It's that time of year again when the 2015 season is confined to the history books and new dreams, hopes and goals are set for the new season. Those with new boats, new crews, those who have learned from previous mistakes are all positive and gun ho for the new season that started on Saturday in Dublin Bay. The Flying Fifteen fleet turned out in good numbers with 16 boats competing on the new Green course on a surprisingly cold and windy day. Race Officer Eddie Totterdell and his team on Freebird got in two races in a building breeze that cleared any early season blues and rustiness.
Last year’s series winners Mathews & Poole sported the new ‘leaders’ spinnaker but as in the cycling they were tucked away safely in the peloton. This was good news for the breakaway which included Gorman & Doorly, new member to the fleet Neil Colin, Mulvin & Beirne and Green & McNeilly.
Race 1: the tide was coming in and the wind from the west was a good force three, there was a shift in the wind direction just before the start which made the pin end less bias. The boats at the pin headed towards the shore, Gorman didn’t go so far in but it was close with Gorman leading at the mark from Green and Mulvin close behind. The second beat was the defining leg of the race. Gorman was in tune with the shifts and increased his lead, Mathews and Gerry Ryan ( in his beautiful new boat) went right- not the correct thing with the forecast for the wind to shift to the sw! Neil Colin & Margaret in Deranged had done their homework and went hard left to come in to the weather mark in second place behind Gorman.
Gorman stayed ahead to win the race but on the last run there were some changes. The Meaghers came storming through to move up to second, Colin dropped back as did Green but on the final reach to the line after the gate Mulvin managed to pass the Meaghers to take second place with the Meaghers finishing third – it was all very close-great racing!
For Race 2 the winds had shifted to the sw (as forecasted) and the course had to be re set, there was a strong wind now of over 20knots but it eased slightly just before the start. For the first race of the year Gorman & Doorly showed that they were not so rusty and got a good start on port at the pin crossing the fleet to lead all the way. Behind Green was going well with Mulvin and Mathews in close attendance. The Cahill brothers and Coughlan & Marshall were also going well. There were not so many changes in in this windward leeward course as the left side was always the favoured side with this wind direction. Gorman was first to complete a double for the day, Green was an excellent second followed closely by the Yellow Spinnaker Mathews
Thanks to the PRO and his team. It was the first Saturday on the Green course mixing different size boats, it worked reasonable well but when more numbers are out the triangle outer lap may have to be brought in for better separation. This Thursday the DBSC series continues and Neil Coleman will be sporting the Yellow Spinaker!
