Nine SB20s for Light Air DBSC Thursday Race

13th June 2014

#sb20 – Nine SB20 sportsboats made it to the start line in beautiful sunshine and a gentle F2 south easterly for the penultimate race of the first Thursday series. With only a few points separating the top 3 boats and a second discard to be applied, it was still all to play for in the scrap for the prizes.

The fleet set off on a lengthy beat to Bullock into a strengthening flooding tide. The usual Dublin Bay conundrum of less tide inshore or more wind offshore faced the competitors with those boats avoiding the flat spots closer to shore faring best up the first beat. At the first mark, Manamana (Doug, Ronan et al) had weekend out a nice lead and a tidy hoist allowed them to extend away from the chasing pack. In second and third, Alert Packaging (Justin, Darren et al) and Venuesworld (Ger et al) were having an epic tussle with only feet separating them around the mark. A gap formed then to SacreBleu (Richard et al), Bad (Enda and Gerry), Probably (Billy, Ian and Mark), Should Be... (Michael, Owen and Gavan), Rubadubdub (Nick et al) and Smoke On The Water (Bob et al). Unfortunately for Smoke on the Water, a broken spinny sheet put paid to their race prematurely...

There were no significant changes down the first two reaches but the second beat turned the race on its head with massive gains and losses to be had. Venuesworld lost touch with the top two as Alert Packaging and Manamana pulled away from the fleet and match raced each other up the beat with the lead changing several times... (From a great, great distance it looked like a great battle!) Elsewhere, it seemed like there were place changes every couple of minutes with first of all Probably and then Should Be... nipping at the heels of SacreBleu and Venuesworld, and Bad falling back. Third around the second weather was Venuesworld followed closely by SacreBleu, Should Be... and Probably in hot pursuit.

With a run followed by another beat and two reaches (a good but very long course tonight!), you would expect that the fleet would have spread out a lot, turning the race into a procession however (other than the top 2 who were just crazy far ahead!), it is a testament to the evenness of the boats and the dogged nature of the competitors in the fleet that three boats (Bad, SacreBleu and Probably) went around the last gybe mark overlapped. Bad skillfully came out of that tussle with the bragging rights!

In the end, Alert Packaging snuck ahead of Manamana who gave them a terrific battle to the end and they were followed over the line by Venuesworld, Should Be..., Probably, Bad and SacreBleu in that order. Only one point separates the top two with third a further three points back so the stage is set for a great finale to series one next Thursday.

Just a reminder that the second Sunday series is about to begin with SB Sunday no. 4 on this coming Sunday, 12.30 first gun. This Sunday we are delighted to have Con Murphy filling in for Barry as OOD (big shoes to fill Con!) so looking forward to some great SB racing in the sunshine.

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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