DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan addressed members of the country's biggest sailing club at its 2021 online AGM last Friday. It was an opportunity to review the many champagne sailing days of the summer and some great turnouts for the 698 club races held on Dublin Bay

2021 started with great news in early January when it was announced via Afloat that DBSC had been named as the Mitsubishi Sailing Club of the Year. Jonathan Nicholson, Commodore in 2020, and I were presented with the coveted ship’s wheel in August. We are very proud of this achievement and we now include the ‘Sailing Club of the Year’ logo on all our email communications.

In January, Jonathan Nicholson (DBSC Commodore in 2020) and Commodore Ann Kirwan were presented with the Mitsubishi Motors Club of the Year Ship's Wheel trophy

I want to pay tribute to two of our long-standing volunteers who sadly passed away in 2021. Our dear friend Carmel Winkelmann, who gave generously, tirelessly and enthusiastically of her time to her beloved sport of sailing for well over 50 years, sadly passed away on June 12th. Carmel was a DBSC volunteer for much of that time, well known for being a regular in the hut, and was still keeping us on the straight and narrow right up until May this year with her wisdom, experience and incredibly sharp mind.

We also lost another valued volunteer, Larry Martin, who sadly passed away on March 22nd this year. Larry was a regular volunteer in the hut over the years, and more recently was a ‘Flagger’ on the Green Fleet team right up until the summer of 2020.

Highlights of the AIB DBSC 2021 Summer Sailing Season

The season started with a 3-week race training series from mid-May and our full racing programme commenced on June 8th some 6 weeks earlier than last season. We enjoyed many champagne sailing days with moderate winds and lots of warm sunshine. We lost just 1 Saturday due to heavy winds, and 2 Thursdays and 1 Wednesday due to light winds. We held 698 races over the season - 483 keelboat races on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 198 dinghy races on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and 17 Water Wag races on Wednesdays.

After being stored on the Coal Quay (above) in 2020, the DBSC Race Hut was back on station on the West Pier in July (below)

The iconic DBSC hut returned to its rightful position on the west pier on July 10th and we ran the last 8 Tuesday keelboat races from it. Pier walkers and DBSC members were delighted to see its return after a year’s absence.

It was a great pleasure to welcome 3 of the magnificently restored Dublin Bay 21 Footers, Naneen, Estelle, and Garavogue back to Dun Laoghaire in July. The 21s raced on Tuesdays towards the end of the season, and we expect to see more of them joining the fleet for a full 2022 season.

Dublin Bay 21 Footer Naneen at Dun Laoghaire's East Pier in July

Entries were roughly the same as 2020 but were still well down on 2019. However, turnout was strong with many of you commenting on how great it was to be back on the water after a long and difficult winter. On average 120 boats raced on Thursdays and Saturdays and we had 31 Wags competing for the Captain’s prize on September 1st.

AIB Private Banking are on board as DBSC title sponsors

The summer sailing season came to a close on Saturday, September 25th. The Turkey Shoot commenced its 7-race series on November 7th and all competing have enjoyed great racing so far. A reminder that the Spring Chicken series starts on Sunday, February 5th.

DBSC Volunteers

We are extremely fortunate to have such experienced and skilled personnel running DBSC racing. A team of 50+ volunteers including race officers, committee boat drivers and race management teams, as well a further 50 patrol crews, all worked together to ensure you received the great standard of racing that you expect. Our extensive racing programme would not have been possible without their efforts, and many of them turned out multiple times each week.

This AIB DBSC summer sailing season was run with 18 race officers, eight committee boat drivers, 30 race management personnel (timers, sounds signallers, flaggers, and recorders), as well as rib drivers and mark layers, and many others who worked behind the scenes to deliver our racing programme. Our committee boats MacLir and Freebird were very well looked after by Ian Meldon, Brendan Dalton and Chris Moore.

It was an easy decision to honour our esteemed volunteers with the DBSC Premier award, the Viking Trophy for a notable contribution to sailing, for a second successive season. Well done and thank you to the DBSC volunteers.

Annual Prize-Giving

We presented our AIB DBSC 2020 Summer Sailing Season prizes to the winners in the waterfront clubs in June/July, as we had been unable to hold our prize giving in November 2020.

The 2020 DBSC Summer Sailing Season prizes were presented to winners  outdoors (including Ken Dumpleton of the Flying Fifteen class above)  in the waterfront clubs 

We held 2021 prize giving in the wonderful setting of the National Maritime Museum on Friday, November 12th.

The array of DBSC silverware at prizegiving 2021 Photo: Michael Chester

It was great to see so many of you there and we got some really positive feedback on the location. Photos of the prize-winners can be found on our website.

With Gratitude

We are extremely fortunate to have AIB Private Banking on board as our title sponsors. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to AIB, and to our supporters Gunpowder Gin, Killen Marine, Viking Marine, MGM Boats and Facet Jewellers.

Thanks also to the Commodores and the management and staff of the Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs, to Irish Sailing, to the Harbour Masters of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Captains Simon Coate and Tim Ryan, and to Dublin Port Harbour Master Captain Michael McKenna for their support throughout the season.

Thanks also to Afloat for great coverage of DBSC racing and events throughout the season.

Thanks to my fellow committee members:

Ed Totterdell – Vice Commodore & PRO, Jacqueline McStay – Rear Commodore, Chris Moore - Hon. Secretary, Peter Fleming – Hon. Treasurer, Philip Ferguson - Marks, Gerry Jones & Suzi Roy - Sponsorship, Louise McKenna - Dinghies, Ian Bowring - Results, Declan Traynor - Bosun & Covid Officer, Sabrina Mahony – Children’s Officer, Debbie Horan – Admin, Brian Matthews - Technical Director

A special thanks to three of our committee members who are stepping down tonight having served DBSC so well for a number of years: Peter Fleming, Debbie Horan, and Brian Mathews. And to Colin McMullan who is retiring from his role as Results Secretary after a number of years making sure our results were available promptly after each race.

Welcome aboard to our new committee members - incoming Treasurer Jonathan Skerritt, and Kevin Byrne who will serve on our sailing sub-committee.

And finally, a very special and heartfelt thanks to my fellow Flag Officers Ed (Vice Commodore) and Jacqueline (Rear Commodore). Ed as PRO has done a huge amount of work on the racing front both throughout last winter and during the summer racing season, as well as being a rock of sense and great support to me. And to Jacqueline who upgraded our website - I hope you will agree that Jacqueline’s efforts have brought big improvements which have enabled us to communicate with you our members more effectively.

DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan addresses the annual prizegiving at the National Maritime Museum

Final Comments

Finally, I wish you and your families a very healthy and happy Christmas and the very best for 2022. We look forward to seeing you on the water for the AIB DBSC 2022 Summer Sailing Season.

Thank you,
Ann Kirwan, Commodore

As the J109 Dear Prudence leads the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot into the final two races, handicaps and starts sequences for Sunday's penultimate race are downloadable below.

The Dublin Bay J/109 regained the lead after an epic race five saw the 75-boat fleet round the Muglins Rock at the southern tip of the Bay. 

DBSC Turkey Shoot organiser Fintan Cairns reminds competitors that the prizegiving on 19th December will be held in the Wet Bar of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The J/109 Dear Prudence has regained the overall lead of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series with two races left to sail on Dublin Bay.

Results for last Sunday's handicap 75-boat cruiser-racing league, the fifth of seven, have been published (downloadable below) and J/109s occupy the two places overall with the National Yacht Club's Ruth now in second overall.

The Elan 333 White Lotus holds third place overall in the Royal Irish Yacht Club hosted series.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, Dear Prudence held the lead after three races sailed but then lost out to John O'Gorman's Hot Cookie in the fourth race.

Race four starts next Sunday at 10.10hrs.

Racing downwind to the Muglins in race five Photo: Charlotte O'Kelly

With just three races left to the Royal Irish Yacht Club hosted prizegiving at the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Sunday, December 19th, the starts and handicaps for race five this Sunday morning have been published.

With four races sailed on Dublin Bay, the 75-boat fleet is led by John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600, Hot Cookie.

The consistent National Yacht Club entry is one of ten boats in the fourth of five starts for the bumper Christmas fleet.

The no race cancellations trend in 2021 looks set to continue with ideal 15 to 20-knot west north winds forecast this Sunday.

A full breakdown of starts is downloadable below. Revised handicaps are calculated and also available to download below.

Race Organiser Fintan Cairns reports a great atmosphere in the Royal Irish Yacht Club Wet Bar and the Terrace after racing, subject to COVID guidelines.

John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie from the National Yacht Club (on board footage from Prof O'Connell of North Sails below) is the overall leader of the mixed cruiser DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay after four of seven races sailed. 

Another top DBSC campaigner, the Lindsay Casey skippered J/97 Windjammer, from the Royal St. George Yacht Club, is lying second in the 75 boat fleet on 87 points, 11 points behind the leader. 

Early series leader Joker II (John Maybury's J/109 of the Royal Irish Yacht Club) is lying third on 94 points.

Download results below as a pdf file.

Race five starts next Sunday at 10.10hrs.

Race Organiser Fintan Cairns reports a great atmosphere in the Royal Irish Yacht Club Wet Bar and the Terrace after racing, subject to COVID guidelines.

Storm Arwen's strong north westerlies are due to abate in time for Sunday's fourth race of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay.

As the winter yacht racing series passes its halfway stage, the J109 Dear Prudence leads the 75-boat fleet after last week's epic round Dalkey Island course.

The combined Dun Laoghaire Harbour fleet of 75 will have some adjustments to its five start lineup this weekend.

The J/109 leader is being chased by former series double winner Mermaid V, a First 50, from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

A full breakdown of starts for race four is downloadable below. Revised Handicaps are calculated and also available to download below.

Race Organiser Fintan Cairns reports a great atmosphere in the Royal Irish Yacht Club Wet Bar and the Terrace after racing, subject to COVID guidelines.

After a great turnout for the second race last Sunday, the 75-boat AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series looks set for more breeze on Dublin Bay for race three this weekend.

The combined fleet of 75 will again have a five start lineup this weekend.

A full breakdown of starts for race three is downloadable below.

Northwest winds gusting to 30 mph are forecast for Dun Laoghaire Harbour this Sunday.

XC Weather forecast for Dun Laoghaire

Revised handicaps for the third race are calculated and also available to download below.

Great footage from one of the J80's out on Sunday Morning for the Turkey Shoot! pic.twitter.com/QU8cCgJvRG

— Royal St. George YC (@RSGYC) November 15, 2021

Race organiser Fintan Cairns reports a great atmosphere in the Royal Irish Yacht Club Wet Bar and the Terrace after racing, subject to COVID guidelines.

What a beautiful day for a sail on #DublinBay.

Thanks to @DBSC_1884 for organising a great race and to @AIBIreland for their support.#DBSC #Pastiche pic.twitter.com/qpAw3GD2Pn

— Barry Ward (@barrymward) November 14, 2021

National Yacht Club sailor Noel Butler could not attend the AIB DBSC prizegiving in Dun Laoghaire's National Maritime Museum on Friday evening last to collect his trophy. Still, his winter Turkey Shoot shipmates made sure the Windmill Leisure and Marine Perpetual Trophy got to the multi-champion dinghy ace promptly by presenting it to him dockside on Sunday morning, before the second race of the 2021 Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay.

It's the second year in succession. Butler, a former Laser II World Champion, has won the trophy for his PY performance in his RS Aero 'Orion' dinghy.

Butler is sailing on the J/97 Windjammer for the Turkey Shoot, another winning yacht from Friday night's ceremony. The Lindsay Casey skippered boat from the Royal St. George Yacht Club won DBSC's Premier award: the Waterhouse Shield, for the best yacht in a handicapped series across all DBSC fleets. 

Read more about Friday's prizegiving at the National Maritime Museum here.

The Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) prizegiving highlights the Dun Laoghaire Harbour sailing season with an array of magnificent and ancient yachting silverware.

This year's event was especially so because it marked the close of DBSC's 137th season and the resumption of competitive sailing in its AIB sponsored season while living with COVID-19.

Prizes were awarded in all of DBSC's 22 classes by Commodore Ann Kirwan, but in a break from tradition, at a new venue, in Dun Laoghaire's National Maritime Museum last Friday night.

As well as six premier awards for best performances, Commodore Kirwan congratulated over 100 different winners.

Prizes galore - The array of magnificent and ancient yachting silverware laid out for the DBSC prizegiving

The club – one of the largest yacht racing clubs of its type in Europe – was previously acclaimed by Afloat's WM Nixon, who posed the question: Is Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) The Most Effective Sailing Organisation in the World? It's an even more valid question today, given the club and its weekly racing schedule brought so much stability to the sailing scene at a time of great flux in 2021.

Scroll down for awards photography of the evening by photographer Michael Chester. Click here for an overview of the DBSC Thursday awards winners, and here for the DBSC Saturday winners,

DBSC Commodore Ann Kirwan and Hon Sec Chris Moore at the National Maritime Museum for the 137th prizegiving

DBSC Premier Award Winners

Richella Carroll (right) was recognised as a special DBSC volunteer and race officer for many years in DBSC.

SB20 sailor Davy Taylor won the Dun Laoghaire Trophy Premier Award for the best new DBSC yacht in 2021

J/97 sailors Shane Kelly and Lindsay Casey were awarded the Waterhouse Shield, a DBSC Premier Award for the best yacht in a handicapped series

Therese Tyrrell and Caroline Liddy accepting the Viking Premier Award for an outstanding contribution to sailing on behalf of over 50 DBSC volunteers

The DBSC Premier Award For the most successful yacht in One Design racing, George Arthur Newsom Cup went to Mariposa, Water Wag, Cathy McAleavey & Family

Dr. Alf Delaney Cup for the best Dinghy for the season: Laser Radial, Dave Cahill

DBSC Junior Awards

PY Junior Trophy: Jamie Hammond/Jake Perry

Topper Series Lawson Cup: James Hall

Optimist Series Seapoint Cup: Abigail Murphy

RS Feva Series Mitchel Cup: Ronan Blake-Hickey

DBSC junior winners: PY Junior Trophy: Jamie Hammond/Jake Perry; Topper Series Lawson Cup: James Hall; Optimist Series Seapoint Cup: Abigail Murphy; RS Feva Series Mitchel Cup: Ronan Blake-Hickey/Hugh Meagher and Laser 4.7 Series: Jimmy Mooney Goblet

Cruiser Awards

Cruiser 0 Thursdays IRC Racing Martin Cup: Rockabill VI, P. O'Higgins

Cruiser 0 Saturdays IRC Racing: Knox-Gore Trophy, Prima Forte, F Rigley/S.Lemass

Cruiser 0 Thursdays Echo Racing: Knox-Gore Bowl, Tsunami, Vincent Farrell (left) and Peter Ryan

Cruiser 1 Thursdays Echo Racing: Tiamat Trophy, Something Else, John & Brian Hall

Brendan Ebrill Memorial Cup Cruisers 1 (ECHO): Jalapeno, Paul Barrington

Cruiser 1 Saturdays IRC Racing Weir Cup: Bon Exemple, Colin Byrne

Cruiser 2 Thursdays Echo Racing Centenary Cup and Most Improved Boat Cr 2 Silver Foam Trophy: Ruthless, Conor Ronan (centre)

Cruiser 2 Saturdays Echo Racing TP Early Memorial Cup: Leeuwin, Henry Leonard

Cruiser 3 Tuesdays ECHO Racing Whimbrel Rose Bowl; Thursdays IRC Racing Smalldridge Cup and Saturdays IRC Racing Jack Kennedy Memorial Cup: Starlet Kevin Byrne

Cruiser 3 Saturdays ECHO Racing Mercia Cup: Maranda, Myles Kelly

White Sails Thursdays & Saturdays IRC Racing, The Trevor Wood Trophy and Thursdays & Saturdays, ECHO Racing: Boomerang, The Kirwan Family

 Cruiser 5 Thursdays ECHO Overall Div A, Gerry Henry Salver; Saturdays A and B ECHO overall, Ana Livia Trophy: Just Jasmine Philip Smith.

Cruiser 5 Thursdays IRC Overall Div A Burford Trophy and Saturdays A and B IRC overall White Sail Class Trophy: Playtime J. Phillips & N. Kidney

One Design keelboats & Dinghies

31.7 Thursday Racing Feanor Trophy: After You Too, Michael Blaney

31.7 Thursday Racing Echo Horrigan Cup and 31.7 Saturday Racing Echo Long John Silver Cup: Bluefin Two M & B Bryson

31.7 Racing: Prospect, Chris Johnston

B211 Tuesday ECHO Overall Optec Trophy and Thursdays SCRATCH overall Facet Jewellers Cup: Billy Whiz, J Fischer & S Bagot

B211 Saturdays SCRATCH overall Beneteau 21 Cup and B211 Thurs/Sat Combined ECHO Waterhouse Rose Bowl: Small Wonder, Jacqueline McStay & Hugh Kelly

B211 Thursdays ECHO overall Beneteau 21 Tray: Isolde Jimmy Martin & Brian Mulkeen

The Dragon RIYC Cup ZinZan, Adrian Masterson

Glens Thursdays Racing Pterodactyl Cup; Saturday Racing Harry Maguire Memorial Cup; Thurs and Sats combined Combined The McMullen Cup; Dalkey Island Race (Bobolink) The Hamilton Reid Cup: Glenluce M.A.C.Millerick

Glens Tuesday Racing Cut Glass Tumbler and Crews Race Glen Challenge Trophy Robert O' Connor (David Houlton) Glens Ladies Race "Once Again" ! pair of Silver Vases Glendun, Alison O'Brien

Ruffians, Tuesday Racing, John Donnelly Perpetual Cup: Carmen, Enda Brennan

Ruffians, Thursday Racing Huet Trophy: Shannagh Stephen Gill & Padraig Diarmada

Ruffians Saturday Racing British Airways Trophy and Thursdays and Saturdays combined, J.Lamont Trophy: Ruffles, Michael Cutliffe

Shipmans Tuesday Racing, Cut Glass Tumbler: Poppy, Alain Deladiennee

Shipmans Saturday Racing The Melindi Cup and Shipmans Thursdays and Saturdays combined The Shipman Perpetual Trophy: Invader Gerry Glynn

SB20 Saturdays series A Bealtaine Trophy: Venues world, Ger Dempsey

SB20 Saturday Racing overall, Saturday SB20 Cup: So Blue, Justin Burke Chris Helme & Alan Claffey

 Mixed Sportsboats Thursdays Overall, Sportsboat Trophy: Jester, J/70 D.Curtin

Mixed Sportsboats Saturdays Overall (23 Races) Saturday Sportsboat Cup: Jambiya, Martin Ryan & Vincent Lattimore

 Water Wags Wednesday (17 Races): Goldsmith Cup, Mariposa Cathy McAleavey & Con Murphy

Flying Fifteens (Tuesday Racing) Fifty Something Cup: Perfect 10, Alan Balfe and Patrick Frison Roche

Flying Fifteens Thursday Racing for the Flying Fifteen Gun: Rodriguez, Ken Dumpleton

Flying Fifteens Saturday Racing Brian S Ryan Trophy: Ignis Caput, David Mulvin and Ronan Beirne (pictured)

Flying Fifteens Midweek Handicap racing Blake Cup: Peter Murphy & Ciara Mulvey

Mermaid Racing for The JB Kearney Shield: Ailbhe Smith

Mermaid Saturday Racing Iolar Trophy and Mermaid Thursday Racing (Special Conditions) Amy Cup: Paul Smith & Pat Mangan

Dublin Bay 21s Tuesdays Daisey Picker Cup: Estelle, Number 3, DB21 Class Association, Hal Sisk and Fionan de Barra pictured

Squibs Saturdays Shannon Cup: Periquin, Noel Colclough

DBSC Dinghy Awards

Fireballs Tuesdays Nuit St. George Trophy: Louise McKenna

IDRAs 14s Tuesdays Overall Bay Cup: Slipway Julie Ascoop received by Pam McKay

IDRA 14s Special Conditions The Halfway Trophy: Dun Moanin' Jennifer Byrne

IDRA 14s Special Conditions Crews challenge Cup: Dart, Yves & Paul Long

Laser Standard Saturday racing Cut Glass Tumbler: Gavan Murphy

Laser Radial Tuesday Racing Sailcraft Tray Trophy and Laser Radial Tuesdays and Saturdays combined DBSC Challenge Trophy: David Cahill

PY Class Saturday Racing (27 races) Early Bird Trophy Brendan Foley

Water Wags Wednesday 3rd Place G.Pugin Meldon Trophy: Shindella, Alistair & Zoe Kissane

Photography by Michael Chester 

After a great turnout for the first race last Sunday, the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series has been boosted by another five cruiser-racer entries for this Sunday's second of seven races on Dublin Bay.

The combined Dun Laoghaire Harbour fleet of 75 will have some adjustments to its five start lineup this weekend.

The First 27.7 Jigsaw, First 36s7 Karukera and Hanse 312 Kudos will move to the first start. The Sigma 33s Boojum and Elandra and the Sun Odyssey 490 Conquestador will start second. 

A full breakdown of starts for race two is downloadable below.

Light winds are forecast for this Sunday with revised Handicaps calculated and also available to download below.

Race Organiser Fintan Cairns reports a great atmosphere in the Royal Irish Yacht Club Wet Bar and the Terrace after racing, subject to COVID guidelines.