Report on Race 12 – LC Tyres James Eadie Race – “The Decider” for ISORA Series

Read a report in AFLOAT here
The Results are Published here

The last race of the 2016 Averycrest ISORA Offshore Series took place yesterday, 10th September. The race was the “LC Tyres James Eadie Race” from Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire – 75 miles. This is a long standing race in the ISORA calendar. It was originally run from Abersoch to Dun Laoghaire.

What made this race special was that four boats, twice ISORA Champion Liam Shanahan’s “Ruth”, Peter Dunlop’s “Mojito”, Chris Power-Smith’s “Aurelia” and Stephen Tudor’s “Sgrech” all stood to win the overall championship with a good performance in the race.

Even in the past when starter numbers were low, this race attracted the best turnout. A week before the race 26 of the 34 entrants confirmed that they intended racing. However, as happened for the previous two years, bad weather for the deliveries wrecked the intended start numbers.

Despite the bad weather forecast for Irish boats delivering to Pwllheli before the race and UK boats returning to UK ports after the race, 14 boats came to the start line at the bridge at the old Pwllheli Sailing Club premises. Unfortunately “Ruth” had to pull out of the race at the last minute.

Strangely, with very bad weather forecast for the day before the race and the day after the race, the forecast for the start of the race was for little wind. There was to be fluky conditions in the morning with a south westerly winds filling in around mid-afternoon and building.

Read more: Race 12 - Results & Report

The last race of the AveryCrest 2016 ISORA series, the “LC Tyres James Eadie Race”, takes place on Saturday 10th September from Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire,  a distance of about 75 miles. As happened in the last two years this very popular race has been hampered by bad weather forecast. While the forecast for the race promises to be “champagne sailing”, weather for the delivery of Irish boat to Pwllheli and the return of the UK boats after the race is less attractive.

AS the series is scored using the High Point system, this race is critical for four boats, any of whom can win the overall Avery Crest ISORA Championship and be celebrating in the NYC after the race.

Competitors and shore crew are now trying to work out the permutations of who could win and what margin they require to win the Overall Championship for the Woolf’s Head, Class 1, Class 2 and the Silver Fleet. To work out the possibilities and understand the complex tactics during the race the competitors and tacticians on-board will be looking closely at the points each boat will achieve from the scoring system for finishing positions in the race.

The following is an overview of the bespoke scoring system that ISORA has successfully used since 2011 to reflect the varying fleet sizes and to reflect the difficulty difference between races.

Read more: ISORA Championship to be decided amongst four boats in last race

Remember to book your table early !!

“Aurelia” wins the Viking Marine / RAYC Coastal Series. “Flashback” wins ISORA Coastal Race ISORA / RAYC “Irish Hospital Supplies Ltd” Day race decides the Viking Marine / RAYC Coastal Series 2016

The ISORA / RAYC Irish Hospital Supplies Day race was the concluding race in the Viking Marine / RAYC Coastal Series and was also the feeder race to the Greystones Regatta. It took place on Saturday 27th August.

Read more: Race 10 - Dun Laoghaire to Greystones - Report

Pwllheli ISORA P2P Coastal Day Race

With a forecast of 5 kts easterlies decaying to just 2-3kts from the north, it was decided that a shortening of the course would occur at the Fairway Mark,  if the first finisher passed after 1500.
The day dawned brightly, and with a smaller  than expected fleet milling around the start  line, Robin Evan started the fleet for a windward leg to number 10. This small number didn't stop a "competitive" start between  Jackknife and Sgrech! We enjoyed watching that!

A kite run down  from PSC 10 to St Tudwals in light winds, was reasonably straight forward with just two gybes and it was enjoyable for us to be in close proximity of Pleione of Dee; great to have the company Derek! Now Pleine is a nice looking boat, self tacking Jib, assymetric on a furler, all lines  lead back......I'm sure they had a three course meal at some point!  I caught Jo downloading the Selden catalogue later on!

Read more: Pwllheli Coastal Race P2P - Report

The Results are Published here

And the race reports here

The offshore from Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli at 08.00 on Saturday 6th August attracted 16 boats from the 27 boats entered. Mainly crew availability had forced boats to pull out of the race.

The course for the race was from the Start, direct to the finish with Bardsey Island not being a mark on the course.

The weather for the race area was for very light winds from the north west at the start in Dublin Bay going calm and then building from the south later in the day. The first part of the forecast was correct as the 16 boats came to the line to be started by NYC Commodore, Larry Power and RATC Commodore, Barry MacNeaney.

There was just enough winds for the fleet to slide over the start line under spinnaker and make their way towards the Muglins. The winds were so light that some boats gybed north towards Howth in an effort to find wind.

Andrew Hall’s “Jackknife” and Christ Power Smith’s “Aurelia” led the fleet towards the Muglins pointing out the massive wind shifts and holes.

By the time that first boats had reached the Muglins the wind had shifted to the south east and increased so spinnakers were swapped for jibs. After rounding the Muglins the fleet set off on a beat towards Bardsey. While most of the fleet tacked east towards Holyhead, others tacked south to attempt to catch the forecasted new wind sooner.

The forecasted southerly wind arrive by mid-morning and was increasing to 18-19 knots. At that stage there was a good spread across the fleet. Despite the spread, the new wind appeared to arrive at all boats at the one time. The advantage the southerly boats had was the ability to sail freer in the building winds. “Jackknife” was the most southerly boat while “Polished Manx 2” took the northerly route.

As the tide turned at mid-afternoon the wind increased to 24-25 knots and the weather deteriorated. Blue skies were replaced with dull overcast and building mist that got worse approaching Bardsey.

As the fleet converged approaching Bardsey “Jackknife” was the first boat through, followed by “Lively Lady”, “Aurelia” and “Sgrech”. The latter boat was followed very closely by “Mojito” and “Ruth”.

While the three leadind boats continued their reach towards Tudwals and cracked off to a run towards the finish, the three J109’s had only boats lengths between them. For the last 18 mile there was no more than 10 boats lengths between “Sgrech” and “Mojito”.

At the finish the visibility was very poor but the Pwllheli Finishers, Gerry and Gwen Williams aided by the YB tracker finishing system, managed to record all the boats. “Jackknife” took line honours. Despite “Sgrech” finishing 8 seconds ahead of “Mojito”, “Mojito” beat “Sgrech” by 22 seconds on corrected time to take the race overall and Class 1. “Adelie” took Class 2 and “Windshift” took Silver Class.

Prior to the race the ISORA Champion “Ruth” was leading the series and heading for their “three-in-a-row”. However their 3rd place behind “Sgrech” has changed the top of the table and changed it into a tight six boat possibility. The postponement of the Dun Laoghaire Night Race, which has been postponed until Friday 19th August, will add spice to the series as it could figure in the overall points. One way of the other the Series is likely to be determined on the last offshore of the Series on the 10th September, the LC Tyres Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire Race.

Full details of the results and the following races can be found on the website.

The results of the 8th 2016 AveryCrest ISORA race is available here

This was the night race from Abersoch to Pwllheli starting at 19.30hrs from the bridge of SCYC providing a spectacle for the hundreds gathered there for the start of Abersoch Dinghy Week.

The committee had decided on a course for the forecasted light winds which was a factor in the smaller than expected fleet size.

The first leg form the start  provided a close fetch to the St Tudwal's Islands and Mojito was the only competitor to try their code Zero. On rounding St Tudwal's Island West the fleet turned east on a run, in the mist, to Madog Fairway Buoy.

The next leg west was a 9 mile close fetch to the flashing lights of the Pwllheli mark 'O'. Sgrech managed to fly her Code Zero for most of this leg recording great speeds.

The last leg was a run to the finish - a line from the Plas Heli bridge, the National Sailing Academy to the Pwllheli Fairway Buoy. ISORA vice Chairman Gerry Williams with assistance from Gwen recorded the competitors finishing times.

Andrew Hall's Jackknife took line honours followed by J109 Sgrech and then Mojito. Sgrech was the Class One winner and overall winner.

Silver fleet was won by Aquaplane who is now a strong contender to become the Silver Class Champion.

The crews were all invited to the top deck at Plas Heli to a reception where local beer, Cwrw Llyn, was provided by our race sponsor, Tudor Estate Agents. The beer was gratefully consumed whilst comparing notes and discussing racing options and tactics. Ella Trout's Roger Fitzgerald, a regular on the Jester Challenge said he would be back for more ISORA racing.

The ISORA committee has decided that this formula should be repeated for other races where the finish is likely to be in the early hours! If you wish to become a race sponsor please contact us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..