Irish Sea offshore supremos Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) of the Royal Irish took the honours when eight boats from an expected fleet of 13 turned out for the first race of ISORA Golden Jubilee season this morning. 

Easterly winds of 16-18 knots kicked up some big waves for the first Dun Laoghaire Viking Marine Coastal Race of the 2022 season which meant it was always going to be a big boat day and an important shakedown for the season's Round Ireland Race highlight in just under eight weeks time.

With a crisp start close to the West Pier, the O'Higgins JPK10.80 took an early lead on the water as the fleet passed Dun Laoghaire Harbour and headed towards the Muglins Rock in a race that saw the fleet venture as far south as the Bray Outfall buoy.

A screen shot from the Yellowbrick ISORA tracker

The full course was:

• Usual Dun Laoghaire start at Dun Laoghaire Outfall Buoy 53 18.404N 6 8.348W
• Muglins (P) 53 16.515N 6 4.550W
• Bray Outfall (P) 53 13.254N 6 4.485W
• North Kish (S) 53 18.560N 5 56.423W
• East Kish (S) 53 14.343N 5 53.595W
• Bray Outfall (S) 53 13.254N 6 4.485W
• Muglins (P) 53 16.515N 6 4.550W
• Usual Dun Laoghaire Finish between the pier heads. 53 18.145N 6 7.619W

Race winner - the JPK10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) Photo: Afloat

The three boat competition in Class Zero was between Rockabill, Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom from Howth and Barry O'Donovan's new First 44 Black Magic. 

Rendell took line hours in an elapsed time of 3hours 46 minutes and 39 seconds but Rockabill's finish approximately eight minutes later sealed the IRC Zero and overall victory.

(Above and below) Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom Photo: Afloat

Third on the water and in IRC Zero was O'Donovan's Black Magic. 

Barry O'Donovan's new First 44 Black Magic Photo: Afloat

In IRC One, Brendan Coghlan's well sailed Sunfast 3600 Yoyo from the Royal St. George Yacht Club took the division honours and third overall.

Brendan Coghlan's Sunfast 3600 Yoyo from the Royal St. George Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

Howth J99 Snapshot skippered by Mike Evans (and a recent entrant to June's Round Ireland race) was second in IRC one and fourth overall 

Howth J99 Snapshot skippered by Mike Evans Photo: Afloat

Sailing two-handed, John O'Gorman of the National Yacht Club sailing Hot Cookie was third in IRC one and fifth overall. 

John O'Gorman's Hot Cookie of the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

The winner of IRC Two was Joe Conway's Sigma 33 Elandra.

Joe Conway's Sigma 33 Elandra Photo: Afloat

ISORA Dun Laoghaire Viking Marine Coastal Race Photo Gallery

Defending ISORA champion Ruth (Liam Shanahan) from the National Yacht Club was the winner of yesterday's first coastal IRC handicap race of the season but not before a protest for redress was lodged following a finish line problem off Wicklow writes Peter Ryan.  Full results are downloadable below.

In a buoyant turnout, 20 boats departed Dun Laoghaire harbour on a 29–nautical mile course for Wicklow.

The J/109 champion made the best of a very light wind start from Dun Laoghaire's Pier Mark as a mixed fleet of cruiser types jostled for a clear lane on a shy spinnaker reach out of Dublin Bay

Spinnakers flying – but only just – part of the 20–boat ISORA fleet depart Dun Laoghaire yesterday morning bound for Wicklow. To windward Chris Power–Smith's J122 Aurelia (IRL 35950), the First 40.7 Tsunami (IRL4007) Vincent Farrell and Darragh Cafferkey's A35 Another Adventure.

The first race of the Overall ISORA Avery Crest Offshore Championship 2016 was also the first race in the ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Series 2016 and the Royal Alfred Yacht Club Coastal Series 2016. The weather for the race was like “champagne sailing” except a few degrees colder.

This first race saw the appearance of some new boats to ISORA. Kuba Szymanski’s “Poilshed 2”, Grant Kinsman’s “Thalia”, Daragh Cafferky’s “Another Adventure” and Stephen Mullarney’s “Applegreen Sail for Kids” all took part in this race. Carol Bellamy’s “ Pink Panther” returned to the ISORA fleet after a few years sabbatical.

20 boats took part in the race and another 6 boats took part in the ISORA day race being run from Pwllheli at the same time. This gave a record 27 boats racing in ISORA!

It had been hoped that the course would be to start in Dun Laoghaire, round North Arklow and finish in Wicklow. However, the forecast on the day was for lighter northerly winds than originally thought making the beat from North Arklow to Wicklow impossible against the very strong south going tides.
The Race Committee changed the course shortly before the start to: Start in Dun laoghaire – South Burford (S) – North India (S) – South India (S) and Finish in Wicklow.

As forecast, the winds at the start were light northerly as NYC Commodore, Larry Power, sent the fleet of 20 boats reaching off towards the first mark. Fluky winds and conditions at the start made it difficult for many of the boats to get fast off the start line. Chris power-Smith’s “Aurleia”, Peter Hall’s “Adelie” and reigning ISORA Champion, Liam Shanahan’s “Ruth” were the first boats to break away. Aurelia took a northerly course, Adelie headed south and Ruth took a mid course.

Shortly after rounding the first mark, the boats headed in a run down towards the India Bank against the last of the north going tide. Although the fleet were well spread, there was little change in positions with “Ruth” leading the fleet from the centre. “Aurelia” went far out to sea while “Adelie” gybed in towards the coast. When the fleets merged at North India, the tide had turned and was flowing south at 3.5 knots. The placings remained largely unchanged with again “Ruth” leading the fleet.

John Keogh’s “Windshift” and Byran Dobson’s “Obsession” misjudged the rounding at North India and got swept around the wrong side of the mark. The light winds were not sufficient to propel both boats back to the North India due to the strong tide and they had to retire.

The third leg was the short blast down along the India Bank before the fleet hardened up for the dash to Wicklow. Those boats with asymmetric spinnakers gained hugely on this leg as they were able to hold reaching kites while the other were forced back to white sails and fell behind.

Due to a technical problem at the original finish line, the finisher in Wicklow had to change the line just as “Ruth” was approaching. This led to “Ruth” seeking redress.

“Ruth” took line honours, winning Overall and Class 1. “Adelie” came 2nd Overall and 1st in Class 2. David Simpson’s “Albeiro” took Silver Class.

As the boats finished most made their way into Wicklow harbour for the usual ISORA après sail get together at WSC. There pleasantries were exchanged between crews and tips and comments were freely exchanged. Crews gathered in the sunshine outside the club and planned their next ISORA adventure.

As the race was tracked using the Avery Crest Trackers, the progress of the race can be re-played using the YB app or on the ISORA website

With eight weeks to go to the Round Ireland Race from Wicklow, many in the Irish Sea offshore fleet are using the early ISORA races as a valuable tune–up with yesterday's first race providing many of the conditions that will be experienced in June.

The next race is the first offshore on the 14th May from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead. It is hoped that there will be another large fleet taking part in preparation of the Round Ireland race in June.