Royal Alfred Yacht Club Baily Bowl

By far the biggest fleet at this Royal Alfred Yacht Club Championship was the National Squib Class with 13 entries, 3 from the Royal North of Ireland Y.C., 2 from Wexford Harbour Boat and Tennis Club, 2 from the Royal Irish Yacht Club and the rest from the host club, the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

Race One on Saturday took place in tumultuous seas (waves up to 3m high) despite the wind strength being about 12 kts. Racing Squibs in these conditions is difficult with many waves breaking over the bows, causing the boats to take water and killing the forward momentum. The windward leeward races were not tactical- but the were won by boat speed and boat handling.

Race 1 Results:
1st ‘Andromeda’, Nigel and Paddy Barnwell (RIYC)
2nd ‘Toy for the Boys’, Peter Wallace and Kerry Boomer (RNIYC)
3rd ‘Halloween’, Fred Campbell (RNIYC)

Race two followed immediately afterwards with the seas remaining steep and confused, but the North Easterly wind dropping slightly.

Race 2 Results:
1st ‘Halloween’, Fred Campbell (RNIYC)
2nd ‘Toy for the Boys’, Peter Wallace and Kerry Boomer
3rd ‘Quickstep III’, L. Mc.Carthy Nolan & Gordon Patterson

Race three followed with similar wind and sea conditions.

Race 3 Results:
1st ‘Perequin’, Vincent Delany and Noel Colclough (DMYC)
2nd ‘Quickstep III’ L. Mc.Carthy Nolan & Gordon Patterson (RNIYC)
3rd ‘Halloween’, Fred Campbell (RNIYC)

Race four and five on Sunday were abandoned due to a flat calm, no wind and poor visibility.

The Dublin Bay boats achieved two out of three first places but they could not compare with the consistency of the Northern boats.

Overall Results:

1st 148, ‘Halloween’, 3,1,3
2nd 818, ‘Toy for the Boys’ 2,2,5
3rd 820, ‘Quickstep III’ 5,3,2

Best of the rest was ‘Andromeda’ with 1,4,6 placings.

Best Wexford boat was ‘Chubble’, Michael Jones. The Wexford club is new to Squibs and they now have a fleet of 7 boats which normally sail above the road bridge in Wexford town in the South Eastern corner of Ireland.

Best all lady team was ‘Chillax’ - sisters Angela Heath and McLoughlin who had the benefit of a double dolphin escort while they were waiting for the second race to start.