Fantastic Dublin Bay Conditions for 13 DBSC Flying Fifteens

18th July 2022

Cormac Bradley

David Gorman's Flying Fifteen (4099)

Thirteen Flying Fifteens enjoyed fabulous conditions on Saturday past on Dublin Bay. Race Officer Barry O’Neil set himself up well to the west of the harbour to avail of a wind that was blowing around the 130°mark. The day saw a return to action by David Gorman (4099) with Chris Doorly stepping into the sharp end, a first since the end of the 2019 World Championships in Dun Laoghaire. Holidays also saw a number of other changes with Peter Sherry sailing with Tom Murphy (4057) and Tom Galvin sailing with Ian Mathews (4093).

The afternoon gave us good winds and on checking the Dublin Bay buoy readings on Sunday, the breeze got into the high teens with gusts just over the 20knot threshold.

Gorman & Doorly took the first race, leading from the first mark with Mathews & Galvin in close pursuit until an issue caused them to retire. There were some very busy mark roundings behind these two, especially at the first weather mark and first leeward mark of the 2-lap Windward-Leeward course. And at the 2nd leeward mark a B21 influenced the finishing order as well.

R1: Gorman & Doorly (4099), Dumpleton & Hickey (3955), Mulvin & Beirne (4068), Court & O’Leary (3753), Cooper & Crew (3896).

Before the second race the wind appeared to build in strength and the RO advised that he had tweaked the course in accordance with a shift in the breeze. Mulligan & Bradley (4081) decided the pin was the place to be and together with Mulvin & Beirne they headed out to sea. The balance of the fleet was inshore of these two. Mulvin & Beirne peeled off first while Mulligan sailed on for another 100m and tacked. Shortly thereafter he got a lift that took him a substantial way to the first weather mark and ahead of the rest of the fleet. For the three-lap windward-leeward he was never in trouble and led around all the marks. Messrs Gorman and Dumpleton both had mainsheet issues on rounding one of the leeward marks but they both recovered, only losing distance to Mulligan.

R2: Mulligan & Bradley (4081), Gorman & Doorly (4099), Dumpleton & Hickey (3955), Mulvin & Beirne (4068), Court & O’Leary (3753).

Published in Flying Fifteen, DBSC

Published in Flying Fifteen

Tagged under

flying 15

About The Author

Cormac Bradley

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Dublin Bay Fireballer Cormac Bradley was appointed Rear Commodore of the International Fireball Class in 2017. He is a regular dinghy and one design correspondent on Afloat.ie

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