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Displaying items by tag: Robotic Marks

Not content to bask in its 140th-anniversary glory, Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) will experiment with using the latest yacht race technology this season to deliver the largest racing programme in Ireland.

DBSC Commodore and Race Officer Ed Totterdell, who has used these marks in the USA and elsewhere, believes that while the technology is new and the logistics need to be examined, DBSC should take the lead and trial what could be a big step forward in mark laying.

The marks were successfully deployed at the weekend for the inaugural Irish Sailing League, also held on Dublin Bay.

“Having met several clubs and ROs during the winter, I set up a meeting where all could come together and discuss the options for events and clubs to consider using robotic marks in 2024. As a result of these meetings, Kenny Rumball has organised a low-cost trial rental for 6-8 weeks, which will involve clubs across Dublin Bay and potentially further afield to see if they would benefit from using them.

 Robotic marks will make adjustments to DBSC start and finish lines possible Photo: Afloat Robotic marks will make adjustments to DBSC start and finish lines possible Photo: Afloat

"In DBSC, forty minutes is an eternity when hoping that the line stays square, given the vagaries of Dublin Bay wind. We also need a 300-metre start line for Cruisers One division, but this is reduced to 150 metres for some smaller classes", Totterdell explains.

"Using our standard marks, making adjustments to the line is not an option once the sequence has started for the first class. Shock waves will now reverberate as the line swiftly moves up/down or in and out!", he says.

"Having used these marks most recently in Kenny Rumball’s hugely successful Irish Sailing League last weekend I am really excited to start the trial, which I intend to do on our first Thursday race of 2024," Totterdell said.

"After the trial, we will be better placed to judge whether the cost and logistics would justify making these marks a permanent feature for future seasons, ” he added.

In addition, DBSC has also unveiled a new chart of marks for 2024, as Afloat reports here.

MarineSevices.ie are Irish agents for the robotic marks and can supply/rent the buoys for use around Ireland.

Published in DBSC

The Dragon was designed by Johan Anker in 1929 as an entry for a competition run by the Royal Yacht Club of Gothenburg, to find a small keel-boat that could be used for simple weekend cruising among the islands and fjords of the Scandinavian seaboard. The original design had two berths and was ideally suited for cruising in his home waters of Norway. The boat quickly attracted owners and within ten years it had spread all over Europe.

The Dragon's long keel and elegant metre-boat lines remain unchanged, but today Dragons are constructed using the latest technology to make the boat durable and easy to maintain. GRP is the most popular material, but both new and old wooden boats regularly win major competitions while looking as beautiful as any craft afloat. Exotic materials are banned throughout the boat, and strict rules are applied to all areas of construction to avoid sacrificing value for a fractional increase in speed.

The key to the Dragon's enduring appeal lies in the careful development of its rig. Its well-balanced sail plan makes boat handling easy for lightweights, while a controlled process of development has produced one of the most flexible and controllable rigs of any racing boat.