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Big Winds Get Rathfarnham Ford DBSC Turkey Shoot Underway on Dublin Bay (Photo Gallery)

5th November 2017
Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) both of the Royal Irish Yacht Club completes her gybe at the outfall mark on Dublin Bay in today's first race of the DBSC Turkey Shoot. Scroll down for photo gallery below. Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) both of the Royal Irish Yacht Club completes her gybe at the outfall mark on Dublin Bay in today's first race of the DBSC Turkey Shoot. Scroll down for photo gallery below. Credit: Afloat.ie

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's popular Turkey Shoot Series got off to a breezy start on Dublin Bay this morning for an all–star cast of sailing cruisers that includes last year's winner, the triple ICRA Champion Joker II (John Maybury) and the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle winner Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) both of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Open to all, the 60–plus boat fleet has also attracted the INSS's Kenny Rumball, this year in an SB20, with several 1720 sportsboats also racing.

The series of seven races is held on Sunday mornings from 5th November to 17th December. An entry fee of €70.00 for the series includes temporary membership of DBSC and the Royal Irish Yacht Club. 

Last year the series was dominated by J109s who took the top three places overall. 

In addition to the title sponsor, DBSC's Fintan Cairns has also secured continued support from weekly sponsors North Sails and UK Sailmakers Ireland.

See Afloat.ie's photo gallery from the opening race below. Results update to follow.

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Photo Sales Gallery here

Published in Turkey Shoot

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Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Winter Series

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Turkey Shoot Series reached its 20th year in 2020.

The popular yacht series racing provides winter-racing for all the sailing clubs on the southside of Dublin Bay in the run-up to Christmas.

It regularly attracts a fleet of up to 70 boats of different shapes and sizes from all four yachts clubs at Dun Laoghaire: The National Yacht Club, The Royal St. George Yacht Club, The Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as other clubs such as Sailing in Dublin. Typically the event is hosted by each club in rotation.

The series has a short, sharp format for racing that starts at approximately 10 am and concludes around noon. The event was the brainchild of former DBSC Commodore Fintan Cairns to give the club year-round racing on the Bay thanks to the arrival of the marina at Dun Laoghaire in 2001. Cairns, an IRC racer himself, continues to run the series each winter.

Typically, racing features separate starts for different cruiser-racers but in fact, any type of boat is allowed to participate, even those yachts that do not normally race are encouraged to do so.

Turkey Shoot results are calculated under a modified ECHO handicap system and there can be a fun aspect to some of the scoring in keeping with the Christmas spirit of the occasion.

As a result, the Turkey Shoot often receives entries from boats as large as Beneteau 50 footers and one designs as small as 20-foot flying Fifteens, all competing over the same course.

It also has legendary weekly prizegivings in the host waterfront yacht clubs immediately after racing. There are fun prizes and overall prizes based on series results.

Regular updates and DBSC Turkey Shoot Results are published on Afloat each week as the series progresses.

FAQs

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome. Boats range in size from ocean-going cruisers at 60 and 60 feet right down to small one-design keelboats such as 20-foot Flying Fifteens. A listing of boats for different starts is announced on Channel 74 before racing each week.

Each winter from the first Sunday in November until the last week before Christmas.

Usually no more than two hours. The racecourse time limit is 12.30 hours.

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

Racing is organised by Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Series is rotated across different waterfront yacht clubs for the popular after race party and prizegiving. The waterfront clubs are National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC), Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

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