At High Water Howth early on Saturday morning, it was still dark – very dark – and the roaring breakers in the nor’easterly gale at the tag-end of Storm Babet’s secondary low were sweeping over the East Pier as if it didn’t exist. Yet by daylight, the wind was easing, the sky was clearing, and as the morning got under way, the flags were out to dress the HYC clubhouse overall in the sunshine.
By noon, the first of the topsails were going aloft in the venerable Howth Seventeens as they and a very varied fleet of other boats prepared for the final races of the monday.com HYC Autumn League, whch would also see the final race of the Howth Seventeens’ brilliantly-celebrated season-long 125th Birthday – their Quasquicentennial Anniversary.
The 1907-built Howth 17 Deilignis in fine form at the weekend. In the monday.com Autumn League, she won both her class and the overall title for the clearest win. Photo: Susanne Cruise
As the afternoon went on, despite the wind easing and backing the very efficient two-course-area Race Officers Scorie Walls and Harry Gallagher - under the overall direction of David Lovegrove, all of them alumnae of Sutton Dinghy Club on the other side of the Hill of Howth – managed to get in two races for all classes. They thereby kicked in the second discard provided by six races in a series which has been so plagued by volatile weather that at one stage it looked dicey as to whether or not they’d even manage four in all.
Howth YC Commodore Neil Murphy (celebrating his 70th birthday) with supreme League Champions Jamie and Luke Massey of the Howth 17 Deilginis. It was their father Nick’s rescue of the neglected Deilginis from a forgotten storage shed in Dolphin’s Barn in Dublin in 1972 that started the current upsurge in the 125-year-old Howth 17 class. Photo: Brian Turvey
CELEBRATORY MOOD
The celebratory mood in the clubhouse afterwards is well captured in former HYC Commodore Brian Turvey’s cheerful photos of the prize-winners with Commodore Neil Murphy, himself an active participant in the Puppeteer 22 Class and on something of a permanent high as it was his own significant birthday – marked with an appropriate cake - while Howth are the MG Motor “Sailing Club of the Year 2023”.
The club spirit was further heightened on Saturday night at the prize-giving and post-series dinner with the news that fellow member Eve McMahon was leading the ILCA 6 U21 Worlds in Tangiers, in which she duly took Gold next day, while Howth YC’s most famous exported sailing talent Gordon Maguire had appeared as tactician aboard the red-hot Botin 52 Caro in that morning’s 609-mile Rolex Middle Sea Race start from Malta.
Class 1. Going into the final day, J109 Storm had a two-point lead for the Kelly Family from Rush over First 50 Checkmate XX (Nigel Biggs/Dave Cullen) and J99 Snapshot (Michael & Richard Evans), who were tied for second place. Race one was a windward-leeward with two rounds in a difficult sea state, and wind between 12 and 18 knots from the northwest on a flooding tide.
The J/109 Storm and the J/99 Snapshot battling for the overall Class 1 win, which in the end went to Snapshot on countback. Photo: Harry Gallagher
A slightly premature start from Checkmate XX (Dave Cullen & Nigel Biggs) unfortunately cost them time in returning to re-start, leaving Storm and Snapshot neck and neck at the first mark. Super tight racing gave Snapshot a win by only 3 seconds from 2nd place Storm, closing the gap for the overall lead of the series. The second race was around the cans course which started in quite a lumpy sea state and about 14 knots of wind. First around the top mark was Checkmate XX and by the second mark Ghost Raider and Snapshot were jostling for position. Storm took the best course to the next mark, but Snapshot held on to win by 23 seconds in yet another close battle.
Won on a countback – Class 1 Champions Mike (left) and Richie Evans (right) of the J/99 Snapshot, winners of Class 1 on a countback against Storm. Photo: Brian Turvey
This was enough for the Evans brothers and crew to win the Autumn League through countback on a tied result, while Storm had a solid second for the Kelly family, and third overall went to Checkmate XX.
In HPH, the winner was Nobert Reilly’s J/111 Ghost Raider, followed by Storm and Snapshot. Although racing for this year’s Autumn League was challenged by weather conditions, there was superb and very enjoyable competition in Class 1, and they look look forward to seeing more boats participate next year.
They’ve much to celebrate. Paddy Kyne with his crew from the trophy-sweeping X310 Maximus. Photo; Brian Turvey
Class 2 The final days racing for Class 2 provided the front runner in both IRC and HPH, the X310 Maximus (Paddy Kyne), taking the opportunity to consolidate her lead in both divisions. Maximus won the Windward/Leeward race convincingly with a dominated race win in IRC by over two minutes from 2nd place boat No Excuse (Wormald, Walsh, O'Neill), another X Boat and the last boat owned and raced by the late great Teddy Crosbie of Cork.
MAXIMUS WINS FOR SECOND YEAR
With the Autumn league in both divisions now secured, Maximus could afford to take her foot of the gas for the 2nd race of the day, a challenging round the cans Race in lumpy sea conditions. The X302 Xebec (Bourke, McGirr, Ball) took the IRC race win with No Excuse recording a second and the Half Ton Classic Mata (Wright, De Neve & Sheridan) taking third spot. Once ashore and the results posted, the Maximus team were crowned Class 2 overall winners in IRC for the second year running, second overall went to No Excuse and third to Dux – yet another X boat – campaigned by Caroline & Nico Gore-Grimes. On the HPH Overall, Maximus was there on top again, with No Excuse second and the Corby Impetuous (Noonan & Chambers) third
The mood of the final day is exemplified by this photo of the Howth 17s shaping up for their start – in the foreground is Oona (no 17, Peter Courtney), whose family have been involved in the class since 1907. Photo: Susanne Cruise
Class 3: With the breeze seemingly lighter than the sea state was indicating, all entries bar Kilcullen (HYC K25) were on the water for the final day. For Race One, a pin end bias saw many of the fleet sailing down the line which resulted in a clear start.
By the windward mark the Sigma 33 Insider (Stephen Mullaney) was in first closely followed by the Laser 28 Alliance II (Vincent Gaffney) and Kevin Darmody’s Geccko. This remained the order on the water, but Insider got caught up with the Class 2 boats at the leeward mark, allowing Alliance II to take full advantage to break Insider’s clean sheet with a well-deserved first on IRC, followed by Insider and Gecko.
The Sigma 33 is supposed to rate poorly under the IRC, but this collection of the Class 3 first prize for Stephen Mullaney’s Insider by crewperson Jenny Harris suggests otherwise. Photo: Brian Turvey
JOHN CORBY PERSONALLY JOINS THE FRAY
On HPH it was a first win for Pat & Neil Higginbothom’s new Beneteau First Class 8, Lazy Bones (MYC), whilst second went to anther Malahide boat, the Corby Running Wild (Anton Korshunov). Running Wild was recently refurbished to an extremely high level by her renowned creator John Corby, who was in Dublin on Saturday to sail with Anton.
For Race Two, a round the cans race would bring the season to a close with a bunched start the fleet got away. Insider was first to the windward mark, but behind her the fleet was extremely close, with Alliance II, Gecko, Running Wild and Kahara fighting it out on the first downwind leg.
Alliance II ultimately pulled ahead of the bunch with Running Wild just pipping Kahera (Russell Camier) on the line. On IRC it was Insider first from Alliance II, but Kahera jumped ahead of her sistership Running Wild due to a slightly lower rating. Kahera also took the win on HPH ahead of Running Wild and Alliance II.
Russell Camier from Malahide with Kahera was on top form on the final day. Photo: Brian Turvey
Overall on IRC, Insider won carrying all bullets as they were able to discard the second from Race 5. After a tough time for Alliance II, they were able to jump back up to second overall with their Race 5 win, whilst Gecko finished off the podium in third. On HPH, last year’s winner Kahera had not been in the lead all leading lead all series until winning that last race, thereby taking first overall ahead of Alliance II and Gecko.
Class 4 (non-spinnaker) had the new addition of Splashdance (Andy George & Tom Beckett) and with the 2023 series’ new IRC splits, Toughnut (Dermot Skehan) and Out and About (Terry McCoy) were both in class 4 too. The first race of the day saw, Splashdance start well and led from the front. A good race in 12+ knots ensued. Splashdance crossed first on the water but Bite the Bullet (Colm Bermingham) and Toughnut took the spoils on handicap.
In race 6, Splashdance erred on direction to the Garbh Mark on the penultimate leg and Bite the Bullet overtook her, leading to a final showdown in class 4. Toughnut won Race 6 by two seconds over Bite the Bullet adjusted, which allowed Splashdance the overall IRC and HPH victory on count back with three firsts for Splashdance versus two for Bite the Bullet in IRC.
Splashdance’s win on her debut in Class 4 was a matter for family celelebration. Photo: Brian Turvey
So congrats to Andy George and John Beckett from HYC for taking the Evora Class IV IRC Trophy with Splashdance, and to David Greene with White Pearl from Malahide YC taking the HPH Nissan trophy.
Class 5 (non-spinnaker) only 2 boats competed on IRC Demelza and the new addition to the class 5 fleet Leeuwin (Eamonn Burke & Jay Murray). Unfortunately, Leeuwin didn't get to compete on the last day due to mast damage so with 5 race wins the 1st prize was claimed by Demelza. On HPH first place for Class 5 was awarded to Mary Ellen (O’Byrne & Carty) and second place to the ever present 1971-vintage Swan 37 Bandersnatch (Kyran O’Grady, Wicklow SC), with Jokers Wild taking third for Lorcan Greene & R Flood.
In times past, the Club Shamrock Demelza was a star performer in the ownership of Stafford Mansfield of Cork and then Neville Maguire of Howth. Current veteran co-owner Windsor Lauden is continuing that success at Howth in partnership with Steff Ennis. Photo: Brian Turvey
Puppeteers – Overall winner in this fleet was Trick or Treat owned by the two Alans, Pearson & Blay. They had five top three finishes including thee race wins on scratch. In the HPH fleet, Sarah Robertson and crew won the Snowgoose Trophy which was presented to HYC many years ago by her parents David & Kate Lovegrove. Sarah was sailing her first event of 2023 having been kept ashore until the Autumn league by an injury, but now well rested and back in winning form.
Pushing it. Trick or Treat won the Puppeteer 22s, which are thriving mightily in Howth
The two Alans – Pearson & Blay – in the midst of the crew of all the all-conquering Puppeteer Trick or Treat, with the Commodore and the latest of many prizes. Photo: Brian Turvey
Squib class. Tears in Heaven was the runaway winner in the Squib fleet. Tom McMahon’s Squib, helmed by Jill Sommerville except the final day when Tom’s son Jack TiH delivered a relentless performance in this year's Autumn League bagging a 1st in each race.
Relative newby Tom O’Reilly with Cool Beans is big into the HPH silverware for the Squibs in Howth. Photo: Brian Turvey
Last year's winner, the popular Rob Marshall with Slipstream from Killyleagh YC on Strangford Lough, travelled home with a well-earned second prize. This year’s league saw the slow but steady re-build of the Squibs with eight boats taking part, an increase on last year, and newcomers Ger Loughran & Ross Hathaway (don’t mention the All Blacks), braving their first open event in “3point9” finishing sixth overall.
Howth 17’s. The Golden Oldies had thirteen boats on the start line for the last day of sailing for the 2023 season. It was also the last race of their 125th Anniversary, seen through so well with an imaginatively varied prgramme successfully overseen by Class Captain Dave O’Shea.
Rima Macken collects the gong for Eileen winning the HPH section in the Howth 17s. Photo: Brian Turvey
With winds of 12 knots-plus from the north west, there was a near clean start to the day’s windward/leeward Race 1 Unfortunately No 19 Isobel and No 14 Glady were OCS and had to return. Continuing on from their success last week, No 11 Deilginis (Skipper Luke Massey) crossed the l first with No 17 Oona (Skipper Peter Courtney) in second, with a battle for third between No 21 Orla and No 9 Hera, but as they came to the line, Hera (Skipper Michael Duffy) went ahead and crossed 11 seconds ahead of Orla .
The sheer joy of it – the Howth 17s starting a race on the final day of competition in their Quasquicentennial Year. Photo; Suannne Cruise
Race 2 around the cans saw No 19 Isobel (Skipper Conor Turvey ) taking an early lead to be first around the Windward mark and again first around the Cush and Island marks. But positions changed on the long beat up to the Portmarnock - Isobel sailed into a hole in the wind and No 20 Sheila (the 2023 National Championship winner) seemed to take the lead.
However, that didn't last as No 9 Hera found their own private wind supply by sticking to the Eastern side of the beat to take lead position as she approached the Portmarnock Mark. With the wind continuing to ease, Race Officer Scorie Walls had already signalled Shortened Course as the fleet cleared the Island Mark, so No 9 Hera (Skipper Michael Duffy) crossed the finish line first followed 45 seconds later by No 20 Sheila (Skipper David Mulligan ) while third boat across the line was Isobel (Skipper Conor Turvey) .
The 1898-built Hera (Michael & Jane Duffy) was winner of the last race of the Hwth 17’s 125th Anniversary Year
Team Competition
Interest in the Howth Autumn League is heightened by an inter-team series with three-boat teams selected from three different classes, but those interested have to be on the ball beforehand if they want to get the two partner boats that they prefer. So just four teams were ready to go as the series starts, and the top team never changed throughout the whole event, with the squad called and “Stormed Inside Erica” made up of Storm (Pat Kelly, second overall in Class 1), Insider (Stephen Mullaney, first overall in Class 3) and Erica (Davyd Nixon, second overall in Howth 17’s staying as clear team winners.
Overall Winner of the monday.com 2023 Autumn League was Deilginis – Howth 17 No 11, built 1907 in Portrush by James Kelly - with an 8 point winning margin in one of the best supported classes.
BRASS MONKEY SERIES
With the Autumn League all wrapped up, the Brass Monkey Series starts on the 5th November, running for 5 Sundays and last day on Saturday 9th December, Pat Connolly hopes to see many more boats out, it can be some of the most inclement weather of the year but always great racing and craic afterwards.
The Howth dinghy frostbites will also be under way to help the winter sailing carry through to April 2024, when Howth Yacht Club will be looking at beginning the Golden Jubilee Celenrations of fifty years of a continuous sailing programme, as the tradition Opening Day of April 1974 morphed in late Autumn into the first Laser Winter League
Meanwhile, a big thank you to Gary Cullen for bringing sponsorship from Monday.com, which all Autumn League participants very much appreciate.
Detail Results here
