The Royal Alfred Yacht Club (RAYC) has made a significant eleventh hour change to its racing programme for the summer. In a recent announcement the 143-year-old-club has decided to postpone its annual Baily Bowl Championship, scehduled to take place in three weeks time, to a date at the end of July.
The move is the latest effect of the marina development at Dun Laoghaire where two of the four waterfront clubs have still to launch their keelboats. However, the RAYC has just secured a new sponsor for the event which is also to be expanded to incorporate two additional classes.
With the support of web-design group Labyrinth, the club has ambitious plans to develop its Baily Bowl weekend into what will effectively be an east-coast championship for all the principal one-design classes. In addition to the Dragon, 1720 and J24 fleets the booming Sigma 33 footers will also have a start while the Irish built Ruffian 23s make a welcome return to the event. Given the combined potential in the immediate Dublin Bay area for these classes, a fleet of 75 boats is not unreasonable and the new date has been selected to avoid clashing with other events. After this season, other classes may also seek to start though no hints have been given as to what classes could show interest.
The development of the new facility behind the postponement is just one of many that the RAYC and many other groups have come to recognise in recent times.
Recently elected Commodore Kieran Jameson said yesterday that the club is reassessing the rapidly changing demands from their membership.
While the RAYC exists without a premises, its fundamental mission has remained unchanged since 1857: that of organising yacht racing for amateur or Corinthian sailors. That said, for a club that prides itself on maintaining fixed traditions, the modern buzzwords of "change management" seem certain to be playing a major role in the club over the coming two years.
Another change is that many crews, particularly in the smaller boats such as the Glens and Class III, are very reluctant to make the relatively arduous journey from Dun Laoghaire to Howth for Alfred events, according to Jameson.
As the club caters for both sides of the bay, the staging of the Baily Bowl in Dun Laoghaire is supposed to "balance" the number of events the club holds between the two venues.
The RAYC also organises the long-running superleague that encompasses all the major established club regattas plus the four RAYC organised events - two in Howth plus two in Dun Laoghaire - and the Baily Bowl. Now going into another year without sponsorship, the club is close to securing a backer though it may be the 2001 season before any changes to the league come into effect.
"People's needs, whether because of the Celtic Tiger or other pressures, have to be met," according to Jameson. "Any changes that will be made to the Alfred will be on the racing programme - that's the new direction for the club rather than any fundamental changes to what we do."
France is proving a successful racing ground for Irish crews at the moment. Kinsale's Damian Foxall, racing with Franck Proffit on Jacques Vabre once again become top international skipper in stage one of the two-handed transatlantic "A2GR" race to Madeira.
The pair have given a consistently impressive performance up in the top ranks during leg one. In the last two miles they overtook two boats and finished just one hour 21 minutes after the leading boat into Madeira in seventh place. Foxall had a really close call on the line, with none other than sailing legends Florence Arthaud and Philou Poupon (Fleury Michon) finishing just four minutes in their wake.
Elsewhere at the massive Spi Ouest event last weekend, Waterford's Tom and John Murphy on their 1720 Midnight Express won the overall Sportboat prize. Second place went to Irish-Australian owner John Storey on Atara. Both boats were powered by UK McWilliam sails.
