Royal St. George Yacht Club Prepares for SB20s in August

8th July 2020

SB20 sportsboats sailing on Dublin Bay - the class wil lrace for regional honours on the Bay on August 8th at a Royal St. George hosted championships

Given the busy schedule of events set between now and the end of the season in October, it looks like the Irish SB20 class is not letting COVID-19 push it too far off course. According to its revised fixtures calendar (below), crews could manage to get in as much sailing as they would have in any other season.

The class is based on Lough Ree, Lough Derg and Dublin Bay, where there are active local scenes. There is a serious push on to promote the three-person class across Ireland with a view to a robust national turnout for the 2023 SB20 Worlds that will be staged at the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay.

The first regional event this season is now on the 8th August, hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club, with a fleet of 15 boats expected. Barry O'Neill is the Race Officer in charge of the two-day event.

2020 Irish SB20 calendar

August
1st Regional - Royal St George YC, Dublin Bay 8/9 Aug

September
Easterns - Royal Irish YC, Dublin Bay, 6/7 Sept (Previously Scheduled scheduled for May as part of DL Cup)
Nationals - Lough Ree YC, Athlone, 18-20 Sept

October
Midlands - Lough Derg YC, Dromineer, 10/11 Oct

New dealer

The Dublin based Rope Dock firm has been appointed as the new SB20 dealer for Ireland.

Published in SB20

Tagged under

SB20

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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France