Eleven Fireballs lined up on a dank light air day afternoon today to contest the penultimate race in the first DMYC series in Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Sadly the wind did not live up to the billing suggested on Wind Guru – the pressure was patchy and shifty to say the least, with crews frequently sitting fully out to leeward. Neil Colin/Margaret Casey probably pulled off the best start at the committee end but the conditions were so flat that the first beat could arguably be anyone’s. In the event the Clancy Brothers sailed a cool steady beat to edge ahead at the windward followed by Noel Butler/Stephen Oram, Louis Smyth/Ed Butler and a posse of chasing drifters. The off-wind legs proved especially tricky in the flat stuff and several boats sailed extremely high angles just to keep things moving, notably on the first reach of the now almost standard Frostbite version of a trapezoid.
The squarish course maximises the available space in the harbour and spreads the mixed fleets as well apart as could be hoped for. On the first off-wind a couple of boats sailed almost directly away from the mark towards the harbour wall where a phantom breeze appeared to beckon. Although that wind never really materialised the diversion made little difference to the positions. On the next reach however Butler/Oram and the Clancy’s decided to play a luffing game and this allowed Alistair Court/Gordon Symes to slip ahead at least for a while. Frank Miller/Grattan Donnelly snuck in at the next mark to take up third place behind the Clancys but ahead of Butler/Oram. Then the predicted shift from ESE to S kicked in and spinnakers came down quickly. Miller/Donnelly tacked too eagerly at the next mark and fell victim to the windage of a Laser 2, allowing both Butler/Oram and Neil Colin/Margaret Casey catch up. In the distance could be heard the sensible sound of a shortened course signal and all realised they were on the final leg of a tricky journey. Miller/Donnelly tacked left to clear their air and kept going while the Clancy Bros leaders took a hitch right towards the shifted wind, along with most of the opposition.
Ultimately this proved the correct course and the Clancy’s took the bullet, followed by Butler/Oram. Colin/Casey edged in ahead of Court/Symes, both of whom nipped in at the boat end just ahead of Miller/Donnelly at the pin. The pecking order after that was Mary Chambers/Brenda McGuire, Louise McKenna/Hermine O’Keeffe, Dara McDonagh and guest crew, Dave Coleman/Miley, Smyth/Butler, and Shergar/Michael Keegan. All in all a slightly frustrating but nonetheless interesting afternoon on the water, boosted by a great turnout of the fleet. Next Sunday sees the final race of series one with prize-giving planned immediately after sailing but at the earlier time of 3pm if the Weather Gods are misbehaving..
