Between the delivery of its new committee boat and the strong entries received so far, it looks like a great season ahead for Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC).

DBSC Commodore Ed Totterdell visited builder Gerry Smyth Boats on St. Brigid's holiday weekend and was delighted with the progress. “We have a firm delivery date of March, and she will be on station for the first race of the season,” he told Afloat.

With a bumper edition of the pre-Christmas Turkey shoot successfully concluded and with racing already underway in the Spring Chicken Warm-Up Series, DBSC 2024 summer racing begins in April

DBSC has received entries for each of its racing classes, with, for example, over half of the B211 class having entered so far. "With a very busy season on the bay, including the club regattas, J Cup, J109 Europeans, ICRAs and IRC European Championships, we have a lot of work to do to make sure we provide all our members a season to remember and receive these entries helps with that planning", Totterdell said. 

Ruffian 23s will now start with the DBSC Red Fleet for Saturday Summer Series racing on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat

"We intend to contact the Class Captains of CR0, 1 and 2 shortly and ask that they poll their members who have entered as to whether they would like to start their race (Starred races do not count towards season points) for the Saturday of the ICRAs," he says.

"It is important, therefore, that everyone has a voice, and we urge members to put their entries in as soon as possible, he notes.

Some classes have also approached DBSC to change their racing schedule, such as the Ruffians now starting with the Red Fleet on Saturdays and the FF15s changing their position in the start sequence, putting them as second start to the SB20s.

Between making these changes, designing some new regatta-type courses, commissioning and launching the new committee boat and working with the clubs to ensure DBSC can run racing while they run championships, it is shaping up to be a busy and exciting 2024 season.

A fleet of up to 25 brave DBSC 'Spring Chicken' entrants braved strong westerly winds for the first race of the six-race series on Sunday (February 4).

The blustery 25-knot westerly winds presented quite the challenge for the first race of the 2024 season on Dublin Bay.

The series for mixed cruisers and one designs runs until March 10 (first gun 10:10), using a progressive handicap on a case-by-case basis in the AIB-sponsored event.

Sunday's fleet included a number of championship-winning cruisers, including multiple J109 champion Joker II With sailmakers Maurice O'Connell and Mark Mansfield onboard) from the Royal Irish Yacht Club and Wexford Quarter Tonner Snoopy, the 2021 ICRA Class Three National Champion.

Crew of the J109 Joker II enjoy the strong wind conditions for the first race of the 2024 DBSC 'Spring Chicken' Series on Dublin Bay Photo: Maurice O'Connell

One-designs, cruisers, and other boats that don't often compete in races are all "quite welcome," according to DBSC.

The 2023 Series attracted a fleet of nearly fifty boats, and organisers are expecting a similar fleet as the series progresses.

Race one results are being calculated.

This Sunday's AIB-sponsored DBSC Spring Chicken Series from Dun Laoghaire Harbour will take place at the National Yacht Club.

From February 4 to March 10 (first gun 10:10), six races will be run using a progressive handicap on a case-by-case basis in the AIB-sponsored event.

The Sailing Instructions are downloadable below. Series Organiser has drawn attention to an extra paragraph in SI 1, borrowed from Brass Monkeys Series at Howth that describe the 'fun ethos' of the event.

Fifty boats participated in the 2023 Series, and organisers anticipate a similar fleet this Sunday.

One-designs, cruisers, and other boats that don't often compete in races are all "quite welcome," according to DBSC.

After the sailing, the National Yacht Club will generously organise prize draws, meals, and other events.

The €60 entry fee includes temporary memberships in the DBSC and the NYC.

There is one week until the entry deadline for February's first race of the AIB-sponsored DBSC Spring Chicken Series from Dun Laoghaire Harbour, which will take place at the National Yacht Club.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club has published the Notice of Race for its AIB 2024 Spring Chicken Series here.

Six races will be held on Sunday mornings from 4 February to 10 March (first gun 1010 hrs), using a progressive handicap on a time-to-time basis.

The 2023 Series attracted a fleet of nearly fifty boats, and organisers are expecting a similar fleet next month. 

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are “very welcome”, DBSC adds. After the sailing, prize draws, food and more will be kindly hosted by the National Yacht Club.

The entry fee is €60, which includes temporary membership of DBSC and the NYC. Entries can be made online at dbsc.ie.

Anyone experiencing issues with their entries is invited to contact Rosemary Roy, Hon Sec, at 087 7626976 or Fintan Cairns at 087 2439208.

Sailing instructions will be available on Sunday, 4 February and will be emailed to entrants beforehand.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club has published the Notice of Race for its AIB 2024 Spring Chicken Series.

Six races will be held on Sunday mornings from 5 February to 10 March (first gun 1010 hrs), using a progressive handicap on a time-to-time basis.

Download the Notice of Race below.

The 2023 Series attracted a fleet of nearly fifty boats, and organisers are expecting a similar fleet next month. 

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are “very welcome”, DBSC adds. After the sailing, prize draws, food and more will be kindly hosted by the National Yacht Club.

The entry fee is €60, which includes temporary membership of DBSC and the NYC. Entries can be made online at dbsc.ie.

Anyone experiencing issues with their entries is invited to contact Rosemary Roy, Hon Sec, at 087 7626976 or Fintan Cairns at 087 2439208.

Sailing instructions will be available on Sunday, 4 February and will be emailed to entrants beforehand.

DBSC advises that the last date for entries is Wednesday, 31st January, and warns that handicaps of late entries will be adjusted accordingly! 

A final race win enabled Colin Byrne's 1720 Optique to be crowned 2023 AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Champion in Sunday's final race of the 70-boat series.

The final race of the Royal Irish Yacht Club hosted series was sailed in medium south-westerly conditions and mild December temperatures of 12 degrees Celsius on Dublin Bay.

The overall leader after five races sailed, Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club, took third place.

Lindsay Casey's J97 Windjammer of the Royal St. George Yacht Club finished as runner-up. 

A gusty southwest breeze on Dublin Bay brought the seven-race AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series to a close on Sunday, December 17th Photo: Afloat

Results below

The DBSC Spring Chicken Series will start on the first Sunday of February 2024.

The disqualification of the overall leader of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot puts Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club at the top of the scoreboard going into the final race this Sunday.

Race organisers have issued 'amended results' (see below) to the earlier provisional results published on Wednesday following a 'port and starboard' protest heard this week that led to the disqualification of one-time leader Hot Cookie.

Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club is on 36 points. On 42 points, Lindsay Casey's J97 Windjammer is lying second, and the 1720 Optique is third on 46.

Racing concludes this Sunday with a prizegiving immediately after racing at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Strong winds are forecasted for the final of the seven-race series that has suffered only one cancellation since racing began in November. 

Download amended results to date, handicaps and start times for the final Turkey Shoot race below.

Some familiar names are on top of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot leaderboard going into Sunday's final race of the country's biggest winter sailing league on Dublin Bay.

According to provisional results, with 30 points after five races sailed and one discard applied, John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie from the National Yacht Club has a seven-point margin over Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club. On 43 points, Lindsay Casey's J97 Windjammer is lying third.

The winner of last Sunday's fifth race was the Oceanis 36i, Calypso.

Racing concludes this Sunday with a prizegiving immediately after racing at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Download results to date, handicaps and start times for the final Turkey Shoot race  below.

With two races left to sail at the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot at the Royal Irish Yacht Club, there are joint overall leaders at the country's biggest winter sailing league.

The 1720 Optique and the Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie sit on 27 points after last Sunday's fog-bound race on Dublin Bay.

In a strong showing for J80 one-designs in the light air, fourth race, Star Jay won from Jay-Z. The Sigma 33 Boojum was third.

Ashore, after racing at the Royal Irish Yacht Club a 'Movember' ceremony (as pictured top) saw €550 raised for charity among the Turkey Shooters with three sailors having their moustaches shaved off.

The 1720 sportsboat Wolfe won the fourth race of the AIB-sponsored DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay on Sunday morning.

The J80 Jitterbug was second with another 1720, and Optique finished third in the 60-boat race. 

A westerly breeze saw the Royal Irish hosted fleet sail a course to the Muglins off Dalkey Island in the south of Dublin Bay. 

Overall, John O'Gorman's Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie from the National Yacht Club leads into the fifth race of the series on 27 points, two points ahead of Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the host club. In third place overall is early series leader Lindsay Casey's J97 Windjammer from the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

Racing continues this Sunday morning.

Results are downloadable below