Lough Foyle Yacht Club

The Moville Regatta Dinghy race was on saturday 30/07/11. The first gun was to be at 11.00ambut racing was delayed for about two hours because of no wind. Eventually the wind picked up (F4 at times) and two great races were held. These results are the results with the LFYC skippers handicap applied and will be counted as part of the LFYC Series E races.  The open PY results are held by Moville Boat Club and reported elsewhere. The first race was anticlockwise and the second race was clockwise around the usual movile triangle with start and finish lines in front of the pier. The swell made the run in the second race very interesting. The L and the G boats were seen having a great duel gybing spinnakers as they chased eachother toward the line. Congratulations to John and Donal McG who came first in both races despite the determined attention of Dermot M and Ken and David L.

LFYC Handicap notes: John and Donal McG have been awarded a GP14 handicap of 1127. Shay Kelly has been awarded a handicap of 1140 in his Laser.

Start at the perch, muff, fahan, conniborrow, powerstation X2. F3 N. Anto and Jack H finally got the spinnaker flying well and were seen running up the river in fine form. Congratulations to Bill J and James J who are going well in their new GP. Nice to see A Thompson out for a sail.

There were two punt races last night. Each one was remarkable.

Four boats raced comprising:

Messrs Louden, O Kane and Lynch

Messrs Doherty, Doherty and Harrigan

Messrs, Gallagher, Gallagher and McCauley

Messrs, Hockley, Lynch and Hutton

The course was in Culmore Bay, starting from a mark near the slipway up to Harts, a mark formerly known as McKennas, Powerstation and through the line X2. F2 W.

The first race was won by Hockley, Lynch and Hutton who were evidently not impeded by Hutton’s first appearance in a Punt.

The second race the wind droped after lap 1. Gallagher, Gallagher and McCauley were leading but went wide at Harts and got caught by the tide. Doherty, Doherty and Harrigan had taken a route over by the shore and came up next but tacked early and collided with the mark. Louden, O Kane and Lynch came from behind and glided around successfully.  Hockley, Lynch and Hutton tried several plans of attack, each approach foiled by the tide. A very wide approach eventually brought Gallagher’s boat around. Doherty’s and Hockley’s boat retired leaving just Gallagher’s and Louden’s boats.

They went to the Powerstation without incident. Louden went up river to the old jetty before trying to cross the tide in the channel. They made it across but ran aground near the slipway. A lesser known sailing rule was applied at this stage. You can get out of your boat and push, so long as the push is not forward or progressing toward the line. They got out and pushed away again and made it over the line on the second attempt.

It was getting dark!

Gallagher, Gallagher and McCauley were still on the other side of the channel. They crossed over but were heading for a hard stop on the shore near the slipway so they tacked in the tide. they were pushed backwards fast and it looked as if the race was up. But a puff of wind came on and a second attempt brought them across the line to a cheer from the shore.

Interior of a punt.

A nice evening with a good breeze (F2/3 N). Black Brae, Muff, a mark near the slipway, X2.
The gp’s benifited from the long beat, while the phantoms and lasers caught up on the long broad reach home. Everyone finished within 4 minutes. The corrected times using the LFYC handicap system showed a tie, so the higher place was awarded to the boat first across the line.

The Lough Foyle Punts launched in Shroove for the annual Regatta. It was an exceptionally nice day with a sunshine and a good breeze. Three races were held with 7 punts sailing. Excellent advice was quietly and generously given from the assembled  audience at the flagpole on matters of rigging, strategy and sailing skills.

A punt about to negiotate the exit from Shroove slipway.

F3/4 Start at the perch, down to a mark between Muff and Black Brea (the water was too low to use the regular Muff Mark) Black Brea, Fahan X2 and back up to the line.
The reach on the second lap from the temporary mark to Black Brea was spectacular, the wind came on and there was a bit of chop and all boats flew across bouncing on the waves at great speed.  Brilliant fun. Worth sailing all year just to get that Reach!

Many thanks to George D for rescue cover and John O K for times.

Port Course in Culmore Bay. Very Close finish with all boats crossing the line within 6 minutes after 50 minutes of racing.

Danny G , Kevin L and Bill J+ crews went to the Rathmullan Sea Fest event, and finished in that order.

It was a great water sports festival / regatta. There were well over twenty boats with a lot of picos, lasers and bigger topaz type boats. It is an event that is an ideal family event, hospitality was excellent and those who attended recommend it to all in LFYC.

All this despite an international incident in which a laser driven by a frenchman, ran up Danny G’s stern. In the verbal exchange that followed no-one imagined that Danny G had such an excellent command of French!

Altogether though it was very well organised, and an enjoyable sail in the Swilly. Hearty congratulations to all in Rathmullen Sailing Club.

Variable force 1 to 0, Narrow gate start,cup to dropped mark nr mckennas, then to Harts,Coolkerragh and back through line x2.
The new shorter start line policy is definitely sharpening up starting skills, and the higher density of competing boats led to an odd light bump or two .

Lap 1 ok, Lap 2 wind fell off even more,and despite 2 ships entering culmore bay and docking at lisahally all boats negotiated course and returned home safetly. Thanks to John Okane for times, and Roy for providing rescue boat cover in the absence of the OD.

Congratulations to Dermot Morrow who travelled to England to participate in the Phantom Inland Waters Nationals. Dermot came 15th invery difficult light conditions.

http://www.phantomclass.org.uk/site/index.php/events/results-a-reports-archive/27-2011-reports-a-results/275-inland-national-championships-report