"Men Plan, God Laughs", a proverb well illustrated this afternoon in Kinsale when the elements stole away a racing mark and forced RO Donal Hayes to abandon the race and start all over in the Kinsale Yacht Club Matthews Helly Hansen sponsored Spring Series writes Dave O'Sullivan.

The four classes returned to the start line as a substitute mark was laid and the day resumed. Winds were considerably stronger than forecast and the Eastern direction made conditions quite challenging but the Spring sunshine made it a thoroughly enjoyable outing.

Scroll down for photo gallery by Bob Bateman below

In Conor Phelan's absence, Prof O'Connell skippered Jump Juice Photo: Bob Bateman

Class 0 and 1 saw the honours go to Jump Juice and Jelly Baby, respectively, on both IRC and Echo. James Matthews (event sponsor) was first in Class 2 (IRC and Echo) and the stalwarts on Godot romped home in both handicaps in White Sails. Godkin & Co. now have three bullets and look pretty unassailable in White Sails. James Matthews and Co. appear to have class 2 wrapped.

Conditions were glorious - 10-12 knots of southeasterly breeze and sunshine Photo: Bob Bateman

Zero and 1 are still anybody’s to win with two races left.

If you are planning on winning it is well worth remembering, Men Plan, God Laughs.

All to plan for next week with first gun at 1155 HRS.

Overall Positions...

Class Zero IRC & ECHO

1. Nieulargo - D. Murphy
2. Jump Juice - C Phelan
3. Freya - C. Doyle

Class One IRC & ECHO

1. Justus - D. Buckley
2. Coracle VI - K. Collins
3. Bad Company - F. Desmond

Class Two IRC & ECHO

1. Diamond - J. Matthews
2. Flyover - D. Marchant
3. Fulmar Fever - R. Marchant

White Sail IRC & ECHO

1. Godot - J. Godkin
2. Gunsmoke II - S. Cohen
3. Miss Charlie - P. Beckett

East and South East winds gusting to over 40-knots led to the cancellation of this morning's third round of Kinsale Yacht Club's Mathews Centre Spring cruiser League where Denis Murphy's Nieulargo (pictured above) leads class one in IRC and ECHO divisions in a combined 26-boat fleet. 

Racing is scheduled again for next weekend. Read Afloat.ie's race reports here.

Kinsale Yacht Club Marina is a hive of activity today as repairs are underway to damage sustained during the gruelling two races of the Matthews Helly Hansen series last Sunday as previously reported by Afloat here. As sails are being taken away for repair thoughts turn to the lightly runners and riders next Sunday (14th) writes KYC Commodore Dave O'Sullivan.

This is the first event using the new class bands (Class Zero > 1.020, Class One 0.930 to 1.019 and Class Two < 0.929) which are now in force for all SCORA events on the South Coast and while we have last Sunday’s results to go on, the fleets have yet to settle.

Denis Murphy’s Grand Soleil Nieulargo Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class Zero Denis Murphy’s Grand Soleil Nieulargo is in flying form scoring two firsts in both handicap systems. The lift in their IRC Handicap caused by the larger Jib and Spinnaker appears to have been well worth it. Conor Phelan’s evergreen Jump Juice scored two seconds in both handicaps and with a crack crew on board looks more than capable of unsettling things next weekend. Conor Doyle's Freya is lying third and has yet to find form but everybody knows that this XP50 is very fast when she gets into her stride. Tom Roche of (very polished) Meridian, who had to retire from the second race due to a broken a mainsheet block, tells us that he will be ready to go once again next Sunday.

Tom Roche's Meridian Photo: Bob Bateman

Class one yachts in Sunday's race Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class One a protest hearing is pending between Artful Dodger and Bad Company and the outcome could have an impact on the overall positions. Dan Buckley’s Justus is going well with a third on IRC and first in ECHO. Kieran Collins aboard Coracle VI suffered a setback due to being OCS in the second race. This boat is in very good form and is one to watch. Brian Jones’s J109 Jelly Baby did not compete due to gear failure but will be in the mix next Sunday as will Cian McCarthy on EOS, Tony & Alice Kingston on Luv Is and Stephen Lysaght sailing Reavra. Ronan Downing’s Miss Whiplash is launched and ready to go, she is also one to watch next Sunday.

Cian McCarthy's EOS Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class Two David Marchant’s Sigma 33 Flyover is lying first in both IRC and ECHO with James Matthew’s Diamond second in both. Robert Marchant’s Fulmar Fever was third in both races. It’s far too soon to make a call here as Diamond will find form in lighter winds, Fulmar Fever has yet to sparkle and Padraig O’Donovan’s Chameleon missed out on race two.

The eight–boat White Sail fleet looks to be dominated by John Godkin (Godot), Sammy Cohen (Gunsmoke) and Sean O’Riordan (Y Dream) who are 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall. Make a prediction at your peril as Batt O’Leary (Sweet Dreams), Nigel Dan (Valkriss,) Dave Ackerlind (Paragon) and Patrick Beckett (Miss Charlie) are very competitive and yet to shine.

As always in the Spring Series, boats are being launched every day and we may well be in for a surprise yet.

First Gun on Sunday is at 1155 HRS.

Kinsale Yacht Club's Matthews Centre and Helly Hansen Spring Series is led by Denis Murphy's Nieulargo on IRC and ECHO after today's first race in breeze writes Dave O'Sullivan.

The committee boat, White Tiger, anchored with difficulty just south of Bulman and race officer Denis Kieran (with helpers T. O’Brien, G. Kieran, S. Keane Hopcraft, S. Horgan and G. Noonan) got the twenty-nine boat fleet off into a boisterous east breeze to Sovereign followed by a leeward leg to Hake and Sandy Cove. After two gruelling laps, competitors were finished near Bulman by mark boat Big Blue (C. Clarke and D. Boyd).

Nieulargo Denis Murphy Photo: Bob Bateman
The second race started at Charles Fort sending the fleets round Bulman once again to Sovereign with a long off wind leg and two laps of Sandy Cove & Bulman. The finish was also at Charles Fort.

The east breeze strengthened all day leading to rough conditions and some thrills and spills. All boats were back on the marina at 1600 HRS.

It all starts again next Sunday (14th April) at 1155 HRS. 

Scroll down below for photo gallery by Bob Bateman

Results...

Class Zero ECHO & IRC

1. Nieulargo - D. Murphy
2. Jump Juice - C Phelan
3. Freya - C. Doyle

Class One IRC

1. Artful Dodger - F. O'Regan
2. Bad Company - F. Desmond
3. Just Us - D. Buckley

Class One ECHO

1. Just Us - D. Buckley
2. Artful Dodger - F. O'Regan
3. Bad Company - F. Desmond

Class Two IRC and ECHO

1. Flyover - D. Marchant
2. Diamond - J. Matthews
3. Fulmar Fever - R. Marchant

White Sail IRC and ECHO

1. Godot - J. Godkin
2. Gunsmoke - S. Cohen
3. Y Dream - S. O'Riordan 

The final race of the Frank Godsell sponsored March League took place in gentle spring conditions in Kinsale Yacht Club writes Commodore Dave O’Sullivan.

For the third week in a row, the weather favoured the lighter boats and James Matthews and his crew on Diamond were in winning form. They won on both ECHO and IRC and were followed in both by Stephen Lysaght's Too and Class Captain Cian McCarthy's EOS.

Meanwhile, in White Sails David Hanly and his band of raiders from the RCYC onboard Fast Buck, made it look easy, romping home in front of Y Dream and Miss Charlie.

The generosity of Frank's sponsorship is renowned and the bar talk afterwards was whether or not this was his 40th year sponsoring the March League. To be certain, it was agreed to celebrate the 40-year event this year and the next two years!

Results…

Spinnaker IRC & ECHO

1. Diamond (J. Matthews)
2. Reavra Too (S. Lysaght)
3. EOS (C. McCarthy)

White sail

1. Fast Buck (D.J. Hanley)
2. Y Dream (S. O’Riordan)
3. Miss Charlie (P. Beckett)

All sailors are reminded that the Matthews/Helly Hansen sponsored Spring Series starts next Sunday 7th April with the warning signal at 1155 HRS.

The promised light winds never materialised and the second week of the Frank Godsell sponsored, March League at Kinsale Yacht Club was sailed in a delightful 15-knot breeze writes Dave O'Sullivan. The course, taking in Sandycove and CentrePoint, was testing with three spinnaker hoists and three hard upwind beats.

As often happens in Kinsale, the harbour finish can provide one final banana skin and today's treat was a particularly low tide. A number of boats learned how shallow the harbour can get and although there were one or two red faces there was no damage done.

A good day stolen at the start of Spring.

Results…

Spinnaker IRC & ECHO

1. Diamond (J. Matthews)
2. Reavra Too (S. Lysaght)
3. Luv Is (T. Kingston)

White sail

1. Y Dream (S. O’Regan)
2. Miss Charlie (P. Beckett)
3. Fast Buck (D.J. Hanley)

It’s still all up for grabs next Sunday 31st, the final race of the League, with the FG at 1125 HRS. Competitors are reminded of the change to Irish summer time next Sunday (clocks go forward).

Six boats braved the chilly morning and were soon lining up near the start line at Charles Fort for the first race of the Frank Godsell March League at Kinsale Yacht Club on 18th March 2019. 

Race Officer Donal Hayes on Fiona got things promptly underway at 1125 HRS. The blackboard (pictured above) displayed a course of Bulman to Starboard followed by a laid mark to Starboard with two laps and then Bulman to port and straight to the finish line.

Quarter tonner Diamond (J. Matthews) was the winner on both IRC and ECHO with EOS (C. McCarthy) second on both handicaps and LuvIs (T. Kingston) third on both. Chameleon (P. O’Donovan) and Fast Buck (D.J. Hanley) were fourth and fifth respectively.

There was a sole white sail competitor, the lovely Impala Deboah (M. Hargrove).

The competitors and sponsor are confident of an increase in the size of the fleet for next weeks edition with FG on Sunday 24th at 1125 HRS

The third Watersports Inclusion Games will take place in Kinsale this August.

Building on the success of Dublin in 2017 and Galway in 2018, Kinsale Yacht Club will host the biggest showcase yet of inclusive watersports activity on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August.

The weekend will have the latest on adaptations and innovations for optimised watersports delivery, as well as a focus on examining, measuring and promoting the therapeutic benefits of water activity and the impact of watersports on wellbeing.

The event is organised by Irish Sailing in association with Canoeing Ireland, Rowing Ireland and Cork Local Sports Partnership, supported by Kinsale Yacht Club Sailability, Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre, Sailing Into Wellness and Spinal Injuries Ireland, and funded by the Sport Ireland Dormant Accounts Sports Inclusion Fund.

All equipment will be provided, and no experience is required for the free weekend that will include sailing, rowing, canoeing and fast boat rides, with more watersports likely to be added.

Clubs, organisations and community groups working with people with disabilities who are interested in bringing a group or individuals, or in having a presence at the expo element of the event, are invited to register their interest.

Individuals interested in attending the event with up to two family members or friends may also register, as can watersports activity providers who would like to showcase their organisation. Volunteers of all experience levels are also needed for the weekend.

Children aged under 18 and vulnerable adults attending must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

For more details visit the Facebook event page. For all registrations of interest, contact Johanne at [email protected] who will outline booking details.

There was no Kinsale Yacht Club Custom Rigging Frostbite racing yesterday due to high winds writes Dave O'Sullivan.

The overall positions at the end of the series are below.

The next KYC event is the Frank Godsell sponsored March League scheduled for Monday 18th March, Sunday 24th March and Sunday 31st March. This is a Cruiser Class open event for “all in” Spinnaker and White Sail - FG 1125 HRS each day.

Squibs

1 Allegro (Colm Dunne & Rob Gill)
2 Outlaw (Ian Travers & Keith O’Riordan)
3 Badger (Jeff Condell & Jeff Cochrane).

Squibs (ECHO)

1. Allegro (Colm Dunne & Rob Gill)
2. Sibu (Geraldine & Denis Kieran)
3. Sedition (Neil Prendeville & Dominic Falvey)

Lasers

1. Dorothy Matthews 4.7
2. Robert McGarvey Radial
3. Rory Carroll 4.7

Toppers

1. Hannah Akerlind
2. Rachel Akerlind
3. Francesca Lewis

A south-east lump with a 12-knot breeze (gusting to 18/20 knots later) greeted our competitors on the fourth morning of the Custom Rigging Frostbite series at Kinsale Yacht Club.

Race Officer John Stallard aboard Destiny (Bruce & June Matthews) laid a weather mark near the south-east shore and a leeward mark close to Castlepark. Two W/L races were sailed in boisterous conditions.

Squibs

The Squib fleet was led by Allegro (C Dunne & R Gill) who scored two firsts, Outlaw (I Travers & K O’Riordan) scored two seconds followed by Flora (B Nash & B Tullier) and Sensation (D & B Cudmore) who both scored a third each.

Lasers & Mixed Dinghies

Dorothy Matthews won the first race with Robert McGarvey second and Daniel Ackerlind third - all sailing Lasers. The second race, in more difficult conditions, was won by Dorothy Matthews with Kevin Daly second in a Flying Fifteen.

Toppers

Race one saw Hannah Ackerlind score a first with Rachel Ackerlind second - the positions were reversed in race two. Francesca Lewis got a third in both races.

It will all start again next Sunday 3rd March at 1100 HRS.