Irish 505 Open Meeting at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

19/20 October 2002

Four British teams joined eleven Irish boats at the Irish 505 Open, and received the renowned Irish hospitality from the host club, Monkstown Bay SC.

Saturday racing commenced in a light northerly in the tidal estuary close to the club, where local knowledge appeared to be important. In the event, those who simply looked for the breeze and played the shifts did as well as any. Williams/Edmunds led until the last round when they fell into a windless patch. More breeze in race 2 again saw Williams/Edmunds leading, but pressed by Napier/Bristow they cut the weather mark too fine, collected its mooring line on their centreboard, and gave Napier/Bristow a second lucky win.

By race 3 a pleasant force 3 ENE breeze allowed race officer David Barry to set a wider triangle down the estuary using navigation marks in the strengthening flood. Local lore favoured the left side to cheat the tide, but the wind there was patchy, and the right seemed to be doing better. On the final beat Berry/Walters took this to the logical conclusion, went hard right, found a dramatic back-eddy and swept from third place into the lead, denying Williams/Edmunds yet again.

On Sunday there were gales, and racing was cancelled.

Overall, the visitors took the honours, but due credit must go to the leading Irish teams who started consistently and clung on well despite the handicap of smaller spinnakers and less modern rigs.

An event not to be missed.