We are delighted to be commencing our AIB Dublin Bay Sailing Club 2022 Summer sailing season tomorrow Saturday, April 23rd writes DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan
After the past two years, the start of our racing season has been delayed due to Covid so it is great to be starting on time this year.
Racing Programme
The DBSC Flag Officers, Committee, and Racing Sub-Committee have been working over the winter months on producing an enhanced racing programme which will run from April 23rd to October 1st and will include new Saturday courses. Our sailing sub-committee led by PRO Ed Totterdell spent the winter months redesigning some of our courses, as well as compiling new ones. Thanks to Tim Goodbody and Paul Barrington for their efforts working with Ed on this.
The DBSC Hut on the West Pier
Our AIB DBSC 2022 summer racing programme consists of 9 fleet races each week:
Saturdays – 4 fleet courses
• Blue or Red fleet racing from a committee boat (including Cruisers 0 and 1) on fixed mark courses
• Blue or Red fleet racing from the West Pier hut (including DB21s) on fixed mark courses
• Green fleet racing on laid mark windward / leeward or triangular courses
• Dinghies racing on laid mark courses
Tuesdays – 2 fleet courses
• Keelboats racing from the West Pier hut on fixed mark courses
• Dinghies racing from a committee boat on laid mark courses
Wednesdays – 1 fleet course
• Water Wags racing from a committee boat on windward / leeward courses
Thursdays – 2 fleet courses
• Blue fleet keelboats (the larger ones) racing from a committee boat on fixed mark courses
• Red fleet keelboats racing from a committee boat with a combination of fixed mark and windward/leeward courses
Preparations for the Season
The DBSC Hut was repaired and painted during the winter. Chris Moore coordinated the hut maintenance programme and its transfer to its position on the West Pier at 07.30 on April 9th assisted by Brendan Dalton and Denis Nolan. It will be used for both Tuesday and Saturday keelboat racing this season.
Cruisers Zero yachts at DBSC Battery Mark on Dublin Bay near Dalkey
Our marks are all in place and ready for tomorrow’s race thanks to Philip Ferguson who organises their winter storage, maintenance and chain replacement, painting, and their setting in position over the Easter period. Our ribs have returned from Rush where they were maintained and stored during the winter months organised by Declan Traynor. Our committee boats are ready to go and our team of volunteers are all set for racing tomorrow.
Entries
We have over 270 boats entered so far. We expect a lower number of dinghies this season as our Laser entries in particular are well down on the past two seasons. However, we have a growing fleet of RS Aeros (10 entered so far), along with 9 Fireballs, 5 IDRA 14s, 3 Finns, and 17 Lasers.
The DBSC Laser fleet Photo: Afloat
Some of our keelboat classes have increased entries on last year with some impressive new boats among them. We have 10 Cruisers 0 entered and 14 Cruisers 1.
DBSC's largest keelboat class is the Flying Fifteen Photo: Afloat
We have good entries from other cruiser classes, and the Flying Fifteens are our largest keelboat class with 28 boats entered.
The Water Wags are our largest fleet overall with 37 entries at present.
The DBSC RS Aero class has ten entries Photo: Afloat
Results
The DBSC results will move from its current system, YR3, to HalSail and we are delighted to announce that Therese Tyrrell is taking on the role of Results Secretary.
Dublin Bay 21s
Geraldine wll join Naneen, Estelle and Garavogue in June and the 4 DB21s will race from the hut on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Dublin Bay 21 - Garavogue Photo: Afloat
Congratulations to DBSC member Hal Sisk on receiving the International Classic Boater of the Year award at the Royal Thames Yacht club in London last week for his decades of service to classic craft and sailing history, and along with his colleagues DBSC member Fionan deBarra and Steve Morris of Kilrush Boatyard they were awarded for their exceptional work in their shared project, the restoration of the Dublin Bay 21 Class.
Dublin Bay 21 - Naneen Photo: Afloat
DBSC start / finish dates
First Saturday Race: Saturday, April 23rd
Last Tuesday Race: Tuesday, August 30th
Last Thursday Race: Thursday, August 25th
Last Wednesday Race: Wednesday, September 21st
Last Saturday Race: Saturday, October 1st
We wish all our members a safe and enjoyable sailing season and look forward to a great summer on the water.
