Click here for Sailing Instructions for the 2009 Southern Championships this weekend at Baltimore.

Note the crane for lift-in is off duty at 2100 hours tonight, Friday.  Bushe’s time then begins!

The next event on our SB3 calendar is the Southern Championships in Baltimore. This promises to be a great event. Baltimore sailing club have an experienced race management team and a wonderful location. We expect at least 20 boats minimum and about the same amount of pints in Bushes. See you there!

Here are the immediate upcoming events:

•    Baltimore 30th & 31st May
•   Liffey Challenge 12th June
•    Howth Lambay race     20th June

•   Eastern’s 4th & 5th July
•    Dun Laoghaire Week     9th to 12th July

SUBSCRIPTION REMINDER!
It’s early in the season but we still have lot of subs to collect! Please arrange to pay your subs as soon as possible. It is necessary to pay your sub before sailing in any of the major events. The funds raised are used to cover the costs of administration, our levy to the World Council and a fair amount is poured (literally) straight back to the member in the form of drinks receptions at major events.
Download the form here:
Thanks

Rules reminders and clarifications
For your info our Irish class measurer Roger Bannon and the World council have announced a few minor changes and clarifications. On the website you will find info on a host of issues such as hiking rules, engine weights, trailing edges, boat stickers and many other thing that all SB3 owners should know. Check it out on www.sb3ireland.com.

Enjoy your sailing.
Sarah Byrne
Sec, SB3 Ireland

I’m delighted to announce that the Dublin Port Company  SB3 Liffey Challenge goes ahead as planned for the fine perpetual trophy, no problems with the Sam Beckett bridge.

Organised by the Royal Alfred with Poolbeg Yacht Club, this will take place on Friday June 12, so get organised with day off work, etc.  Toll bridge will lift at 1025 hours.  There is a max entry of 12 boats. As well as entering,  please notify me of your intention to race, scraig@fideuramireland.ie  as we need to know what’s happening with numbers.

–Sean Craig

Notice of Race with Entry Form (pdf file)

The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire will welcome us for the 2009 Eastern Championships.

Notice of Race with Entry Form is available to download (pdf file).

Sunshine and light winds greeted the competitors at the Northern Championship in Carrickfergus on Saturday. After an over eager start by most competitors in the first start the race got under way following a Black flag. Local boat Bullet (Trevor D’Arcy) rounded the first mark in a good position. Sharkbait (Ben Duncan) was not too far behind and found good pressure on the left hand side of the run to open up a commanding lead by the second windward mark. Sharkbait finished first followed by Modus Operandi (Ronan Collins) in second.

The second race saw local boat Bullet take the gun from Sharkbait in second and Splash Gordon (Gordon Patterson) in third. The third race got under way but soon had to be abandoned due to a large windshift. With the match looming and no sign of wind competitors raced for the clubhouse to get seats for the match.

Sunday started on a very different note. Those out early for practice were greeted with a 30 knot squall which caused some damage in the fleet. Shortly afterwards those still ashore sailed out in 10 knots of Breeze and sunshine following the squall.

The first race got under way in 15 knots of breeze which was soon followed by another squall which made the first beat a bit of a challenge. However Sharkbait again showed great pace and boat handling and followed with another race win this time followed by Bullet and Spash Gordon
Race four saw McCready Sailboats (Gareth Flannigan) win from Redmond Fisher (Peter Kennedy) with Bullet showing good consistency to take third.
In Race five Modus Operandi took the gun closely followed by Sharkbait who were now in control of the event.

In Race six McCready Sailboats lead from start to finish taking another race win and with this narrowly secured second place overall on countback from Modus Operandi in third place.

However there was no doubt about the winner with Sharkbait Ben Duncan, Ric Morris, and Brian Moran from Howth Yacht sailing a great event, discarding the last race and winning the event with five points to spare.

Complete results here. Plenty of photos available from Saturday and Sunday