#dlharbour – Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company have recently formed a local stakeholder group called Dun Laoghaire International Sailing Events, (DLISE) involving the major yacht clubs in the area, the Harbour Company, and DLRCoCo. The aim of the group, according to the Harbour company newsletter is to attract major international sailing events to the Harbour, which will 'increase the profile of the Harbour Internationally and have a positive impact on the local economy'.

#sb20 – A fickle F2 north westerly in beaming sunshine tested the SB20 fleet last Sunday for the 4th (of 10) DBSC SB Sundays and the first Sunday of Series 2.

After a short postponement to clear the race track of the ICRA cruiser fleet, OOD con Murphy and his team of Barbara, Cathy, Fionnuala, Owen and owner John Roberts on "Quite Correct" got the fleet off at the first time of asking. An individual recall was sounded for the crew of Alert Packaging (Justin, Darren and Marty) but the rest of the fleet had managed to keep their noses clean. Most of the fleet opted for a committee boat end start on starboard with Should Be... (Michael, Owen and Gavan) attempting a port tack start from the pin. They couldn't quite cross Venuesworld (Ger, Chris and Rory) but ducked their transom and headed out right along with Alert Packaging and Bad (Jerry, Jimmy and Dave, Dave helming), in expectation of the forecasted veer. VenuesWorld, Manamana (Doug, Ronan and Tara) and Rubadubdub (Nick et al - sorry lads (et al), we really need to introduce ourselves over a pint this weekend at the NYC regatta!!) headed left and inshore for more pressure. Half way up the beat the boats converged back towards the middle of the course and it was clear that left and pressure had paid handsomely with Venuesworld in a commanding lead followed by Manamana and Should Be... That was the order of rounding at the weather mark followed by Bad, Alert Packaging and Rubadubdub. Heading down the run, Bad, Manamana and Should Be... opted for the early gybe with Venuesworld, Alert Packaging and Rubadubdub again heading for pressure inshore. By the bottom of the run, Venueworld had extended their lead but the rest of the fleet was still tightly packed with a few boatlengths separating second from sixth. The big movers on the run were Alert Packaging getting back up into the mix and Should Be... moving in the opposite direction. Up the second beat, the wind started to die and Venuesworld expertly plotted their way up the course, holding onto their lead. Manamana and Alert Packaging had headed out right, however this time the veer and better pressure materialised off shore and both boats made significant gains on the fleet. By now, the new north easterly breeze was establishing itself so a reach followed by a fetch to finish ensured that no further place changes were on offer and at the finish it was Venuesworld followed by Alert Packaging (who made a miraculous recovery having gone back at the start), Manamana, Bad, Rubadubdub and Should Be...

The OOD took a short break waiting for the new breeze to establish itself and once it did, the fleet were treated to a steadier F3 north easterly. OOD Con Murphy sensibly opted for a slightly shorter course than race 1 in an attempt to ensure two or more races could be completed on the day. A committee boat bias meant bunching at the weather end with several boats including Bad and Should Be... going out right with Venuesworld and Manamana heading left. At the top mark it was Venuesworld once more in a commanding lead followed by Manamana with Should Be... and Bad (this time with Gerry on the helm) in close pursuit. With the boats going pretty deep on the run, there was plenty of opportunity for the back markers to make gains on the boats ahead and claw their way back into the race and the leaders were never completely safe. After the next beat and run, the two lead boats, Manamana and Venuesworld went around the last leeward mark overlapped with Should Be... in third only a boatlength behind and Alert Packaging (this time with Darren on the helm) only a further 1/2 boatlength back. The two leaders got tangled up in a personal duel and almost allowed Should Be... through but in the end Venuesworld, sailing very solidly, held on to take the win from Should Be..., Manamana, Alert Packaging, Bad and Rubadubdub.

Race 3 got off without any delay and the fleet once again bunched up at the committee boat and split tacks up the first beat. Alert Packaging (this time with Marty on the helm), Manamana and Should Be... opting to go right with Rubadubdub, Venuesworld and Bad (this time with Jimmy on the helm) going left. This time, the boats heading right found more pressure and at the weather mark Should Be... led from Alert Packaging and Manamana. The boats bunched once more at the leeward mark with Venuesworld storming up the fleet. Should Be... still led at the leeward gate but by the narrowest of margins. In an effort to get a clean getaway, Venuesworld opted for the right hand side gate mark, however it transpired that the left mark was in fact the favoured mark allowing those boats going to the left hand mark to gain distance on Venuesworld. By the second weather mark, Should Be... had held on to their lead and were followed a few boatlengths behind by Alert Packaging, Manamana and Venuesworld. After the final run and short beat to finish, it ended up with Should Be... taking the gun followed by Alert Packaging, Venuesworld, Manamana, Rubadubdub and Bad.

So after the first SB Sunday of series 2, Ger and the crew of Venuesworld lead series 2 with 5 points and have certainly set down a marker for the rest of the fleet. Alert Packaging are in second on 8 points followed by Should Be... in third on 9 points. Special thanks goes to Con Murphy OOD and his team on Quite Correct for setting three great races in very challenging conditions. Special thanks also goes to John Roberts for the loan of his 54ft Jeanneau "Quite Correct". Having enjoyed the splendour and creature comforts of "Quite Correct", I understand that it will be hard to drag Cathy, Fionnuala and Barbara back to MacLir - I hope that they aren't unionised!!

Finally, in last Thursday's race report, I failed to mention that Alert Packaging was helmed to a convincing victory by Darren Burke with Justin on the mainsheet (unfortunately we were never close enough to tell!). Darren is obviously following in his Justin's footsteps giving the class a beating! Congratulations Darren, you might have a regular spot there! See you all this Thursday for the last Thursday of Series 1. Forecast is for wind and sunshine so leave the office and be unproductive for a few hours!

fireball – An encouraging turnout of 21 boats made the second regatta of the Irish Fireball Regatta circuit, the Open Championship, at Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club writes Cormac Bradley. Dublin Bay had been bereft of any significant wind on Friday for the first day of the ICRA Championships, but the wind forecast for today was slightly better. However, driving from Dun Laoghaire to the opposite side of Dublin Bay, there was no real sign that we were in for a better day wind-wise.

This lack of wind prompted the Race Officer, Ian Sergeant to advise the fleet that he might contemplate keeping the races inside the harbour. He was true to his word, for even though we got three races in, the wind was light and very variable. Ian did a great job of responding to the vagaries of the wind, by moving and tweaking the course set up to keep things as fair as possible. Mother Nature didn't always recognise his efforts for while he put the weather mark in the right place, during the races the wind would shift – significantly so in the second race when the second beat of the windward-leeward course became a two sail fetch.
Despite the "flexibility" of the wind, many of the names at the top of the page will be instantly recognised by readers of these Fireball Class reports.
Kenny Rumball & Brian Byrne (15058) may have got off to a slow start with a fourth, but they made amends by winning the second and third races to sit atop the "log" with a five point cushion. It was the sort of day when staying out of trouble and knowing how to keep the boat moving were the keys to success – Kenny & Brian shown those skills in spades – though they, like others, must have had some luck as well.
Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella (15114) were slightly off the pace, by their standards, but showed progressive improvement by posting a 4, 3, 2 over the three races. A new boat beckons, but for the moment they are getting their current boat to go very nicely – admittedly with the sails of their new steed!
Team Clancy, brothers James and Conor (14807) started the day's proceedings with a very comfortable start to finish win. They worked the middle and right of the first beat and seemed to have that edge of speed to sail away from the chasing pack. They stayed on the same side of the course for the downwind leg.
When the wind goes light, the door opens to a number of additional combinations and there were lots of people who had at least one good race today. Michael & James Murphy (14908), a father and son combination scored a fourth in the difficult middle race. Alan Henry & Simon Revill (14645) also had their "moment in the spotlight" with a fifth place in the third race. Neil Colin and Margaret Casey led the last race at the leeward mark and were overtaken on the second beat, but still recorded a 4th place. This allowed them to occupy 5th place overnight.
However, the best performance outside the "usual suspects" was that of Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer (14938) who scored a 3, 2, 7 to occupy 4th place overall overnight.
It doesn't happen very often, in fact it is a rare occurrence, but today was a relative shocker for perennial pace-setters Noel Butler & Stephen Oram (15061). A very uncharacteristic 5, 5, 12 sees them down in 6th place overall. The 12th place represents a "get out of gaol" opportunity because at a late stage of what became the last downwind leg, there was a prospect of a much larger number of their score sheet.
Neil Colin and Margaret Casey lead the Classic Fireball Division.

#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.

#dbsc – BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Legally Blonde (C.Drohan/P.Egan), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 3. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et al)

BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et al), 3. Attitude (T Milner J Sugars M Branigan)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Dear Prudence (B Lyons & J Given)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Bon Exemple (C Byrne)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Ruth (L Shanahan)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

CRUISERS 3 A Echo - 1. Hamilton Bear (S Hyde), 2. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello), 3. Huggy Bear (Doyle & Byrne)

CRUISERS 3 A - 1. Hamilton Bear (S Hyde), 2. Supernova (McStay/Timbs/Monaghan/Costello), 3. Quest (B Cunningham/J Skerritt)

CRUISERS 3 B Echo - 1. Capilano (Seamus Soran)

CRUISERS 3 B - 1. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 2. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 3. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell)

DRAGON - 1. Zu (M Minch/C Grimley/T Pearson), 2. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green), 2. Perfect Ten (A Balfe), 3. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton)

GLEN - 1. Pterodactyl (R & D McCaffrey), 2. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 3. Glenroan (T O'Sullivan)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Ruffles (Michael Cutliffe), 2. Carmen (B Duffy), 3. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada)

SB20 - 1. Alert Packaging (J Burke D Burke), 2. Manamana (Smith\Downing\O'Reilly), 3. Venuesworld.com (Ger Dempsey)

SHIPMAN - 1. Poppy (Peter Wallis et al), 2. Curraglas (John Masterson)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Gwili Two (D.Clarke/P.Maguire), 3. Springer (I Bowring)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 3. Just Jasmin (Philip Smith)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Warrior (D Shanahan), 2. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 3. Just Jasmin (Philip Smith)

#ff – Visiting former world champion Charles Apthorp showed the Dublin Bay fleet a clean pair of heels winning the two DBSC races in Frequent Flyer with Alan Green as crew.

There were about ten boats training with Apthorp in light winds on a short course inside the harbour prior to the DBSC racing. Following the training everyone was keen to get going in the races and practice their new or improved skills. The wind had begun to build up from the se/south as forecast a the tide was flooding. Seventeen boats started the first race, in close racing the Meaghers who were sailing fantastically fast lead at the first mark followed by Apthorp/Green, Mulvin, Colman and Gorman. Apthorp gybed to the left of the course and took the lead but the Meaghers were tucked in behind them.

On the next beat the wind shifted to the south, Gorman got up to second and Colman third, it became a soldiers race for the remaining two laps but as Gorman got stuck in traffic with other boats Colman was quick to pounce and take second place with Gorman third, the Meaghers fourth and Dumpleton/McNeilly fifth

The second race started after the PRO changed the course, by now the wind was force 4/5 and we were given 4 laps- it was going to be a long afternoon! The fleet split going up the beat and Athorpe came to the weather mark first from the right side with Gorman second from the left side. Downwind the fleet bunched up but on the beats it was generally favoured to go right towards the shore and the shallower waters for less tide. Not a lot changed in the race, crews were busy hanging in there in the by now windy conditions. Athorpe won the race comfortably with Gorman second, Dumpleton third and Colman fourth. Club Rear Commodore and fireball sailor Frank Cassidy was helming in 3773 with Joe Hickey crewing and finished sixth.

Once again it was great racing and fantastic to see such a large turnout. Special thanks to Charles Apthorp for coming over and coaching and racing with us. A lot was learnt and hopefully it can be put in practice when the fleet travel to Cushendall for the Northern Championships this weekend. Once ashore and packed the fleet had a very enjoyable bbq in the NYC organised by our class captain Nikki and her committee.

#dbsc – CRUISERS 3 Tuesday - 1. Capilano (S Soran), 2. Maranda (M Kelly), 3. Grasshopper II (K & J Glynn)

Ensign - 1. INSC2 (A Rumball)

FIREBALL - 1. No Name (S Oram), 2. No Name (B McGuire), 3. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller)

GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Pterodactyl (R & D McCaffrey), 3. Glenshane (P Hogan)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Slipstream (Julie Ascoop), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne)

PY CLASS - 1. R Kenneally (Laser), 2. Colin Galavan (Laser), 3. Tom Murphy (K1)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Different Drummer (D Tonge), 2. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 3. Blue Moon (C Collins & B McCormack)

#dbsc – BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Fiddly Bits (Timmins/Quigley/Murray/Breen), 2. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Fiddly Bits (Timmins/Quigley/Murray/Breen), 2. Legally Blonde (C.Drohan/P.Egan), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 2. Jump The Gun (M.Monaghan/J.Kelly), 3. Powder Monkey (C Moore)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Gringo (Tony Fox), 2. Bon Exemple (C Byrne), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Bendemeer (L Casey & D Power), 3. Kamikaze (P.Nash/B.McIntyre)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Red Rhum (J Nicholson & C Nicholson), 2. Jester (Declan Curtin), 3. Utopia (J Healy)

DRAGON - 1. Zu (M Minch/C Grimley/T Pearson), 2. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al)

FIREBALL Race 1- 1. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 2. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller), 3. No Name (B McGuire)

FIREBALL Race 2- 1. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth), 2. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 1- 1. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green), 2. Flyer (Niall Coleman), 3. Betty (D & S Gorman)

FLYING FIFTEEN Race 2- 1. Frequent Flyer (C Doorley/A Green), 2. Betty (D & S Gorman), 3. Kooigjug (K Dumpleton)

GLEN - 1. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor), 2. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 3. Pterodactyl (R & D McCaffrey)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 1- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Slipstream (Julie Ascoop), 3. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan)

IDRA 14 FOOT Race 2- 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan)

MERMAID Race 1- 1. Tijuana (David Stedmond), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan)

MERMAID Race 2- 1. Tijuana (David Stedmond), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan)

PY CLASS Race 2- 1. B O'Hare (RS400)

PY CLASS Race 1- 1. Hugh Sheehy (OK Dinghy), 2. B O'Hare (RS400)

SHIPMAN - 1. Curraglas (John Masterson), 2. Malindi (B.Smith/A.Gray), 3. Viking (Brian Glynn et al)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 2. Leeuwin (H&C Leonard & B Kerr), 3. Springer (I Bowring)

SQUIB Race 1- 1. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 2. Tears in Heaven (M Halpenny & G Ferguson), 3. Perfection (Jill Fleming)

SQUIB Race 2- 1. Femme Fatale (V Delaney), 2. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans), 3. Perfection (Jill Fleming)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan)

#sb20 – Five SB20s lined up for the weekly Thursday sail around the cans with southerly breeze of 13 knts gusting 16 and a rolling sea, Some of the usual contenders were presumably opting to use the evening to get ready for the trip up north this weekend. A 20 degree shift at the start made for a bias at the boat end where we duly lined up in a tight bunch which resulted in some excitement and the flying of a protest flag. Venuesworld and Sacrebleu got off the line first followed by Should be and Manamana. A decent length beat to the top mark resulted in four boats rounding within a few boat lengths of each other. The angle was just marginally too tight for some of the gusts so the fleet played it safe until Venuesworld decided to put up their kite. Enthused by their bravery Should be went for it and aimed to leeward of the fleet while SacreBleu and Venuesworld got involved in a luffing battle to windward with Manamana waiting to see what happened the kite hoisters. Should be saw the battle between SacreBleu and Venuesworld and caught a few strong gusts to lead the pack to the next mark where they lead to the finish.

The next leg was too tight to fly the kites but Manamana put in a brave effort to keep theirs up after the gybe but couldn't get the required height, still they worried the fleet for a while with their pace, the remainder of the fleet two sailed it back inshore with lovely rollers underneath, Venuesworld showed their skills in 2 sail reaching from the Enterprise days and rapidly closed the gap between themselves and Should be using the waves to great effect. Should be tacked inshore and took advantage of a right shift to increase their lead to the next mark.

A great tussle between SacreBleu and Manamana ended with SacreBleu getting to the right side of a flock of Glens to end in a photo finish which resulted in SacreBleu getting a well deserved 3rd.

Overall a great evenings yachting with everyone putting the kites up for a sleigh ride home, with Venuesworld sailing enthusiastically past the harbour never wanting it to end!

Many thanks to Barry O'Neill and the crew of Freebird for a great evening racing.

Best of luck to all those travelling north!

Final results
1. Should be
2. Venuesworld.com
3. Sacrebleu
4. Manamana
5. Smoke on the Water

#flyingfifteen – On a beautiful sunny summers evening with a s/se force 4-5 breeze it was perfect sailing conditions for the 17–Flying Fifteens. PRO Jack Roy and his team set a great course and there was some exciting sailing especially downwind.

With the tide ebbing those who went towards the shore had less wind than those who elected to stay out. Doorly/Quinn were first at the weather marked followed by Murphy/Ratto, Mulvin/Beirne and Dumpleton/Mulligan. Dumpleton sailed a great reach to take the lead and at the next mark he was followed by Mulvin and Doorly. These three stayed ahead. On the last reach Dumpleton sailed too low allowing Mulvin to get the lead. Dumpleton clawed back on the last beat to the finish but Mulvin held on by a whisker to record his first win in his new boat IRL 4028. Dumpleton was second followed closely by Doorly in third, Leonard fourth and guest helm Jon O'Rourke in fifth.

Once again it was great racing and fantastic to see such a large turnout and once ashore and packed the fleet had a very enjoyable bbq in the NYC.