Proposals received so far for the 2027 Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) calendar have prompted discussion among competitors ahead of Saturday’s annual general meeting at the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.
Among the submissions circulated to date are a nine-race offshore championship and a separate seven-race Viking Marine Coastal Series. Although the proposed programme has attracted support, the concentration of five offshore races in May has raised questions about crew availability, delivery passages and whether more racing should be spread across August and September.
The debate comes ahead of the 14 November meeting, which Afloat previously reported will consider the 2027 programme and race management. The documents are proposals for decision, not an approved calendar, and other suggestions or amendments may emerge.
D2D Would Be the Feature Race
Under the offshore submission, the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race (D2D) on Wednesday 9 June would be the feature event, with a proposed weighting of 1.3. The biennial National Yacht Club race returned a competitive fleet in 2025, when Howth’s Outrajeous claimed the overall prize, as documented in Afloat’s D2D race coverage.
The season would open with a new ten-hour race starting and finishing in Pwllheli on 1 May, followed by a Holyhead–Dun Laoghaire crossing on 8 May. On 22 May, a new Irish Sea Classic of up to 120 nautical miles would replace the shorter Dun Laoghaire–Holyhead return passage, with a proposed course incorporating Rockabill, Chicken Rock and South Stack.
An Isle of Man weekend would follow, with Holyhead–Douglas on 28 May and Douglas–Dun Laoghaire on 30 May. The arrangement is intended to avoid the lengthy Liverpool delivery associated with the Midnight Race in the 2026 programme, while giving boats two races around the bank-holiday weekend.
After the D2D, the proposal schedules Bangor–Dun Laoghaire on 2 July, a potential lead-in to the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on 8–11 July. A Dun Laoghaire–Pwllheli feeder on 28 August would connect with the Welsh IRC Championships, with the James Eadie return race via the Kish on 11 September. The importance of that season finale was underlined in 2026, when the James Eadie Race was cancelled amid strong-wind forecasts.
Competitors Question May Concentration
In discussion on ISORA’s social media channels, some sailors have questioned the amount of racing compressed into May, particularly when coastal events are also considered. The concern is that arranging crews for successive weekends places substantial demands on owners and volunteers, followed by comparatively few offshore fixtures later in the summer.
Other contributors have argued that gaps in the programme are necessary to accommodate boat deliveries, holidays and major events, including the Sovereign’s Cup in June, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and the 2027 Rolex Fastnet Race starting on 24 July. Those competing in these events may already face a full programme, even without additional ISORA fixtures.
The discussion echoes an earlier proposal to consider more north–south Irish Sea racing, reported by Afloat in October. The latest offshore submission, however, concentrates on established cross-channel links and new variations within ISORA’s traditional racing area.
Douglas Berthing and Howth Depths Raised
Practical questions have also arisen over berthing in Douglas during the Isle of Man TT period, and whether the proposed weekend can be accommodated around harbour traffic and tides. The offshore submission explicitly lists Douglas berthing and finish arrangements among matters still to be confirmed.
For the coastal programme, sailors have raised concerns about depth restrictions for larger, deeper-draught yachts at Howth. Possible alternative berthing arrangements have been suggested, but no solution has been established in the discussion. The proposed Bangor start also entails a significant delivery north, which the submission identifies as an obstacle requiring further work with local organisers.
Seven Coastal Races Proposed
A separate Viking Marine Coastal Series submission envisages seven races between 10 April and 25 September, with each boat’s best five results counting. Irish starts would be shared between Dun Laoghaire and Howth, with corresponding Welsh racing from Pwllheli. The first two events would be shorter spring races, followed by longer day races, a June evening race and a September night race.
All coastal events would remain Category 4 and open to the Silver YTC class, introduced as part of ISORA’s efforts to broaden participation in 2026. The proposed two-discard format is intended to give crews flexibility where racing clashes with regattas, family commitments or other plans.
The coastal submission proposes a break after the early July offshore race until 21 August for coastal racing, while the offshore programme resumes on 28 August. The separate proposals will need to be reconciled with club programmes and confirmed host arrangements.
AGM to Consider Options
Neither calendar is final. The offshore submission asks the AGM to adopt the nine-race framework subject to Technical Committee confirmation, while the coastal proposal seeks agreement on a seven-race series after the offshore dates have been settled. Course details, race categories, weightings and several host-port arrangements remain open.
Saturday’s meeting will therefore be an opportunity to assess whether the proposed balance between offshore racing, coastal participation and the wider regatta calendar meets the needs of competitors on both sides of the Irish Sea. Afloat’s ISORA archive carries further coverage of the 2026 season and the issues leading into the AGM.
