Strong winds wiped out the opening day's racing at the Flying Fifteen National Championship of Ireland at Carrickfergus Sailing Club on Friday (4th September), leaving the 20-boat fleet ashore and raising the prospect of a four-race programme on Belfast Lough on Saturday.
The three-day championship had been due to open with two races on Friday afternoon, with the first warning signal scheduled for 14.25, but the conditions proved too strong for racing.
20-Boat Fleet for Carrickfergus
The entry comprises 20 boats from clubs around Ireland, with a particularly strong representation from Belfast Lough and Strangford Lough alongside Dublin Bay, Carlingford and Waterford Harbour crews.
Among the entries is Icarus (IRL 4134), sailed by Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane and representing Strangford Lough Yacht Club and Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.
Dublin Bay representation includes Royal St George Yacht Club's FFuzzy, sailed by Neil and Margaret, and ffinisterre (IRL 3753), sailed by Alastair Court and Conor O'Leary.
National Yacht Club crews include Ian Mathews and Keith Poole in Mike Wazoski (4093) and John Lavery and Chris Doorley in fmff (IRL 4071), while Chris Arrowsmith and Cormac Bradley sail Betty for the Royal St George Yacht Club/DMYC.
Carlingford Sailing Club has Ross McEntegart and Terry Lenehan aboard Fast Forward (IRL 3524), while Slava Luzhansky and Vivian Devlin sail Crews Missile (GBR 3969).
The host club is represented by Trevor D'Arcy and Alan McClernon in Sisu (4061) and Matthew McClernon and Paul Fekkes aboard Don't Look Back (3782).
Other entries come from Killyleagh, Portaferry, Strangford, Strangford Lough, County Antrim and Waterford Harbour sailing and yacht clubs.
Four Races Possible on Saturday
With no scores on the board after Friday, the championship could face a busy second day.
Three races were originally scheduled for Saturday, beginning with a first warning signal at 10.55. However, the Sailing Instructions allow an additional race to be sailed on Friday or Saturday at the Race Committee's discretion, provided the series is never more than one race ahead of schedule.
That leaves the prospect of four races on Saturday as organisers seek to recover some of Friday's lost programme, weather permitting.
Seven races are scheduled for the championship, with two originally programmed for Sunday. No first warning signal may be made after 14.30 on the final day.
The championship is organised by Carrickfergus Sailing Club in conjunction with the International Flying Fifteen Class Association of Ireland, with racing scheduled on Belfast Lough.
