Suspended for legal risk

For the moment the Island Trial is suspended for legal reasons. Although the idea was seen as one where sailors could challenge each other, the possibility that the website builders could be sued was raised and hasn't been effectively rebutted.

That's sad and it's possibly just not true, but until the website builders are sure they won't end up financing a barrister in the High Court the Island Trial is suspended.

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One hull good. Two hulls better.

The marks may have been lifted, but there are still people out there who are determined to sail around that Island and to get there and back quickly.

A certain Hobie Cat has now made the trip several times but has only recently deigned to send in their GPS files. They've been practicing hard and are getting pretty good. 

Their last run was really fast. 

As far as we know the marks were already up and their track goes outside the 40ft so it doesn't count for the Summer 2013 ranking, but with discussion going on about a new route this definitely stands as the fastest time on the new route!

Here's a video of the fastest time on the Summer 2013 course (Paul Keane's Laser) stacked up against the Hobie. 

We didn't get the virtual start perfectly aligned, but it's close. 

Paul's time of 46 mins is beaten by the new benchmark of 43 mins, although we need to recognize that rounding the 40ft did slow Paul on his run. Still, nice to see two completely different boats sailing a week apart, going in different directions around the island and still finishing within a few minutes.

It looks like we have two Braggers now. One with one hull and one with two hulls!

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Course Closed

We understand that the DBSC marks have been lifted.

So, the course is closed.

More news here when there is news.  Keep an eye out!

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The Final Trial - All Guts and Glory

It had all the makings of a classic. The marks were being lifted within days. The long-awaited North-Easter had finally arrived. The tides were suitable. Everything was in place. But the waves were pretty big.

Four hardy or perhaps foolhardy souls turned out on Saturday morning to have a blast. A last chance to take the crown from John Chambers' Moth or to end up as flotsam on Killiney beach.

John's Moth had held the lead since April. Could he lose the lead on the last day?  Well, he did. Paul Keane's new time of 46:31 is nearly five minutes faster than the previous best and a good reward for a radical day's sailing.

Read the rest of the story to see how close the sailors actually came to being flotsam. The Island Trial is NOT for beginners.  Or anything without lots of volume in the bow. Or for waterproof bags that aren't waterproof.

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SB20 has a go in tricky "champagne sailing" conditions

The SB20 "Timber", helmed by Alan McNab from the RIYC, had a go at the Island Trial on Tuesday 3rd September.

The conditions in the bay on that day are well described by The Irish Times. What you don't get from the Laser Europeans race report is the size of the waves off the southern end of the island.

Alan and crew opted to go through Dalkey Sound first in search of a more sheltered passage and a better return angle. What they got was a wind hole at the entrance to the sound. They also found that there is no shelter in a southerly so a wild and wet rounding ensued. Once around the return leg was straight and fast.

Alan has vowed to return and have another go before the course closes for the winter.

1720 has a go

On 17th August the first keelboat with a good chance at laying down a fast marker time had a go at The Island Trial. Darrach Dineen and his crack crew sailing an RIYC Club 1720 posted a time of 1:09 which has yet to be verified and added to the leaderboard.

The weather has noticeable started to become more unsettled. It seems the word on the street is that there are challengers on boats, boards and wings watching and waiting for a N'Easterly before the course closes in mid October!

Trialling for the Masses

Despite Tuesday's DBSC racing being cancelled, a group of racers assembled like lost sheep at the harbour mouth and decided to undertake a group attempt on The Island Trial.

At the start the tide had already been flooding for one hour and the southerly 12kt breeze wasn't ideal for the trip down. Conditions were never going to deliver a fast time so this was a "Gentlemen's Attempt".

1 Flying Fifteen, 2 K1's, 6 Lasers and a Finn crossed the start line between Harbour Mark and The East Pier Lighthouse. That's a 10 boat fleet on a night when racing had been cancelled!

The beat down was mostly starboard tack with the odd stint on port to gain some relief from the tide. The run home was one long broad reach with the tide behind. Grant Dalton talks about this type of "mode" sailing as being useful in an overall part of training to get the best out of your boat. We're not sailing AC72's but the idea is the same!



Conditions at the South end of the Island were fairly gnarly with overfalls, and both breaking and standing waves. These are not easy sailing conditions. If in doubt it's better to stand well off the island - or turn around.

4 Lasers and the 2 K1's made it around. Neil O'Toole led the way home followed by Alan McNab. Both Neil and Paul Keane were carrying trackers and you can see video of their courses below.

Note, Bulloch and Forty Foot marks are part of the course for both legs. On the leg to the Island they must be left to port. On the return leg they must be left to starboard.