#dbsc– The Irish National Sailing Club (INSC) competed in the Rathfarnham Ford sponsored DBSC Turkey Shoot Series 2013. Here, club skipper Kenneth Rumball (also the Irish Fireball dinghy champion), reviews the school's performance and concludes how evenly both boats were matched over the seven race series.
Sunday the 3rd of November and the two Irish National Sailing Club race teams, INSC 1 skippered by Alexander Rumball and INSC2 skippered by Kenneth Rumball made their way across to the Royal Irish Yacht Club where the boats were on the pontoons ready for the first race of the 2013 Rathfarnham Ford Turkey Shoot series.
With an awful forecast and many crews wondering if we would actually be racing, our teams rather nervously readied the boats to head out in a steady 25-30kts. Being one of the first boats to launch, we headed out and blasted out to wards the committee boat with only our mainsails up followed later by the rest of the fleet. This was our first race for our crews with absolutely no prior training with their respective helms in the 1720s due to rough weather. As such an initial race in 30kts in a 1720 was more a case of holding on and just getting around the race track, not even a mention of spinnakers!
Race two on the 10th of November greeted us with conditions more suited to the 1720, a gentle 12kts from the South West decreasing during the morning. This allowed us to really concentrate on the racing and get all crews used to the spinnakers and how to handle them. In the lighter conditions, we were more up towards to the top of the pack chasing for line honours.
Race three and four saw both boats improving all the time. Both teams were now fighting with the like of Prof in the J70 and Déjà vu the 1720 from the NYC in original form. This tight racing in the light airs was brilliant for our crews, really seeing what the good sailors at the top end of the fleet are aiming towards. Hard lessons were learnt and concentration really was key to success in these races. There was a healthy rivalry developing between the younger crew on INSC1 and wiser crew on INSC2. Both crews were becoming constantly aware of where the other boats were. At the end of race four, both boats were lying joint 9th overall!
The fifth race of the series saw Fintan and his team send us off on a short upwind followed by a long downwind with the Muglins being the leeward mark. INSC1 took an early lead over INSC2 on this long spinnaker leg down to the Muglins, getting towards it Kenneth on INSC2 was still a bit behind but wanted to get ahead. Some great spinnaker work by the crew with a flawless kiwi drop of the kite while the helm took such a tight line around the island, one could have potentially reached out over the side of the boat and touched the rock saw us sail inside INSC2 and Déjà vu amongst others. A short beat up towards Loreto Dalkey with a strong ebb tide saw a great corss tacking phase between INSC2 and Mermaid, the eventual overall winner. INSC1 stayed close in phase but after a great comeback it was INSC2 on top in joint 4th and INSC back in unlucky 13th.
Lots to play for in the last two races, race six saw both boats and their main rivals sporting an OCS on the scoreboard so nothing too much to report from that race. Our final race last Sunday was according to the forecast to be potentially blown out, however hugely light conditions off the start line saw us sailing with two crew situated on the leeward side of the boat! Tight racing between all the 1720s and the J70 had us all bunched together at the top mark. All 1720s were sporting the smaller 'chicken' or fractional kites due to the sever forecast. A good hoist followed by a faulty slef tripping fractional kite halyard meant INSC2 suffered a severe setback, retrieveing their kite from the sea whil rushing to rig the mast head. INSC1 took control of the race on the next downwind and on the next tricky beat they at one stage took the lead in the race. Rounding the next top mark, INSC2 had been catching up and INSC1 took the go big or go home approach, with both boats throwing the mast head kites up in a strengthening breeze. Good speeds and big smiles as both crews had the most memorable downwind ride of the series.
Here is a short view from one of our crews, Pat;
'Throwing 5 people together, on a windy October Sunday morning, who had never me each other before, with a 40 year age gap range, was the start of a marvellous 7 Sunday expose to racing on a 1720 in Dublin Bay. Most of us had limited knowledge of sailing so the initial drills and exercises were somewhat daunting especially when it came to flying the kite.
By the end of the race series we had learned a lot, had become dab hands at handling kites and got to know each other as if we had been ship mates for years'.
With INSC1 finishing 11th and INSC2 13th in the overall results, it shows how evenly the boats were matched. Both crews had an excellent time on their skippers wish to see them bringing their skills onto other boats in Dun Laoghaire.
The INSC will have boats entered in the DBSC Spring Chicken series so if you want to experience racing at the top end of the fleet followed by weekly email de-briefs accompanied by top tricks, hints and tips, don't wait and sign up as spaces are limited!
