DMYCFor the first time this season, the Viking Marine-sponsored Frostbites, hosted by the DMYC, lived up to their name as yesterday’s racing was held in very low temperatures, only a couple of degrees above zero. And, accordingly, the speculation from mid-week wasn’t exclusively about wind but rather about temperature. That sense, that it might just be too cold, was heightened by a light falling of snow outside my window on Thursday night, some of which was still lying on Sunday morning.

An earlier morning appointment to “bend the knee” suggested that it wasn’t quite as cold as I expected, but that was a false dawn in terms of the temperature on the water, on board the committee boat. And any sense of temperature-related discomfort for everyone was heightened when the L.E James Joyce was delayed in getting out of her berth alongside the Carlisle Pier before racing. Initially advised that she was leaving at 13:30, racing had to be postponed until the vessel departed around 14:20.

The actual wind direction on the day was further west that both XCWeather and the Windy App had been suggesting, flicking 10° either side of due west for most of the afternoon. Wind strength was as predicted, in the range of 8 – 13knots. That allowed for a reasonable length of course to be laid with only one race on the agenda for the day – the logic being to get a good length race in and everyone ashore before the afternoon got too cold. Thus, a five-lap Olympic was set, an easy start line in terms of length and bias and a marker buoy was floated off the transom of the committee boat to dissuade boats from hiding behind the port quarter of the committee boat and jumping the gun. All the competitors must have read my mental script as all three starts got away cleanly at the first time of asking!

The weather did impact on the numbers with 17 PYs claiming the biggest start honours, followed by the ILCA 6s (13), the ILCA 7s (5) and the ILCA 4s (2). The weather mark was set about 60m north of the end of the western breakwater, out of its wind-shadow, the gybe mark about 100m west of the Hy-speed ferry gantry and the leeward mark off the monument on the upper level of the East Pier. Early tracking of the top reach showed that the Fireballs were getting a nice three-sail reach to the gybe.

Stephen Oram (3288) and Roy Van Mannen (3288) – at the head of the Aero fleet. Photo: Ian Cutliffe

On the water, the Fireballs of Frank Miller and Alastair Court dominated proceedings with less than thirty seconds separating them at the finish and each of them of the order of five minutes ahead of the Aeros of Stephen Oram, Roy Van Maanen and Noel Butler in that order. These three were separated by five seconds but the finishing order was turned on its head in the very last seconds on the finish line when Butler capsized while trying to clear the committee boat, allowing the other two to finish ahead of him. These two sets of boats, the two Fireballs and the three Aeros enjoyed close racing throughout the five laps and this was one of the reasons for letting the race run its full length, despite the delayed start. On corrected time Oram’s bigger Aero sail (7) saw him demoted on handicap to fourth place against the 6s of Van Maanen, Butler and Stuart Harris who would have won the Race Mug had he been at the day prizegiving. Meanwhile on time, the two Fireballs lost out again, finishing 5th and 6th respectively, their five-minute advantage on the water translating to a 1:13 deficit between Van Maanen in 1st Overall and Miller & Butler (FB 14915) in 5th. Court & Syme (FB15167) were 6th ahead of the first PY Lady, Sarah Dwyer (Aero 6). Paul & Morris ter Horst (FB14790) had a very good day on the water finishing third amongst the Fireballs.

Gavan Murphy (R) and Conor O’Leary (L) from the ILCA 7s close in on the weather mark at the Viking Marine Frostbites at the DMYC. Photo: Ian Cutliffe

In the ILCA 7s, there was an ongoing tussle throughout the race between Gavan Murphy and Theo Lyttle. As with the PYs, this was a good reason to allow the race to run its full length. Hovering a short distance behind them was Conor O’Leary ready to take an advantage of any mistakes by the front two. At the most important point of the race, the finish, Murphy was in pole position, followed by Lyttle and O’Leary.

Sean Craig leads the ILCA 6s around the weather mark. Photo: Ian Cutliffe

In contrast to the previous two classes, the ILCA 6s were led from start to finish by Sean Craig who had a comfortable lead at the finish. Behind him, the finishing order was Brendan Hughes, John O’Driscoll, Darren Griffin and David Williams. Brendan Hughes collected his Frostbite Mug for the day’s race win.

And in the two boat ILCA 4s, the initial sense was that Kate Flood and Grace Gavan were quite content to race around the course in each other’s company, because as soon as we saw one, we saw the other. However, in the latter stages of the race that changed and Kate Flood took the honours quite comfortably.

For the early beats the fleet was spread across the N-S width of the harbour, but as the afternoon progressed, it appeared that the left side was more favoured. However, there was no sense that it had turned into a soldier’s course and the feedback from selected finishers is that it had been a good course. The race was completed just after 15:30 as the sun began to disappear behind clouds, at which point the coldness of the air was much more pronounced.

The pre-Christmas, Series 1 Frostbites conclude next Sunday, 18th December and will be followed by the Series 1 prize-giving in the DMYC Clubhouse. Leading contenders for possible prizes (see below) are encouraged to be in attendance to collect their prizes.

Brendan Hughes (ILCA 6) receives his Frostbite Mug for the day, 2nd to Sean Craig. Photo: Frank Miller

It should also be noted that there will be a race in aid of the RNLI on Tuesday, 27th December. Frostbiters who have entered the series do not have to pay an entry fee but are requested to make an online donation to the organisation. Anyone who wants to sail on the day can also do so, subject to NoR requirements. A NoR will be published imminently for everyone’s attention, including entry details and online donation details.

 Sean Bowden (ILCA 7) sails into a setting sun in the Viking Marine Frostbites at the DMYC. Photo: Ian Cutliffe

Building on the success of the Christmas Cracker last year, Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) is proposing to repeat the race for 2022 at 1pm on Tuesday 27 December.

Afloat.ie understands that permission has been granted to run the event inside the harbour, while organisers are liaising with the other Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs for members’ access to their dinghies during the usual Christmas shutdown period.

It’s hoped that an official announcement with Notice of Race will be made shortly.

Last year’s inaugural Christmas Cracker was won by Howth Yacht Club’s Eve McMahon, who’s on the shortlist for RTÉ Sport’s Young Sportsperson of the Year gong for 2022.

The strong easterly winds that cancelled Sunday morning's AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series have also led to the cancellation of this afternoon's in-harbour racing of the Viking Marine DMYC Frostbite Series at Dun Laoghaire.

 The strong winds produced a big sea state (as seen on the 3 x Afloat webcams) that led to the scrubbing of the 150-boat mixed dinghy fixture.

Racing continues next Sunday. 

After a single race Sunday two weeks ago and no races a week ago, there was some pressure, possibly self-inflicted, to get racing this past Sunday in the Viking Marine, DMYC hosted Frostbites. As usual, the assessment of what might be possible started early in the week, Wednesday night, with a check on the 7-Day forecast from XCWeather and a further check on the Windy App. Both were giving something similar, 13 – 15 knots with gusts in the low twenties, from a direction slightly west of south, in temperatures of 9 - 10°. As the week worked itself out, there was little change in this forecast and by Friday evening at the Fireball prize-giving, Race Director, Neil Colin, and Race Officer, Cormac Bradley, were agreed that racing was ON!

Conor Clancy (213048), leads Sean Craig (218154), Shirley Gilmore (216238) and Darren Griffin (219867) around the spreader mark in Race 1 Photo: Ian Cutlffe

Sunday was an even better day than the forecast with a blue sky and favourable wind in the racing area of the harbour. Winds at the start of the afternoon’s proceedings were of the order of 13 knots, and by the second race, this had dropped to single figures, getting as low as 8 knots at the end of the afternoon.

Still, competitor temperature is always a factor in frostbite races and the recommended recipe of the day was a quick first race followed by a shorter second one. With the wind at 150 - 160° for most of the afternoon, coming off the East Pier, a short distance inside the bandstand, though we did have a big right-hand shift when the DL Library was the marker, a weather mark was laid between the bandstand and the end of the Carlisle Pier, giving a beat that extended the maximum distance available in the harbour. A leeward gate was set up between INSC’s green platform and the West Pier and a 3-lap Windward-Leeward was set for Race 1.

Sarah Dwyer leads this group around the spreader mark in Race 1 – Stephen Oram (Aero 3288), Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (FB 14775), Andrew Irvin & Aisling O’Grady (RS 400 1044), Glen Fisher & Michael Keegan (FB 14676) and Pierre & Remy Long (IDRA 161). Photo: Ian Cutliffe

Twenty-seven PY entries, the biggest fleet of the day, started the proceeding with a very healthy turnout of 11 Fireballs making up the bulk of the fleet – all bar one of the Fireballs entered in the Frostbites – with a good turnout of Aeros, Pierre Long’s IDRA, an RS 400, a Wayfarer, a Quest, a Vago and Patrick Hackett’s 2.4. Despite a slightly short line due to the committee boat’s position relative to the West Pier, the fleet got away cleanly at the first time of asking and for the first beat seemed to favour an initial left-hand side approach to the quest to get to the weather mark. However, in a short time the fleet was spread across the full width of the harbour. For subsequent beats, the right-hand side seemed to enjoy more favour, but Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (14775) persisted with a left-hand approach for the second beat and got back into the mix at the head of the fleet as a consequence. Despite excellent spinnaker conditions, the Fireballs though well ahead on the water, couldn’t save their time and Noel Butler led home an Aero 1-2-3 on handicap. Frank Miller & Neil Cramer (14915) led the Fireballs home in 4th place on the water. The IDRA of Pierre & Remy Long finished 8th on time.

Gavan Murphy (212521), ahead of Roy McKay (177845), Sean Bowden (193654) and Robbie Walker (210644). Photo: Ian Cutliffe

The 5-boat ILCA 7s saw some new names at the head of their fleet with Gavan Murphy, a regular podium occupier leading home Niall Cowman and Sean Bowden, the latter a new ILCA name to this correspondent. They enjoyed some good racing on the course.

Two ILCA 4s joined the 7s with Sergei Vasilev taking the honours from Zita Tempany.

Twenty ILCA 6s also had a good thrash in Race 1 with a two-boat on-the-water seminar on starting getting underway in the final countdown to their start and continuing after the race was completed. I think the seminar was extended to “Room at the Mark” after the race! It raised the temperature a little on a brisk November afternoon though it didn’t get out of hand! Sean Craig led the fleet home followed by Pascal Boret and Conor Clancy.

For Race 2 a three-lap Olympic was set with a gybe mark positioned to try and ensure the spinnaker classes were able to fly on both reaches. Again, all three starts were clean, and again, the Fireballs did well on the water. Down the second reach of the first triangle an oversized blanket would have wrapped up four Fireballs as a luffing match developed on the latter stages of the leg. The front group in the Fireballs enjoyed some nip and tuck racing before they were led home by Alastair Court & Gordon Syme (15167). However, yet again, the good work on the water came to naught after the computation of results, Roy Van Mannen leading home five Aeros on handicap before Court & Syme took sixth place.

In the ILCA 7s, the same three boats took the podium paces, with Sean Bowden taking the win and Gavan Murphy slotting between him and Niall Cowman.

In the 4s, Zeta Tempany reversed the result of the previous race.

In the ILCA 6s, Darren Griffin took the gun with Pascal Boret, Peter Williams, Sean Craig and Conor Clancy rowing in behind him. Best of the ladies in the ILCA 6s was Shirley Gilmore who scored an 8th and a 6th in the two races.

Racing concluded just before the sun dipped behind the hills at which point the temperature was more keenly felt. Still, after losing three races over the previous two Sundays, getting two good length races in must have been a bonus.

With four Sundays down, it is time for a reminder to the fleet; when the blue flag is flying to indicate the committee boat is on station for a finish, boat may NOT sail through the finish line. The RO automatically shortens the start line in order to remove as much of the line as possible as an obstacle to racing, but boats are still sailing through. In order to avoid potential DSQs, please remember this rule.

And……..if you are due a Frostbite Mug for a race win, you must be on the premises to collect.

From mid-week, the prospects for the Viking Marine-sponsored DMYC Frostbite racing this past Sunday were a source of discussion between Regatta Director Neil Colin and Race Officer Cormac Bradley as XCWeather was suggesting winds in the high teens with gusts in the low thirties from a direction just east of south. On arrival at DMYC, having driven the long way around through Dun Laoghaire to check conditions in the main part of the harbour, it looked more favourable than the forecast had suggested and Neil advised that a walk to the end of the West Pier earlier in the morning had convinced him that racing should proceed. However, the recommended recipe for the day was to have one long race and get the fleet home.

On setting up the committee boat, “Goose”, in the race area, it became apparent that a weather mark would be required about 60m inshore from the bandstand, with a gybe mark set in line with the red lighthouse of the East Pier but 100m inshore from the harbour entrance and a leeward mark in the proximity of the green INSC raft off the western inner breakwater. The advantage of this set-up is that it gives the longest beat available in the harbour.

The wind conditions were brisk in the time period before the starts, with a base wind strength of 18/19 knots and gusts in the low twenties. A reduced fleet took to the water, with the ILCA 6s taking the biggest class honour with ten boats, followed by the PY Class with 9, the ILCA 7s with six and the ILCA 4s with six, a big jump from the previous Sunday when only one ILCA 4 started.

Prompted by the discussion ashore, the RO set the fleet a five-lap Olympic course, the premise being to get the race in and the fleet back ashore in case more inclement weather came in. It appears, post-race, that this may have been a popular decision.

All three starts were clean, with the RO learning the lesson from last week by having a generous start line in place. The preferred option was to take a long starboard hike off the start line before working rightwards towards the RHS of the course. For the PYs, the first to show at the weather mark was the Fireball of Frank Miller & Ed Butler (14915) and theirs was the first spinnaker to show as well. This pair scorched around the course and took the win by a margin of 5:01 from the Aero 6 of Noel Butler who was closely followed until the last gybe mark by the Aero 7 of Stephen Oram. A swim at this gybe mark allowed Butler to get away from Oram. Despite this sizeable gap in time on the water, the handicaps would convert Butler’s 5:01 deficit to a 1:22 advantage and the PY win. Oram finished 5:58 behind Miller & Butler but lost out by only 47 seconds on time to Miller to take third on handicap.

Viking Marine DMYC PY mug winners Frank Miller (left) and Ed Butler (centre) with DMYC Commodore Ian Cutliffe

Of the four Fireballs racing, only two flew spinnaker, Miller/Butler and the new combination of Glen Fisher & Michael Keegan (14676). Frank Cassidy (14934) sailed with his son for the second time in a Frostbites and given the conditions, they did very well, especially as Frank broke a tiller extension during the race. Miller & Butler’s big margin was down to two factors – flying the spinnaker on the reaches……...and staying upright.

Among the ILCAs there was some “tight cluster” racing on the water in the 6s, with Sean Craig leading home from Conor Clancy and Darren Griffin, while the six-boat fleet of 7s saw Gavan Murphy occupy the top step of the podium ahead of Gary O’Hare and Niall Cowman.

Laser Radial mug winner Conor Clancy (left) with DMYC Commodore Ian Cutliffe

And, after a “one-boat, no race” scenario last week in the ILCA 4s, they mustered a six-boat fleet to make sure they had a race this Sunday. Kate Flood led home Sam Legge and Matilda Murray.

Viking Marine Frostbites – hosted by DMYC Round 2 – 13.11.22

Viking Marine Frostbites – hosted by DMYC Round 2 – 13.11.22

In the individual class fleets in PY, Miller & Butler lead the Fireballs with 7pts, a single point ahead of Louise McKenna, who sailed with Hermine O’Keeffe (15016) in Round 2 and Alastair Court & Gordon Syme (15167) (10pts) who were absent. Miller & Butler are sixth overall in PY with 27 points.

A quintet of Aeros led by Butler (4), with Van Mannen (10), Oram (12), Paul Phelan (Aero 7) (14pts) in 2nd to fourth and Sarah O’Dwyer in her Aero 5 (23) occupy the first five places in PY.

Chris Power Smith's well-proven J122, Aurelia, took the overall win in Sunday's fine turnout for the Leinster Boats sponsored annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. 

The Royal St.George offshore exponent ended up with a three-minute winning margin over Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600 Searcher, who finished with a corrected time of 2:41:23.

In a spread of different designs, the 56-boat fleet included ocean-going Hallberg Rasseys, plenty of popular one-design classes right-down to the 21-foot First 211s, as well as a good showing from the ISORA brigade.

(Above and below) Winner Chris Power Smith's J122 Aurelia (sail number 35950) executed a fast running start with second overall Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600 Searcher (2729) also quick out of the traps at the pin end of the DMYC Kish Race Photo: Afloat

Winds were westerly up to ten knots with stronger gusts offshore, giving the fleet a downwind start for the 28 km race.

The view from the West Pier of the fine turnout of 56 boats for the end of season DMYC Kish race

Operating from the DBSC Starters hut on Dun Laoghaire's West Pier, Race Officer Cormac Bradley got the fleet away punctually at 11 am.

Rounding the famous lighthouse to port, the fleet had an upwind leg home to Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Third, in the fine combined keelboat turnout, was Barry Cunningham's Cape 31 Blast from the Royal Irish Yacht Club. 

Barry Cunningham's Cape 31 Blast from the Royal Irish Yacht Club competing in the DMYC Kish Race Photo: Afloat

As Afloat reported earlier, the event encompassed a stage of the Cruiser 3 Championship.

Kevin Byrne's Hunter Formula 28 Starlet was a front runner in the Cruiser 3 Championships that incorporated the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Michael Cutliffe's Ruffian 23 Ruffles topped a strong Ruffian 23 turnout in eighth overall. Likewise, the top performer from a strong Shipman 28 class representation was Colm Duggan's Viking.

Ruff Rider was one of six Ruffian 23s (two retired) competing in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat 

In a strong turnout from Greystones Harbour Sailing Club in County Wicklow, three boats finished in the top ten overall.

Frank Whelan's new Archambault 3, A-Plus from Greystones was seventh in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Daragh Cafferky's Archambault 35 Another Adventure was fifth. Club mate Frank Whelan's new Archambault 31A-Plus was seventh and Steve Hayes's Magic e Beneteau, a  First 34.7, was tenth.

The Kish Race organiser was DMYC Rear Commodore Ben Mulligan  Photo: Afloat

Myles Kelly's Senator Maranda passes the visiting cruiser liner Seven Seas Splendour on the outbound leg to the Kish light Photo: Afloat

Alan McMahon's Hallberg Rassy 352 Esperanza competing in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

 The Beneteau First 34.7 Magic e skipped by Steve Hayes from Greystones Sailing Club finished tenth in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Double-handed Grzegorz Kalinecki's First 310 More Mischief, who competed in June's Round Ireland Race, was also a competitor in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Pete Evans's Beneteau 211 Anemos II was a competitor  in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

The Ronan Haughey Beneteau 31.7 After You Too from the Royal St. George Yacht Club at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

Vincent Duke's Trintella III Black Robin competing in the annual Kish Race at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

See results below

Barry Cunningham's new fast Cape 31 'Blast' from the Royal Irish Yacht Club will no doubt cut a dash in Sunday's Leinster Boats sponsored DMYC Kish Race on Dublin Bay. 

With entries approaching 45 boats, organisers are hoping for good weather conditions to facilitate the annual trip to the famous lighthouse.

It remains to be seen if any of the 13 Dublin J109s (who are not now racing for national honours) will race instead on the 28 km course.

As Afloat reported earlier, the event encompasses a stage of the Cruiser 3 Championship.

There is also a strong number of Ruffian 23 and Shipman Class entries.  Also of note are three classic DBSC 21 entries.

The starting time is 11.00 am this Sunday (25th) from the DBSC Hut on the West Pier. Entries are still available on www.dmyc.ie

The Race Officer has asked competitors are asked to check the Club Website (www.dmyc.ie) for some amendments to the Sailing Instructions.

This year's DMYC Kish Race on Dublin Bay will incorporate the Cruiser 3 Championships. 

Starting in the vicinity of Dun Laoghaire Harbour and racing to the Kish lighthouse and back, it is a distance of approximately 28 km.

It is hoped that weather conditions will allow for the fleet to race around the Kish Light and back to the finish at the West Pier, DMYC Sailing Secretary Ben Mulligan told Afloat.

The race takes place on Sunday, 25th September, starting from the DBSC Starting Hut at 11 am.

The prizegiving will take place in the DMYC after the completion of the racing.

Along with overall winners, there will also be prizes for first place in the Shipman 28 and Ruffian 23 Classes and a special award for the leading 2-person crew.

Entry Forms and Sailing Instructions are available on: www.dmyc.ie

Well known Dun Laoghaire Harbour sailor Liam Owens of Sandycove in County Dublin has died.

A former Commodore of the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Owens also served as the Convenor of the Dun Laoghaire Combined Yacht Clubs. 

Owens led a successful campaign in 2016 against the threat of supersized cruise ships coming into the Harbour.

In 2016, An Bord Pleanala limited any proposed cruise liner development to accommodate a maximum size of cruise ship to 250m.

Owens said the decision 'secured the future of the harbour and its premier location for the benefit of all Dun Laoghaire residents, watersports users, walkers and all those visitors and locals who value this historic amenity'.

He was enjoying sailing his own boat on Dublin Bay this season and continued to be actively involved in harbour affairs. 

Our heartfelt condolences are with his family and his many friends at home and throughout Ireland and the world.

Funeral details are here

The West Pier based Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club is advertising marina berths as part of its membership package in the West Bight area of Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The club caters for all types of craft and sailors, from serious sailors to those who just enjoy being out on Dublin Bay.

"With an already strong presence on the West Bight harbour, this additional service provides an exciting opportunity for our club to expand its membership base", DMYC Commodore Ian Cutliffe told Afloat.

"The club would like to extend an invitation to potential new members, including boat owners, to join, so if you are interested in joining the club, please get in touch with us on 01 2801371 or e-mail [email protected], Cutliffe says.