HOWTH YACHT CLUB. WEDNESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 01/06/2011 Class 1 IRC: 1, Tiger Hughes/Harris; 2, Trinculo M Fleming; 3, Makutu Doyle/Others; Class 1 HPH: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Makutu Doyle/Others; 3, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 2 IRC: 1, Sunburn I Byrne; 2, King One D Cullen; 3, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; Class 2 HPH: 1, C'est la Vie Flannelly/Others; 2, Indigo Eadie/Ritchie; 3, Sunburn I Byrne; Class 3 IRC: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Hard on Port F O'Driscoll; 3, Starlet Bourke/Others; Class 3 HPH: 1, Gecko K Darmody; 2, Midnight Sun Howard/Others; 3, Jibberish O'Kelly/Others; White Sails HPH: 1, On the Rox J & C Boyle; 2, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche; 3, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; White Sails IRC: 1, Alphida H Byrne; 2, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 3, On the Rox J & C Boyle

In a fine turnout for the Laser class, the Royal St. George's Sean Craig outwitted club mate Theo Lyttle for line honours tonight in the Laser dinghy class on Dublin Bay.

Tonight was the last race in the first series of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club season.

The 13-boat Laser fleet – that race as part of the PY class – was double that of any other fleet tonight as 10–12 knot westerlies provided perfect dinghy sailing for the 30 dinghies competing. DBSC set triangular courses for all five classes.

It was ideal world championship practise for the six Fireballs now only ten days away from the world championships in Sligo. Continuing a theme Noel Butler and Steven Oram were winners again on Dublin Bay. Second was Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty) and third Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller) of the DMYC.

In the PY race, Lyttle closed on Craig at the top of the second beat but downwind Craig extended again to take a comfortable margin by the line. Third was Paul Keane.

There is more good news for the Olympic single-hander in Dublin with reports that numbers for club racing are likely to increase as the DBSC Summer season progresses.

So far 21 Lasers are entered in total in a PY fleet of 28 boats.

The sailors involved in the rebirth of the Laser as a club boat include former Laser national class champion Chris Arrowsmith and tonight's race winner, the SB3 and Flying fifteen ace, Sean Craig. Former 420 champ Theo Lyttle is a regular as well as Gary O'Hare.

Full DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 31 MAY 2011 results are below:                                                                                                      
BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Attitude (D.Owens/T.Milner)                                                          
BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty), 2. Attitude (D.Owens/T.Milner)                                                          
CRUISERS 2 - 1. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al), 2. Free Spirit (John O'Reilly), 3. Graduate (D O'Keeffe)                                              
CRUISERS 3 - 1. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey), 2. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 3. Pamafe (Michael Costello)                                         

CRUISERS 4 - 1. Maranda (Myles Kelly)                                                                                                                 

FIREBALL - 1. nn (S Oram), 2. Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty), 3. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller)                                                           
GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glenshesk (L.Faulkner et al), 3. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm)                                               
IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne), 3. Squalls (Stephen Harrison)                                          

MERMAID - 1. Tiller Girl (J.O'Rourke), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 3. Kim (D Cassidy)                                                      
PY CLASS - 1. Sean Craig (Laser), 2. T Lyttle (Laser), 3. P Keane (Laser 1)                                                                           
RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 2. Golden Girl (Michael Carrigan et al), 3. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell)                                     

SQUIB - 1. Tais (Michael O'Connell), 2. Sidewinder (D.Croke/R.Bowen)                                                                                 

 

 

 

Sailing's Brian Craig (Royal St. George Yacht Club) was honoured by the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring T.D. at an awards ceremony this afternoon for his outstanding voluntary contribution to sailing.

The 'National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sports', held at the Aviva stadium celebrated the contributions of volunteers to Irish sport.

There are over 400,000 people throughout the country who voluntarily dedicate their time every year through their involvement with sports clubs and organisations. 250 volunteers were shortlisted, and Dun Laoghaire's Brian Craig was one of only eleven to receive the award from the Minister.

The national awards are an initiative of the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport in conjunction with the Federation of Irish Sports, which represents some 68 sports in Ireland. The scheme is also supported by the Community Foundation of Ireland and the Irish Sports Council.

Attending the ceremony with Brian and his family was Irish Sailing Association (ISA) President, Niamh McCutcheon.

The award winners were selected by a committee chaired by Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Ronnie Delany, alongside representatives from the Federation of Irish Sports, Irish Sports Council, The Irish Times, RTÉ and the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards Minister Ring said. "The contribution of volunteers in supporting Irish sports people at every level, from when they first engage in sporting activity right through to developing elite athletes, should not be underestimated. Indeed, the army of volunteers who dedicate their time and commitment to each sport in Ireland assist in building strong and healthy communities, while giving everybody the opportunity to be the athletes they are."

"In presenting these awards today I wish to not only congratulate the 11 volunteers who truly deserve their honours, but I would also like to acknowledge all of the 400,000 people who help to ensure Irish sport is in such a healthy state. Quite simply sport in Ireland wouldn't function without their incredible efforts, and as a nation we would undoubtedly be worse off."

Raging Bull charged back to the top of the ISORA fleet in a race across the Irish Sea. The offshore focus now is on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race. Adam Hyland won the Oppy Leinsters and visiting Kinsale sailors took the Dragon Easterns, both events were held on Dublin Bay. Dick Dastardly won Class 2 at the same venue in DBSC's Saturday race. Abroad Irish Olympic hopes were making the headlines at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Holland but no medals just yet.

Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary is racing at the Scottish Series and better weather is promised tomorrow. ICRA has arranged craneage for next month's national championships and there are less than two weeks to the first gun of the Fireball World Championships in Sligo. 58 are entrered from nine countries.

All this and much more in Monday's Afloat ebulletin. Direct to your inbox  Sign up here for free. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!

 Barry Hurley and Mick Liddy prepare for the ISORA start in Wales on Saturday. More photos by Cathy Mullan on our ISORA post here

 

A strong, unstable and blustery airflow produced exciting, and at times marginal racing conditions at the week end for the East Coast Dragon Championship hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

Despite Race Officer Jack Roy's skill and patience only four of the six race series was completed as a full gale swept through the bay on today.

In winds gusting up to 30 knots on the Friday and Saturday the tricky conditions produced four different winners, but Cameron Good and his team from Kinsale showed the most consistency to take the championship. Richard Goodbody from the host club was a close second, with Royal North of Ireland's Simon Brien third.

The Dragon focus now turns to Kinsale for the Nationals in August, and the last chance for visitors to check out the venue for the the Dragon Gold Cup in 2012'

Dragon East Coast Championship 2011 Results

1st Cameron Good, Simon Furney, Henry Kingston KYC
2nd Richard Goodbody, Rick Johnson, Rob Johnson RIYC
3rd Simon Brien, Mark Brien, David Good RNIYC
4th Andrew Craig RSGYC
5th Martin Byrne RSGYC

After a quarter of a century of voluntary service, Ken Robertson is to retire as station coxswain with the RNLI at Dun Laoghaire from the end of May.  Mark McGibney has been selected as his successor from a panel of coxswains at the station.

Ken is a well-known local businessman, notably through his newsagents shop on Marine Road in Dun Laoghaire, a location that allowed him to respond quickly whenever the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was called out.

Initially, he was appointed 2nd coxswain in 1986 and subsequently in 1989 became the successor to the late Eric Offer who was best known as the coxswain of the 'John F. Kennedy' lifeboat that was stationed in Dun Laoghaire from 1967 until 1990.

In 1995, Ken Robertson and the Dun Laoghaire station took delivery of the current station ALB, the RNLB Anna Livia, a state-of-the-art vessel that cost almost €2 million that is capable of reaching a casualty ten miles offshore within 30 minutes and has a range of 250 miles.

In the course of his long career with the RNLI, Ken has been responsible for many notable services including the rescue of a swimmer in Killiney Bay who was saved just yards from a rocky shoreline in gale force winds in 2007.  One of the longest calls ever was a 14-hour operation following the tragic loss of four sailors when their yacht, the Debonair collided with a ship close to Dublin Port in 2001.

Mark McGibney will be the new station coxswain effective 1st June.  A volunteer crew member and a coxswain since 2002, he is the Sailing Manager at the nearby Royal Irish Yacht Club and lives locally with his wife and two children.

"Ken Robertson is retiring after a long-career as station coxswain during which he saved dozens of lives and rescued hundreds more," said Stephen Wynne, lifeboat operations manager.  "All of us at Dun Laoghaire RNLI wish him well in retirement and also extend our gratitude to his wife Margaret who has been fully supportive in spite of the disruption to normal family life that voluntary lifeboat service brings."

During the course of Ken Robertson's service with the RNLI, the Dun Laoghaire ALB launched on service 535 times and saved 60 lives in addition to the rescue of many others.  In 2007, he received the Thanks of the Institution for the rescue of the swimmer at Killiney.

After missing the last ISORA race the 2010 Champion Raging Bull charged back to the front of yesterday's 7-boat fleet in a blustery offshore race across the Irish Sea from Pwlhelli in Wales to Wicklow harbour on the Irish East coast. Second to Matt Davis's Sigma 400 was the Welsh J109 Sgrech and third the Royal Irish A35 entry Aztec III skippered by Peter Beamish.

The bad weather before the race and difficulties with delivery as well as a general poor forecast (and a rugby match) for the race was the
main reasons for a very disappointing turn out for what is normally a very popular race.

Some of the fleet – now moored in Wicklow harbour – are sailing in this morning's Round the Turbines race from nearby Arklow Sailing Club. Provisional ISORA results from the Pwllheli to Wicklow race are below.

ISORA interests now turn to the big offshore fixture of the season, the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race on Saturday, June 11th.

Scroll down for Race start pics by Cathy Mullan

Boat Name	Sail No.	Type	IRC Rating	IRC	Finish Time	Time elapsed	Time elapsed	Corrected	Corrected	Place	Place
			(provisional)	No Spinnaker				Time	Time	Class	O/A
English Mick	GBR4771R	Beneteau 47.7	1.127	IRC	18:43:20	37700	10:28:20	42487	11:48:07	2	7
Quite Correct	IRL 5405	DS54	1.095	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
African Challenge	IRL 2649	Fast 42	1.077	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tsunami	IRL 4007	First 40.7	1.061	IRC	18:54:19	38359	10:39:19	40698	11:18:18	1	5
Lancastrian	GBR 7682T	Starlight 14.5m	1.059	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rebellion	IRL 6001	Nicholson 58	1.054	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Orna	IRL 532		1.042	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Aztec 3	IRL29832	A35	1.034	IRC	18:59:14	38654	10:44:14	39968	11:06:08	3	3
Jedi	IRL 8088	J109	1.029	IRC	19:04:01	38941	10:49:01	40070	11:07:50	4	4
Raging Bull	IRL 9666	Sigma 400	1.027	IRC	18:57:47	38567	10:42:47	39608	11:00:08	1	1
Miss Scarlett	IRL 4763	Sunfast 40.3	1.025	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sgrech	GBR9319R	J109	1.021	IRC	19:03:00	38880	10:48:00	39696	11:01:36	2	2
Lula Belle	IRL 3607	First 36.7	1.019	IRC	19:51:46	41806	11:36:46	42600	11:50:00	5	8
First of September	IRL 8581	First 43.5	1.016	IRC	20:47:59	45179	12:32:59	45901	12:45:01	7	12
Dinah	IRL 3508	JOD 35	1.016	IRC	20:04:31	42571	11:49:31	43252	12:00:52	6	9
Windshift	IRL 37737	SF37	0.992	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-
Adelie	FRA 9631	First 34.7	0.988	IRC	20:52:02	45422	12:37:02	44876	12:27:56	2	10
Mojito	GBR 1536L	Bravaria 39	0.988	IRC	19:52:14	41834	11:37:14	41331	11:28:51	1	6
Mistral of St Helier	K 8337	Sigma 38	0.984	IRC	21:08:39	46419	12:53:39	45676	12:41:16	3	11
Yahtzee	IRL 1068	Oceanis 411	0.983	IRC	21:35:25	48025	13:20:25	47208	13:06:48	4	13
Sarnia	IRL 2260		0.891	IRC	DNS	-	-	-	-	-	-

A vintage half tonner took IRC handicap honours on a very blustery Dublin Bay this afternoon in one of the biggest classes of the 2011 Dublin Bay Sailing Club season. Brian Cusack's Dick Dastardly from the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club wiped the grin from a much newer Corby 25 to win in Cruisers II, a class with an entry of 20 yachts this season.

Although Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan) could not overhaul the half tonner on IRC the National Yacht Club entry did succeed on ECHO handicap. 

There was plenty of action on the bay as strong winds from the West that caused last Thursday night's racing to be scrubbed entirely continued to blow. As a result there are no dinghy results or Flying fifteen results this evening. The Dragon class has been racing for East coast honours since Friday and the 11-boat fleet did not come under the DBSC flag today.

Another vintage design, Supernova from the Royal Irish YC and skippered by Ken Lawless was on top in Cruisers III. The Dubois Starfish design from the 1970s beat John Counahan's Sonata, Asterix.

In the one design classes Dave Meeke's Alias from the DMYC beat club mate Michael Cutliffe's Ruffles. Third was Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al). Full DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 28 MAY 2011 below: 

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Attitude (D.Owens/T.Milner), 2. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 3. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Magic (D.O'Sullivan/D.Espey), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al), 2. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 3. Errislannan (Patrick Kirwan)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Powder Monkey (C.Moore/M.Byrne), 2. Errislannan (Patrick Kirwan), 3. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 2. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Smile (O'Connell/Healy/O'Sullivan), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al)

CRUISERS 3 Echo - 1. Pamafe (Michael Costello), 2. Jammie Dodger (J.H & D.O'Neill), 3. Hyflyer (John Barnard)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Supernova (K.Lawless et al), 2. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 3. Pamafe (Michael Costello)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 2. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 3. Ruff N Ready (Ann Kirwan et al)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Popje (Ted McCourt), 3. Leeuwin (H&C Leonard & B Kerr)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Windshift (R O'Flynn et al)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Calypso (Howard Knott), 2. Windshift (R O'Flynn et al), 3. Zephyr (R Cahill-O'Brien)

Howth Yacht Club: WEDNESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 25/05/2011 Class 1 IRC: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 1 HPH: 1, Trinculo M Fleming; 2, Tiger Hughes/Harris; Class 2 IRC: 1, Dux A Gore-Grimes; 2, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; 3, Sunburn I Byrne; Class 2 HPH: 1, C'est la Vie Flannelly/Others; 2, Dux A Gore-Grimes; 3, Superhero Byrne/Banahan; Class 3 HPH: 1, Hard on Port F O'Driscoll; 2, Hellyhunter L McMurtry; White Sails HPH: 1, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche; 2, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 3, Alphida H Byrne; White Sails IRC: 1, Bite the Bullet C Bermingham; 2, Alphida H Byrne; 3, Tantrum 3 O'Leary/Klimche

Howth Yacht Club TUE + SAT SERIES 1 (RACE) 24/05/2011 17 Footer SCRATCH: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Rita Curley/Lynch; 17 Footer HCAP: 1, Oona P Courtney; 2, Aura I Malcolm; 3, Leila R CooperTUESDAY SERIES 1 (RACE) 24/05/2011 Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1, Trick or Treat A Pearson; 2, Yellow Peril N Murphy; 3, Gold Dust Walls/Browne; Puppeteer HPH: 1, Geppetto O'Reilly/McDyer; 2, Trick or Treat A Pearson; 3, Haemoglobin Mullen/O'Dea; Squib SCRATCH: 1, Whipper Snapper M Cantwell; 2, Puffin E Harte; Squib HPH: 1, Puffin E Harte; 2, Whipper Snapper M Cantwell; Etchells SCRATCH: 1, Northside Dragon J Bourke; 2, Fetching Quinn/O'Flaherty; 3, Jabberwocky S Knowles; SB3 SCRATCH: 1, Dinghy Supplies S Murphy; 2, Sin a Bhuifl Guinness/Costigan