Twenty-one dinghies entered the May League at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club which concluded last Thursday evening with a tie at the top two places in Class One by two 505s. Ewen Barry and crew Ronan O’Driscoll and Charles McCarthy with his crew, Barry O’Connor, tied at the finish after nine races, with two discards allowed, on 28 points. The tie was broken on the highest number of placings. Barry and O’Driscoll had six first places and came out on top. Finishing in third place overall was Colin Johns on 31.5 points.

Class two had eleven entries and the top three places overall were filled by RS Feva XLs which dominated the class with nine of the dinghies racing.

The other two boats were a Mirror and an Optimist. Isobelle McCarthy and Isobelle Clarke Waterman were the winners on 16 points. Second were Ruby and Daisy Duggan on 23 and third Lucy O’Connell and Kate O’Connor on 46.

The Commodore at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club rather appropriately won the Commodore’s Cup on Saturday.

Sailing a 505 Sandy Rimmington was crewed by Richard Harrington. They won both races sailed. Second in both and second overall in another 505, were Charles McCarthy and Barry O’Connor. Third were Ben Dwyer and Donagh Leahy in an RS Feva XL.

Charles McCarthy and Barry O’Connor won the May evening league in Class 1 on 25 points. Ewen Barry and David McSweeney were second, just a point ahead. Both crews were sailing 505s.

Third was Colin Johns, half-a-point behind them on 26.5. Class 2 was won by Isabella McCarthy and Isobelle Clarke Waterman racing an RS Feva XL on 14 points.

Ruby and Daisy Duggan were second on 19 points in another Feva XL. Third were Isobel and Tim O’Connor in a Mirror dinghy.

The 'Commodore’s Cup' is being raced at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club on Saturday. It is an All-In Start for the club’s dinghy fleet, with First Gun at 1255.

The club is also offering ‘Try Sailing’ for members and friends tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m. and using RS200 and RS400s.

There is close competition at the top of the club’s May League which will conclude next Tuesday evening. Lasers and 505s are contesting the top four positions in Class 1.

Nine Class 1 dinghies sailed the first evening league race at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour.

It was a pleasant, easy night’s sailing to begin the season, with three 505s continuing their build-up to their World Championships in Cork in August.

All three finished in the first four places, led by Ewen Barry, crewed by David McSweeney. Second was Richard Harrington, crewed by Club Commodore Sandy O’Brien. Charles McCarthy and Barry O’Connor were fourth. Laser sailor David O’Connell got in ahead of them to take third place.

Two RS Feva XLs raced Class2, where Lucy O’Connell and Kate O’Connor won from Isobelle McCarthy and Isobelle Clarke Waterman.

Monkstown plans to race on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings.

A membership application form for new members has been posted on the club’s website.

The 505 Worlds will be hosted by Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven from August 1-13. More than 120 crews from over 15 nations are expected. This will be the fourth time the club will host the Championships, having welcomed visiting crews previously in 1959, 1964 and 1982.

As a preliminary to the Worlds, MBSC will host the Irish National Championships on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, July 2/3.

Four RS fleets totalling 25 boats raced the RS Southern Championships at the refurbished Sand Quay at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour at the weekend.

“A very successful first regional event of the year for the RS Class and a great way to get back into tactical racing,” said Club Commodore Sandy Rimmington. “Officers of the Day and mark-laying teams did a fantastic job in difficult conditions to give great racing.”

The Monkstown Commodore crewed the winning 400 Class boat which was helmed by MBSC club member Joan Downey.

An MBSC/RCYC combination, Robbie O’Sullivan and Phil McGlade were second and Govan Berridge and David Coleman from Killaloe SC third.

The 200 class winners were Tadgh Donnelly and Meabh Ryan from the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire; Monkstown Bay’s Richie Harrington and Sandy O’Brien were second and Alex and Martin Roe from Galway City SC third.

Aero Class single-handed winner was Daragh Sheridan from Howth YC, with Monkstown’s Robert Howe second and Noel Butler NYC third.

The Fevas Class winners were the St. Mawes SC visitors from Truro, Cornwall, Kitty and Lily O’Halloran. The host club’s Tony Geraghty and Tara Kennedy were second and another MBSC boat third – Afric Barry, Siofra Deasy and Even Barry combining to crew.

Download results below

Monkstown Bay boaters in Cork Harbour got a pre-season boost with a general tidying up of the town's Sand Quay and boat park extensively used by Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC).

The improvements come as the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project in the area passes another milestone, with sewer pipes extending for over one kilometre under the estuary between Cobh and Monkstown - the longest such directional drill in Ireland. 

Monkstown Bay's Sand Quay Boat Park

The Sand Quay refurbishment is a work in progress, and there has been a thumbs up for the new surface that replaces the grass. 

Monkstown Quay

Works also included widening the second Monkstown slipway at the Cork County Council governed area.

(Above and below) Monkstown Bay's two slipways with the second slip (below) were improved by widening Photos: Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club will host the RS Southern Dinghy Championships on April 16th. 

Looking out from Monkstown to the local marina facility and in the background, the Armorique Ferry where Brittany Ferries announced this week a weekday sailing from Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour has issued its Sailing Calendar for the season, following from successful Laser Frostbites it held in January and February.

The new Calendar runs to the Christmas Race this year for the Magner Trophy on St.Stephen’s Day, December 26.

After a break from club sailing in March, during which there has been a refurbishment of the dinghy park on the Sand Quay in the village, dinghy sailing for the season will begin on Saturday, April 9, with the RS Sprints.

MBSC will host the 505 Irish National Championships in July with Club Commodore Sandy Rimmington (above) playing a leading role Photo: Bob Bateman

The following weekend MBSC will host the RS Southerns, on April 16 and 17. Monthly Leagues begin in May and run until October.

The Club’s At Home will be held on Saturday, June 25 and its Sailing Courses are scheduled from June 20 to July 8.

There is a lot of focus at the club this year on the growth of the 505 fleet, with Club Commodore Sandy Rimmington leading preparations for MBSC participation in the World Championships which are being hosted by the Royal Cork YC at Crosshaven
from August 3-13.

As a preliminary to the Worlds, MBSC will host the Irish National Championships on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, July 2/3.

“There has been a rejuvenation of the 5O5 fleet, which had always been strong in Monkstown,” the MBSC Commodore said.

Twenty-knot blustery conditions brought the six-week Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser Winter League to a close in Cork Harbour yesterday.

The host club's Ronan Kenneally successfully defended the MBSC Yard of Ale Trophy with the experienced Rob Howe (also an SB20 sailor) taking second overall in the 20-boat dinghy fleet.

Paul O'Sullivan of the host club came up to third. One time series leader Kieran Dorgan of Cove Sailing Club slipped to fifth and Brendan Dwyer finished fourth. 

Rob Howe (centre) with Race Officer Alan Fehily (left) and MBSC Commodore Sandy Rimmington

Paul O'Sullivan (centre) with Race Officer Alan Fehily (left) and MBSC Commodore Sandy Rimmington

The overall leader of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser Winter League Ronan Kenneally (right) has a six-point lead going into next Saturday's final races in Cork Harbour.

Kenneally took the advantage on the penultimate Saturday to oust Cove's Kieran Dorgan from the top spot in the 20-boat fleet.

Races 13, 14 and 15 were solid races with some great gusts for fast downwind sailing that produced three different race winners in the competitive outing.

The first race was a windward-leeward course over three rounds on Monkstown Bay.

The wind rose from the southwest rose for the second and third races and Race Officer Alan Fehily added a triangle for the second round in both these races giving high speed reaches and a number of spills.

Sunday's Well sailor Paul O'Sullivan capsizes Photo: Bob Bateman

Scroll down for a photo gallery of Saturday's races plus vids by Mary Malone of the racing and a short interview with the MBSC Officer of the Day. 

MBSC Laser Winter League results

Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman of Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser Winter League

Wins for Kieran Dorgan in races nine and ten of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser Winter League was a significant result for the Cove Sailing Club ace in Cork Harbour on Saturday.

Top scorer Dorgan was followed by two host club sailors Brendan Dwyer and Paul O'Sullivan in the light and patchy southwest winds. See overall results below.

Three quick races were sailed off Monkstown leaving six left to sail in the 20-boat series. Dorgan gave Mary Malone his view on the series for far in this vid below:

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Laser Winter League after ten races sailed

 The fleet come ashore after racing at Monkstown Bay