A proposal to broaden ISORA’s offshore programme with more north-south racing along the Irish coast is among the ideas being put forward for discussion at the association’s 2026 AGM.
Barry O’Connor’s proposal suggests looking beyond ISORA’s predominantly east-west Irish Sea programme by introducing courses to destinations including Carlingford and Kilmore Quay, as well as other ports suggested by members.
The north-south concept would not be entirely new territory for ISORA. In 2023, the association switched tack for a Northern Ireland weekend, partnering with Royal Ulster Yacht Club for a Holyhead to Strangford Lough offshore race followed by a second race from Strangford to a mid-Irish Sea finish.
The proposal has already prompted ISORA chairman Peter Ryan to identify a potential Bangor to Dún Laoghaire race ahead of Volvo Dún Laoghaire Regatta as one option for strengthening the north-south element of the programme.
New Destinations for ISORA
O’Connor’s proposal is intended for discussion rather than a formal decision at the AGM, with members being asked to consider possible destinations and whether new courses should replace existing races or be added to the calendar.
As Afloat previously reported, ISORA’s 2027 race programme and race-management arrangements are among the principal items for discussion at the November AGM.
The proposal says greater variety could provide fresh challenges for regular competitors, involve new host ports and clubs and potentially make ISORA racing more attractive to new boats and younger crews.
Practical considerations identified include tides, harbour access and depth, fleet berthing and the delivery distances involved in getting boats home after races.
A Bangor–Dún Laoghaire race immediately before the regatta would also continue an established link between ISORA offshore racing and Volvo Dún Laoghaire Regatta.
Ryan said the existing UK and Irish communication groups had been designed partly around coastal racing, while an offshore group encompassing the entire fleet could provide a common forum.
Crew Manager Changes Proposed
A second proposal would make the skipper’s post-race completion declaration on ISORA’s Crew Manager app mandatory.
Under the proposal, a boat whose skipper does not complete the declaration would not receive a result for that race. The measure is intended in particular to ensure accurate crew records for the Under-25 Sailor Prize, introduced by ISORA for the 2026 season to encourage younger sailors into offshore racing, after incomplete declarations affected the ability to credit eligible young sailors this season.
Ryan strongly supported greater compliance with Crew Manager, describing it as an important safety tool, while acknowledging that monitoring compliance had slipped because of the small number of people involved in organising races.
John Malone has also suggested extending the pre-race declaration to allow competitors to declare an updated IRC certificate or TCC, or switch between primary and secondary certificates. He proposed that boats should also be able to declare whether they are racing double-handed or fully crewed.
O’Connor suggested any certificate change should have to be declared seven days before the race.
One ISORA WhatsApp Group
The third proposal would consolidate ISORA’s three non-committee WhatsApp groups into one members’ group, while leaving the committee group unchanged.
The case for consolidation is that notices, race information and safety messages currently have to be posted across several groups, potentially splitting conversations and duplicating information.
Ryan has backed consolidation for offshore communications while suggesting the UK and Irish groups continue to have a role for coastal matters.
The AGM is scheduled for Saturday, 14 November at 3pm at the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, followed by the ISORA dinner that evening.
