Displaying items by tag: ISORA
Raging Bull Defends ISORA Title
The weather affected what is normally the most popular race of the series, the James Eadie race from Pwllheli to Howth. The severe weather forecast put many boats off travelling to Pwllheli. Some even turned back during the delivery to Pwllheli.
Only nine boats from an entry list of 25 came to the start line for the race. Due to the severe weather forecast it was decided that it would be prudent to shorten the race as much as possible and to change the course to go directly to Dun Laoghaire instead. This gave a course of 74 miles. In view of the overfalls off Bardsey Island, it was decided to remove Bardsey as a mark on the course.
The start was provided by Richard Tudor of the PSC. The wind at that time was southerly and was a steady 25knots. The first leg to St Tudwals was a tight fetch. The fleet encountered the first of the bad overfalls exiting through St. Tudwals sound. The next leg to Bardsey Sound was a tight reach. With the island blanketing the wind, conditions in the Sound were surprisingly tame. "Tsunami" was the first boat through the Sound and they cracked off to a beam reach to Dun Laoghaire.
The wind was building all the time during the race. The winds, on the reach to Dun Laoghaire, were a steady 30+ knots with gusts up to 40 knots. While the race was not a tactical challenge, steering the boat through the rogue waves kept the helms on their toes. With the exception of one boat who ventured a spinnaker, all the boats knuckled down and rode out the weather using white sails.
"Tsunami" led the fleet for most of the race taking line honours. They finished race in approximately eight and a half hours. The remainder of the fleet all finished within 75 minutes. "Tsunami" was pipped for first place by one minute by "Sgrech" and had to settle for 2nd Overall. "Raging Bull" took third place overall, 30 seconds behind "Tsunami". Class 3 was won by "Mojito" who also took 4th Place Overall.
"Raging Bull" and Matt Davis are the ISORA Overall Champions and the winners of the coveted Wolf's Head Trophy. They retained their ISORA Champion title for the second year in succession.
The finish was provided by Ronan Kieran of the NYC.
The prizes for the series will be presented at the ISORA Annual Prize Giving Dinner to be held in the NYC on the 19th November.
Offshore Sailors Consider 'Virtual Marks' for 2012 Fixtures
Taking a lead from this year's Lyver offshore sailing race, when Liverpool Yacht Club used a "virtual" waypoint as a mark on the course, ISORA may include this type of mark in future races, that's according to Commodore Peter Ryan. His comments come in a plea to members for feedback before the 2012 ISORA calendar is set at the ISORA agm on November 19th. Virtual marks would be a means to ensure that the offshore fleet get true upwind legs and still have reasonable length races.
It would, says Ryan of Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club, also facilitate the shortening of the day races. 'We have been around Rockabill so often over the last few years that the bird life there think we are residents!' he adds.
An exotic weekend in Dun Laoghaire with the start of an Olympic class keelboat event plus the arrival of a Volvo 70 into the harbour but Irish weather meant all did not go to plan. Click our links for a round up of the weekend's sailing events from around the country: Mansfield Wins 1720 Euros in Baltimore, Squall Puts Paid to First Race of Star Europeans in Dun Laoghaire, West Kirby Teams Top ISAF Worlds in Schull, Johnston's Beneteau 31.7 is Good Prospect, Killyleagh Pair Scoop Flying Fifteen East Coast Cup, Lively Lady Sails to Victory in Fickle ISORA Race to Rockabill, SB3 Team Sanya Welcome Scuppered by Strong Winds. We'll have more reports later this morning from the J24 Easterns in Howth, the National 18 season in Cork and J80 Match racing.
Lively Lady Sails to Victory in Fickle ISORA Race to Rockabill
The course was from the start to round Rockabill to starboard and back to the finish at the mouth of Dun Laoghaire Harbour – 38 miles. The length of the original course to the M2 was 54 miles. To make the race more tactical, Ireland's Eye and Lambay were not marks on the course.
The start was provided by Larry Power of the NYC at the DBSC Pier mark. The wind at that time was south west and was gusting up to 25knots. This sent the fleet, most with spinnakers, charging towards the Bailey. It was not long before the wind decreased to 10-12 knots and veered to west.
"Tsunami" led the charge off the line but it was not long before "Lively Lady" took up poll position which she held for the remainder of the race. The fleet split as it approached Lambay. Those boats that chose to go inside the island went onto white sails while the boats that stayed outside could hold their spinnakers. There did not appear to be an advantage to either side of the island.
The fleet stayed well bunched at it approach Rockabill with "Lively Lady" rounding first followed by "English Mick" and "Jedi". On the return leg the wind decreased further to 8-10 knots from the west. Again the decision was whether to hold the spinnaker for the tight reach and what side of Lambay to go. "Lively Lady" who was leading the fleet again went inside while most of the fleet remained outside the island. This time however, there appeared to be an advantage as "Lively Lady" pulled further in front.
Passing Howth Head and approaching the finish, the wind got even more fickle. As the lead boats entered Dublin Bay the wind backed the south west giving abeat to the finish. However, there was no stopping "Lively Lady" who took line honours and first in Class 1 and Overall. "Tsunami" took 2nd place in Class 1 while "African Challenge" took 3rd in Class 1. "Jedi" took 1st place in Class 2 and 2nd Overall. "Adelie" took 1st in Class 3 and 3rd overall.
The finish was provided by Martin Lawless on the NYC.
The next race is on the 10th September, the "James Eadie Race" from Pwllheli to Howth.
Racing Round Up - Weekend Irish Sailing Review
Lula Belle Wins ISORA Night Race
Lyver Race Report - Holyhead to Howth
Following very closely after the Dingle Race, ICRA Nationals in Crosshaven and the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale, it was understandable that the numbers of ISORA boats taking part in the Lyver Race was small. The "grim" forecast of no wind did not encourage any boats to take part either. Never the less, five ISORA boats joined the 10 other boats and came to the start shortly after 19.00 on Friday the 1st July.
In view of the forecast the Sailing Committee shortened the race to the minimum requirements of RORC to qualify for the Fastnet Race – 75 miles. The time limit for the race was 24 hours after the start. With little wind at the start, and a north going tide just starting, they chose a "waypoint" just south of the Isle of Man as the turning mark and then to Howth.
This decision turned out to be inspired. The little wind there was there at the start was from the north-west so the first leg was a beat to the waypoint. Those boats who took the north leg from the start shot away in the tide while the others appeared to remain static in
Holyhead Bay. The forecast was for the wind to veer around to the south later. All through the night the winds were very fickle and boats had the chase constantly fluctuating breezes. Despite the little wind, it held for most of the night. At day break the wind started to pick up from the forecasted South and boats popped their kites and headed for the waypoint. There was a great gathering of boats at the waypoint with 12 boats visible around the waypoint.
The next leg to Howth was a white sail reach. This turned out to be an intensive chase with the J111 "Arabella" taking the lead followed by two Prima 38's, Stephen Tudor's "Sgrech" and Matt Davis's " Raging Bull". The wind from the south increased in strength as the fleet approached Howth.
While "Arabella" took line honours, it only managed to take 2nd place overall. "Sgrech" took 1st place and "Raging Bull" took 3rd place. All the boats that had not retired, managed to complete the course within the time limit.
The boats taking part in the race were fitted with trackers. The progress of the race can be followed by clicking the following link: http://live.adventuretracking.com/lyver2011
The prize-giving took place in Howth Yacht Club on Saturday evening.
Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary is racing at the Scottish Series and better weather is promised tomorrow. ICRA has arranged craneage for next month's national championships and there are less than two weeks to the first gun of the Fireball World Championships in Sligo. 58 are entrered from nine countries.
All this and much more in Monday's Afloat ebulletin. Direct to your inbox Sign up here for free. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter too!
Barry Hurley and Mick Liddy prepare for the ISORA start in Wales on Saturday. More photos by Cathy Mullan on our ISORA post here
Raging Bull Charges Back to Top of ISORA Fleet
After missing the last ISORA race the 2010 Champion Raging Bull charged back to the front of yesterday's 7-boat fleet in a blustery offshore race across the Irish Sea from Pwlhelli in Wales to Wicklow harbour on the Irish East coast. Second to Matt Davis's Sigma 400 was the Welsh J109 Sgrech and third the Royal Irish A35 entry Aztec III skippered by Peter Beamish.
The bad weather before the race and difficulties with delivery as well as a general poor forecast (and a rugby match) for the race was the
main reasons for a very disappointing turn out for what is normally a very popular race.
Some of the fleet – now moored in Wicklow harbour – are sailing in this morning's Round the Turbines race from nearby Arklow Sailing Club. Provisional ISORA results from the Pwllheli to Wicklow race are below.
ISORA interests now turn to the big offshore fixture of the season, the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race on Saturday, June 11th.
Scroll down for Race start pics by Cathy MullanBoat Name | Sail No. | Type | IRC Rating | IRC | Finish Time | Time elapsed | Time elapsed | Corrected | Corrected | Place | Place |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(provisional) | No Spinnaker | Time | Time | Class | O/A | ||||||
English Mick | GBR4771R | Beneteau 47.7 | 1.127 | IRC | 18:43:20 | 37700 | 10:28:20 | 42487 | 11:48:07 | 2 | 7 |
Quite Correct | IRL 5405 | DS54 | 1.095 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
African Challenge | IRL 2649 | Fast 42 | 1.077 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Tsunami | IRL 4007 | First 40.7 | 1.061 | IRC | 18:54:19 | 38359 | 10:39:19 | 40698 | 11:18:18 | 1 | 5 |
Lancastrian | GBR 7682T | Starlight 14.5m | 1.059 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Rebellion | IRL 6001 | Nicholson 58 | 1.054 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Orna | IRL 532 | 1.042 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Aztec 3 | IRL29832 | A35 | 1.034 | IRC | 18:59:14 | 38654 | 10:44:14 | 39968 | 11:06:08 | 3 | 3 |
Jedi | IRL 8088 | J109 | 1.029 | IRC | 19:04:01 | 38941 | 10:49:01 | 40070 | 11:07:50 | 4 | 4 |
Raging Bull | IRL 9666 | Sigma 400 | 1.027 | IRC | 18:57:47 | 38567 | 10:42:47 | 39608 | 11:00:08 | 1 | 1 |
Miss Scarlett | IRL 4763 | Sunfast 40.3 | 1.025 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sgrech | GBR9319R | J109 | 1.021 | IRC | 19:03:00 | 38880 | 10:48:00 | 39696 | 11:01:36 | 2 | 2 |
Lula Belle | IRL 3607 | First 36.7 | 1.019 | IRC | 19:51:46 | 41806 | 11:36:46 | 42600 | 11:50:00 | 5 | 8 |
First of September | IRL 8581 | First 43.5 | 1.016 | IRC | 20:47:59 | 45179 | 12:32:59 | 45901 | 12:45:01 | 7 | 12 |
Dinah | IRL 3508 | JOD 35 | 1.016 | IRC | 20:04:31 | 42571 | 11:49:31 | 43252 | 12:00:52 | 6 | 9 |
Windshift | IRL 37737 | SF37 | 0.992 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Adelie | FRA 9631 | First 34.7 | 0.988 | IRC | 20:52:02 | 45422 | 12:37:02 | 44876 | 12:27:56 | 2 | 10 |
Mojito | GBR 1536L | Bravaria 39 | 0.988 | IRC | 19:52:14 | 41834 | 11:37:14 | 41331 | 11:28:51 | 1 | 6 |
Mistral of St Helier | K 8337 | Sigma 38 | 0.984 | IRC | 21:08:39 | 46419 | 12:53:39 | 45676 | 12:41:16 | 3 | 11 |
Yahtzee | IRL 1068 | Oceanis 411 | 0.983 | IRC | 21:35:25 | 48025 | 13:20:25 | 47208 | 13:06:48 | 4 | 13 |
Sarnia | IRL 2260 | 0.891 | IRC | DNS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Racing Update: Third in Melges Pre-worlds, SB3 Worlds, Gung Ho top on Dublin Bay, ISORA, Foynes to Fenit
In other offshore sailing, defending champion Brian O'Donnell, on Whyte Dolphin is expected to defend his Gold Leaf trophy on a race from Foynes to Fenit.