The lightweight RS Aero made up the bigger fleet at the RS Westerns at Galway City Sailing Club at the weekend alongside double-hander RS200 and 400s.
On Saturday, the wind gods delivered flat water and gusts of 28/29 knots. We launched, some apprehensively, from Deadman’s Beach near the docks at LW.
Four short but lively races ensued in ‘exactly as forecast’ airs.
Daragh Sheridan (HYC), in the Aero 6 rig, took his first of four bullets with a lead right off the start line, with Noel Butler (NYC, 6 rig) second and John Phelan (HYC, 6 rig) third. John took second in race 2, with Stephen Oram (NYC, 7 rig) in third.
Rig failure had Noel discard the second race, but he followed with two more seconds to Daraghs firsts. Places thereafter chopped and changed, and much depended on the ability to keep the hull flat on the water.
After discards, Daragh held a solid lead overnight on 3 points, Noel Butler with six, and Stephen Oram in third, closely followed by John Phelan (HYC) and Sarah Dwyer (RSGYC).
Two light races were run on Sunday. Race five finally gave Daragh a chance to check out Noel’s transom, and Sarah, the lightest of the pack, came in third. Daragh was back on form for the last race of the event to win on just 5 points, Noel on ten and Sarah (also 6 rig) sneaked a third from the lads on 17.
It was an event of two testing distinct days, and having dominated, Daragh’s will be the first name on a stunning RS Aero Western Championship bog oak trophy.
RS Aero demos can be arranged with Heather Wright in Irish National Marine Services in Dun Laoghaire.
