Day 4 of the Brass Monkey Spring Series at Howth Yacht Club, sponsored by Tadg Riordan Motors, got underway under typical winter uncertainty, with early morning rain prompting the North Star crew to don their wet-weather gear once again. As the course was set, conditions improved, revealing a fresh West to Southwest breeze of 15 knots and a reasonably flat sea, with gusts reaching 20 knots. Race officials opted for Course No. 14, and all fleets managed a clean start on the ebbing tide.
In Fleet 1, it was Mistoffelees, skippered by Enda Mulvihill, who crossed the line in fifth place but managed to hold onto the overall lead. Battling J from Malahide Yacht Club, helmed by their K25 team, is just one point behind, keeping the title race tightly contested. The mid-fleet remains closely matched, tied on 13 points, ensuring that the final two races will be decisive.
Fleet 2 saw Flexit, skippered by Michael Carroll, maintain control of the leaderboard, leading Pretty Polly, helmed by Chris Horrigan, by two points. The mid-fleet is similarly competitive, tied on 13 points. Meanwhile, Out and About, with Terry McCoy at the helm, secured a race win but remains towards the lower end of the overall standings, a testament to the handicap system keeping the series competitive.
While most races were free from major incidents, Arcturus, helmed by Peter McCabe, suffered a broken boom during the race. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but the crew faced a scramble to ensure the boat is ready for next week’s action.
With two races remaining, the series remains wide open, promising more tactical sailing and fierce competition as crews battle the Brass Monkey conditions. For the full list of results click here. Race report by Derek Bothwell.
