Sprite, Chloe, and Nandor headed up the first beat towards a mark laid off the bandstand. Soon Nandor had to retire with broken gear but it was Fergus Cullen and Alice Walsh in Penelope who led the fleet around the first mark, by a large margin.
Three minutes later Division 1A and 1B stated together. There was a minor pile up on the start line when somebody caught a boom end on another boats shroud. On the first beat there was good steady wind both on the north side of the harbour near the harbour mouth and also inshore where there was some tidal flow benefit running east out of the marina. David and Sally MacFarlane in Moosmie led the second group around the windward mark. At the leeward gate almost all the fleet except Penelope took the southern mark of the leeward gate. On the second beat conditions were similar to the first but Penelope continued to hold her lead. By the third round the tidal advantage inshore was increasing, but the wind there was becoming more fickle and the best course was to tack immediately after rounding the Southern gate mark, and stay in the stronger wind. Again on the fourth beat followed the pattern of declining wind near the marina wall. By the last beat Moosmie had taken over the lead and won the race with Mollie second and Swift third. It was almost a dead heat between Barbara, Tortoise and Pansy on the finish line after five laps of the harbour.
Division 1B was won by Bairbre Stewart and David Corcoran in Freddie.
Division 2 was won by Polly who featured a wonderful Norwegian Blue Parrot on her spinnaker. A sailing Supper and prize giving was held in the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

#sb20 – A solid breeze of 12 to 15 knots made up for the overcast and somewhat unseasonal chill in the air. Seven SB20s made the start line for the Royal Irish Regatta and were treated to two races on a windward leeward course, each consisting of 3 rounds.

A slight pin end bias became exaggerated during the starting sequence for race 1 with the majority of the fleet towards the pin for the off. Manamana (Graeme Grant, Ronan Downing, Joseph Murphy) lead off the line closely followed by Timber (helmed by Alan McNabb with Marty Cuppage in the middle) and Venuesworld (helmed by Ger Dempsey with his nephew Rory onboard) carrying on on starboard tack. Sacrebleu and Probably lead the rest of the fleet out right on the lifted tack. Manamana tacked off into the middle of the course to cover the split but found less breeze. Timber had a healthy lead by the weather mark with Manamana, Probably and Venuesworld scrapping it out for second and rounding together. With the wind out of the North East and the waves out of the east, the starboard gybe was on a plane. Less wind at the leeward mark made finding an accurate gybe angle next to impossible. Timber lead to the leeward mark followed by Manamana with Venuesworld in hot pursuit. Timber carried on on port tack on what appeared to be a small left shift with Manamana learning their lesson from the first beat and heading out left for more breeze. Manamana and Venuesworld fought it out for the lead at the next weather mark with Manamana stealing the lead by barely eeking around the weather mark and forcing Venuesworld to dip their stern. Positions remained unchanged for the first two with Bad Kilcullen (Gerry Dowling, Dave Barry, Jimmy Dowling) storming through the pack to take third.

After some quick repairs on Sacrebleu (it is never ideal to have to take your main sail down) the fleet got away off another pin end biased line. After a pile up at the pin, Manamana lead Bad Kilcullen out to the left side of the course with much cross tacking and dipping in their wake. With a solid 15 plus knots of breeze for the second race the entire fleet enjoyed the downwind legs planing and playing dodgems with the other classes on our course. In a less eventful race at the front of the fleet, Manamana lead Bad Kilcullen to the finish with Venuesworld taking third which is the order the top 3 finished for the regatta.

Despite the inclement weather, a large turnout remained at the club for refreshments and to cheer on the winners. The SB20 fleet winners where honoured to accept the Baker Cup.

Full RIYC regatta results

#riyc – It may have been grey and overcast but there was plenty of breeze for the Top Secuity sponsored Royal Irish Yacht Club regatta today, the first of Dublin Bay's waterfront regattas of the season.

Keelboat classes trialled new race courses that have been designed for next month's ICRA Championships at the same venue.

The RIYC regatta also started the ten race Royal Alfred Superleague.

The results for all 20 competing keelboat and dinghy classes are below, downloadable as jpeg files.

 

 

#riyc – This Saturday, the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) hosts the first of the 2014 season waterfront club regattas with a two race schedule for keelboats, one designs and dinghies.

Keelboats classes will have an opportunity to practice on the newly designed ICRA Championship courses for next month's 100 plus cruiser national championships.

With an 11:25 warning signal for the first race and a second race to be completed back to back it'll be a packed day for sailors!

There is a comprehensive social programme for sailors, non-sailors and especially juniors including a creche for 1 year olds and up, an Irish National Sailing School Pirates Adventure Day for older kids and RS Fevas are very welcome in the PY fleet.

Juniors are also very welcome in the Laser fleets!

#cruiserracing – The current entry of 98 boats for the ICRA National Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) (sorted by club below) reveals a wide distribution of entries from all over the Irish coastline and beyond. Although some areas are weaker than others (none from Kinsale for example), there are very few ports with no representation.

As forecast, the championships, a highlight of the sailing season, looks set to break the record of 125 entries previously set in Howth. Encouragingly, the entry a month ago stood at 42 but by April 30th  it had increased to 72 IRC cruiser and 17 white sails. Today it has risen by another nine boats for the June 13 event.

In a show of strength from Royal Irish hosts 35 club boats are entered, a third of the total entry so far.

Next biggest is Howth Yacht Club with 18 entries, RIYC neighbours, RSt.GYC have 11 and the National Yacht Club has seven.

There are some long distance travellers from Sligo and Foynes on the west coast and also visitors from Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club in Wales and the Clyde in Scotland.

In a further update to the list issued by ICRA this morning, another Welsh entry Converting Machine from Pwllheli has just entered leaving the event one boat away from the magic 100 mark

Yesterday, the cruiser racer body dropped plans to create a new handicap division at the bottom end of class 1 and the top of class 2 for its IRC national championships. It has also introduced a new means of policing its pro rule.

See full entry list to date below:

Sail No	Boat	Type of Boat	Division	Owner	Club
IRL1281	Aquelina	J-122	0	Sheila Tyrrell/James Tyrrell	Arklow SC
IRL1309	Syledis in blue	Beneteau oceanis clipper 323 LK	6	John & Brenda Hayes	Bray SC
IRL2860	Pure Magic	Feeling 286 Special	6	Steve Hayes	Bray SC
GBR8148	Squawk	Sigma 33	3	Paul Prentice	BYC/RUYC
EI1906	ZURI	Hanse 37	1	Declan Murphy	Carlingford SC
IRL1357	Humdinger	Sunfast 37	5	Michael Mc Cabe	Carlingford SC
GBR9047R	Mojito	J109	1	Peter Dunlop	CHPSC
GBR8038R	Roxstar	XP 38i	0	Findlay and Anderson	Clyde CC
IRL3214	Sublime	Elan 320	2	Aine Stafford	Courtown SC
IRL1188	Utopia	X 3/4 Ton	2	John B Healy	DL Marina
IRL4536	Elandra	Sigma 33	3	Mick Flynn	DL Marina
8245N	Asterix	Hunter Sonata	4	Boushel,Coonihan,Meredith	DL Marina
IRL1333	White Lotus	Elan 333	5	Paul Tully	DL Marina
IRL966	More Mischief	Beneteau First 310	6	Eamonn Doyle & Peter O'Toole	DL Marina
GBR4041R	First Forty licks	First 40	0	Jay Colville	East Down YC
IRL3492	Big Deal	Dehler 34	2	Derek Dillon	Foynes YC
IRL7386	Lynx	Reflex 38	0	Martin Breen	GBSC
IRL2525	Tribal	Corby 25	2	liam Burke	GBSC
IRL25007	Smile	Corby 25	2	Rob Allen	GBSC
IRL9852	Crazy Horse	Mills 36	0	Norbert Reilly	HYC
IRL3470	Flashback	First 34.7	1	Breen/Hogg	HYC
IRL5522	The Big Picture	Mg30	2	Richard and Michael Evans	HYC
IRL8094	King One	Half Tonner	2	David Cullen	HYC
IRL2552	Fusion	Corby 25	2	Colwell & Cobbe	HYC
IRL2507	Impetuous	Corby 25	2	Noonan/Chambers	HYC
IRL988	DUX	X-302	2	Anthony Gore-Grimes	HYC
IRL1103	Solgari Viking	X-302	2	K.Darmody/ M.Patterson	HYC
IRL8188	Alliance II	Laser 28	3	Vincent Gaffney	HYC
ITA10767	Don Giovanni	Ceccarelli	3	Cillian Macken	HYC
IRL191	Jebus	J24	3	Emmet Dalton	HYC
IRL680	Euro Car Parks Kilcullen	J24	3	HYC U25 Team	HYC
IRL6556	Challenger	Challenger Europe	4	Paul Rossiter	HYC
IRL3339	Indulgence	Elan 333	5	David Sargent	HYC
IRL3400	Brazen Hussy	Dufour 34	5	J Barry/M Stirling	HYC
IRL100	Demelza	Club Shamrock	6	Windsor Laudan / Steffi Ennis	HYC
IRL1141	Storm	J109	1	Pat Kelly	HYC/Rush SC
IRL7495	Maximus	X-302	2	Paddy Kyne	HYC/WHSC
IRL8478	Warrior	Beneteau 34.7	5	Dave Shanahan	ISA-DBSC
GBR8747T	Movistar Bleu	Elan 333	2	Raymond Killops	Killyleagh YC
IRL4384	Django	J24	3	MacNamara/Carey/Whelan	Lough Ree YC
IRL4007	Tsunami	First 40.7	0	Vincent Farrell	NYC
IRL7778	Gringo	A 35	1	Tony Fox	NYC
IRL1383	Ruth	J109	1	Liam Shanahan	NYC
IRL29213	Something Else	J109	1	John Hall	NYC
GBR8609R	Jetstream	J109	1	John Collins	NYC
IRL8750	Jester	J 80	2	Declan Curtin	NYC
IRL5795	Black Sheep	Mustang 30	3	Eoin Healy	NYC
IRL9609	Jelly Baby	J109	1	Ian Nagle	RCYC
IRL2506	Alpaca3	Corby 25	2	Paul & Deirdre Tingle	RCYC
IRL999999	Nathan Kirwan Trust	1/4 ton	3	George Kenefick	RCYC
IRL1974	Soufriere	Spirit	0	Stephen O'Flaherty	RIYC
IRL4208	WOW	Farr 42	0	George Sisk	RIYC
IRL1644	Lively Lady	First 44.7	0	Derek Martin	RIYC
IRL5718	Loose Change	IMX 40	0	Maurice Mitton / Peter Redden	RIYC
IRL3307	Rockabill V	Corby 33	1	Paul O'Higgins	RIYC
IRL3709	Axiom	X 37	1	Michael O'Neill	RIYC
IRL811	Raptor	Mills 30CR	1	Denis Hewitt & Others	RIYC
IRL8088	Jedi	J109	1	Treanor/Sarratt/McGuiness	RIYC
IRL1206	Joker II	J109	1	John Maybury	RIYC
GBR8933R	Bon Exemple	XP 33	1	Philip Byrne	RIYC
IRL1129	Jump The Gun	J109	1	Michael Monaghan & John M Kelly	RIYC
IRL9898	Indecision	J109	1	Declan Hayes	RIYC
IRL7991	Jigamaree	J109	1	Ronan Harris	RIYC
GBR2620L	Fox in Sox	X 34	1	Andrew Jones	RIYC
IRL3471	Black Velvet	First 34.7	1	Parnell Family	RIYC
IRL3438	Albireo	Swan 371	2	David A Simpson	RIYC
IRL6909	Extreme Reality	Beneteau 31.7	2	P McSwiney E O Rafferty	RIYC
FRA079	Graduate	J 80	2	Dominic O Keeffe	RIYC
IRL993	Prima Nocte	Beneteau 31.7	2	Patrick Burke/Deirdre Kennedy	RIYC
GBR5507T	Peridot	Mustang 30	3	Jim McCann	RIYC
IRL508	Quest	1/4 ton	3	Cunningham & Skerritt	RIYC
IRL4633	White Mischief	Sigma 33	3	Timothy Goodbody	RIYC
I8709	Cri-Cri	Quarter Tonner	3	Paul Colton	RIYC
FRA9186	Cartoon	Quarter Tonner	3	Ken Lawless, Joe Brady, Sybil McCormack	RIYC
IRL851	Taiscealai	Club Shamrock	3	Brian Richardson	RIYC
IRL7500	Supernova	Quarter Tonner	3	Joe Timbs, Jacqueline McStay, Jim Monaghan, Joe Costello	RIYC
IRL1208	Capilano	Beneteau First 211	4	Seamus Storan	RIYC
307	Wynward	Beneteau First	4	Wyn McCormack	RIYC
IRL246	Saki	Nicholson 31	4	Paget McCormack, Ben and Michael Ryan	RIYC
IRL607	Effex II	First 35	5	Mr Frank Friel	RIYC
IRL1166	Edenpark	jeanneau sun odyssey	6	Liam farmer	RIYC
IRL1217	The Great Escape	Bavaria 33	6	Pat Rigney	RIYC
IRL1502	Vespucci	Dehler 31	6	Sean & Kristina O'Regan	RIYC
IRL3506	Just Jasmin	Bavaria Match 35	5	Philip Smith	RIYC/DMYC
IRL1367	Boomerang	First 36.7	1	Paul Kirwan	RStGYC
IRL1310	After You Too	Beneteau 31.7	2	Michael Blaney	RStGYC
IRL8223	Kamikaze	Sunfast 32	2	Peter Nash	RStGYC
IRL7284	Red Rhum	Dehler DB1	2	Jonathan and Chris Nicholson	RStGYC
GBR66R	Checkmate XV	Humphreys Half Tonner	2	Nigel Biggs	RStGYC
IRL521	Bendemeer	Beneteau First 325	2	Lindsay Casey and Denis Power	RStGYC
IRL34218	Lady Rowena	Sadler 34	3	David Bolger	RStGYC
IRL4794	Hard on Port	J24	3	Flor O'Driscoll	RStGYC
IRL37747	Windshift	Sunfast 37	5	Coghlan/Gillen/Keogh	RStGYC
IRL5687	To Infinity and Beyond	Dehler 37 CR	5	Kieran Crowley	RStGYC
IRL5643	Calypso	Beneteau Oceanis 361	6	Howard Knott	RStGYC
IRL3805	Tully Too	Bavaria 38	5	Declan Higgins	Skerries SC
IRL4533	Crazy Horse	J24	3	Martin O'Reilly	Sligo SC
IRL4170	SLACK ALICE	GK Westerly 34	2	Shane Statham & Trudi O'Leary	WHSC

#cruiserracing – With a month to go, the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) is to implement an amendment to its professional sailor rule for its Teng Tools sponsored national championships on Dublin Bay. As David O'Brien in the Irish Times Sailing column noted last week it follows ambiguity over the regulation at its 2013 championships in Fenit, County Kerry.

With 92 entries and up to 750 crews already slated, the Royal Irish hosted three day regatta looks set to break all records for the biggest cruiser–racer event of the season.

ICRA is to maintain its position of only one professional per boat in divisions zero and one but will attempt to distinguish between those professionals taking part in racing as a 'pastime' rather than as part of their 'business'. The common sense move to deal with the 'pro–trap' rule takes the form of a written declaration from any sailor so affected before the regatta sets sail on June 13.

#riyc – It's that time of year again when the Dun Laoghaire waterfront club regattas begin and In a change to the usual running order, the Top Security Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) Regatta is scheduled for Saturday 24th May next. See regatta poster and entry form available to download below. That's Saturday fortnight so it's time to get yourself organised! This year, the regatta provides real value for money with two races using the ICRA Championship courses. There are courses for DBSC blue fleet keelboats, DBSC Red Fleet one design boats, SB20s, 1720 Ensign Class and for the DBSC Dinghy classes. In an addition this year, we are also having a start for the RS Class and Moths! If you would like to enter the Regatta please do so online now. Anybody interested in racing on the day will be happily accommodated on other Members' boats.

The theme is a Regatta for Everyone. Pop in with your friends for Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Barbecue or join in the fun at our 20 Something's evening event in the Wet Bar. Your friends and family are more than welcome to join in the fun. There will also be a delicious dinner served in the Dining Room. If you would like to book in for any of the social events please contact [email protected]. You can see menus and our social programme here.

We also have a crèche kindly operated by Cocoon Killiney in the RIYC library for children of 1 and up. There is a Sailing Adventure day run by the Irish National Sailing School for 4 year olds and up, at a cost of €30.00. 

Highlights of the Regatta include:

 Two races for all fleets with an early start.

 New ICRA championship courses for the Cruiser fleet.

 Adventure Day and a Crèche for the kids.

 Delicious Barbecue

 Pre ordered packed lunches

 Ladies Lunch

 Live Music

 Children's Entertainment

 Barbecues

 Dinner

 20 Something's Night

#lasermasters – Defending Champion Thomas Chaix will be back on Dublin Bay to defend his 2014 Irish Laser Masters Championships along with other confirmed entries from Howth, Malahide, Cork and Ballyholme. The local Bay fleet aims to muster a strong contingent too so it's shaping up to be great event, according to organiser Paul Keane.

Racing will able available in standard, radial and 4.7 rigs. Sailors must be over 35 on the first day of the event.

The event is hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) on the 31st May and the 1st June.

Live fleet tracking is promised and Saturday's après race BBQ is included in the entry fee for the LogMeIn–sponsored event. More details can be found here.

According to the International Laser class, Masters racing is broken into four age divisions: Apprentice (35-44 years old), Master (45-54 years old), Grand Master (55-64 years old) and Great Grand Master (65+). At the highly competitive but very fun World Championships racing against competitors is only in one age division but elsewhere racing can be an all in affair.

 

#commodorescup – Royal Irish pair Michael Boyd and Niall Dowling from Dun Laoghaire have won the final "championship" weekend of the Warsash Spring Series in Hamble in Tarka with a 1,2,1,3,1,1 scoreline beating their rival Jim McGregor's "Premier Flair" who scored 2,1,2,1,3,2.

In addition, "Tarka" finished second overall in the overall Warsash Spring Sunday Series, scoring 5,7,1,1,11,13,1,1 behind Peter Morton's "Salvo" who scored 1,1,2,2,1,6,2,3.

Maurice O'Connell reports:-

It was a tough weekend with 20 - 25 knots blowing over four long races on Saturday (+rain!) and then two slightly shorter races on Sunday. Dock time was 0800 Sat and we didn't get ashore until after 5pm - a very long day with lot's a battered and bruised bodies.

Sunday was sunny and not quite as breezy and after two lovely starts, we sailed well to claim both races - still plenty of room for improvement though!

It was our final weekend together before we take delivery of "Quokka" at the end of May so it was important for us to sail well and sign off on a high - which, thankfully, we did.

Our focus now turns to the much tougher challenge ahead, namely two RORC races, UK IRC's Round The Island Race, Cork Week and the Commodore's Cup itself.