New Laser classes introduced by DBSC

The country’s biggest sailing club is to shake-up its dinghy racing fleets next month. Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) is tweaking the format for the 2015 summer season and introducing two new classes in the shape of the Laser and the RS200 and RS400 dinghies.

Although an on-line questionnaire last season proved inconclusive, discussions over the winter months have resulted in a number of new initiatives for the dinghy programme.

Handicap class

The aim for the new Laser class – which previously raced as part of a handicap class – is to focus everybody on Tuesday evenings for club racing, thereby freeing up weekends for other sailing commitments.

The idea, according to Laser class captain Sean Craig, is to try to repeat the successful winter format at the same venue, where 40 Lasers compete each Sunday at the DMYC frostbites series.

Up to two races could now be held on Tuesday evenings and there will also be options to run more races inside Dún Laoghaire harbour too.

Some of the other dinghy classes, however, are to stick with the tried and trusted DBSC Saturday plus Tuesday format. The club which acts as an umbrella racing organisation for all four waterfront clubs also runs racing for Mermaids, IDRA 14s, Fireballs and handicap classes too.

In the keelboat divisions, the trend of mixed handicap and one-design racing will be carried further next month when the Sigma 33 class start racing with Cruisers 2.

The Sigmas enjoyed a considerable popularity in Dublin Bay since they emerged as a separate class in 2000 but recently this has waned. Re-joining Cruisers 2 on the starting line, with which they raced earlier, should provide all concerned with more competition, according to Sigma captain Paddy Maguire.

The Sigmas will retain their separate identity, and will continue to receive separate results, as will Cruisers 2. But overall ECHO and IRC results will be provided for the combined fleets.

Meanwhile, this week DBSC is mourning the loss of its former vice-commodore Caroline Leonard, a stalwart of the Dún Laoghaire yacht racing scene who died on Monday.

Caroline, a member of the Royal Irish Yacht Club since 1991, was for many years a mainstay of DBSC racing, first as a committee member, and then as its Rear Commodore and later Vice Commodore. In more recent times, she was the team leader for the club’s committee boats.

Due to Tropical Cyclone Pam, Volvo Ocean Race organisers have decided that the next leg will not leave Auckland, New Zealand for Itajaí, Brazil, earlier than Monday.

Originally the the six-strong fleet, that includes Irish offshore racers Damian Foxall and Justin Slattery, were set to depart for the 6,776 nautical-mile voyage through the Southern Ocean on Sunday.

Tropical cyclone

But with forecasts suggesting that a grade five tropical cyclone could hit the area hard, race organisers have taken the prudent step of delaying their exit by at least 24 hours.

"Safety first," said Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad. "We're making this decision now because we don't know the exact track of this tropical cyclone yet.

“It’s unusually big and essentially it’s blocking the road for our sailors, so it’s prudent seamanship from our side to leave them with options.”