Sleeping Giant-Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta
July 28, 2007 0 comments
Summary of the regatta staged in Dublin Bay between 12-15th July 2007
A sleeping giant
Louay Habib
If, like me, the only time you had been to Dun Laoghaire (pronounced-Dun Leery) was to simply roll on or off a ferry you could be forgiven. It is not widely publicised that some of the oldest yacht clubs in the world are located there. They are private clubs but every other year, in July, the doors are now open to visiting yachts and dinghies for a regatta with a fantastic atmosphere. The club houses boast the grandeur and splendour of days gone by but this hidden haven for yachting now has a regatta to rival any other
The Event
The 2007 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta was organised by, The Royal Irish, Royal St. George, National and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, who combined resources to form an event, energetically organised by Regatta Chairman; Brian Craig and his team. This was the second time the regatta had taken place and over 500 boats from eleven different countries had gathered to race in Dublin Bay over four days. The diversity of the fleet, 25 different classes, even eclipsed Cowes Week proportions and that is not the only similarity between this regatta and the annual Isle of Wight extravaganza.
David Brannigan/Ocean Sport
The dinghy classes included some rare examples of elegant wooden boats such as Mermaids, Water Wags and the Howth 17s which are the oldest one design fleet in the world. The Fireballs and the Flying Fifteens added a more modern aspect to the dinghy fleet and the Squibs and International 14s made up a fleet of dinghies which enjoyed some tight racing just outside the marina walls.
There were also a large number of one design keel boats; Beneteau 31.7s and J109s to name just two and 25 half tonners added to the variety. In all there were nine different one design classes.
Tim Wright www.photoaction.com
The Laser SB3 population has exploded in Ireland with forty boats racing at the regatta, most of them Irish.
There were no less than six IRC classes, Irish boats have shown their strength in the handicap classes for a number of years now and the quality and quantity of top boats was exceptional. The cherry on the top was supplied by the might of three TP52s in Super Zero but there was quality right through the fleet of 163 boats racing under IRC.
The weather
Weather Conditions all over Northern Europe have been extremely changeable this summer and unfortunately you could say that all four seasons happened in a weekend in Dublin Bay. The rain and fog, on the first two days, was not ideal but the large wind shifts experienced by the IRC classes, further out in the bay, was the real problem. The race committee had resigned themselves to only use windward leeward courses in the sailing instructions. Races being abandoned or seriously impeded by big wind shifts was a major issue. Some competitors got very frustrated by the weather and the race committees inability to deal with it. The Bay is a tricky place to sail, like the Solent, wind direction can be very variable. Some see this as an opportunity to make excuses about poor performance or say that Dublin Bay is not a good place to race at all. However many would agree that being able to master difficult conditions is one of the skills that make sailing such a complex sport.
In defence of the complaints of some of the competitors, perhaps allowing for round the cans racing would have been a good option in these circumstances, even if that included tactically numbing reaching legs. Also the Class Zero boats would prefer far longer legs than some of those set.
In the Race Committee’s defence, they were severely handicapped by some very tricky weather conditions and did not have the resources to relay marks. They are not on their own in this capacity though; the problem in staging a big event is that often the best people to run the courses can’t because they are racing themselves. I firmly believe that an international race team, travelling from event to event is the way forward.
Shore side
The combined clubs laid on some great entertainment after racing. It was a pleasure to step straight off the boat and into a beer tent or grab a bite at a BBQ stand. Ireland is a land that loves its music and the live bands that played at each of the yacht clubs produced a marvellous atmosphere for everybody involved. By the evening, things really kicked off, the beer tents were full of cheer and the yacht clubs bar takings must have been near epic proportions.
Tim Wright www.photoaction.com
Another attraction of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, is the proximity of one of the great cultural cities in Europe. Dublin city centre is a ten minute trip by DART (Train) or taxi and has a myriad of shops, restaurants, bars and nightlife to suite any taste or budget. I can think of very few regattas that can boast such a vibrant city on its doorstep.
Dublin also has the infrastructure that goes with a capital city, Dublin International airport services direct flights from all over the world and Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal provides direct services to Holyhead, Liverpool and the Isle of Man. In fact,for visiting yachts from; Wales, the Midlands and the North of England. Dun Laoghaire is closer than the south coast.
If success of an event is measured by the demand then over 500 boats and several thousand competitors must make the Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta a roaring success, a sleeping giant is awakening.
Full Results etchttp://www.dlregatta.org
