#dmyc – Sir Bob Geldof will present an award made in memory of his late father to an outstanding junior sailor in Dun Laoghaire next month. The 'Bob Geldof Spirit of Sailing Award' for outstanding junior sailors will be presented at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) where Bob senior was a founder member,  on Saturday, July 21st next.

#MARITIME LECTURE - This 'Thursday's Night Talk' organised by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) is entitled 'Round Ireland 2011 Over Two Months'. Tomorrow's talk starts at 8pm and is to be presented by Gary Owens.

None members are also welcome to attend the winter lecture talks, held on Thursdays which will continue until April, noting the theme of the talks are not exclusively marine orientated. For further information Tel: 280 1371 and by visiting www.dmyc.ie

The DMYC is situated on the West Pier, close to Salthill and Monkstown DART station and car-parking is available beside the premises and also at the nearby Coal Harbour.

#FIREBALL – Fifteen Fireballs took to the water for last Sunday's Frostbite race but only 14 of them got a finish – Andy Boyle & Barry Hurley (14934, Royal Irish) – were recorded as an OCS! Wind conditions were lively with a WSW Force 4/5 blowing with gusts flashing across the course. The start had a boat-end bias for a change and my various correspondents advise that there were a few capsizes on the day. It also appears that people were doing 720º and 360º for rule infringements and mark-touching.

The first three boats over the finish line, Noel Butler & Stephen Oram, Neil Spain & Hugh Butler and Owen Laverty & Ed Butler effectively sailed their own separate race from the rest of the fleet and they enjoyed a race of nip and tuck with places changing between them.

Neil Colin & Margaret Casey finished fourth but behind them a tight bunch were fighting for places. Included in this group were Messrs Rumball & Moran, Malcolm & Diviney, Court & Syme and Miller/Donnelly before the all-lady teams of McKenna & O'Keefe and Power & Barry.

The ladies were well represented today with three all-female teams out on the water, the third being Mary Chambers and Brenda McGuire, who finished thirteenth. Derval O'Carroll was also a welcome returnee to the Frostbites, sailing with Stephen Campion. And our Sligo friends, Peter Armstrong & Matt mayron were also out sailing the all-wooden 15060.

Class stalwart Louis Smyth, sailing with Joe O'Reilly, had a bad day at the office – an early interaction with another boat required a 720º with a capsize thrown in as a "double-whammy". At the first weather mark there was another revolution taken when they hit the mark. "Enough said!"

Mug winners for the day were the ladies of 14691, Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keefe of the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

In overall terms, Butler & Oram stretched their lead over Rumball/Moran to 5pts, while the latter pair have a comfortable 8pt margin over third placed Laverty/Butler.

 

#MARITIME LECTURES – This weeks 'Thursday' Night Talk organised by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) is indeed about the very strange tale of the "Ouzel Galley".

Not many folk are aware that Dublin had its own maritime mystery that ranks with the Marie (Mary) Celeste saga.

In 1625 the Ouzel Galley sailed out the River Liffey bound for Mediterranean waters. After an absence of five years she returned battered and bruised confounding locals who had presumed she was lost with all hands.

It was not the unexpected return that caused excitement at the time but the contents of her hold!...Tim Magennis shall reveal more of  this extraordinary story on the evening starting at 8pm.

Thursday's (9th February) talk is part of a winter series held at the DMYC and is open to non members who are most welcome. The club located on the West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Harbour is close to Salthill DART station. To contact the club Tel: 280 1371 and visit www.dmyc.ie

#FROSTBITE–Frank Miller and Grattan Donnelly were the winners of the single Fireball dinghy race this afternoon in perfect conditions after last night's gale at the DMYC Frostbite series in Dun Laoghaire harbour. The handicap dinghy PY winners were Colin Galavan and Ciaran Boyle. The Laser winner was Gary O'Hare.

Fireballs at the windward mark in this afternoon's DMYC Frostbite race in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and below Ben Mulligan and two young crew compete in the PY class Photos: Bob Hobby

 

The 'Frostbites' tag was something of an oxymoron yesterday in Dun Laoghaire with temperatres in the teens for a double header sailing day at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club dinghy Frostbites series.  In the PYs first race RS sailors Emmet Ryan / Richard Tate were the winners. In the Lasers it was Justin Geoghegan and  Noel Butler and Stephen Oram were winners of the Fireball division.

In the second race Hugh Sheehy was the PY winner, Will Nesbit won in the Lasers and sailmaker Kenny Rumball sailing with David Moran were Fireball winners.

#DMYC FROSTBITE – Although the strong winds put some doubt about yesterday's in harbour sailing at Dun Laoghaire the second race of the DMYC Frosbites got away on schedule  in spite of the very shifty conditions.

Hugh Butler crewing for Graeme Grant on their way to winning the Fireball Class in yesterday's DMYC Frostbite race in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Bob Hobby

Dublin Bay Sailing Club IDRA 14 Champions Frank Hamilton and Jenny Byrne (DMYC) were the winners of the Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) handicap dinghy fleet. The Royal St. George's Theo Lyttle won the Laser class with the top prize in the high performance Fireball dinghy going to Graeme Grant and Hugh Butler (RStGYC).

Monica Lee sailing upwind in her Supernova dinghy during yesterday's DMYC Frosdtbite race in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Bob Hobby

#DMYC FROSTBITES – The First race of the 41st Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club dinghy frostbite series got underway in light breeze inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour yesterday afternoon in brilliantly sunny conditions.
The winner of the ever popular PY fleet was harbour local Alyson Rumball sailing an RS 200. The Laser class winner was Peter Craig with new Fireball class boss Neil Colin with Margaret Casey crewing the winners of the high performance Fireball fleet. More racing next Sunday.

Barry Hurley and Brian Flahive roll tack their Fireball during yesterday's opening race of the 41st annual Dun Laoghaire Motior Yacht Club Frostbite Challenge. Photo: Bob Hobby

Since our report on Ireland's debut at the Moth worlds in January it was inevitable that one of these high speed sailing dinghies would appear on Irish waters soon enough. Yesterday, John Chambers took his first tack of 2011 on Dublin Bay in a Moth he bought in France. Clearly the high speed foiling craft did not go unnoticed. It got an immediate thumbs up from the nearby DMYC frostbite fleet sailing their penultimate race.

The Bladerider Moth came blasting back from the Baily lighthouse, according to eyewitness accounts.  It has hydrofoils on the dagger board and rudder which lift the boat out of the water when sufficient speed is achieved.

It is Chamber's intention to sail the innovative dinghy in this Summer's Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) summer season. 

Video of the Dublin Bay sail plus a photo from Bob Hobby is below:

Moth sailing on Dublin bay. Photo: Bob Hobby

Moth sailing in Ireland on facebook HERE

 

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series are jointly promoting reduced entry fees in a tue up between the two big Irish Sea regattas.  50% discounts off entry fees is available for boats entering both events.

"The way this works is that the Clyde Cruising Club are offering a 25% rebate for boats from the 4 Dun Laoghaire Clubs (DMYC, NYC, RIYC, RStGYC) that enter the Brewin Dolphin Scottish series before the expiration of the early bird discount period which expires on April 22nd explained Dun Laoghaire event secretary, Ciara Dowling.

As a reciprocal arrangement the committee of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta are offering a discount of 50% from the full entry fee to all boats that enter both regattas. To avail of this, boats must register for the early bird entry fee in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta prior to 2 May 2011. Note the 50% discount will be applied to the full entry fee rate and not the early bird rate.

To avail of this arrangement for the Scottish Series contact the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series office for details, [email protected] 0044141 221 2774.

To avail of this arrangement for the Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta visit the event website at www.dlregatta.org or email [email protected]

The Scottish Series takes place from 27–30 May and the Dun Laoghaire regatta from July 7th–10th 2011.

In a further boost for Dun Laoghaire sailors heading north the feeder race from Bangor to Tarbert has been re-instated.

Troon and Largs Marinas are offering competitors berthing rate discounts around Scottish Series.

Competitors from Scotland coming to Dun Laoghaire are reminded that the entry fee to the regatta includes free berthing for the duration of the event.

The official Notice of Race and Online Entry are now available at www.dlregatta.org