Fireball 2014/15 Frostbite Series at Dun Laoghaire - Day 1
by Cormac Bradley & Neil Colin 3 Nov 2014 15:24 GMT
2 November 2014
Despite a forecast on Saturday night that suggested sailing would not be an option on Sunday, nine Fireballs took to the start line for the first Frostbite race of the 2014/15 Series. My on the water reporter, Neil Colin (IRL 14775) advises that the combination of the southerly wind direction and a low tide meant that Dun Laoghaire harbour was sheltered from most of the wind, but experienced "mega-shifts".
Earlier in the day the Flying Fifteen experiences and reports from the Turkey Shoot for bigger boats along with the sight of the big red chopper and lifeboat activity suggested there was greater wind offshore.
It seemed almost all the 75+ entries to date were there to take advantage of the exceptionally mild weather, with boats everywhere!
The standard frostbite square was used, with the committee boat just inside the harbour mouth and the weather mark close to the marina breakwater, to maximise the course size, and maintain some separation between boats close hauled and those downwind. The result was great variances in pressure and direction at the weather mark, tending to support those on the edges of the course, rather than those in the centre.
4 laps were sailed, with great place changing on lap one on every leg, until Kenny Rumball, crewed by Teddy Byrne (IRL 15058) and Noel Butler & Stephen Oram (IRL15061) powered through on lap 2 to make a gap, leaving Neil Colin & Margaret Casey (IRL 14775), Frank Miller & Grattan Donnelly (IRL 14713), Louise McKenna & Hermine O'Keeffe (IRL 14691) and Alistair Court & Gordon Syme (IRL 14706) to tussle for the mid fleet slots.
This group did not see the dice between Kenny & Noel, but expect it was a two way battle, with Kenny & Teddy winning out!
New players Peter Doherty and Ciaran Fitzgerald, sailing IRL 14120, and the re-appearance of IRL 14790 (Shane McCarthy & A.N. Other) made up the fleet.