Saturday, 2nd September, dawned windless on Belfast Lough for the second day of the Irish Flying Fifteen National Championships at County Antrim Yacht Club. It stayed that way sufficiently long for the Race Officer to fly a postponement flag ashore. It afforded the fleet an opportunity to tweak boats, apply temporary bandages to bruised hulls and engage in the social aspect of the regatta.

The fleet were advised to go afloat after the expiry of the hour signalled by the shoreside flying on the postponement flag. At that stage the water wasn't quite so glassy but there was a semblance of wind. It subsequently filled to allow 3 races to be sailed in winds that probably got up to ten knots.

A well know FF personality is often heard to say after a frustrating day on the water " you can't beat the sailing". Today, he bit back, scoring a 1,2,1 to elevate himself and his crew to the top of the overall standings albeit by a point ahead of the Connemara cousins, Niall and Ronan O'Briain who took the middle race win. The Connemara crew have an eight-point advantage over the Dunmore East combination of Lee Statham & Andy Paul who have 3pts over Peter Kennedy & Stephen Kane with another point separating them and overnight leader Trevor D'Arcy.

More wind is forecast for Sunday, but after a day of genteel winds and sunshine today, we won't get too greedy!

The overall results after five races sailed are below.

Irish Flying Fifteen National Championships results after five races sailed at County Antrim Yacht Club

The longstanding commitment of Facet Jewellers to the Flying Fifteen Class in Dun Laoghaire Harbour manifested itself again this past Saturday when the Facet Trophy was raced for by ten Flying Fifteens in a relatively empty Dublin Bay. Indeed, a start of ten boats might have been a high for the day in terms of overall participation.

The forecast for the weekend had been dire from the middle of the week, but as the week wore its way towards Friday, there was a sense that the conditions were set to moderate. However, anyone who was awake very early on the Saturday morning (3 – 4am) would have heard a howling gale outside. By 13:00, the concern wasn’t so much the wind but the sea state! However, a preliminary reconnaissance by the committee boat deemed that racing could proceed.

With the wind set to be slightly west of north, according to XCWeather, we set off for a start area in the vicinity of Merrion with a weather mark that was initially in transit with the leading lights at the mouth of the Liffey.

The wind was pretty much as forecast 16/17 knots with gusts coming through with each pass of grey cloud. However, with the tide still having just over an hour of flooding and the course being inshore, in relative terms, the seas were quite confused and lumpy. The majority of the fleet started on starboard tack for the first race with David Gorman & Cormac Bradley (4099) about halfway down the line in the company of Ian Mathews and Keith Poole (4093), David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne (4068), with Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (4028) also in this group. Unbeknownst to this scribe, three boats went hard right – Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey (3955), Joe Coughlan & Andrew Marshall (3913) and Jill Fleming (3747). The consequence of the latter group going hard right was that the former group, having done their best to get away from their colleagues in the middle and left of the course, found themselves playing second fiddle to Dumpleton & Hickey who were never headed after the weather mark and won by a comfortable margin. Behind them, the running order was Gorman & Bradley in very close company with Mulvin & Beirne and Mathews & Poole. Down the first leeward leg, Mathews and Mulvin closed on Gorman with Alastair Court & Conor O’Leary (3753) behind this group. Colin & Casey were also not far away from the chasing three.

As the chasing group gybed and gybed again to get to the leeward mark, Mulvin sneaked in ahead of Gorman while Mathews dropped a little behind. Within the last few boat-lengths to the mark, Gorman came back again, and while he had no room, Mulvin made sure that he wasn’t tempted to squeeze in, by slamming the door shut. At this stage, Mathews and Poole parted company, giving Gorman the chance to chase Mulvin up the next beat unfettered. Court also took advantage to get into fourth place.

There were no changes up the second beat and subsequent run in the lead group, leading to a finishing order of Dumpleton, Mulvin, Gorman, Court, Mathews, Colin, Alan Balfe & son (3995), Coughlan, Mick Quinn & Mary-Jane Mulligan (3960) and Fleming. Back on shore Dumpleton said his decision to go hard right was influenced by the cloud movement and while there wasn’t unanimity about that on the boat, it paid dividends.

For the second race, the RO, Barry O’Neil moved the weather mark quite a bit westward to compensate for the shifting breeze. Once underway the reverse of the first race applied! The bulk of the fleet worked the middle and right of the course after a starboard tacked start. Gorman, peeled off first, taking a modest port tack before coming back into the middle of the course again. Mathews, Court and Mulvin took the port tack later and Gorman found himself leading this bunch as he worked the middle part of the course. But where were Colin & Casey? In contrast to Dumpleton the first time round, they worked the extreme left of the course as Dumpleton had done before on the right and lead the fleet around the weather mark. Behind them came Gorman and Court with a bit of distance before Mathews, Mulvin and Dumpleton rounded.

The run to the leeward mark required only a single gybe and a much later one at that. Colin, Gorman and Court all rounded safely without giving anything away to those who were chasing them. All three set off on the second beat holding a port tack before Court became the first to peel off and go shore-wards. Gorman took the decision to chase Colin and as the beat developed it appeared that was a good decision as some distance had been eked out from Court and Colin’s lead was slightly reduced.

While Gorman had closed on Colin, he had to keep an eye on Court as a slip at this stage might change the whole scene in overall terms. Again, the run to the mark was a single tack sail with a gybe late on to accommodate the short three sail reach to the finish, the wind having swung a bit further westward. Gorman gybed before he reached the leeward mark which allowed him a more relaxed set of the spinnaker and a higher windward slot to the finish. Colin’s later gybe did not go quite so smoothly and Gorman was able to take advantage and the winning gun. Ashore, Colin’s explanation of his first beat tactics was working the shifts on the left hand-side.

Since a recent session on rigging and tuning by John Lavery, there has been a much greater awareness of the need to change rigs in accordance with conditions. Post-race it seems everyone had taken heed of John’s advice as most people made a rigging change between the two races.

The finishing order for the second race was; Gorman, Colin, Court, Mathews, Mulvin, Dumpleton, Coughlan, Balfe, Fleming.

Over the two races the points were as follows; Gorman (4), Court, Mulvin and Dumpleton (7), Mathews (9), Coughlan and Balfe (15), Quinn and Fleming (19), meaning that tie-breaks were needed to resolve the 1-2-3 in both the Silver and Gold Fleet.

Ronan Beirne & David Mulvin (4068) were 2nd Gold Fleet in the Flying Fifteen Facet Trophy race and were presented with the trophy by Pat Shannon of Facet Jewellers (right) Photo: Dasha Hilliard

Ken Dumpleton (left) & Joe Hickey (3955) were 3rd Gold Fleet in the Flying Fifteen Facet Trophy race and were presented with the trophy by Pat Shannon of Facet Jewellers (centre) Photo: Dasha Hilliard

Gold Overall
1. David Gorman & Cormac Bradley 4pts
2. Ken Dumpleton & Joe Hickey 7pts
3. David Mulvin & Ronan Beirne 7pts

Silver Fleet
1. Joe Coughlan & Andrew Marshall 15pts
2. Alan Balfe & son, 15pts
3. Mick Quinn & Mary-Jane Mulligan 19pts.

Alan Balfe & son (3995) – 1st Silver Fleet in the Flying Fifteen Facet Trophy race Photo: Dasha Hilliard

Andrew Marshall & Joe Coughlan – 2nd Silver Fleet in the Flying Fifteen Facet Trophy race Photo: Dasha Hilliard

Mick Quinn (3960) was 3rd Silver Fleet in the Flying Fifteen Facet Trophy race Photo: Dasha Hilliard

Class Captain Robin Hilliard, ably assisted by his daughter Dasha, officiated at the prizegiving at the National Yacht Club with Facet Jewellers’ Pat Shannon in attendance to hand out the prizes. Pat commended the fleet for the day’s racing and referenced the longstanding relationship between Facet Jewellers and the Flying Fifteen Fleet. He also thanked Class Captain Robin Hilliard for his work in putting the event together.

Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club Will Byrne crewed on Jon Desmond's Mills 41Chicago-Mackinac race winner, Final Final, at the weekend.

Desmond's debutantes took the overall ORC and class win out of 250 boats racing the 350-mile course on Lake Michigan.

Chicago Yacht Club organisers claimed, "Another successful race to Mackinac is in the books, with today’s award ceremony taking place on the great lawn of Mission Point Resort".

Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club Will Byrne (third from left) with his  crew mates from Jon Desmond's Mills 41 Final Final, the 2023 Chicago-Mackinac race winner Photo: CYC

The race, known as ‘America’s Offshore Challenge,’ delivered a spectacular race yet again with its mix of squalls, calms and, most of all, new memories for the 240 teams competing.

For the Mackinac Cup, awarded this year to the large racing boat overall winner, first-timer Final Final won Section 2 and the Cup.

Owner Jon Desmond of Cohasset, Mass., admitted they had more than a few moments of angst when they made a tactical decision to split from the fleet early on in the race. “We had this moment where it was like, ‘you realise we have just separated from the teams that have how many Macs under their belt’?” he said.

The decision paid off, and the East-coast-based Mills 41 is already planning its return to defend the victory.

Some sunshine and gentle sailing breezes on Dublin Bay allowed a full programme of three races for Wednesday's (19th July) National Yacht Club Junior Regatta sponsored by Sia Partners NextGen Consulting.

Over 100 boats contested the regatta in an in-harbour fleet at Dun Laoghaire and a main fleet that raced on Dublin Bay. 

RStGYC's Caoilinn Geraghty-McDonnell was the winner of the Laser 4.7 division, with Emily Cantwell second and Zita Tempany third. 

Optimists sailing downwind at the National Yacht Club Junior Regatta sponsored by Sia Partners NextGen Consulting. Scroll down for a photo gallery Photo: Michael Chester

RStGYC's Jamie White won the Optimists, Holly Cantwell was second with James Crawford, all RSTGYC, third.

The NYC's Tom Flannery and Alex Trickett were the PY two-handed winners in a 29er. 

A 29er skiff sailing on a reach at the National Yacht Club Junior Regatta sponsored by Sia Partners NextGen Consulting. Scroll down for a photo gallery Photo: Michael Chester

In the RS Feva, NYC's  Daniel Burns and John Healy won from RStGYC's Amy OHalloran, with RSGYC's Susanna Bloomer and Elizabeth Lyster third.

Prizes were presented by National Yacht Club Commodore Peter Sherry, assisted by the Junior Regatta organiser Rebecca Hall. 

National Yacht Club Junior Regatta 2023 Prizegiving Photo Gallery by Michael Chester

Results for the main fleet are below, and the harbour fleet result is here

National Yacht Club Junior Regatta 2023 Photo Gallery by Michael Chester

With four straight wins, Britain's Megan Pascoe won Sunday's Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

As Afloat reported previously, Saturday's first day of racing in the one-person keelboat event was lost to strong winds. 

The National Yacht Club hosted championships attracted sailors from the UK and Netherlands, including the previous world champion Pascoe.

Second overall at the Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour was Steve Bullmore from Spinnaker SC (GBR 1039) Photo: Afloat

British sailors also took second and third overall, with Steve Bullmore from Spinnaker Sailing Club winning silver and John Patrick from Blue Circle Cruising & SC taking bronze in the 13-boat fleet.

Sneek sailed by Dutch sailor Pieter Visser (NED 59), competing at the Irish 2.4mR Championships 2023 held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

Results below

Strong northwesterly gusts have cancelled 29er Skiff National Championship racing at the National Yacht Club.

Friday evening and Saturday's schedules were both scrubbed because of the high winds. 

Racing is scheduled again for tomorrow (Sunday) on Dublin Bay.

As Afloat reported previously, top Irish crews have just finished four days of competition at Kiel Week in Germany, where sister-Brother duo Clementine and Nathan van Steenberge (NYC) finished up fifth and first mixed duo, having led the 29er fleet for the first three days.

Former National Yacht Club (NYC) Commodore Brían Barry of Killiney, County Dublin, has died.

Brian was a Member of the NYC for over 50 years. He came into sailing through Glenans, and with his wife Anne, he continued introducing people to sailing throughout his sailing career.

"With his financial training in Coopers and Lybrand, he served as treasurer for several difficult years following various crises in the Dun Laoghaire club. He served on several other sub-committees culminating in his election as Commodore in 1991, Commodore Peter Sherry told members this week.

Sherry said in a tribute that Brian, "together with Martin Crotty, pioneered the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race and established our strong interclub relationship with Cumann Bádoírí Naomh Bréanainn (Dingle Sailing Club). His daughter Suzie continues the link with her involvement in the D2D".

Brian also initiated adult sailing in the club by donating his Hunter 27 “Willie Waw”.

"Always a gentleman and a much-loved family man", Sherry said.

"He will be sadly missed by all his friends within the Club and further afield. Our deepest sympathies go to his family during this difficult time", he added.

The NYC Club ensign will be flown at half-mast in his memory, and a minute's silence will be observed at the next Committee meeting.

Funeral details are here

Howth Yacht Club's Paul McMahon is the 2023 Bretzel Bakery Irish RS Aero National Champion after a masterful display of sailing, winning the event with a race to spare - counting four firsts and a third at the National Yacht Club hosted event.

He was pushed hard by UK visitors, runner-up RS Sailing’s Noah Rees (Lymington Town SC) and Jack Miller (Felpham/Paignton SC) in third overall.

Noel Butler (National YC) and Daragh Sheridan (Howth YC) completed the Irish Nationals podium.

First Junior: Alexander Trickett (National YC), First Lady: Sarah Dwyer (RStGYC), First Master: Robert Howe (Monkstown Bay SC), First Novice: William Despard (National YC). Among the competitors was Irish ILCA Masters champion Marco Sorgassi (RStGYC), who was rewarded with a Bretzel Bakery “Mug of the Day” award for a truly spectacular ”missed the toestrap” capsize!

24 entries, the largest Irish RS Aero fleet to date, competed in six races over two days in medium SE winds on Dublin Bay.

PRO Ed Totterdell and his expert race management team with mark layers Mal Nowlan and John McNeely ran three Olympic courses on Saturday and three windward/leeward courses on Sunday, deftly dealing with a stubborn fog bank on the Sunday morning. On the water jury, Ailbe Millerick and Eunice Kennedy kept the fleet on their toes with regard to Rule 42 as they enjoyed full hiking conditions upwind and surfing conditions downwind with the wind against the building ebb tide

National YC Head Coach Thomas Chaix, ran a class coaching session on the Friday. This was open to all sailors in the class and designed to prepare sailors at all levels for the National Championship on the Saturday and Sunday. 14 sailors participated and mark roundings, starts, boat trim, sail shape and use of controls were the learning points of the day with excellent video analysis and notes circulated on the event group chat. Thomas was also on coach duty during the racing and facilitated a de-brief on the Saturday evening where hints and tips were shared by the race winners and interesting discussions were had over delicious catering provided by the National YC.

Thanks to title sponsor Bretzel Bakery whose MD Dymphna O'Brien presented the prizes (see photos below). Bakery owner William Despard competed in the event and provided delicious bread and pastries for the fleet each day.

Bretzel Bakery MD Dymphna O’Brien presented winners with their prizes at the National Yacht Club. Above Paul McMahon (HYC) with Irish RS Aero National Championship Trophy and gold medal, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023. 

Noah Rees (Lymington Town SC) with the prize for 2nd overall, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023. 

RS Aero Class Treasurer Roy Van Maanen presents Jack Miller (Felpham/Paignton SC) with the prize for 3rd overall, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

Noel Butler with his silver medal, Irish RS Aero Nationals, 2023

Daragh Sheridan with his bronze medal, Irish RS Aero Nationals, 2023

Alexander Trickett (National YC) with the prize for 1st Junior, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

William Despard (National YC) with the prize for 1st Novice, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

Sarah Dwyer (RStGYC) with the prize for 1st Lady, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

Robert Howe (Monkstown Bay SC) with the prize for 1st Master, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

Marco Sorgassi (RStGYC) with the “Mug of the Day” prize for his spectacular “missed the toestrap” capsize!, Irish RS Aero Nationals 2023

Thanks also to RS Sailing Ireland and Kenneth Rumball for providing complimentary charter boats for the visitors.

The RS Fest next weekend in Blessington Sailing Club will have racing for all RS classes with boats available to try/charter, more info here.

Seven of the Irish sailors who competed at the Nationals will represent Ireland at the upcoming RS Aero World Championships in Sardinia at the end of July.

Full results below

The RS Aero fleet plans to continue the very popular format of coaching/racing as the fleet develops. The National YC also runs weekly coaching sessions open to all. Anyone who would like to participate is very welcome and should get in touch with the class by emailing [email protected]

After a very successful Eastern Championships organised by the neighbouring Royal Irish Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, a small group of National Yacht Club RS Feva sailors got set for the British Nationals. After a light-air yet instructive clinic, the team of five partnerships made it to the UK on May 26th.

The team was greeted in Pwllheli, North Wales, by sunshine and champagne-style sailing conditions... simply glorious!

After a short training session to get their bearings in the bay, they competed in a fleet of 95 boats over four days.

The scene at the beach in Pwllheli, North Wales where a 95-boat fleet competed for the UK RS Feva National title

The large fleet was split into two starts and completed a six-race qualifying series.

The first day offered somewhat medium conditions, whilst the second day sometimes muscled up with up to 20 knots.

The National Yacht Club's Zara Whelan and Amelia Chapman at their RS Feva dinghy at the UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

On day one, the group learnt fast from initial mistakes concluding on race three with two top 10 (courtesy of Felix Dion/Lucas Browne and Grace Keating/Hannah Walsh). The rest of the group also secured their best race at the end.

The National Yacht Club's Grace Keating and Hannah Walsh competing at the RS Feva dinghy UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

On day two, the group found the going challenging in the breeze and despite moments of brilliance, mistakes (capsizes, kites gone fishing...) proved costly; gear was also put to the test with Felix and Lucas suffering gear failure. Two partnerships (Jules Start/Amy O'Halloran and Theo Madigan/Cathal O'Regan) managed to secure their place in the gold fleet.

Five races were completed in the finals. The conditions had gone down to a lovely light to medium Easterly. Gold fleet proved tough and big lessons were learnt by both our teams. The best finishers were RstGYC sailors Jules and Amy in 37th.

The National Yacht Club's Felix Dion and Lucas Browne competing at the RS Feva dinghy UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

Although a few mistakes were also made in Silver, the results were encouraging and nearer the front, with Felix and Lucas concluding their event with a race win.

The trip away was a first for some sailors, and they certainly enjoyed the competition and the after-sailing fun. The opportunity to learn from the very competitive British fleet was also a great added value to the trip.

Next is now the RS Fest in Blessington, which will also be the Irish nationals. The NYC team is now looking forward to applying the gained experience against the home fleet on June 24-25.

Track the progress of the 2023 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race fleet below here on the live tracker below when the race starts at 2 pm on Wednesday, June 7th, from Dublin Bay.

43 entries are confirmed entries ranging from 32ft to 57 foot, and IRC handicaps are from as low as 0.871 and as high as 1.432!

Read the full 2023 race preview by WM Nixon here and listen to a podcast interview with Race Organiser Adam Winkelmann and Lorna Siggins here.

Read all the 2023 D2D Race News in one handy link here

WM Nixon will be posting regular race updates during the race