UK Sailmakers Ireland is delighted to have Andrew "Hammy' Baker join our team in NI.

Hammy has tons of experience and is well-known locally.

Andrew grew up on Strangford Lough sailing in a family cruiser and as part of the Topper RYANI Junior and Youth Squads. He also campaigned in Lasers and competed in the World Championships.

He won the British IRC National Championships on JPK 1010 Straight Dealer and was selected as part of the Artemis Offshore Team to race in the Figaro fleet. Based in France, doing two seasons of the Figaro Circuit, including two Solitaire du Figaro.

He then moved to Southampton and Raced/worked on the Artemis IMOCA 60, aiming to race in the TJV and then on to Vendee.

Andrew then sailed for a few years in the Mediterranean and Caribbean circuits on a Farr115 Sojana and several yachts, such as Rambler 88 and CQS.

He has earned multiple National Championship titles and event wins over the years in SB20s, RS Aero and Flying Fifteens.

He is now working full-time as the Performance Manager for RYA Northern Ireland and sailing various classes, including skippering a new JPK 1030 to be based in Dublin for the 2024 ISORA season.

As you can see from Andrew's experience, he is well-equipped to take on the role in NI. If you have sails that need repair service or need new sails, just contact Hammy [email protected]

Hammy will be happy to help you.

We have had a very busy winter period getting your sails serviced, repaired and ready for 2024. Over 800kg of sails and covers sent to laundry are now back.

We were delighted to get so many sails and covers this season, way more than we have had before; we are getting everything ready for St. Patrick's Weekend so you can get out early.

As well as laundry, we have been really busy getting racing sails ready, checking their IRC, and sorting any nicks and scratches on them. Most of the racing sails are ready for the season ahead, with the last of them ready for action in early spring.

We have moved production

We have moved to a new production loft in Carrigaline, and opened up a shop in Crosshaven to better serve the needs of our customers; the new production loft is built to make and service sails.

New Plotter- Blackman & White

We have also bought a new Plotter (cutting machine to cut sails). To give us greater capability to produce sails with a modern machine. Our new machine is affectionally called Marvin²

New Plotter from Blackman and White, state-of-the-art plotter, with drag knife and pizza wheel, felt vacuum bed, aluminium and steel ridged frame

Get your orders in. We still have the capacity to deliver new sails on time

We still have room for you if you want to get out early and make the most of 2024. As March is here and you're not sure the status of your sails. Or looking at your IRC cert and think it needs to be lower.

Our sail loft has been a sail service centre for over fifty years. Thousands of sails have been on our floor and it’s not often we see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot issues before they emerge as serious problems. This will not only save you money – but also time.

No one wants their sails on our floor when they should be on your boat out sailing!

CLUB RACER

As we are the only IHC loft in Ireland, we can get your sails IRC measured and certified for the coming season. We still have room for more if you haven’t sent them in and your thinking of having a look. Now is the time.

When we receive your sails in our loft we give them a full check over. We check all luff tapes for tears, check common wear spots such as where they interact with spreaders and stanchions, check for missing telltils, and identify if there are any unknown causes for the problem which is presenting itself on the floor.

While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2020 season.

COASTAL CRUISER

If cruising or day sailing is your thing and you put your sails away last October. There is still time to get them checked and ready for the new season. I have seen many sails still on the boom in different boat yards and yacht clubs.

One of the worst thing you can do for your sails is leave them on your boat for a prolonged period of time – even during the sailing season. If you are not going to be using your boat for a month or more then take down the sails and store them.

Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching.

During the check-up, we inspect your entire UV cover and its stitching. A quick run through a sewing machine now is much more cost-effective than replacing an entire torn UV strip after an Irish winter storm. The same goes for your covers. Deliver them all to us together for a full assessment.

1720 with XD Carbon racing sails

NOW IS THE TIME!

Our schedule in filling up fast after a busy season on the water. Now is the time to contact us and arrange your service. Let us ensure your sails are in top health and ready for your 2020 sailing season.

Contact Production at [email protected]

The UK Sailmakers Ireland sail loft in Crosshaven, Co Cork, has been a sail service centre for over forty years.

Thousands of sails have been on our floor, and we rarely see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot issues before they emerge as serious problems. This will not only save you money – but also time. No one wants their sails on our floor when they should be on your boat out sailing!

Depending on the type of sailing you are doing, an ‘annual service’ can consist of many different things. Some may even ask, “Do I really need to?” The short answer is –yes, you do – let me explain why.

Club Racer

If you’re a club racer, then you’re the most likely to ask the “Do I really need to?” question. In fact, your sails will likely benefit more than anyone else from a good annual service.

When we receive your sails in our loft, we give them a full checkover. We check all luff tapes for tears, check common wear spots such as where it interacts with spreaders and stanchions, check for missing tell tails, and identify if there are any unknown causes for the problem which is presenting itself on the floor.

For example, we see many luff tape repairs throughout the season and during winter service. Luff tapes don’t just tear. If they tear then there is a reason why. Sometimes it can be a simple mistake of sheeting on too early or skipping the feeder – but often, there is a problem which can be solved on the boat. We discuss potential issues with our customers and present solutions to avoid damage occurring in the future.

While we have your sails, we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2024 season.

Our expert staff pick up details which the untrained eye would overlook. Leverage this experience to protect your investment and maximize your time on the water come next spring.

UK Sailmakers expert staff pick up details which the untrained eye would overlook

Coastal Cruiser

If cruising or day sailing is your thing, then you likely have a UV strip on your headsail and plenty of covers, spray hoods, dodgers etc.

One of the worst things you can do for your sails is leave them on your boat for a prolonged period of time – even during the sailing season. If you are not going to be using your boat for a month or more, then take down the sails and store them aboard. If you only wear your good flamingo shirt to weddings, and you don’t have one for two months, you aren’t going to leave it hanging on the line!

Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching. During an annual check-up, we inspect your entire UV cover and its stitching. A quick run through a sewing machine now is much more cost-effective than having to replace an entire torn UV strip after an Irish winter storm. The same goes for your covers.

Deliver them all to us together for a full assessment.

Storage

When you are packing your boat up for the season, you should also be thinking about where you are going to store your sails. Definitely take them down, we’ve all seen furled headsails ragged by a winter storm, and take them off the boat and have them stored properly in a cool, dry, rodent-free place – our sail loft for example!

Even if you have your own space to store your sails; get them to the loft first. We see it every spring – ‘best intentions’ of getting your sails to us during the winter were packed away with them. Out of sight, out of mind. You then have to join the long line to get your small issue fixed when you could be out enjoying your sailing.

We have a purpose built storage area in our loft where we can keep your sails comfortable until you need them. We can also store your racing sails rolled – extending their life and keeping them nice and crisp.

Laundry & Re-Proofing

When we have your sails and covers for service, we also consider whether they are due a wash. Every year, we are asked to replace boom covers and spray hoods when all that is needed is a good wash, reproofing, and a few stitches here and there.

Sails and covers are washed to remove green mildew and general grime from the fabric. Covers are then re-waterproofed to give them an entirely new lease of life.

Now is the time!

Our schedule in filling up fast after a busy season on the water. Now is the time to get in contact and arrange your winter service. Let us ensure your sails are in top health and ready for your 2020 sailing season.

Contact us at [email protected] or call our service manager Cleo on 021 483 1505.

Please note our new address:

UK Sailmakers Ireland
KILNAGLEARY BUSINESS PARK
CARRIGALINE Co Cork
P43 YR22

Wear and tear can destroy almost any part of your sail. You pad and tape the lifelines and put chafe guards on. You put covers on spreader tips. All these things protect your sails, but your sails can suffer from abrasion and folding as well. Every time you tack, your sails will flutter, bending threads and slowly breaking down the sailcloth over time. And, if you have an overlapping Genoa, the constant brushing over the mast and shrouds will eventually cause wear on the laminate

What can you do to protect your sails and extend their performance life? One solution is to purchase sails with a protective coating of a light taffeta on one or both sides of the sail. The taffeta we’re talking about is a durable fabric made from twisted polyester yarns. These panels of taffeta can be laminated to mylar sailcloth when the sailcloth is being manufactured.

Simply put, a protective layer of taffeta will strengthen, protect, and extend the life of a sail. Ranging in thickness from 1.0mil to 2.0mil, you can order a sail made with taffeta already bonded to one side (preferred) or you can have UK Sailmakers apply a layer of taffeta to an existing sail. In either case, the value represented by the extended performance life of the sail vs. any cost implications makes taffeta a wise decision.

Oyster+575+Lisanne XD Carbon Double taffeta sails grey Photo: Nico Martinez

An additional benefit of adding taffeta is that it helps create a firm, stable, and durable structure when laminated, allowing the sailmaker to reduce the weight of the core mylar or woven film helping keep the sail as light as possible.

There are two schools of thinking regarding how much taffeta is needed. For sails where you want to dramatically extend peak performance life, full coverage of one side is recommended – ideally using a base sailcloth with integrated taffeta mentioned above. To protect the sail even more, on the film side, you can have a taffeta “wave” applied, a wide strip of taffeta that follows the shape of the sail down the leech and forward across the foot. This taffeta wave adds a layer of protection against abrasion where it is needed most, without adding extra weight and bulk to the entire sail.

Titanium 2XI double taffeta and Code zero with CZ 15 Taffeta 

That said, many cruising boats going offshore or those sailing in races like the Fastnet opt for full taffeta on both sides of the sail. This makes the sail extremely strong and durable, although it does add to the sail’s overall weight.

The majority of the taffeta sailmakers use comes from Germany, India, or Taiwan and comes in white, grey, or black. Regardless of colour, the taffeta material itself comes in 3 primary formats:

• 50x 50 – Light taffeta, Taffeta L, which is about 1 sm-oz when laminated to a film.
• 50x 150 – Medium taffeta, Taffeta M, which is about 1.3 sm-oz when laminated to a film.
• 150x 150 – Heavy taffeta, Taffeta H, which is about 1.8 sm-oz when laminated to a film.

Approximately 90 % of all boats in Ireland with taffeta only need Taff L or Taff M; anything more would be too heavy.

An example of taffeta laminated onto mylar is the Radial laminate DCX from Dimension Polyant. This is a very durable lightweight radial laminate used on most cruising and performance cruising boats. And taffeta protective coatings are not just for mains and jibs, today’s Code 0s are made with very light taffeta coatings, too.

UK Sailmakers Cruising sails Radial laminate DCX from Dimension Polyant

One final note, because taffeta will absorb some water, the sail can add weight in certain situations. As such, taffeta-coated sails are not well suited for one-designs like 1720s or J/70s that are normally better off with quick dry, lightweight mylar sails. However, if you have a J/80 with a furling headsail, a taffeta headsail would be really good as it would add to the durability of the furling sail.

To learn more about what taffeta coatings can do to extend the peak performance life of the sails on your boat, contact your UK Sailmakers loft today https://www.uksailmakers.com

IMP Holand 39 with XD Carbon taffeta sails

A-sail design principles are often misunderstood. Top sailmakers explain...

To explain the thinking that goes into designing asymmetrical spinnakers, UK Sails Ireland interviewed three sail designers from UK Sailmakers: lead designer Pat Considine, UK Sailmakers Chicago; Geoff Bishop, UK Sailmakers Fremantle, and Stuart Dahlgren, UK Sailmakers Northwest - Sidney, BC. Their thoughts on spinnaker design fell into two buckets.

1. The boat itself

Type of boat - high-performance, displacement, one-design.
Exact measurements - pin-to-pin halyard length, sheeting position, etc.

2. The type of sailing to be done

IRC, ORC, offshore, coastal, one design, professional vs. Corinthian

Key data points

When designing an asymmetrical spinnaker, a designer will focus on three primary data points:

1. The point-to-point distance between where the spinnaker will be tacked (on a sprit or a lowered pole) and the max height for the halyard.
2. The mid-girth (SMG) luff to leech measurement, expressed as a percentage of the foot length.
3. The trim position for the clew in terms of height off the deck and where the sheet will lead.

Pat Considine explains: ‘A symmetrical spinnaker is probably the easiest sail to design. It has no twist and both sides are the same. An asymmetrical spinnaker, on the other hand, is challenging to design because the luff is free flying, there’s twist in the leech and there are many other things to consider.’

Our sailmaker panel agreed that once the boat characteristics and racing plans are known, additional pre-design considerations include:

• The performance characteristics of the boat such as polars, reaching/running angles and so on
• The other spinnakers in the inventory: can this new sail have a narrow range or should it be all-purpose?
• Rating system to be sailed, optimisation for IRC, ORC, etc
• Budget: Yes, there is less expensive nylon and more expensive nylon. With spinnakers you get
  what you pay for
• The skill of the owner: experienced sailors (helm and trimmers) will not need as forgiving a
  spinnaker as less experienced sailors.

Geoff Bishop adds: ‘Once you get a good sail design and you know the boat’s measurements, you pretty much stick with it. That said, the critical thing for me is getting the luff length and the mid-girth ratio right.

‘Start with the straight-line measurement from the tack to the max hoist position (straight line), the tack point to the sheeting position, plus the sheeting position to the max hoist position. It’s critical to get those measurements right because every percent of difference in mid-girth in relation to the foot and luff length changes performance and ratings.’

A running sail could have a 105% mid-girth (SMG) of the foot length (SF) and a luff length longer than the straight-line measurement. Conversely, a reaching sail will have a smaller SMG in relation to the foot length as well as a shorter luff.

Kite measurements - the seven key sail measurement points for an asymmetric spinnaker. It’s crucial to understand how these parameters affect a sail’s performance when asking a sailmaker to design a new A-sail

Luff length

The luff length helps to determine the projection of the sail. For windward/leeward racing, mostly in displacement boats, the goal is to soak for VMG. For that you want a luff that is longer than the pin-to-pin measurement; this creates positive luff curve allowing the sail to project to windward further so you can sail deeper on those shorter round-the-buoys races. If a spinnaker luff keeps collapsing when properly trimmed, the entry is probably too flat. One of your tools is the tackline: if it has been eased to allow more projection, pull it back down to help round the entry, making it easier to trim.

To design a good A-sail, the entry must be deep enough to support the luff round and allow the luff to curl without collapsing. Consider a heavy J1 jib. To sail that J1 upwind in a groove, you need curvature in the luff so the telltales work. Reachers (A1, A3, A5) will be designed flatter and straighter in the aft section to avoid the sail getting overpowered too quickly. Runners (A2, A4) tend to have deeper, rounder aft sections.

For running asyms, the luff length can range from 105-112% of the pin-to-pin measurement. 112% would be for a boat like a J/120 where projection is important. The longer luff helps to increase projection when sailing at the deeper angles.

Tweakers are another tool that can be used to improve your sail’s performance. As the sheet is eased the active tweaker should be tensioned, effectively moving the sheet lead forward, this controls twist and allows the designed depth to be maintained, so that the head doesn’t flip open as the sail is eased.

All these contributing factors that make displacement boats’ VMG quick downwind are your enemies when sailing a performance boat offshore in waves. Unlike displacement boats, performance boats generate tremendous amounts of apparent wind. With the apparent wind angle rarely aft of 110 degrees, the helmsperson will drive down to surf waves then turn up to regain speed and height.

Displacement boats also may surf down a wave moving the apparent wind forward but when they put the bow up to dig out of the trough, they won’t respond as quickly. Also, the apparent wind shifts relatively more than on a performance boat.

Offshore and coastal running sails generally have the same depth, but what differs would be the luff length defining the luff round, and the overall projection of the luff. This is achieved by designing the
sail’s optimal flying shape and then engineering the panel layout to handle the loads and maintain stability.

Sailing in waves you “drive” the boat more aggressively moving the apparent wind more dynamically. If conditions allow the boat to be stable, it’s great to have a super long luff; but when the boat starts to move around under the sail, oscillation increases as do the chances of collapse or wrapping the sail around the forestay. There is also the physical limitation on how long the crew can keep up aggressively trimming the sheet in a distance race.

Because of the relatively smaller shifts in apparent wind angle in performance boats, their offshore spinnakers are cut flatter with a tighter luff. This design will be more resistant to collapsing from a serpentine steering pattern through waves. By adjusting the tackline you have more range with this sail.

Mid-girth measurement (SMG)

A big difference between one-design or coastal and offshore spinnakers is the mid-girth measurement (SMG). Offshore, where you typically sail at higher wind angles, your asym’s SMG is likely to be narrower depending on whether it is an A1, A3 or A5. Coastal or one-design spinnakers, used more for VMG running (A2 and A4) will have a wider SMG, as you’re looking to soak deeper. This wider SMG design will allow the sail to rotate out in front and to windward further in the VMG soak mode.

Above: an asymmetric spinnaker rotates as the sheet is eased. A wider SMG (mid-girth measurement) allows it to rotate further in front and to windward, which is ideal for inshore racing in a displacement boat. Sails for offshore use and for fast planing boats tend to have a narrower SMG which is more efficient at tighter wind angles.)

Sheeting position/leech length

The leech in an offshore asymmetric isn’t much different than a coastal or one-design sail, yet it’s still critical to get the clew height and sheeting angle right. The amount of fullness in the back end comes down to the type of spinnaker it is. Reachers are flatter in their aft sections so that you don’t get overpowered as quickly. Runners’ leech sections tend to be rounder, generating more power.

Pat Considine continues: ‘With our computer design software, it’s very easy for us to change the depth of the sail, but it’s important that you understand the corner-to-corner loads. Someone may be looking to save time and money by designing an asym with fewer panels but that’s no good because of the bias loads going across the panels. Designing a sail to have more panels that are narrower will result in a structurally stronger sail. We orient panels so the warp and fill yarns reflect the load paths of the sail. We also specify heavier fabric with narrower panels in luff, where most of the load is.’

Tweaking the leech shape

As the true wind angles being sailed change, you will want to control the leech shape and sheeting angle of the sail. Attaching a tweaker to the sheet allows you to raise or lower the sheeting angle and optimize the twist and exit angle of the sail.

Geoff Bishop notes: ‘With our running sails, if you’re in eight knots with a 150-degree target angle, we’d put on a little tweaker. But if we had to head up to 140 degrees to gain speed, we’d release the tweaker. We constantly play the tweaker up and down to optimise leech shape and control twist.’
Overtightening the tweaker will close the leech and prevent it from exhausting properly. To sail deeper angles, ease the sheet so the sail rotates forward and tension the tweaker to control twist.

Summary

Taking the time to understand the boat and the manner of sailing it will do is critical to designing and building an asymmetrical spinnaker that will help you win races. After that, it’s up to you to properly adjust and set the spinnaker so it will match the design’s optimal flying shape.

If you are looking for a new asymmetrical spinnaker for your boat, don’t just take what you’re given. Ask questions about the key measurement points of the sail, understand the performance differences of various options and then practice to sail it effectively. If you do this, you’ll be able to sail with confidence.

It has been a busy summer here in UK Sailmakers Ireland with Dun Laoghaire regatta and other regattas. We are pleased to report that we were up to the challenge of getting sails made and ready on time despite the obstacles posed by worldwide supply chain issues.

Luckily for our customers, we make many of our sails locally, right here in Crosshaven, so our customers were able to receive their new sails in time for their regattas. That’s not a claim every sailmaker can make.

First 34.7 Black Velvet IRL 3471 with her A2 and Titanium mainsail competing at Calves Week Regatta

From 1720 spinnakers to Howth 17s and Mermaid sails, we have also started making Shannon one design sails, which are proving their worth on the race course. This is the level of professional customer service sailors have come to expect from UK Sailmakers, and that’s a responsibility we take seriously.

Having the ability to design and produce sails in Ireland is a key feature of our loft. With the resident sailmaking know-how right here, sailors can discuss their new sails face-to-face with the sailmakers who will be building them. That is a rare and very special part of what makes UK Sailmakers Ireland stand out in the marketplace.

David Dickson coming around the leeward mark in the Lough Ree Regatta 

Although we make many of our own sails, some are made at the UK Sailmakers loft in Hong Kong. With supply chain issues not expected to ease up in the near future and with an early Chinese New Year expected to disrupt deliveries further, we are advising our customers to talk to us now about new sail requests so we can meet delivery expectations.

As autumn draws to a close, our Winter Discount programme kicks in from September 1st until December 1st, giving you time to inspect your sails one last time and see what’s needed for the new season starting in March.

Get in early, get out early, and sail with confidence.

Adam Perry from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) was at UK Sailmakers Ireland loft in Crosshaven, County Cork, this week  (7th of June 2023) for the refreshing of its In-House Certification (IHC).

The Cork loft is the only IHC loft in Ireland and has been since Des McWilliam's days, but it must renew this status every three years as per World Sailing requirements.

To that end, Adam from the RYA was in the loft to check over the loft’s records and measurement methods to confirm the required consistency with worldwide practice and renew their licence.
The Royal Yachting Association's Adam Perry (right) conducting the IHC certification at the UK Sailmakers loft in Crosshaven 

This allows UK Sailmakers Ireland to make and measure any sail for one design, IRC, ORC, PHRF, ISAF, world sailing, ECHO; all the staff attended the course (including loft dog Bert), which allows UK Sailmakers Ireland to put a World sailing ISAF stamp on any sail needing to be certified worldwide.

UK Sailmakers Ireland is on the ISA list of authorised ISAF approved measurers.

UK Sailmakers Ireland can make and measure any sail for one design, IRC, ORC, PHRF, ISAF, world sailing and ECHO handicaps

We’re getting very close now. It’s just around the corner; this time next weekend, you will hopefully be in Dick Mac’s in Dingle having a refreshing pint!

So how is it looking for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race (D2D) next week, and what should be occupying the minds of skippers over the weekend?

At this stage, boats should be cleaned and washed above and below the waterline and could probably be set into ‘race mode’ ahead of the start on Wednesday.

Provisioning is probably well underway, and a big lesson is to make sure there is enough water! A minimum of 2.5 litres per person per day! Minimum.

We will be running a weather briefing on Tuesday evening and will be available to answer questions on Wednesday morning, but the long-term forecast is for spinnakers!

The D2D fleet should get the benefit of the tide around Wicklow Head and use this to carry themselves mostly to Tuskar Rock

There is a very dominant high pressure to the North of Ireland that looks set to stay there until next week and into next weekend…. This is giving us downwind conditions all the way to Dingle at present.

With a start time set that would be used for a perfect passage if one was to head south tide-wise, the fleet should get the benefit of the tide around Wicklow Head and use this to carry themselves mostly to Tuskar. The faster boats may stay in this tide all the way to Tuskar in the dying few hours of the southerly flow. Slower boats may unfortunately not make Tuskar and may end up punching into the tide as they approach the lighthouse…. It will be interesting when we run the routings to see if it might even pay to go outside the Tuskar TSS!

Wind-wise, initially, with a lot of change likely to happen in the next few days, the fleet is likely to start in a strong sea breeze out of Dun Laoghaire, and once around Muglins, this could die off. Wind within sight of the land looks good down the Wexford coast, with there likely to be running VMG conditions gybing in and off the coast. Through Wednesday night, look out for a transition with the wind going forward to being on the bean towards Tuskar.

Into Thursday, this easterly wind is likely to stay with slightly more breeze offshore; once again, it will be VMG running conditions in the direction of the Fastnet. There is likely to be some compression off the Fastnet with a bit more breeze in that area but expect the race to be quick along the south coast.

There is likely to be some compression off the Fastnet with a bit more breeze in that area but expect the D2D race to be quick along the south coast

The wind will likely follow the fleet around Baltimore and Goleen, keeping the running VMG theme going!

Unfortunately, early forecasts show little wind off Dingle; still time to win or lose the race here! Keep the concentration up!

As I said, this is a very, very early look at what MIGHT happen, not to be relied on yet!

Make sure to come to the briefing on Tuesday night, where we will discuss this in more detail.

And don’t forget, to save weight, you can drop your bags with us by booking at this link here

With a race starting on the 7th of June, there are a little over three weeks to the start of this year’s edition of the challenging Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race. So what should boats and crews be thinking about?

Kenny Rumball, who has competed in the race many times, taking class wins and line honours, has some top tips in collaboration with UK Sailmakers Ireland and Offshore Racing Academy.

Boat prep…

Although the weather is unlikely to be too harsh for this race, it can be… one year we actually had to pull out on a J109 into Dunmore East after an upwind hammering the night before all the way from the start. As such, now is the time to check your rig, standing and running rigging, winches, clutches etc. A lot of time, money and effort goes into a race, so let’s control the controllable, one of which is the boat. A few solid days on the boat with the crew in the sun, checking crucial items could mean the difference between finishing or not.

Sails…

‘The powerhouse of our boat, they are what will get us there under sail or not. Those who have competed in the first few ISORA races have been pretty light…. Have we had all the sails in the air and checked them ahead of the race? The last thing we want is to hoist the J3/J4 when we really need it to find its missing battens or, worse still, has a massive hole in it! For those seeking that extra edge in performance and trying to optimise their rating, it’s no secret that sails shrink! When was the last time your sails were re-measured? You never know how much they have shrunk, and this can lead to a few key crucial points on the cert!’

Now is the time to log important waypoints and dangers into your chart plotter or computer

Navigation & Routing

‘Something that is talked about in the bar more than anywhere else, routings, ETAs, going inside our outside banks etc. The most important part is to look at the safety side of things navigation-wise. Now is the time to log important waypoints and dangers into your chart plotter or computer rather than the night before! In the most basic part, we can predict the tides with confidence. The start is scheduled for 1400, and with high water that day at 1504; this is the perfect time if you wanted to catch the south-going tide past Wicklow head; worth looking at a tidal atlas to see where the tide runs fastest inshore or offshore….

To help competitors on this, I will be running a weather briefing and some routing simulations the night before the race in the National Yacht Club, where I’ll be able to answer some last-minute questions.

Logistics

Logistically offshore races such as the D2D can be a challenge, finishing in a different port to the start and away from home. Don’t forget the basics to allow you to enjoy the event fully! Dingle is busy; book accommodation early!

For those boats looking to save weight on board, we in the Offshore Racing Academy are providing our bag drop service, checkout this link for more information!

We’ll have more information soon, however, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact the loft…

Earlier this month, we ran a successful training day in Dun Laoghaire for all cruiser racers leading up to the busy Dublin Bay Sailing Club season. Kenny Rumball from the Offshore Racing Academy was on hand to coach along with Barry Hayes and Liam Glynn of UK Sailmakers Ireland.

The day was a great success in challenging conditions making it all the more worthwhile for the sailors and, indeed, the great team on board the committee boat. The race committee led by the diligent Michael Tyrrell dealt with wind from the North, South, East and West which changed direction every 5 minutes…. When the rain came in hard, and with a 1500 kick-off looming on a certain Heineken Cup Match, it was time to head for home!

Nick Holman gets set up for the start of Race 2 of the UK Sailmakers Ireland Dublin Bay Sailing Club Training Day

Michael Tyrrell got the mixed large fleet of everything from First 21.7 up to Cruisers 1 of boats off all sizes and classes in one of 3 starts. With 180-degree wind shifts the DBSC race committee were well under pressure to get us away, with Michael keeping on top of it all.

The classes were treated to light windward-leeward courses starting off slowly and getting on-the-water advice from Liam, Kenny and Barry. With video and drones in action for the debrief after sailing.

Retiring to the wet bar of the Royal Irish Yacht Club with glasses charged and sandwiches in order, the video and drone footage was put to good use and picked apart to see where every boat could improve. This was a constructive session with everyone working together! We need more of this in sailing!

Steve Hayes's First 34.7 Black Magic getting his team set up for the season at the UK Sailmakers Ireland Dublin Bay Sailing Club Training Day

Feedback from all participants was that of the worthiness of getting out training ahead of the season. It’s no surprise that those boats out training with us were at the top of the results board after the first few days of the DBSC season!

From a wide range of boats racing in both sizes and differing skill levels, we were able to assist everyone on the course and get a wide range of technical issues, which we were able to iron out in the Debrief after sailing.

Rowan Fogerty's First 211 Ventuno at the UK Sailmakers Ireland Dublin Bay Sailing Club Training Day

Below is a youtube video from the day:



We look forward to working with DBSC to do more training days for their members to improve the racing in Dublin Bay.