Safety guidelinesSailors like wind and young competitive sailors like lots of wind. The participants in yesterday's Mitsubishi Motors youth regatta off Dún Laoghaire would be among some of the top juniors in their respective classes.
Well equipped, the dinghy sailors would not be permitted to leave the slip without wearing buoyancy aids - which they are also obliged to have under current marine safety legislation. Their boats would, or should, be subject to safety checks.
Most can afford to wear wetsuits and most would be accustomed to a capsize or two out on a course.
Even the youngest single-handed Optimist skippers would be able to "right" their own boats after a capsize, unaided, by hauling themselves up on their centreboards or keels.
Similarly, helmspeople and crew in Mirrors, 420s, Lasers, Fevas and the other classes on the water would have been through this drill many times as a prerequisite on Irish Sailing Association (ISA) training courses for dinghy sailing.
Under ISA guidelines, race officials must have a safety boat on the water for every 10 dinghies, and these would - or should - be driven by volunteers with ISA powerboat qualifications.
Therefore, one of the questions which may be asked after yesterday's event in Dublin Bay was whether there was a need to call in assistance from the emergency services - and whether there was an over-reaction by them at the scene.
Other questions asked may include the amount and accuracy of meteorological information available, such as the timing of any small craft or gale warning.
The race officer would have this information to hand when approving launching and would also have the power to cancel or cut short an event or events if conditions dictated this. It is understood that one of the fleets had already been told to sail back to shore when the weather deteriorated yesterday.
Rescue personnel reported that there was some confusion in relation to matching up competitors' names with the number of children being brought ashore - due in part to the plethora of agencies and volunteers involved in taking them off the water.
The tagging system, under which all boats are allocated a number which the helm and/or crew must wear, is a particularly effective method of ensuring that all sailors can be accounted for.
In many international events, failure by competitors to wear their tag or "tally" on the water and return it afterwards can result in disqualification from an event. Responsibility for administering this system would be taken on by the host club or clubs in an event.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board will be conducting an inquiry. The ISA says it will be working with the clubs to identify if any lessons can be learned.
This will be shared with all ISA clubs and training centres, it says.
The ISA has also expressed appreciation for the prompt response of a number of individuals and organisations who supported the emergency services in Dún Laoghaire, and has noted that the Irish Coast Guard was called to assist Greystones Sailing Club to recover participants on its junior sailing course yesterday afternoon.