The finale of the waterfront's 2022 regatta season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour was presented on Saturday by the Royal St. George Yacht Club with its biennial Frank Keane BMW Regatta.
Approximately 150 boats across 30 separate racing divisions competed in the two-race programme, even though the IRC cruiser programme was cut short by a lack of wind in the afternoon.
The Frank Keane BMW George Regatta brought to a close the regattas for 2022 at Dun Laoghaire, which began on June 12 with the DMYC Regatta and was followed a week later by the Davy NYC Regatta.
Some of the sponsor's car ranges are displayed outside the Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day Photo: Afloat
After the disappointment of the blowout of last weekend's (June 25) RIYC Regatta, the Royal St George big event on Saturday, July 2, was much anticipated on Dublin Bay.
And bathed in July sunshine – and avoiding some of the heavy showers that hit other parts of Dublin – the country's biggest yacht club did not disappoint afloat or ashore.
A packed onshore programme gave a great day of fabulous food, family entertainment, and the excitement of racing on the water.
The Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day - July 2 2022 Photo: Afloat
Among the racing divisions out on Dublin Bay, the typical fleet size numbered about seven boats, but there were exceptions, with Cruisers IRC One boasting 14 and the Flying Fifteen One Designs making 11.
As per the forecast, light westerly winds with plenty of shifts off the land presented many opportunities on the race courses in the northwest and north Bay areas.
The first race for the cruisers divisions had two and a half hours, and with it, plenty of change was on the leaderboard, especially as the wind got very light in the approach to the top mark.
Nicely positioned marks gave the boats some powered-up, tight-reaching legs with plenty of gusts under the darker clouds.
Cruisers Zero
Royal Irish JPK10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins) had a new challenger in the seven-boat Cruisers IRC Zero division.
Cruisers Zero winner - the JPK10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O'Higgins)
Early leader on the water in IRC Zero - Jonathan Nicholson's El Pocko is a 2004 41-footer yacht, a German Frers Puma 42 Photo: Afloat
Dan O'Grady's brand new Cape 31 Aja from Howth made her debut but could not match the pace of the French design in the patchy conditions and finished second.
Dan O'Grady's brand new Cape 31 Aja from Howth took second in IRC Zero Photo: Afloat
Third was National Yacht Club regatta winner a fortnight ago, Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600, Searcher.
Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600, Searcher from the National Yacht club, was third Photo: Afloat
Cruisers One
IRC One winner - Colin Byrne's XP33 Bon Exemple Photo: Afloat
Colin Byrne's XP33 Bon Exemple was the winner of the 14-boat Cruisers One IRC fleet; the RIYC skipper beat Tony Fox's A35 Gringo from the National Yacht Club.
A great fleet of ten J109s raced as part of a 14-boat IRC One division Photo: Afloat
Third was Tim Goodbody's White Mischief, the first of ten J109s competing.
Second in IRC One - Tony Fox's A35 Gringo from the National Yacht Club Photo: Afloat
Third was Tim Goodbody's J109 White Mischief Photo: Afloat
Cruisers Two
Norbert Reilly's new Half Tonner Ghost Raider (ex-Checkmate) from Howth Yacht Club beat clubmate Jonathan Wormald, sailing No Excuse to take the Cruisers Two IRC crown.
Dick Lovegrove's Sigma 33 Rupert Photo: Afloat
Third, in the ten boat turnout was the Royal St. George's Dick Lovegrove sailing the Sigma 33 Rupert.
Howth Yacht Club X-Yacht, No Excuse Photo: Afloat
Cruisers Three
Royal Irish Quarter Tonner Cartoon (Sybil McCormack) topped the Cruisers Three division. Myles Kelly's Maranda was second and Frazer Meredith's Asterix third.
One Design Keelboats
The seven-boat Beneteau 211s was won by Peter Carroll's Yikes ahead of the Royal Irish's Pat Shannon in Beeswing. Third was a former national champion, James Conboy Fischer, in Billy Whizz.
Michael Blaney's Royal St George 'After You...' was the Beneteau 31.7 winner Photo: Afloat
Michael Blaney's After You... of the host club led the nine-boat Beneteau 31.7s. Second was Michael Bryson's Bluefin Two from the National Yacht Club. Eoin O'Driscoll's Kernach was third.
Ken Dumpleton's Flying Fifteen Rodriquez from the National Yacht Club took the win with a 2,1 scoreline in the 11-boat fleet. In second place was Adrian Cooper's Rockafellas with a 1,5 and third Niall Coleman with a 4,3.
Ger Dempsey's SB20 Venuesworld.com won on tie break Photo: Afloat
In a five-boat SB20 contest, Ger Dempsey's venuesworld.com finished with three points, as did James Gorman's Black, but the win was settled in Dempsey's favour using the tiebreak rule. Royal Irish Commodore Jerry Dowling was third, counting two third places.
Irish national Dragon champion, the Royal St. Geroge's Peter Bowring sailing Phantom counted a 2, 1 to be top of the four-boat fleet ahead of Denis Bergin's Legatum. Third was Ronan Murphy's Serafina.
Michael Cutliffe's Ruffian 23 Ruffles Photo: Afloat
Two wins from two races made Michael Cutliffe sailing Ruffles the winner of a seven-boat Ruffian 23 fleet beating Brendan Duffy in Carmen. Third was the national champion boat Bandit, entered by Brian Cullen.
Glen One Design keelboat racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat
Ailbe Millerick's restored Glenluce was the winner of the seven-boat Glen One Design keelboat fleet. Second was Pterodactyl (David and Roddy McCaffrey). Brian Denham was third in Glendun.
In the seven-boat Shipman class, John and Neill Masterson's Curraglas won from David Freeman's Twocan. Fergus Mason's Viking took third.
In the restored Dublin Bay 21s, Fionan de Barra's Estelle beat Tim Pearson sailing Garavogue.
Dinghies
With just six weeks to go for the world championships on Lough Derg, a seven-boat Fireball fleet contested the Royal St. George Regatta, and the club's own Louise Mc Kenna won overall, beating Frank Miller's Ballderdash on the tie break. Third was the current DBSC series leader Neil Colin in Elevation, counting two third places.
Royal St. George's Theo Lyttle was the winner of the eight-boat ILCA 7/Laser fleet from clubmate Ross O'Leary. Third was Sean Bowden. In the ten-boat ILCA 6/Radial division, Brendan Brendan won from
Judy O'Beirne with Mary Chambers in third.
The five-boat RS Aero class was won convincingly by Royal St. George's Brendan Foley sailing Minty with two firsts. Damien Dion was second in Apero. Third was Stephen Oram.
IDRA 14 dinghies took the top three places in the six-boat PY dinghy fleet. Pierre Long's Dart had two wins from Brian Murphy in Diane. Third was John Fitzgerald sailing Doody.
The Water Wag Regatta race, held last Wednesday, was won by Cathy Mac Aleavey, as Afloat reported here.
