#hyc – Despite calms to the south of the Liffey, the annual Howth Dinghy Regatta on Sunday found breezes to cope well with the spring tides, and the fleet of 120 boats (a clear record for recent years) had excellent excellent racing in classes for Optimists, Toppers, Laser and 420s, with entries ranging from as far away as Wexford and Wicklow to the south and Malahide and Skerries to the north, plus all ports between.
To maximize use of the day, two Committee Boats were deployed, with Richard Kissane on HYC's recently acquired Star Point (waterfront pundits can't make up their minds whether she should be called the Memphis Belle or the Delta Queen) looking after the Toppers, Lasers and 420s, while Dave Sargent on the more orthodox-in-appearance Sea Wych provided three races for the 45-strong Optimist fleet, and then added on a fourth fun event in racing for balloons with chocolate.
In the best traditions of Howth hospitality, a visitor was allowed to win the biggest class – this was RStGYC's Trevor Bolger in the Optimists, while the National YC's Nicola Ferguson won the Toppers. However, the host club's Ewan McMahon won the Laser Radials, Daniel Hopkins took the Laser 4.7, and HYC's Jamie McMahon and Peadar Lawlor won the 52s, and in the big Opty fleet, best-placed Howth sailor was Luke Turvey in 4th, while Max Kavanagh took third in the Toppers.