The Antrim Boat Club Winter Series in north east Lough Neagh has been the premier event for the Club since 1969 and this year, with the blessing of the late Pat Kelly’s family, the club will award the Pat Kelly Memorial Cup to the overall winner of the Winter Series going forward. Throughout the decades of the Winter Series Pat set the bar for the competitors in dinghies, keelboats and cruisers - he has the most series wins with 10, his first being in 1975-1976 and the last win in 2018-2019 at the age of 82.
The second half of the Winter Series began on 29th January with Race 7 being something of a struggle with the result being a sailover for Charlie McAllister and Jeff Harrison in the Limbo 6.6 FA2 as they were the only boat to make it out of the river mouth which had become very shallow over the mid-winter break and there was a wave crashing and breaking across the river mouth in the moderate to strong south westerly gusts.
The late Pat Kelly (right) with Charlie McAllister in Pat's last race in September 2021. Charlie is the current Commodore of Antrim Boat Club
Race 8 was a little more successful as far as starters were concerned but many, after the previous week’s events decided not to chance it with the very cold weather and high wind chill factor.
Antrim Boat Club's Pat Kelly Memorial Cup
FA2 was challenged in the early stages by Corinthian, Andy Speedy’s MG Spring 25 who was fully manned as some of the crew of TicTac and the Sonata, Gemini, who had turned up to race but subsequently decided that their boats’ draft was too deep to chance the treacherous river mouth, had volunteered. The only other starter was the Miles family’s Hunter F1 JouJou who crossed late as they seemed to be struggling with their rig. FA2 got her nose in front at the first mark and Corinthian finished with Jou Jou behind her.
A downwind leg of race nine of the Antrim Boat Club Winter Series with overall winner FA2 flying the red spinnaker
Race 9 brought a problem for Peter Frazer in the H323 Tictac with the Committee boat trying to tow her unsuccessfully through the silted up river mouth. Karl Thrower in the Trapper Murphy kept up with the more experienced sailors in FA2 and Corinthian and the first beat saw the three leaders neck and neck to the windward mark with FA2 just ahead a lead which she kept to the finish and with the lowest handicap she took the race victory. Corinthian and Murphy crossed the line almost together with Corinthian ahead by two seconds but with Murphy ahead on handicap.
Race 10 of the Antrim Boat Club Winter Series with FA2 (right) and Tic Tac in strong winds
Race 10 turned out to be a dual in the white horses in the wind-swept Antrim Bay. The weather forecast was for gusty conditions but as race time arrived it looked perfect although strong gusts were predicted. The short start line presented difficult manoeuvres as most of the starters were early. Murphy found herself the meat in the sandwich and FA2 wisely stayed out of the way of the charging starters and picked her time and place to get under way, achieving an immediate advantage.
From then on it was a tight contest between FA2 and Tictac in the very strong winds with the last beat proving crucial with FA2 finishing mere seconds in front.
The weather for the 11th race was bright and the breeze perfect for racing. Despite a variety of strategies but no real aggression, the whole fleet was late for the start and subsequently all favoured the right-hand side of the course.
The upwind performance was as varied as the boat types and the first mark saw Corinthian rounding well ahead of JouJou. FA2 unusually had had a poor first beat and was some way behind when she rounded the windward buoy. After the second reach FA2 had overhauled the wandering JouJou and was making inroads into Corinthian’s lead. After close racing and an awkward windshift it was FA2 beating comfortably up the last leg in first, Corinthian unchallenged in second but close racing for the minor positions, Gemini, Adam Boyle’s Sonata just edging Murphy on handicap for 3rd. Overall winner was Jeff Harrison and Charlie McAlister’s FA 2.
Antrim Boat Club - Winter Series 2022/3 Second Half results
Antrim Boat Club - Winter Series 2022/3 overall results
Racing in the Summer Series begins on 27th April and runs until 18th June.
The club is introducing a new Round the Bay series which will run over five months with eight longer races on 13th May, 24th June, 29th July, 12th August and 16th September. The annual Regatta is on 29th June.
