Lasers: New Years Day Race, Howth, 1st Jan 2014, Warning signal 11:55

Testing your resolve..

More information and an entry form on hyc.ie
http://www.hyc.ie/openevents14/default.asp

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Frostbite Series 1 - it's a wrap!

While the weather hasn't been kind over the last few weekends, the calendar has marched on and we have come to the end of Series 1 in the Frostbites.

The results are here.

PY Dinghies - http://goo.gl/Uli4eu

Junior PY Dinghies - http://goo.gl/8EMhLz

Laser class - http://goo.gl/rCzYd8

Laser Juniors - http://goo.gl/ZGXkIQ

RS class - http://goo.gl/34VNtv

Fireball class - http://goo.gl/BI2H2r

Thanks again to Olivier and all the helpers at the DMYC!

Onwards to Series 2!!

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No Racing Sunday 8th Dec

There was no racing on Sunday 8th December due to strong winds.

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December 1st challenges

What a set of challenges we all faced!

K1 - 1st place in PY

The committee faced a very unstable wind, changing direction far to much and too frequently. The sailors faced a chilly day with large fleets and confused breezes.

Who would handle it best? The answer was clear in all the fleets.

In PY Tom Murphy walked away with it. His K1 and his tactics had great effect and he finished more than 5 minutes ahead of a tight group of two IDRA 14s.  The OK Dinghy and the 470 were a minute further back from them and only 5 seconds apart. After that there was a gap of 15 minutes on corrected time to the next finishers!  Unusually large gaps in PY, which is typically very tight.

PY Results - http://goo.gl/QGICtS

PY Juniors - http://goo.gl/BgIqqA

The Laser fleet saw new challenges to Dave Cahill's dominance. Richard Harding won, with Cahill second and a returning Graham Elmes showing his speed to come in 3rd. With 22 boats on such a quiet day it was a challenge to keep the boat moving, and the leaders deserved their results.  It was interesting to note that the Lasers didn't catch the IDRA 14s, which they would normally do.  Sloops faster than cat rigged boats in such light airs, perhaps?

Laser Results - http://goo.gl/KOUnjt

Laser Juniors - http://goo.gl/Hx3MHA

The RS400s had their way in the RS fleet again, taking the top 3 spots. Actually rather a surprise in such light airs to see the RS200s so far back. Emmet Ryan finished clear ahead in his cool grey boat, with O'Leary next and Algeo 3rd. These top 3 finished just 3 mins apart, impressive in such light airs.

RS 200 and 400 - http://goo.gl/4tTNR8

Rumball, Clancy and Malcolm took the top 3 spots in the Fireballs, and it's a tight battle on the overall results there too. First, second and third are on 12, 15, and 16 points respectively. Tight stuff!

Fireball - http://goo.gl/muQFba

Again, the number of juniors was truly impressive and a great day was had by all. 

Roll on Xmas!

Post by Dun Laoghaire Dinghies.

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Light wind, light fleet

With many of the Toppers sailing in Dun Laoghaire in their own event rather than the Frostbites and several other people staying onshore to watch the rugby, the fleet was a little light this weekend. A light fleet matched the light wind, which was a classic example of Frostbite Flukey.  You can see the slow speeds in the OK Dinghy's GPS track here.

Nice roll tack, but what's the bit of duct-tape?

In the PY fleet the IDRA14s and the OK Dinghy sailed away on the water, with Frank Hamilton's IDRA14 taking the win by more than 2 minutes over Sheehy's OK Dinghy, but all four of these finishing more than 6 mins clear of the next boat.  This pattern was repeated in all the fleets.

PY Results - http://goo.gl/QITtgj

Dave Cahill continued his domination in the Lasers, taking a huge win from Conor O'Leary.  Even in a reduced fleet there were 15 boats racing.

Laser Results - http://goo.gl/JGG90e

The RS fleet saw Emmet Ryan sail to a monster win in his RS400. He finished legs ahead and more than 4 mins clear on corrected time.  Andrew Algeo was 2nd in another RS400.

RS Results - http://goo.gl/0PrkZ0

Victory in the Fireballs went to Conor Clancy, with Butler and Rumball taking 2nd and 3rd.

Fireball Results - http://goo.gl/yJocA4

All in all a quiet day for sailing, but good fun again!

Post by Dun Laoghaire Dinghies.

Tips from the top: What to eat on race day

and other gems from local ace Annalise in The Irish Times.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/olympic-sailor-annalise-murphy-i-have-a-very-sweet-tooth-1.1600273

Well outside!

Another day and the DMYC fleets got to sail well outside the confines of the harbor.

Two tracks of the two courses - RS400/Fireball and the others

On the day the committee were miracle workers to get a race off at all, and a reasonably good one too! Very variable winds made it hugely uncertain that we'd race, but patience and persistence paid.

Results are here.
PY Overall
PY Junior
Laser Overall
Laser Junior
RS Overall
Fireball

Everyone was greatly cheered to see Des picking up the mug for the day in his Finn. A great show!

Post by Dun Laoghaire Dinghies.

A black mark for the RS fleet!!

The water was full of dinghies.  There were 20 PY dinghies, 28 Lasers, 12 Fireballs and 10 RS 200/400s, now in their own separate class after the change in SIs.  It's worth pointing out again the number of juniors racing in the DMYC series. It's a great and successful aspect of the winter sailing and makes the DBSC's exclusion of juniors even more of a puzzle.  Summer sailing should be like this too!

With the National Team Racing Championships and several junior squad trainings taking place inside the harbor the DMYC Committee took the fleets outside to open water.  The new trapezoid course took a little longer to set up but a 5 minute postponement allowed the wind to settle too, and off we went on a long 4-lap trapezoid course. 

DMYC Frostbites Outside the Harbor

The PY fleet was led around by the IDRAs, with the Finn and OK Dinghy close behind on the water. But the many Toppers were chasing hard and stayed well in touch on corrected time.  Frank Hamilton's IDRA was the clear winner, with nearly a minute lead at the end. Fergal O'Flaherty was 2nd, with a solid block of 4 Toppers next.

Post by Dun Laoghaire Dinghies.

DMYC Change to Frostbite Sailing Instructions

After the huge increase in boats entered in the DMYC Frostbites, the committee has decided to rearrange the classes and have published a new SI (see below)

They have decided to:

1. Create a “RS Class” regrouping RS400s and RS200s. 
2. Change the “default” course from a triangle to a trapezoid.  (This is to avoid situations whereby the PY class comes back through the start line at the end of their first lap while we still try and start other classes, notably the Fireballs) 
3. The Fireball Start is pushed back by 3 mins.

All competitors entered with a valid email address are copied on the original email from the DMYC (about 85%).

Please make sure to “spread” the word among the various Clubs and classes.

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Frostbites HO!

It's that time of year again. The DMYC Frostbites started up again with a HUGE fleet in PY and Laser and about the same size in Fireballs as last year.

The main feature in PY was the burgeoning RS200 and 400 fleets. Many new boats, recently bought. It was a great sight. Plus, in contrast to the DBSC in the summer racing where juniors aren't allowed, juniors are fully welcome in the DMYC Frostbites.  They were there in RS200s, Toppers, etc. Great to see.  And they won too, in PY.

The results are online at DMYC.ie and you can also see them in this post below.  The OK Dinghy version of events is online here.

In any case it was a great day.

More pics below. But - an important question! Who'll write up the Laser and PY stories?  Volunteers, please.

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Vote for Annalise Murphy - Seahorse Sailor of the Month

Annalise Murphy (IRL)

Redemption at last for the popular and bubbly Irish sailor who dominated the opening days of the London 2012 regatta in the women's Laser Radial fleet only to tumble to the leather medal as the event reached its final denouement. Murphy crushed all her previous Olympic rivals at this year's Radial Europeans, winning seven of the first eight races... plus the final medal race just to be certain.

Keep it up, madam.

Cast your vote, submit comments, even suggest a candidate for next month at seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month 

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Harken McLube, Dubarry & Musto. Who needs silverware, our prizes are usable!

Light & Bright, 2013's a Wrap

The last Saturday of the 2013 Season was fittingly "Light and Bright". The biggest decision being made ashore before racing was whether or not to bring the wind proof top.

Cycle Superstore Sail Cycle Challenge, RStGYC, Sat 5th & 6th October

Cycle Superstore Sail Cycle Challenge, Royal St George YC,  Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October - Enter online

 Note - this year includes a start for Laser Radials!

Day 1, Cycle
Cycle, Saturday 5th October
Start time: 1300 sharp from the Club Forecourt

Route: The event will feature a cycle of 64 km, starting at 13:00 on Sat 5th October from the Club. The cycle will finish back at the Club at about 17:00. Have a look at the route on the link for full details.
We invite everyone to come along. You may participate in the cycle or the Laser racing alone, but as the weekend is all about the social we would encourage everyone to jump on a bike and do a few km. The cycle route will take us up to Enniskerry in the Wicklow  mountains, so the roads are quiet and the scenery great.

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What more could you ask for??

Dublin Bay and Dun Laoghaire are showing the world - and the locals - that Dun Laoghaire is a globally fantastic location for dinghy sailing.

Wind, waves, even sunshine. What more could you ask for?

You'll hear the world's sailing media talking about the great conditions and facilities here. If you've watched our summer reporting you'll know that these kind of conditions are far from rare.

Get out here! No excuses!

Start!

He is, without doubt, THE MAN.

Dublin Bay. WOW.

She is, without doubt, THE WOMAN!

You GO!

Waves and wind and sun. What else do you need? 

An Irish hero for today and tomorrow!

All pics from Richard Langdon Ocean Images

After their boat sinks, two Aussies are left floating around in their lifeboat

All of a sudden one of them spots a funny looking bottle bobbing in the water and pulls it out. He sees something written on the bottle but can't quite read it so he gives it a bit of a rub.. SHAZAM..... out pops a genie!

"For releasing me from the bottle I will grant you one wish" the genie says.

The guy glances at his mate, smiles and without further hesitation says, "I wish the whole ocean was beer!"

The genie claps his hands together and BOOM, there's a blinding light and the genie is gone. The guy quickly leans over the side of the boat and takes a big swig of "water". "You're not gonna believe this mate, but it's really beer!"

His mate screws up his face and says "That's just bloody brilliant mate! Now we're going to have to piss in the boat!!"

There was no genie required for an Australian sailor visiting Dublin Bay this weekend. In town for the European Championships and taking up the DL Dinghies invite to join in the local racing, he conjured up two incredible displays of what it's like to be at the top of the Laser game. Even a call of nature while ahead at the leeward mark of the first race didn't dent his lead. Between races, gentleman that Jared West is, he imparted details of the latest techniques for downwind sailing in Lasers. It's a shame us mere local mortals are still trying to master basic s-turns!

On the race course it was a day as tricky as any we have seen over the whole summer. Oscillating shifts were probably the easiest pattern to spot, getting in phase with the oscillations whilst avoiding the car parking lot sized holes was another matter entirely.

In both starts the pin was favoured and it seemed the middle left of the beats, while downwind in the first the left out in more tide seemed to pay. The second had Euromillions written all over it, very light breeze from the off, 3 (ambitious) rounds, a big left shift, dark menacing clouds and a very big wind hole called for massive amounts of patience. Jared, this was not normal. Our very best wishes for your Europeans Bid.

Results as always here http://www.dbsc.org/index.php/results

 For more on this story visit the Irish OK Dinghy Association Website 

CRO

Each week over this glorious summer either Hugh Sheehy or Paul Keane have written a report after racing on Tuesday or Saturday. They would dearly love for others to get involved and put across their point of view. In fact it was an early idea of the current PY Committee that the 4th placed finisher would always be the one to write the report. Maybe that's another initiative we can roll out for next year.

We have finally been rewarded with a race report by the man seen in the video below. This wobbly footage (the cameraman was supposed to be doing flags or hooter or something..) is CRO winning last Saturdays windy race. He clearly thought he was sailing in the Caribbean and may still have some water in his head. He apologises in advance for lack of PY'ness.



No point
So Tuesday evening in Scotsmans bay, fleet exit the harbour with a nice 15-18knot SW wind promising interesting racing with commitee obviously expecting the forecast to hold true and the wind to stay... Setting a lengthy course in contrast to recent weeks.

But in true Dublin bay fashion, as the start approached the wind buggered off. The fireballs, PY, IDRA's & mermaids had some breeze, but lasers had Zero, it took several attempts for half the fleet to make it over the start. As the lack of wind finally affected the whole fleet, they all bunched up somewhat at the first windward, with some heading left for wind, some staying up the middle on the small gusts and shifts and1 or 2 heading to teddys for 99's.....

By the top mark in the lasers, Sean Craig led the way and got around in lucky wind against a strong tide while a close nit bunch including some tall skinny young fair haired pro lookin bloke led by the a Croatian and followed by Ross OLeary & ex "Hottest Irish Male Olympian 2008" (as voted by U-magazine) Phil Lawton - with Keaner unashamedly holding up the rear for now.

In patchy breeze, some took the wise option and called it a day at the leeward mark, having proven their points, Craiger and Matty ODowd headed to McDonalds for dinner.

Tide now flooding hard and wind clearly on its way home from Copper face jacks..... Lead to a frustrating and challenging beat. Benefitting the stealthy Colin Galavan, Dwyer and Keane, fighting his way back to pass the Croatian from almost a leg down... The Croatian admitting later, he almost "lost his point"...
After about 30 mins of snakes and ladders... Galavan took the horn, O'Toolavic nabbed 2nd off a valiant Dave Dwyer, Ross in 4th with Keaner battling back to 5th (I think, my mind was on the awesome RIYC €6 dinner surprise awaiting me on shore!!) go look at the results yourselves!!!!..... Mmmm pasta bolonaise."

Cheers,
CRO

Drafty Duties

Every fleet has an obligation to provide some helping hands on the Committee Boat at various specifiied dates throughout the sailing season and Saturday 17th August was one of the PY days. Paul Keane and David Dwyer stepped up and spent a day onboard.

The Freebird Committee Boat is amazingly well organised and it is very interesting and good fun to watch the racing from a different angle. Jobs we're allocated after docking out, tying up ropes and hauling fenders inboard. Paul was put on flags. David was on the hooter. Brian Matthews was PRO with Barbara calling the time and Noelle keeping records.

On 3 minute rolling starts there are a lot of flags going up and down in conjunction with the various sound signals. Luckily there is a laminated sheet showing what happens each minute and once the sequences start it's fairly easy to just keep the flags rolling. In addition to the start sequences there are interruptions like OCS boats which must be dealt with.

It was a fairly windy day and with the Optimists taking up the Western Part of the bay for their Nationals PRO Brian Matthews decided to set a course in Scotsmans Bay. A call was made to station a RIB at the harbour mouth which could convey the change of course area to any boats that looked like they were heading to Seapoint.

A windward/leeward course was opted for and shortly after the first start sequence started we realised the Freebird was drifting. 2 hooters from Dave, Paul raised the AP and Brian quickly restarted the engines and lifted the anchor (all done remotely from the cockpit) and then motored back onto station. Probably less than five minutes lost before we restarted the sequence.

After the second round a line squall could be seen coming down the course so a decision was made to shorten the courses and get the boats finished. In the video below Matthew O'Dowd from the RSG is seen tearing down the course in his laser, it gives an idea of the wind on the day. Shortly after this a friend of Matthew's lost his rig in another Laser. At this point N over A was raised and all of the fleets were sent in.



Next year the PY Fleet will be trialling a Committee Boat duty rota whereby everyone in the fleet will at some point have to share in our collective responsibility to provide help.

See you all on Tuesday.

Little bit of sneaky training

Tide tactics

Tuesday saw the committee and the racers confronted by a delicate combination; a tide absolutely whooshing up towards the "windward" mark and a breeze that was playing hide and seek rather expertly.

Mind you, it was warm and dry and really a rather pleasant evening so everyone took on the challenges in good humor.  Several boats stayed out after the racing until it was getting dark.

Drifting home as the sun sets.
A good evening.

But - before all that the racing was the main priority.

After a short postponement the committee sent the Fireballs off first. Even though the line had only been dropped minutes beforehand, there was already a huge boat bias and the mark was almost a fetch on starboard.

The PY start lined up and Sheehy's OK Dinghy won the start, hitting the boat end with speed (ehem) and almost hitting a port-tacking IDRA14 that was - and stayed - over the line. Des Fortune's Finn and Tom Murphy's K1 footed fast out to the left looking for stronger tide while the OK Dinghy pointed high and stuck to the inside of the course, hoping for more right shifts. The rightie came just as the OK Dinghy approached the mark, turning the beat into a fetch and leaving Fortune and Murphy downtide of the mark AND on the wrong side of the shift.  Argh.

Meantime, the Lasers were coming in pursuit.

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Amazing breeze - speedy K1

Another beautiful day in a glorious summer that we'll long remember. And Seapoint threw up a tactically challenging day for the dinghy sailors that they'll remember too.

(Aidan Tarbett was on the water and got some lovely pictures too. He'll be on the water again this coming Tuesday.)

Francis Barry's Laser and Tom Murphy's elegant K1 joined the racing so there were enough boats to make up for the absence of some regulars and the short postponement allowed everyone to get to the start on time after a slow sail out.  Sadly the K1's outhaul broke just before the start of Race 1, with insufficient time to make a repair before the guns.

Race 1 saw Sheehy's OK Dinghy and Keane's Laser dominate from the beginning. Both hit the favoured pin end with clear air and good speed and both quickly tacked onto a long port fetch towards the windward mark, leaving the rest of the boats far behind almost immediately.

With bizarre bands of breeze across the course Sheehy first climbed way above Keane, only for Keane to climb back at the end of the beat. Dwyer and Barry got caught on the wrong side of shifts so they were well behind by the first mark and the race became a private match race between the top 2.

Sheehy seemed to have an edge upwind, with Keane faster downwind. After sailing in close company for the whole race Sheehy finally took the gun by a few seconds, and with it the race win. (result here)

Race 2 was much more interesting!

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