Dinghy West, scheduled for Galway Bay Sailing Club on the weekend of 8th to 10th July, is steadily gathering momentum with a sizable fleet expected. Alan Donnelly, GBSC Rear Commodore for Dinghy Racing, has put a very good programme together on the dedicated website dinghywest.com, where you can get all the details…..and pay your entry too.

My word, how technology has changed. Not long ago, you might be told give a fiver on the day and a couple of beers for the committee boat. But now, race management has become such a professional service in clubs with a very high standard of on-water safety, excellent courses, and almost instant printed results at the touch of a button, that the old ways are no longer viable.

Leading Galway's race management is David Vinnell, the club's newly appointed National Race Officer, who is signed up for a number of events including the Laser Nationals in August. Club Commodore Gary Allen is committed to having a dinghy championship that will be capable of attracting all levels and classes combining the event with the Feva and Topaz regional championships, as well as all dinghies on a PY handicap.

The event is supported by the ISA Try Sailing programme and western director Pierce Purcell has secured the ISA dinghy fleet to make boats available for kids who might not own a boat to encourage extra participation.

There is also the possibility of having team entries from clubs in the event.

Galway Bay now has young clubs in Spiddal, Kinvara, Galway City and Kilronan on the Aran Islands, while beyond Slyne Head, Inishbofin is also in on the act. To attract the beginners who have not yet travelled to an event, the club will have prizes so these adults and kids can compete on the Sunday only.

The Drascombe Association under Jack O Keefe have been invited to participate with Dinghy West for a dinghy cruise from Oranmore to Kinvara and back . This event will support the notion that sailing is growing again, and is not all about racing says Pierce, who promotes cruising as Vice Commodore of the Cruising Association of Ireland.

With a number of successful Try Sailing events and courses under GBSC's belt this season, membership has grown by twenty per cent, which augurs well for the West. It sounds like a great dinghy weekend, so get on and book, or get on the blower if you prefer to Gary Allen at 086 8501457

#sb20 – Northern Ireland's Darren Martin, Roger Pannel and Simon Murray were popular winners of the SB20 Western Championships in Galway at the weekend.  Results available to download below.

The 'Wild West' obliged with most races in more than 14 knots–18 knots on Galway Bay. Although number were down (13 boats) due to sailors of the SB20 class competing elsewhere at the weekend there was still plenty of post race festivities at McSwiggins Yacht Club on Galway docks. Of the four SB20 regattas so far this year, it is the first time teams that have been on the podium twice, an indication of a good spread of winners over the season's events.

Martin's Strangford Lough crew won on count back from Graeme Grant, Ronan Downing and Breffini. Third was Dave Taylor with Marty O'Leary, Lisa Neary and Rachael Mc Williams. Dave Barry won the silver fleet and took a few notable gold fleet scalps in the process.

SB20 president Justin Burke concluded that 'Galway Bay was a fantastic place to race with Galway Bay Sailing Club offering superb organisation'. Burke maintains more classes should consider Galway with the 'wind and waves and McSwiggins YC supporting the social side!'

#disabledsailing – Galway Bay Sailing Club (GBSC), for the first time in it's history, very proudly hosted an "All Ireland" sailing event for sailors with a disability. This national event brought together the largest collection of disabled sailors ever assembled in Galway and in Ireland for a great weekend of competitive sailing.
This was the first time in Irish Sailing history that both juniors and adults with a disability competed together in races over Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th July.
Due to its stability the Hansa 303 is ideal for disabled sailors. Sailing is one of the very few activities for people with a disability that achieves parity with able bodied peers on the water. The thrill, excitement and freedom experienced by all sailors becomes universal.
The weekend stared off with very light winds. 15 boats registered; 19 sailors with a disability competed. The first signal handed race was run over both days. The winner was Georgina Griffin from Kinsale, second Caolan McCarthy, Kinsale and third Gary Allen from GBSC.
Winners in the other categories were: Shane Barker, Dun Laoighaire; Lia Teahan O Connor, Kinsale and Isobel keane GBSC.
Integration was the real winner – all sections of Galway Bay sailing club got involved – the race experts, sailors from dingy to cruising to juniors got stuck in so that we had every eventuality covered.
Without our sponsors this event could not have been possible:
The week before our event wheelchair users found the boat yard more accessible thanks to very generous sponsorship from Cold Chon Ltd who tarred a large section of the dingy park making it more accessible and wheelchair friendly. Delicious beef burgers and smoked salmon was provided by the Castlemaine Droney Group and KPW did all the design and print. Along with this sponsorship a defining element of the weekend success was the warm welcome, vibrancy and support from the 50 + volunteers!

Our legacy?

Well for starters we all have made a bunch of new friends. We have raised the profile of sailing in general and in particular for those with disability. We have mixed junior and adult sailors and are able to offer sailing to adults now with the new hoist loaned for this occasion. (We are seeking sponsorship to retain this hoist). We've broken through some personal internal and external barriers!

Final word over to the sailors:

Kerry Mussen "Amazing, 1st thing I've found that makes me want to go out the door"

Sean had a wonderful time - to quote him "Best Weekend Ever".

On behalf of Belfast Lough Sailability I would truly like to thank you all for hosting such a great event over the weekend. Our sailors and helpers had a wonderful time and we look forward to welcoming you to Carrickfergus next year.

Anne Taylor
Chairperson
Belfast Lough Sailability

#gbsc – Galway Bay Sailing Club, for the first time in it's history, is very proudly hosting an "All Ireland" sailing event for sailors with a disability writes Lorraine Scully This national event will bring together the largest collection of disabled sailors ever assembled in Galway for a great weekend of competitive sailing. GBSC  have 17 boats entered from Cork, Dublin, Belfast and Galway with 19 competitors.

The All Ireland HANSA 303 Nationals is in it's third year. 2014 in Galway will be the first time in Irish Sailing history that both juniors and adults with a disability will compete in various races over Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th July.

Dave Vinnel, GBSC commodore, is very excited to bring these Nationals to Galway – while the club has experience of running many national sailing events this is the first time we will do so for disabled sailors. With the help of our very generous sponsors and a strong band of volunteers we are all really looking forward to welcoming sailors from all over Ireland, North and South.
Due to its stability the Hansa 303 is ideal for disabled sailors. Sailing is one of the very few activities for people with a disability that achieves parity with able bodied peers on the water. The thrill, excitement and freedom experienced by all sailors becomes universal.

For the past number of years GBSC has had growing participation from junior sailors with a disability working closely with Galway Speeders the Galway based multi-sport club for children with a physical disability whose aim is to promote sport for young people with a physical disability. GBSC now has 7 boats for use by sailors with disability and demand still out strips supply!
Just this week wheelchair users will also find the GBSC boat yard more accessible thanks to very generous sponsorship from Cold Chon Ltd who tarred a large section of the dingy park making it more accessible and wheelchair friendly.

Racing will take place from 1-4pm on Saturday and 11.30-2:30 on Sunday and all are welcome to come and visit.

Registration from 9.30 Saturday 19th for competitors

Club house open to all visitors all weekend

For more information phone Bridgette Brew 086 335 9962.

#mermaid – Galway Bay Sailing Club is hosting its second major National Championships within weeks. The SB20's sailing from Galway harbour experienced unusually light conditions with very tight racing but struggled to complete 6 races of a planned 9 race series.

This week the Mermaids are in Oranmore where the first 2 races were completed on Sunday in similarly frustrating and untypical light winds. The 26 entries, a significant drop from the attendance in Skerries last year when 40 boats participated, enjoyed brisker conditions today for the 3rd race and the big shock was the surprising 14th finishing position for the joint overnight leader. Jonathan O Rourke in Tiller Girl from the National YC., last year's winner, which dropped him to 5th overall.

Meanwhile Jill skippered by Paul Smith from the Royal Irish lies 1st overall with 2 former Champions nipping at his heels, Jim Carthy in "Vee" from Rush S.C. and Sam Shiels in "Azeezy" from Skerries S.C. Mark Boylan also from Skerries S.C. in "This is it", a top 3 finisher in his first championships last year follows closely behind the leading pack. Light conditions are expected for the next 2 days with the breeze increasing for the final races towards the end of the week.

Anthony Carthy's Innocence, the recent winner of the Mermaid Munster title at Foynes lies sixth. 

The mixed conditions should ensure the battle will not be resolved until the last race next Friday morning as consistency in the variable conditions looks likely to prove crucial to the ultimate outcome.

Results here

#WaterfrontProperty - The Galway Independent highlights a "modern luxury home" on the market in Oranmore, Co Galway that might tempt anyone with a longing for the sea.

The 2,600 sq ft four-bed home at 19 Oran Island lies on the eastern edge of Galway Bay and its breathtaking vistas.

A short drive from Galway city proper, it's also within walking distance of Oranmore village and Galway Bay Sailing Club.

The house is ready to move into, and comprises a tiled entrance hall, living room, kitchen/diner, study, utility room and sunroom, plus four bedrooms (two en-suite) and a master bathroom on the first floor, and a converted attic space.

The detached home is on a quiet cul-de-sac and comes with an enclosed rear garden and patio area, making the perfect home for a family.

19 Oran Island has an asking price of €380,000 and is available to view through agents O'Donnellan & Joyce. For more on the property click HERE.

#opti – This weekend Galway Bay Sailing Club are hosting the Connaught Optimist Championships 2013 in Renville Oranmore, County Galway.

GBSC has been preparing for the event for some weeks now and the club is expecting to have approximately 120 children competing on the water. Below is a preview written by one of GBSC's junior sailors Amy Denny.

This weekend, Saturday and Sunday the 29th and 30th, Galway bay sailing club will host a two day sailing event for children in an optimist dinghy. The optimist is a small boat which is solo sailed. Previous Optimist sailors like Annalise Murphy have represented Ireland in the Olympics. 150 Children ranging in ages from 8 to 15 years will travel from all over the country to compete in a series of sailing races. Each race lasts about an hour, and there will be a minimum of 5 races.
Volunteers have been getting their hands dirty, painting, weeding and tidying the sailing club which is located in Renville, Oranmore.

The club will hopefully have a great day. Pop along and see what is happening at the club this summer with summer camps for all ages – Amy Denny (Optimist Sailor, Aged 12)

#roundireland – ICRA's Boat of the Year, the NUIG sailing team will talk on their Round Ireland 2012 class win at the Galway Bay Sailing Club this Wednesday (27th February 2012).

One the youngest crew to have competed in the Round Ireland Yacht Race the team talk takes place at GBSC in Oranmore at 8pm. All are welcome!

#WATERFRONT PROPERTY - New to the market is an impressive two-bed townhouse adjacent to Galway Bay Sailing Club in Oranmore, which should appeal to anyone with dreams of sailing out west.

As highlighted in the Galway Independent, 15 Renville Court is set in the grounds of Galway Bay Golf Club, just 20 minutes away from Galway city centre and nestled between the charms of Galway Bay and Renville National Park.

The two-storey residence is situated in a quiet and private cul-de-sac and is decorated to a high standard. Accommodation comprises a spacious open plan kitchen/diner/sitting room, two bedrooms (one ensuite) and a main bathroom, with wooden floors throughout.

Viewing is highly recommended by agents Rooney Auctioneers, who have set an asking price of €150,000. More details including images are available HERE.

#sb20 – Ben Duncan, Brian Moran and Joe Turner again showed great pace in the SB20 Western Championships at the weekend knocking up four 1sts and a 6th to win by a 5 point margin. The result is Ben's third back to back win at this event.

Fresh from the recent Volvo Ocean race, the harbour gates once again opened up for the SB20 Western Championships this weekend. Martin Breen and his team from GBSC did a superb job providing six action packed races with Captain Morgan in McSwiggins Bar providing the onshore entertainment.

Ben Duncan, Brian Moran and Joe Turner again showed great pace in the series knocking up four 1sts and a 6th to win by a 5 point margin. This counting as Ben's third back to back win at this event. Second is Aidan O'Connell ably assisted by Graham Elmes. Aidan showing a terrific turn of speed this weekend with some very consistent sailing counting a 2,2,3,3,5. The two leaders hunted each other from the start and pulled off a match racing challenge to expose each others weakness. Watch this space. The O'Reilly brothers on Boomsticks finishing 3rd with Dun Laoghaire Class Captain Doug Smith enjoying a terrific weekend with Killian Collins Mary Collins onboard and finishing 4th overall on countback.

Overnight leader Peter Kennedy unfortunately suffered a broken pole and had to withdraw.

Conditions on the bay were a combination of 15-25 knots with some big swells that the SB class enjoy so much with plenty of whitewater downwind action.

SB20 Western Championships overall:

1st Sharkbait 3287 Ben Duncan Brian Moran/Joe Turner (10.0) 1.0 1.0 6.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 10.0

2nd Ruby Blue 3072 Aidan O'Connell Graham Elmes/Peter Bayly 3.0 2.0 5.0 3.0 2.0 (25.0 DNF) 40.0 15.0

3rd Boomsticks 3222 Brian Reilly Paul Reilly/Jonny O'Dowd 7.0 5.0 4.0 (18.0) 7.0 2.0 43.0 25.0

4th Sacre Bleu 3164 Doug Smith (15.0) 3.0 8.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 40.0 25.0

5th Magic 3198 Mel Collins Scott McKeown/Aidan McSweeney 12.0 8.0 2.0 (14.0) 5.0 3.0 44.0 30.0

6th Hit n' Run 3501 Darren Martin Rodger Ringhaddy/Simon Murray 4.0 11.0 (18.0) 2.0 9.0 4.0 48.0 30.0

7th Milvus Milvus 3338 Rob Howe Paul McMahon/Joanne Sheehy 5.0 10.0 6.0 7.0 10.0 (25.0 DNC) 63.0 38.0

8th Sin Bin 3544 Barry O'Neil James Ryan/Emmet Ryan 2.0 14.0 7.0 (19.0) 8.0 11.0 61.0 42.0

9th Manamana IRL3 Ronan Downing David SweeneyLisa Neary 6.0 7.0 13.0 8.0 (25.0 OCS) 9.0 68.0 43.0

10th Ridgefence 3500 Peter Kennedy Dave Cheyne/Andrew Vaughan 1.0 4.0 3.0 13.0 (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 71.0 46.0

11th Dinghy Supplies 3490 Darragh Sheridan Shane Murphy/Alan 8.0 (16.0) 10.0 9.0 14.0 6.0 63.0 47.0

12th Lia 3449 Dave Barry Owen Laverty/Ger 14.0 12.0 9.0 (16.0) 6.0 8.0 65.0 49.0

13th Venvesworld.com 3316 Ger Dempsey Chris Nolan/Conor Clanchy/Barker 11.0 (18.0) 17.0 4.0 12.0 7.0 69.0 51.0

14th Boatmec.com 3433 David Taylor S Ferres/C Glynn 13.0 15.0 16.0 (22.0) 3.0 12.0 81.0 59.0

15th Seriously Bonkers x 3 3484 Marty Cuppage Peter Lee/Michael Galvin 16.0 9.0 20.0 1.0 (25.0 DNF) 14.0 85.0 60.0

16th Alert Packaging 3467 Justin Burke Darren Burke/Osmond Morris 9.0 13.0 21.0 10.0 (25.0 OCS) 10.0 88.0 63.0

17th Bad - Kilcullen 3307 Enda Coineen Jerry Dowling/Rory Byrne 17.0 6.0 12.0 20.0 11.0 (25.0 DNF) 91.0 66.0

18th Monkey 3279 Keith Cassidy Mick McCormack/Ian McSweeney 18.0 (19.0) 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 97.0 78.0

19th Sin a Bhuil 3165 Gillian Guinness Colm Costigan/Mark Wheelin (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 14.0 12.0 13.0 16.0 105.0 80.0

20th Galway Harbour 3426 Aidan Breen Cillian Dickson/Cormac Dickson 19.0 21.0 11.0 17.0 (25.0 RAF) 13.0 106.0 81.0

21st Rubdubdub 3343 Nick Doherty Robert Galvin/Conor O'Regan 21.0 (22.0) 19.0 11.0 16.0 18.0 107.0 85.0

22nd Blue Playground 3270 Cathal Clarke Nigel Moss/Eoin Breen (25.0 DNF) 20.0 23.0 21.0 17.0 17.0 123.0 98.0

23rd Odin 3586 James Gorman Ted Laverty/Keith Staunton 20.0 17.0 22.0 (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 25.0 DNC 134.0 109.0

24th Sirius Black 3315 Anna Leech John Leech/Ken Hudson 22.0 23.0 24.0 23.0 18.0 (25.0 DNC) 135.0