Start : Dun Loghaire Harbour on line between Bandstand and end of Carlisle Pier
Finish : CY&BC line south of Poolbeg Lighthouse.
Race Officer (at start and finish): Jonathan O’Rourke
Preparatory signal: 12 noon.
HW Clontarf : 14:00 hrs
Wind : SW moderate, forecast to increase, therefore it was decided to reef.
Course: Molly (p), Asgard (p), Seapoint (s), South Bar (p), to finish by Poolbeg Lighthouse.
At about 11.30, with Race Officer, Jonathan O’Rourke and his team, conspicuously in place on the centre of the Bandstand with signal flags etc, 5 Twentyones and 6 Glens (who started 5 mins behind the Twentyones) began sailing around in the relatively confined area between the East Pier and the Carlisle Pier providing a spectacle for pier walkers.
At the start Geraldine was ahead but to leeward. Clearing the harbour mouth, Oola took the lead, closely followed by Geraldine, Estelle and Garavogue with Naneen slightly behind. At the end of the run, Molly was rounded in the same order. On the fetch to Asgard, Geraldine sailing, a higher course, overtook Oola.
On the beat to Seapoint Geraldine split tacks with the fleet and increased her lead. Rounding Seapoint the order was Geraldine, five boat lengths ahead of Oola closely followed by the rest of the fleet with Naneen having overtaken Garavogue. It was a closely contested race as evidenced in photos and videos.
Wonderful photos of the finish were taken by Jonathan O’Rourke who had masterfully completed his mission from start to finish.As the boats had drifted apart, out of earshot, the winner was cheered byVHF. Congratulations to Mike Reid - his second Clontarf win in two years in the same boat.
After the race around 1:30, as agreed, Mike Reid called Dublin Port on VHF on behalf of the fleet and obtained clearance for the fleet to cross the shipping channel at Buoy No.8. and sail to Clontarf. Estelle elected to go independently. The beat up river took longer than anticipated. There appeared to be some confusion on some boats about navigating the approach to Clontarf. One or two sailed briefly into areas that dry out low tide. CY&BC had indicated available deepwater moorings near the port.
With falling tide, Estelle, Oola and Garavogue decided to turn for home. It took a good hour to reach moorings. Naneen and Geraldine, with no difficulty, picked up deep water moorings as indicated by CY&BC and both crews were ferried ashore together to a tumultuous welcome in warm sunshine.
A large double sided hoarding, facing east and west, erected at the Club entrance featured a beautiful photo (taken by Jonathan O’Rourke)of Geraldine and Naneen sailing in last year’s Regatta. The hospitality of CY&BC is legendary and this year, the Club’s 150th Anniversary, was no exception.In warm sunshine, seated in front of their historic clubhouse, Sailors of Dublin Bay Twentyones enjoyed drinks and copious amounts of home made sandwiches and delicious home made braic. Much to the amusement of those present, Fionán produced a trophy Garavogue had won in 1982.
It was thought wise to leave while launch service was still operational and so, with apologies for not waiting until prize giving, both crews headed the launch around 3:30, headed for home and further celebrations at the NYC.
