SB3s Give Thumbs Up to New Dublin Bay Courses

15th May 2011

The SB3s have given a thumbs up to the introdution of the new Thursday night Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) courses and who wouldn't with such a thrilling downwind leg last week? 'So many marks, loads of decisions and loads of mistakes.What fun' is the verdict of Dublin Bay class captain Justin Burke.

The class has regular turnouts of between 9 and 12 boats for the regular one hour evening race. Last Thursday featured a race with gusts up to 25 knots.

It is probably why Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta has had such an enthusiastic reception from the sportsboat class. 28 SB3s are entered already and the view is there could be as many as 40, a number big enough for the class to host a pre-regatta reception on July 7th.

So far there has not been the same take up for next weekend's Royal Alfred YC Baily Bowl but Burke remains hopeful the class will enbrace the long standing fixture. The enthusiastic captain is also putting Howth Yacht Club's Lambay Race on 11th. June out as another option.

Although the next big Irish fixture is the southern championships at Tralee Bay Sailing Club in Fenit, Co. Kerry on June 4th and 5th there will be interest in the Irish team results at this weeks's World championships in Torbay in the UK. There are 11 Irish entries in this week's 119-boat championship fleet.

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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France