The weekend of 24th – 25th May saw the Inaugural Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships hosted by Carrickfergus Sailing Club on Belfast Lough. Saturday morning started an overcast day with the wind 15 kts gusting into the late teens/early twenties.
The Ruffian fleet at Carrickfergus has seen a bit of a resurgence. Two new additions to the fleet, the Lewis & Foster families' Icicle, a new acquisition, and Carageen, a Carrickfergus stalwart returning under new ownership, had only sailed a few club races prior, boosting the entry list to ten boats. Saturday morning saw the pontoons a hive of activity due to lots of pre-race fettling with final checks, spinnakers being re-packed, etc.
Race Officer David Hill began racing at 11.00 am, with a Windward /Leeward course set in the stiff breeze. All boats got off to a clean start with Hot Orange leading the way to the windward mark, closely followed by Icicle, Carrageen, and then Druid. Downwind, the positions remained the same, with the rear boats catching the leaders. The second beat saw the fleet split with several boats choosing the shore side of the course where the wind was lighter. However, there was a bit of a lift. By the time the boats arrived at the top mark, it transpired that the additional breeze negated the lift, and it was pretty even. Hot Orange had extended their lead by several boat lengths, and the rest of the fleet remained tightly packed, jostling for position. The race ended with a finishing order of Hot Orange, Icicle, Carageen, Druid, Rascal, Daisy, Coyote and Mjollnir.
Ruffian 23 competing in the inaugural Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships on Belfast Lough
Race two was quickly underway, and with a well-behaved fleet, it was another clear start. The order at the top mark was again Hot Orange, followed by Carrageen, Icicle, Druid, Mjollnir, Rascal, Daisy, and Coyote. Positions remained steady. A mistimed spinnaker drop onboard Carrageen allowed Icicle and Druid to slip through at the penultimate mark. Meanwhile, aboard Rascal, the crew was busy, having suffered a spinnaker faux pas resulting in a spectacular broach, which unfortunately cost them two places.
Race three was another good start and the front of the fleet stayed true to form with Hot Orange out in front and the rest of the fleet fighting for positions as in the previous races.
Unfortunately, on Sunday morning, due to poor weather conditions and a forecast of a building breeze, an early call was made, and racing was cancelled. With typical Carrickfergus Sailing Club hospitality, tea and coffee were quickly at hand for all the competitors, and prize giving was set for 15:30 that afternoon.
Hot Orange were the clear winners of the Gold Fleet with three solid firsts. Racing was tight further back, with only a point separating 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions, respectively. Rascal won the Silver Fleet.
