Kinsale Yacht Club Marina is a hive of activity today as repairs are underway to damage sustained during the gruelling two races of the Matthews Helly Hansen series last Sunday as previously reported by Afloat here. As sails are being taken away for repair thoughts turn to the lightly runners and riders next Sunday (14th) writes KYC Commodore Dave O'Sullivan.
This is the first event using the new class bands (Class Zero > 1.020, Class One 0.930 to 1.019 and Class Two < 0.929) which are now in force for all SCORA events on the South Coast and while we have last Sunday’s results to go on, the fleets have yet to settle.
Denis Murphy’s Grand Soleil Nieulargo Photo: Bob Bateman
In Class Zero Denis Murphy’s Grand Soleil Nieulargo is in flying form scoring two firsts in both handicap systems. The lift in their IRC Handicap caused by the larger Jib and Spinnaker appears to have been well worth it. Conor Phelan’s evergreen Jump Juice scored two seconds in both handicaps and with a crack crew on board looks more than capable of unsettling things next weekend. Conor Doyle's Freya is lying third and has yet to find form but everybody knows that this XP50 is very fast when she gets into her stride. Tom Roche of (very polished) Meridian, who had to retire from the second race due to a broken a mainsheet block, tells us that he will be ready to go once again next Sunday.
Tom Roche's Meridian Photo: Bob Bateman
Class one yachts in Sunday's race Photo: Bob Bateman
In Class One a protest hearing is pending between Artful Dodger and Bad Company and the outcome could have an impact on the overall positions. Dan Buckley’s Justus is going well with a third on IRC and first in ECHO. Kieran Collins aboard Coracle VI suffered a setback due to being OCS in the second race. This boat is in very good form and is one to watch. Brian Jones’s J109 Jelly Baby did not compete due to gear failure but will be in the mix next Sunday as will Cian McCarthy on EOS, Tony & Alice Kingston on Luv Is and Stephen Lysaght sailing Reavra. Ronan Downing’s Miss Whiplash is launched and ready to go, she is also one to watch next Sunday.
Cian McCarthy's EOS Photo: Bob Bateman
In Class Two David Marchant’s Sigma 33 Flyover is lying first in both IRC and ECHO with James Matthew’s Diamond second in both. Robert Marchant’s Fulmar Fever was third in both races. It’s far too soon to make a call here as Diamond will find form in lighter winds, Fulmar Fever has yet to sparkle and Padraig O’Donovan’s Chameleon missed out on race two.
The eight–boat White Sail fleet looks to be dominated by John Godkin (Godot), Sammy Cohen (Gunsmoke) and Sean O’Riordan (Y Dream) who are 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall. Make a prediction at your peril as Batt O’Leary (Sweet Dreams), Nigel Dan (Valkriss,) Dave Ackerlind (Paragon) and Patrick Beckett (Miss Charlie) are very competitive and yet to shine.
As always in the Spring Series, boats are being launched every day and we may well be in for a surprise yet.
First Gun on Sunday is at 1155 HRS.
