I am just back from a very successful VDLR regatta for our North Sails clients. Four days of racing on a very tricky Dublin Bay was a real test for the sailors and crew and as always, the fastest boats rise to the top writes Nigel Young.
The large majority in 2019 were powered by North Sails…
North Sails is a technology-based company producing the Worlds most advanced sails. Our unique 3Di technology could be seen onboard the class winners in 2019 and many of our visiting friends from across the water could not believe the sheer numbers of 3Di Sails in evidence at the regatta. For a more detailed view of this very special product take a look here at the link: 3Di Technology
For 2019 I had the pleasure of sailing with the Kelly Family on Storm, a very successful J-109 sailing in IRC Class one. Arguably one of the most competitive IRC classes with 26 boats competing for the title. This was going to be a real test for North Sails and our clients.
My colleagues Maurice (Prof) O’Connell and Shane Hughes were also racing at the regatta and we had our full-service operation set up in a local sports hall ready to keep our clients at full strength with any sail repairs they might need. The service operation is run by Richard Marshall and we have been offering this overnight repair service to sailors in Ireland since 2004 when North Sails Ireland was founded.
We are extremely proud to share our clients results with you for 2019:
IRC Class 0
1st Eleuthera Grand Soleil 44 Frank Whelan*
2nd Forty Licks First 40 Jay Colville
3rd Signal 8 Ker 40 Jamie Mc William*
IRC Class 1
1st Joker 2 J-109 John Maybury
2nd White Mischief J-109 Tim Goodbody
3rd Storm J-109 Pat Kelly
John Maybury and the Joker 2 crew
RC 35 Class
1st Storm J-109 Pat Kelly
3rd Animal Beneteau 36.7 Debbie & Kevin Aitken
IRC Class 2A
1st Checkmate XVIII Half Tonner Nigel Biggs
2nd Checkmate XV Half Tonner Dave Cullen
3rd Harmony Half Tonner Jonny Swan
IRC Class 2B
3rd Impetuous Corby 25 Fergal Noonan
IRC Class 3
2nd Running Wild Impala Brendan & Sarah Foley*
3rd Cartoon ¼ Tonner Ken Lawless
IRC Class 4
1st She Too She 31 Jonathan Fawcett
Non Spinnaker 1 IRC
1st Bite the Bullet Elan 333 Colm Birmingham
3rd Shearwater Dehler 36sq Eamon Doyle & Peter O’Toole
Non Spinnaker Class 2
3rd Menapia UFO 31 James & Susan McSweeny
Coastal Class A-IRC
1st Mermaid IV First 50 Seamus Fitzpatrick*
3rd Rockabill VI JPK 10.80 Paul O’ Higgins*
Coastal Class B-IRC
1st Mojito J-109 Peter Dunlop
2nd Jet Stream J-109 Nigel Ingram*
3rd Windjammer J-97 Lindsey Casey & Denis Power
Beneteau 211 Irish Championships
3rd Small Wonder Hugh Kelly & Jackie McStay
Beneteau 31.7 Class Scratch
1st Eauvation Jason & Debbie Corlett*
2nd Final Call John Minnis*
3rd Crazy Horse Frank Heath
Dragon Class
1st Sir Ossis of the River Denis Bergin
2nd ZinZan Timothy Carpenter*
3rd Whisper Peter Bowring
J-80 Class
1st Jabs Jonathan O’Dowd*
3rd Robert Dix*
Mixed Sports Boat
2nd Jabs J-80 Jonathan O’Dowd*
Ruffian 23
2nd Shannagh Padraig MacDiarmada*
Shipman 28
2nd Jo Slim John Clarke & BJ Maher*
Sigma 33
1st Leaky Roof 2 Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson & Kirsty Robertson
2nd Mayrise James Millar*
IDRA 14
2nd Starfish Alan Carr
Mermaid
1st Three Chevrons Vincent McCormack
3rd Jill Paul Smith & Pat Mangan
Waterwag
1st Swift Guy Killroy
2nd Mariposa Cathy MacAleavey*
*denotes partial inventory
Congratulations again to all the North powered boats at the 2019 VDLR, it was a great event and we are looking forward to the next one already!
Sail FAST
Nigel Young, North Sails Ireland
