Racers in Dalkey and Killiney Bay have been enjoying the sight of three bottlenose dolphins who have taken up residence in the area.

The trio has attracted much attention in recent weeks due to their playful antics, but the Dublin Bay Sailing Club reminds sightseeing boat owners to be careful not to crowd them.

For guidelines on the correct procedures when encountering dolphins see the relevant DTTAS Marine Notice HERE.

Sailing was not the only activity that took place in Dublin Bay last Saturday as the Northern Lighthouse Board's (NLB) multi-function tender NLV Pharos was busy at work, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The NLB is the Scottish equivalent of the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) and it is not unusual for such vessels to share work duties beyond their respective jurisdictions. The 84m NLV Pharos is equipped with dynamic positioning and a 30-tonne main crane on her 300m2 aft-deck.

Overall she is similar in appearance to Irish lights ILV Granuaile which is based out of Dun Laoghaire. The Irish Lights tender built in Romania in 2000 tends to operate more often off the west coast during the summer months due to the more favourable weather conditions.

The 1,300 (dwt) deadweight tonnes NLV Pharos yesterday returned to her base in Oban from her Irish duties. The west coast base was established in 1904 and is also homeport to the service's smaller NLV Pole Star which is equipped with an 18-tonne crane on her 90m2 aft deck.

The facility in 2000 underwent a £4.2 million redevelopment to turn a buoy yard into a multi functional support base which is computer-linked to the NLB headquarters in Edinburgh.

In addition Trinity House which maintains the service for England and Wales operate the tenders THV Galtea,THV Patricia and the fast-response craft THV Alert from their base in Harwich.

Trinity House forms the trio of the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA) alongside NLB and CIL. Each member of the GLA co-operate in the allocation of vessel-tender deployment.

Asides the varied and critical role of the tasks performed by the GLA's tenders, they are also available for charter to third parties. Between them the tenders can conduct buoy and chain work, search and rescue, lighthouse re-fuelling, salvage and recovery, towing, hydrographic applications and ROV work.

Colin Byrne's Xtravagance was the winner of IRC one, one of six classes racing, in Saturday's Royal Alfred Bloomsday regatta on Dublin Bay.

The open event was hosted at the Royal St George Yacht Club and ran across four courses Course options. Results have been published for IRC Zero, one, two and three but record a poor turnout in the bay's typically strong cruiser class fleets.

Byrne's X-34 counted two second places to win from the Royal St. George's Erislannan (P. Kirwan) who won the first race but dropped to third in the second of the day.

The full results are HERE.

Former Flying fifteen ace Ted McCourt made the most of tonight's westerlies to produce a win in the Sigma 33 class from Dick Lovergrove's Rupert of the Royal St. George Yacht Club writes our Dublin Bay Correspondent. Third was Michael Larkin's Enchantress. The class national championship, that includes title holder Tim Goodbody of Dublin Bay, begins tomorrow on Belfast Lough this weekend.

Supernova (Ken Lawless) continues its run in the club's biggest class, Cruisers III, winning tonight from Ross Doyle's Two Step with Lawless's Royal Irish club mates Grainne and Sean O'Shea sailing the Super seal 26 footer, Gung Ho third.

A shy reach from the new Bay mark in Scotsman's baty sorted the men out from the boys in the Dragon class. The leaders holding height well as the leg tightened. No official results for any of the smaller one design classes have been issued tonight. All other DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 16 JUNE 2011 are below:

BENETEAU 31.7 ECHO - 1. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 2. Attitude (D.Owens/T.Milner), 3. Levana (Jean Mitton)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Levana (Jean Mitton), 2. Bluefin Two (M & B Bryson), 3. After U Too (Michael Blaney)

CRUISERS 1 ECHO - 1. Errislannan (Patrick Kirwan), 2. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 3. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Joker 11 (John Maybury), 2. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 2 ECHO - 1. Helter Skelter (Adrienne Jermyn), 2. Jester (Declan Curtin), 3. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 2. Jester (Declan Curtin), 3. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al)

CRUISERS 3 ECHO - 1. Supernova (K.Lawless et al), 2. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea), 3. Two Step (Ross Doyle)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Supernova (K.Lawless et al), 2. Two Step (Ross Doyle), 3. Gung Ho (G & S O'Shea)

SIGMA 33 - 1. Popje (Ted McCourt), 2. Rupert (R.Lovegrove/P.Varian), 3. Enchantress (Michael Larkin et al)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS ECHO - 1. Katie (Tom Dunne et al), 2. Nirvana (Bernard Neeson), 3. Edenpark (Liam Farmer)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Vespucci (S & K O'Regan), 2. Calypso (Howard Knott), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

The overall results for the 2011 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race give Martin Breen's 'Galway Harbour' first overall. First in the two handed category was Barry Hurley's Dinah, on this occassion the Cobh man was sailing with Andy Boyle. First in the cruiser division was David Kelly's Spindrift. Overall results published by the National Yacht Club as follows:

		Yacht name	Skipper	Club
Two-Handed	1st	Dinah	Barry Hurley	RIYC
Cruiser Class	1st	Spindrift	David Kelly	Wicklow Hbr SC
	2nd	Yahtzee	Richard Mossop	Calafort Sea Scouts
	3rd	Persistance	Jerry Collins	RStGYC
		Ocean Blue	Frank Cassidy	NYC
		Mojito	Peter Dunlop	Pwlhelli SC
Racing Class	1st	Galway Harbour	Martin Breen	Galway Bay SC
	2nd	Raging Bull	Matthew Davis	Skerries SC
	3rd	Tsunami	Peter Ryan	NYC
		Aquelina	James Tyrrell	Arklow SC
		Jedi	Andrew Sarratt	RStGYC/RIYC
		Sailing West Intuition	Paul Adamson	NYC
		Sgrech	Stephen Tudor	Pwlhelli SC
		Legally Brunette	Cathal Drohan	RStGYC
		English Mick	Carol Payne	Poolbeg Y&BC
		Pride of Dalkey Fuji	Alam McGettigan	RIYC
		Lula Belle	Liam Coyne	NYC

Retirals: Lisador, Fortuna Redux, Orna, Betty Boop, Saxon Senator, Sunsari

A total of 49 skippers have confirmed their entries for the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro that calls to Dun Laoghaire in August, the only foreign port in the race. Unfortunately there will be no Irish skippers.  Making up the group of predominantly French sailors are six foreigners, four British, one Portuguese and one German, and of the 49 starters almost 20% of the fleet are in their first full season in the Figaro class taking on the challenge of arguably the toughest singlehanded race. The fleet will sail a 1700-mile course over four stages, starting in Perros-Guirec on the North Brittany coast on 23 July and visiting Caen, Normandy, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, Les Sables d'Olonne, Vendée, before finishing in Dieppe, Pas de Calais, on 28 August.

The growing international interest in the race, now in its 42nd year, keeps the event in the limelight. Race Director Jacques Caraës has carefully designed the course this year to keep the challenge of dealing with tides, currents and local effects woven in with long days and nights of racing. Once again experience, instinct and talent will reward the best when hard tactical decisions are called for.

"The quality and technical level of the skippers participating in the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro reflects more than ever the calibre of the race. For sure it will be an edition with much suspense, the true Ultimate Challenge!"  Jacques Caraës said.

The top players
Three past winners of the Solitaire du Figaro will be racing in an attempt to join that elite club of skippers that have two overall victories to their name. Amongst them are Nicolas Lunven, who won the title in 2009 and is regularly at the top of the class leaderboard. He will be up against Jérémie Beyou, winner in 2005 and one of the top players in short-handed offshore sailing. Eric Drouglazet, the third participant to have won the race in the past, took the top podium spot in 2001 and has long been a central character on the Figaro circuit.  Frédéric Duthil, Gildas Morvan and Thierry Chabagny have all earned podium finishes and will be doing their level best to finally get to the top step of the podium. And how could one forget the steel-willed Jean-Paul Mouren who will be competing in his 25th Solitaire du Figaro! But the winner may well come from another source.

"Those who aim for the podium are a few and are not there to try and get second best in the race.  Winners or not, all will be doing their utmost to win" commented Jacques Caraës.

And from the UK...
Since 1970, 13 Britons have participated in Solitaire du Figaro. Nigel King is now the doyen of that group coming back for his third attempt. Amongst his compatriots are Conrad Humphreys of Vendée Globe fame, the very current Phil Sharp of mini transat success and the extremely talented Sam Goodchild, prodigy of the Artemis Academy.

"There has never been such a strong British presence at the Figaro before. I'm sure young Sam Goodchild and the more experienced Nigel King, Conrad Humphreys and Phil Sharp between them  will lead the British attack on the French sailors" continued Caraës.

With all the necessary ingredients for a top-grade sports competition, the 2011 Solitaire du Figaro will be as interesting as ever with its emotion, suspense and action. A rendez-vous not to be missed, starting with the Prologue in Perros-Guirec on 29 July.

2011 Key Dates:

PERROS GUIREC
Village opens: Saturday 23rd July
Eric Bompard Prologue: Friday 29th July
Start of the 1st leg: Sunday 31st July

CAEN (320 miles)
ETA: Tuesday 2nd August
Start of the 2nd leg: Sunday 7th August

DÚN LAOGHAIRE (470 miles)
ETA: Wednesday 10th August
Start of the 3rd leg: Sunday 14th August

LES SABLES D'OLONNE (475 miles)
ETA: Wednesday 17th August
Start of the 4th leg: Sunday 21st August

DIEPPE (430 miles)
ETA: Wednesday 24th August

 

Ronnie Sheehan's Beneteau First 28 was the winner of a breezy DBSC Tuesday night race on Dublin Bay. The club's only Trapper design, Grasshopper (Kevin Glynn) was second. Third was Myles Kelly's Sonata Maranda. Full DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 14 JUNE 2011 below.

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Borraine (Ean Pugh), 2. Cor Baby (Keith Kiernan et al)

CRUISERS 3 - 1. Chouskikou (R.Sheehan/R.Hickey), 2. Grasshopper 2 (K & J Glynn), 3. Maranda (M Kelly)

FIREBALL - 1. Winder (E.Butler/O.Laverty), 2. Elevation (N.Colin/M.Casey)

GLEN - 1. Glenshane (P Hogan), 2. Glencorel (B.Waldock/K.Malcolm), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Squalls (Stephen Harrison), 2. Dart (Pierre Long), 3. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)

MERMAID - 1. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 2. Oonagh (J&M Griffith), 3. Tiller Girl (J.O'Rourke)

PY CLASS - 1. Evan Dolan (), 2. P Keane (Laser 1), 3. Gary O'Hare (Laser)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Alias (D.Meeke/M.McCarthy), 2. Diane ll (Bruce Carswell), 3. Different Drummer (Catherine Hallinan)

Dun Laoghaire Harbour hopes to create 1000 new jobs according to the new Consultation Harbour Masterplan, on public display this Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 6pm at the Terminal building in the harbour. Mr Leo Varadkar, T.D., Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport visited the Harbour Board today to view the Masterplan model and the plans.

The Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Yacht Club's Submission to the Harbour Masterplan is Here.

"The Masterplan will position Dun Laoghaire Harbour as a marine, leisure and tourism destination of international calibre", says Gerry Dunne, Chief Executive Officer, Dun Laoghaire Harbour Board. "We need to spend an average of €5m a year on maintaining and developing the Harbour infrastructure. The Masterplan will involve investment of more than €230m, over the next 10-15 years and will result in 1000 sustainable jobs in areas such as tourism, marine service companies, select retail, and food and beverage."

Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport said "I welcome the master-planning initiative being taken by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. This is in line with international best practice and with measures to improve integrated transport planning more generally. I know there is very keen local interest in the future development of the harbour and I would encourage all the local stakeholders to participate positively in the process.

"In addition to being a successful commercial ferry port, this harbour is also the State's largest marine leisure amenity, an important maritime heritage site, and host to what is reputed to be the nation's most popular walk. The masterplan will help the company to successfully manage these multiple roles the future.

"I am particularly interested in making the most of the harbour's potential, both as a tourist attraction in its own right and as an attractive gateway for tourists to enter the country."

Major highlights of the Masterplan will be an International Diaspora Centre on the Carlisle Pier, which is expected to attract over 1 million visitors per year.  There will be other major commercial attractions, appropriate residential development and a new cruise berthing facility to enable Dublin Bay to welcome the Next Generation Cruise Ships to Dun Laoghaire.

There will be many improvements for the public and the many Voluntary Groups who use the amenities of the harbour, including a huge increase in public access to the waterfront, new slipways for the general public to use, and a new public marina.  The Masterplan is also making a specific commitment to enable Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Bay to host major International Sailing Events every year.

The Consultation Masterplan shows the Harbour Company's current thinking and asks people again for their views.  It takes into account all the ideas received by post and through the www.dlharbour.ie/masterplan website, the survey of people walking the East Pier as well as the meetings held over the last six months with different stakeholders who live and run businesses in the area.

"Dun Laoghaire harbour is one of the most beautiful man-made harbours in the world.  We want it to be recognised internationally as an exciting waterfront, marine and tourist destination – one which elegantly integrates the local town with a historic 200 year old harbour and offers a striking combination of modern amenities mixed with a traditional marine ambience in a Dublin Bay setting," says Dunne.

Although it was an evening that brought out the paddleboarders on to Scotsman's Bay it was equally a nice night for a Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) dinghy race with an ebbing tide, flat sea and six knot westerly breeze.

Sean Craig - just back from the SB3s Southerns in Fenit at the weekend - resumed his place at the top of the PY/Laser fleet with Chris Arrowsmith second and third Dave Cahill.

And prior to packing up for next week's Fireball World Championships in Sligo, Noel Butler and Stephen Oram were winners again in a seven boat Fireball fleet. Second was Frank Miller's Blind Squirrel from the DMYC.

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 7 JUNE 2011

FIREBALL - 1. nn (S Oram), 2. Blind Squirrel (Frank Miller), 3. Licence to Thrill (Louis Smyth)

IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Doody (J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne), 3. Squalls (Stephen Harrison)

MERMAID - 1. Tiller Girl (J.O'Rourke), 2. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 3. Kim (D Cassidy)

PY CLASS - 1. Sean Craig (Laser), 2. C Arrowsmith (Laser), 3. D Cahill (Laser)

Dun Laoghaire's new Harbour master is Captain Frank Allen, according to an announcement by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company this morning.

Captain Allen replaces Captain Simon Coate who is retiring.

A native of Cork, Captain Allen has spent all his working life in shipping. His first management role was as General Manager of Dundlak shipowners from 1986 to 1997. He was then appointed Ships captain for Carrisbrooke Shipping in the UK and subsequently worked as Operations Manager for Swansea Cork Ferries from 199 to 2003 before joining Dundalk Port as Harbour Master.

The Harbour Company is about to launch a Masterplan for the 200 year old harbour., the country's largest sailing and boating centre.