Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The biggest ISORA fleet in many years gathers at 8am on Saturday morning for a 54–mile race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Holyhead. 

The number of boats taking part in the race is a record for recent times in ISORA. Although the number of boats taking part in ISORA have been increasing from a low of 3-4 boats in 2007, such numbers have not have not been seen since the late ‘80s.

See the full entry list below.

Saturday morning is the start of first ISORA offshore race of the 2016 Avery Crest sponsored Offshore Series and follows a coastal race to Wicklow a fortnight ago.

The numbers have been boosted by boats obtaining the required offshore experience for the Round Ireland Race in Wicklow in June. The number of entries for the three qualifying races prior to the Round Ireland are similar to the first race. “Tanit”, winner of the Round Ireland Race and now owned by veteran ISORA sailor Robert Floate, will be making its ISORA debut on Saturday. The boat recently won the Round the Isle of Man Race. The race has also attracted some older boats – Darryl Hughes’s “Maybird”, a 1937 Gaffer is taking part in preparation for the Round Ireland. 

ISORA bosses says they hope that the vision of such a large fleet of boats heading off across the Irish Sea will attract those other boats on both sides of the Irish Sea who are thinking about taking part. There is a big social après sail arranged for the finishers in Holyhead Sailing Club.

The course will be posted on the ISORA website, texted and emailed to all entries and shall be available in the NYC on Friday evening.