12 races over six weekends for Squib, Laser, Topper, and mixed Dinghy fleets gets the 2019 sailing season off to a flying start in Kinsale next month.

Racing will be on laid courses within the harbour off Charles Fort with a First Gun of 10:55hrs each day starting on February 3rd.

An entry Fee of €40 single handed and €60 for all others applies for the Custom Rigging sponsored Frostbite Series.

See KYC web site www.kyc.ie for further details including entry forms and SI’s

Kinsale Yacht Club's 'Mary P' Race and Cruise organised by Neil Prendeville from Kinsale to Monkstown on Saturday morning took just two hours for Conor Doyle's new Freya XP50 to complete. 

The six KYC boats in the 'All In' Echo, IRC and White Sails fleet then joined the Cork Harbour Cobh to Blackrock Race later that day. See our Cobh to Blackrock Race photo gallery by Bob Bateman here.

(Above and below) Conor Doyle's Freya in the race from Kinsale to Monkstown Photo: Bob BatemanThe Elan 40 Chancer (Carroll Bros)The Elan 333 Artful Dodger skippered by Finbarr O'Regan Photo: Bob BatemanKYC's Chameleon (Padraic O'Donovan) Photo: Bob Bateman

Conor Doyle's new XP 50 Freya that expected to make her racing debut at the ill-fated ICRA Nationals in Galway Bay last month, won her maiden race instead at her home port of Kinsale last week.

Competing in Kinsale Yacht Club's Autumn midweek series last Wednesday, Doyle's Danish built X-Yacht was first home on IRC and ECHO.

The Triangle Race double-handed challenge open to cruiser and cruiser-racer monohull yachts of 25ft LOA or over, organised by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club had a successful stop over at Kinsale Yacht Club over the last few days. The fleet left Kinsale on the next leg this morning and three Cork boats are competing.

The event runs, on even-numbered years, from Torquay to Kinsale Southern Ireland to Tréguier Brittany and back to Torquay, a distance of at least 620 miles and lasting 12 days.

At least two days are spent in each port with receptions, parties and shore-based ‘competitions’ as well as impromptu parties ashore and afloat.

Triangle Race competitors during the Kinsale stopover Photo: Bob Bateman

The three Cork entrants this year are pictured below: 

Bad Company skippered by Mark Ivers from Royal Cork Photo: Bob Bateman

Gary Horgan's Lobster from Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

Siboney – John and Kevin Stallard from Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

Cian McCarthy and the crew of Eos was the winner of Kinsale Yacht Club's 'all–in' race for the Bertoletti Trophy sailed on Friday.

Every year in June, KYC boats including Cruisers, Dragons, 1720’s, Squibs and Sonars race for the trophy that commemorates the late KYC steward Mario Bertoletti who served at the club from the 1970’s for over 30 years.

'Mario’s competence, style and unfailing good humour were a huge asset to KYC that played a huge part in the club's success', Commodore David O'Sullivan told Afloat.ie

Blue skies, flat seas and a gentle breeze saw a fleet of 5 Squibs, 4 Dragons and 13 Cruisers take part in the Bertoletti Trophy race on Friday last in Kinsale. This event is held in memory of Mario Bertoletti who was for many years the Club Steward. The trophy was given to the club by his wife Patricia and their

The course was out to the Bulman buoy then back into the outer harbour. Given the light airs the Race Officer, Michele Kennelly, followed the fleet in case the course needed to be shortened. Cian McCarthy’s Eos rounded the buoy in pole position, with Siboney, Lobster and Justus jockeying for position behind him. Unfortunately, Siboney was white sailing which meant that once the spinnakers went up John Stallard and crew lost out. Having seen some of the fleet around the buoy the next decision for the Michele was when, not if,
to shorten as the breeze was getting lighter all the time.

The fleet came back into the harbour under spinnaker which made for an impressive sight. Eos was still in front and finished the race an impressive 10 mins ahead of John Godkin’s Godot. This secured Eos 1 st place. Cian O’Regan on Artful Dodger came home just 2’ 8” behind Dan Buckley on Justus which secured 2nd place for him and Justus was 3rd. 5 boats retired from the race as the breeze died almost completely and it was the tide that brought the last of the finishers across the line. The first Dragon home was Serafina, Maeve Cotter/Daniel Murphy/Sean Murphy and the first Squib was Fuggles with Sam & Sara Hunt.

Back in the club Patricia Bertoletti and family presented the Trophy to Cian McCarthy and Eos.

Sunshine and sparkling waters provided the backdrop to an excellent sailing weekend at Kinsale Yacht Club.

Sponsored by Barry Ryan, the Kinsale Keelboat Regatta was sailed over two days and provided championship windward leeward competition with a particularly stiff wind late on Sunday giving a spectacular finish to this long established event.

With a first gun each day at 1155 HRS, six races were sailed off Kinsale Harbour between Bulman Rock and Black Head. The Squib fleet was dominated by Allegro (134) finishing up with six points after a discard scoring five bullets in all. Outlaw (785) and Sensation (523) had a good tussle for second place with Outlaw just clinching it in the end.

Squib winner 134 Allegro

The Dragon fleet were more equally matched on day one but Little Fella (211) got into its stride on day two and scored three firsts romping home with six points overall followed by Serafina (180) and Grey Hare (188) on ten and sixteen points respectively. In addition to local Kinsale Dragons, excellent competition was provided by two visiting Glandore yachts, the elegant green Aphrodite (110) and shiny white Laurus (131).

KYC Commodore Dave O’Sullivan and team officiated.

Results -

Squibs 
Allegro (134) Dunne & Ward
Outlaw (785) Travers & O’Riordan
Sensation (523) Cudmore & Cudmore

Dragons 
Little Fella (211) Good, Kingston & Furney.
Seraphear (180) Cotter, Murphy & Goggin
Grey Hare (188) Kingston, Kingston & Lewis.

• Event Sponsor James Matthews was back in form and Diamond regained the IRC trophy secured last year.
• Conor Phelan’s Jump Juice first place on the water secured the overall winners spot for IRC Class 1 over Denis Murphy’s Nieulargo
• Peter Collins maintained the impressive form of his Olsen 30 to take line honours

The Child of Prague was put out on Friday night and for the second week in a row, competitors in the Matthews Helly Hansen sponsored April League hosted by Kinsale Yacht Club enjoyed a spell of sunshine that was decent enough to warrant dusting off the factor 50 sun cream writes Michael Walsh.

Once enough breeze had filled, PRO Denis Kieran called for the AP to be removed to allow the day’s proceedings and some more champagne sailing to get underway across Kinsale’s Outer Harbour.

The light north easterly breeze was due to shift southwards which ultimately it did, meaning the Round the Cans course from Bullens Bay over to the Sovereigns Islands allowed for plenty of sunny photographs of boats finishing under full spinnakers at the Bulman buoy.

Conor Phelan’s Jump Juice first place on the water secured the overall winners spot for IRC Class 1 over Denis Murphy’s Nieulargo , with Paul Tingle’s Alpaca completing the rout for the Crosshaven fleet.

Kieran Collins maintained the impressive form of his Olsen 30 to take line honours from KYCs Finny O Regan in IRC Class 2 and secured the silverware for Crosshaven in this fleet for both IRC and Echo . 

Event Sponsor James Matthews was back in form and Diamond regained the IRC trophy secured last year. Headcase finished in second place and Flyover in third.

A special mention of thanks to Rear Commodore Susan Horgan for organizing the barrebue and for her dedicated assistance on the Race Management Team for the whole series. Also a huge thanks to Race Officer Denis Kieran and to Tony & Ciara O’Brien for providing such a warm welcome and wonderful refreshments each week aboard committee boat White Tiger.

Overall results for the Matthews Helly Hansen April League:

Class 1 IRC : Conor Phelan’s Jump Juice

Class 1 Echo: Denis Murphy Nieulargo

Class 2 IRC: Kieran Collins’s Oracle IV

Class 2 Echo: Kieran Collins’s Oracle IV

Class 3 IRC: James Matthews’s Diamond

Class 3 Echo: O ‘Halloran & Helstern Headcase

Whitesail: Sammy Cohen’s Gunsmoke II

See photos from KYC league here

A strong south east breeze provided Kinsale Yacht Club's Matthews Helly Hansen sponsored Spring Series with two excellent races.

Race one got away promptly at noon with the round the cans course finishing at Charles Fort. Race two got away at 1330 sailing a longer course, taking in Black Head. Only a few brave yachts flew spinnakers early in the day but the breeze decreased slowly from 24 knots and the horizon was awash with spinnakers when the fleet came into Kinsale on the last leg of race three from centre point.

Denis Murphy’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo dominated Class One. Shane Stratham’s evergreen GK 34 Slack Alice put in a top performance in Class Two. Matt Hellstern’s new arrival J/24 Headcase proved to be the fleet leader in Class Three. In White Sail KYC boats Paragon and Priviteer won a race each.

Matt Hellstern’s J/24 was a fleet leader in Class three

Race four FG is at the earlier time of 10.55HRS on Sunday 22nd with two races planned.

Results below

Race 2 and 3 IRC

Class One

Nieulargo 

Jump Juice

Alpaca

Race 2 ECHO
Nieulargo
EOS
Alpaca

Race 3 ECHO
Nieulargo
Jump Juice
Justus

Class Two

Race 2 ECHO
Slack Alice
Artful Dodger
Oracle

Race 2 IRC
Oracle
Artful Dodger
Slack Alice

Race 3 ECHO
Slack Alice
Artful Dodger
REAVRA TOO

Race 3 IRC
Slack Alice
Artful Dodger
Oracle

Class Three

Race 2 ECHO and IRC
Headcase
Diamond
Fulmar Fever

Race 3 IRC
Headcase
Fulmar Fever
Diamond

Race 3 ECHO
Fulmar Fever
Headcase
Flyover

White Sail

Race 2
Paragon
Privateer
Gunsmoke II

Race 3
Privateer
Sweet Dreams
Paragon

The much promised sunshine failed to arrive on the first day of the Matthews Helly Hansen sponsored Spring Series for Sailing Cruisers in Kinsale Yacht Club.

Race officer Denis Kieran aboard White Tiger got the twenty six boat fleet, with welcome Waterford Harbour visitors, off to a prompt start at noon in difficult conditions with a South East lump, light winds and pouring rain.

Fortunately, the fickle wind held up and the fleet sailed the full course taking in both Black Head and the Sovereign Islands with the weather slowly brightening all the way to sunshine and smiles by the time the everyone was back on the marina.

Jump Juice (C. Phelan) dominated Class One, Oracle (K. Collins) Class Two with Diamond (J. Matthews) to the fore in Class Three. Godot (J. Godkin) romped home in White Sail with eleven minutes to spare.

More racing promised next Sunday 15th with first gun at 11.55hrs.

Results:

IRC

One – Jump Juice, Alpaca, Justice.

Two – Oracle IV, Artful Dodger, Slack Alice.

Three – Diamond, Headcase, Runaway Bus.

ECHO

One – Jump Juice, Alpaca, Jelly Baby.

Two – Oracle VI, Artful Dodger, Slack Alice.

Three – Diamond, Headcase, Runaway Bus.

White Sail 

Godot, Gunsmoke 2, Sweet Dreams.

Having lost three weeks to the vagaries of the Irish weather, flat seas and a 9 – 12 knot breeze greeted the fleets on Sunday morning for the last day of the 2018 Kinsale Yacht Club Frostbite Series.

13 Squibs left the marina and with only 4 points between the 1st to 3rd boats it was all to play for. As the wind was almost due east, and given the configuration of the harbour, the beat was going to be short so three rounds of the course per race was posted on the board.

In the first race the Squib fleet were all pushing the line which resulted in a General Recall. Second time around and with the U Flag flying they were much better behaved and we got them away at 11.07hrs. Allegro, Colm Dunne & Fiona Ward, took the lead at the windward mark. Fuggles, Jeff Condell & Jeff Cochrane, and Badger, Rob Doyle & Rob Gill, were battling for 2nd with Fuggles eventually taking it. Fifty Shades and Outlaw were also in the leading pack and got 4th and 5th respectively.

Race 2 saw the fleet much better behaved on the start line and they all got cleanly away. This time the leaders were reversed with Fuggles in front, Allegro got 2nd and Fifty Shades, Cliodhna & Finbarr O’Regan, were 3rd. At this stage the series was still undecided. Race 3 saw the wind rising to 12 – 14 knots with gusts of 19 knots and lots of shifts on the race course. Outlaw, Ian Travers & Keith O’Riordan, were challenging both Allegro and Fuggles around the course. Fuggles managed to take another bullet with Allegro in 2nd and Outlaw in 3rd.

As we had lost so many races the decision was made by RO John Stallard to give the Squib Fleet a fourth race. Race 4 started with the wind at 16 – 18 knots and gusts of 22 knots recorded on the committee boat. Outlaw lead from the off until they rounded the windward mark. Allegro decided to gybe and run down the middle of the course and this paid off handsomely. Outlaw managed to hold on to second place with Fuggles in 3rd. This however was enough to secure the series for Fuggles with Allegro in 2nd and Fifty Shades in 3rd.
 
Racing was so close in the Squib fleet that the front 3 – 4 boats were arriving at the leeward mark together most of the day. However the tight racing resulted in 3 boats hitting the committe boat at various times, 1 coming to the finish line, 1 starting and the other after finishing, they almost took the burgee off the bow. We also had a M.O.B just after the finish line, thankfully the now very wet crew managed to hang on to the boat, his helm almost followed him into the sea but he held on and then recovered his crew.

The Mixed Dinghy fleet was somewhat depleted today due to injury and other commitments. Race 1 saw Sean Collins in the Laser Radial take both line honours and 1st place, with Tom Good and Dave Carter, both in Laser 4.7’s, 2nd and 3rd. In Race 2 while Sean Collins took line honours again, Tom Good took 1st under PY with Sean Collins 2nd and Dave Carter 3rd. This result was replicated in Race 3. However Sean Collins had done enough to take the title with Micheal O’Suilleabhain and Michael Carroll, 420, 2nd and Tom Good, Laser 4.7, in 3rd. Well gone to the Laser 4.7 sailors who had recently moved up from the Topper fleet and performed so well.

A fleet of 7 Toppers took to the water with some of the sailors being very new to racing. Dorothy Matthews was very focused today and it showed with bullets in Race 1 & 2 today. However gear failure just before the start of Race 3 meant Dorothy had to sail for home. Francesca Lewis put in another strong performance but a capsize in Race 2 put paid to her chances of taking the title. However she took 2nd in the third race which was enough to secure 2nd overall. Frances Corkery was placing better each race and took a bullet in the third which placed her 3rd overall.

KYC would like to thank Bruce & June Matthews for providing Destiny as committee boat and also being an integral part of the team. Also thanks to all the mark layers on RIB’s and parents who provided safety cover. Our Race Officer, John Stallard, provided the fleets with excellent courses over the series so many thanks John and also to his team of helpers, Valerie, Susan, Michele, Siobhan and Sid. A final thanks is to our sponsor Osean74 without whom it wouldn’t be possible to run such events.
 
Overall results:

Squib Fleet
1st Fuggles Jeff Condell Jeff Cochrane
2nd Allegro Colm Dunne Fiona Ward
3rd Fifty Shades Cliodhna O’Regan Finbarr O’Regan

Mixed Dinghy Fleet
1st Sean Collins Laser Radial
2nd M O’Suilleabhain/M Carroll 420
3rd Tom Good Laser 4.7

Topper Fleet
1st Dorothy Matthews
2nd Francesca Lewis
3rd Frances Corkery