Within Dublin Bay there currently are twenty-one classes of racing yachts. It might come as a surprise to many, that currently the largest class is Dublin Bay is the Water Wag class with 33 boats entered for the 2017 season. With a big class, the first question that should be asked is: How many boats compete regularly in class racing? In the case of the Water Wags, 21 boats launched and reached the start line, which was set up for a wind coming at 135 degrees (south east) at about 7 knots.
The start line was set with a small bias towards the pin end, but despite an even spread of Water Wags over the full length of the line, the group closest to the flagship were OCS when there was 20 seconds to go to the start. A general recall was indicated.
On the second attempt to start the line bias was retained, and again some boats jumped the gun, so everybody was called back.
On the third attempt the fleet behaved properly, a ‘all clear’ was declared. It was a long beat with two choices, head towards the harbour mouth where one would have to nose the young flood time, or head towards the marina breakwater where the tide would be in your favour. Eva, Swift and Barbara headed to the harbour mouth, and found that they had more wind strength than those who headed inshore. At the windward mark the order was Eva, Swift, Barbara, Mademoiselle, Pansy. After one lap the order changed to Swift, Eva, Mollie. The race was two laps long and at the finish the order was:
1st – 38, Swift, Guy & Jackie Kilroy.
2nd - 41, Mollie, Claudine Murphy.
3rd.-33, Eva, Katie Tingle.
4th. Skee, Jonathan & Carol O’Rourke.
5th - 8, Barbara, Ian and Judith Malcolm
6th. – 15, Moosmie, David MacFarland.
7th- 3, Pansy, Vincent Delany & Emma Webb.
8th. – 42, Tortoise, William Prentice and Moselle Hogan.
9th. – 4, Vela, Philip Mayne & Brian Bond.
10th. - 46, Mademoiselle.
11th. - 44, Scallywag.
12th. -16, Penelope.
13th. - 45, Mariposa.
14th. - 31, Polly.
15th. –43, Freddie,
16th. - 6, Mary Kate.
17th. -18 Good Hope.
18th. - 20, Badger.
19th. -40, Swallow.
20th. - 34, Chloe.
21st. – 26, Nandor.
Overall series of three races is won by Swift.
