ISORA News Items all in date order.
L C Tyres - Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire
Amendment 2
The course has been published as follows:
Start - as defined in the SI's
PSC 2 (P) - 52º 52.400'N 04º 25.580'W This is a yellow racing mark.
Finish - as defined in the SI's
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
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.
“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.
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!
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
It is with sadness we report the passing of John Collins
John was a regular on the Irish Sea circuit and campaigned a succession of boats in ISORA including Satisfaction and Jetstream.
The Pwllheli Sailing Club Flag is at half-mast and our thoughts are with Rita and the family.
The funeral is on Friday 22nd July 13:30 at Rochdale Crematorium
ISORA boats represent 25% of record Round Ireland entry.
The Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race starts in Wicklow today at 13.00.
A record 64 entries will come to the start in what is the best and most challenging offshore race in the world. ISORA is proud that their members represent 25% of this record fleet.
As normal ISORA will be presenting a trophy for the winner from those boats. I view of the number of ISORA boats taking part, ISORA will also present class prizes based on the ISORA class split – Class 1, 2, Silver and Two-Handed.
The ISORA boats taking part are:
Mojito – Peter Dunlop & Vicky Cox
Bam – Conor Fogerty
Lynx – Kenneth Rumball
Aurelia – Chris Power Smith
Polished Manx 2 – Kuba Szymanski
Maybird – Darryl Hughes
Wakey Wakey – Roger Smith
Euro Carparks – Dave Cullen
Lule Belle – Liam Coyne & Brian Flahive.
Desert Star – Ronan O’Siochru
Albeiro – David Simpson
Pipe Dreamer – Paul Sutton
Big Deal – Derek & Conor Dillon
Adelie – Peter Hall
Applegreen for Kids – Stephen Mullaney
Tanit – Robert Float.
You can follow the race by watching the tracker here and further information about the race here. There will be regular updates on AFLOAT here
ISORA wish their members and all the crew of all the boats a safe and fast race.
Peter Ryan
Chairman ISORA
These results include the latest overall table (after 3 races) and the results for Silver Class, Class 1 and Class 2- and the Club Team Trophy points.
Report on Race 5 – Dun Laoghaire to Douglas IOM –
Friday 3rd June – Start 20.30
At the start of the week when long range weather forecasts start approaching reality, the weather forecast for the race from Dun Laoghaire to IOM was indicating NE winds 20-25knots – a big bad long beat!!!
Well after the tame weather conditions earlier in the season for the ISORA races, a good blast could not be unexpected.
As the week progressed, the forecast indicated that the winds were decreasing. That was good. Then decreasing again, that was OK. Then decreasing again to nothing – that was a problem!!! By Friday morning of the race the forecasts were indicating no wind in much of the Irish Sea. Added to this woe was the fact that the tides on the day were strong springs. These are not good conditions for setting a long offshore course.
The usual start was to be provided by Commodores Larry Power and Barry MacNeaney at Pier mark. However the Committee thought that the start there would result in the fleet drifting away from the start line in the strong north going tide and ending over at Dublin Port. This would have made an unusual spectacle for the thousands of people walking the pier on that sunny evening!!!
Read more: Race 5 Dun Laoghaire to Douglas - Results & Report
These results include the latest overall table (after 3 races) and the results for Silver Class, Class 1 and Class 2- and the Club Team Trophy points.
To deal with this weather difficulty, the course was set as follows:
Start – between the Committee boat located off the Pier Head and the Clipereu Buoy.
Waypoint 1 (SE corner of Skerries TSZ - N53 20.990 W4 48.110) (S)
Rockabill (P)
Finish - The finish line is the line between Cardinal Buoy North Kish (N53 18.553 W5 56.424) and Kish Bank Lighthouse (N53 18.655 W5 55.547)
Waypoint 1 was a virtual mark and marked the SE corner of the traffic separation zone off Holyhead. This was used as the rhumb line between the start and Rockabill would pass through the TSZ.
Read more: Race 4 Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire Result and Report
We are pleased to announce that ISORA is now affiliated to ISA
These results include the latest overall table (after 3 races) and the results for Silver Class, Class 1 and Class 2- and the Club Team Trophy points.
Provisional results from yesterday's 55–mile ISORA race from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead reveal Royal St George Yacht Club J122 Aurelia (Chris & Patanne Power Smith) were winners in a bumper turnout for race three of the 2016 season. Second was former ISORA champion Sgrech skippered by Pwllheli Sailing Club's Stephen Tudor. Third place went to Peter Hall's First 34.7 Adelie of Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club.
The fleet for Race 3 of the ISORA Avery Crest Offshore Series was the largest assembled for many years. 28 boats took part. It is hoped that this number will increase for the next race when 29 boats are expected to return to Holyhead for the 100 mile return leg to Dun Laoghaire on the 28th May.
The weather forecast for the race was not good since the beginning of the week. All indications pointed to a “drifter”. However, a window was spotted by the Sailing Committee that showed easterly winds backing northerly 8-12 knots would prevail from the start to late into the evening. However the “drifter” conditions would form on the west side of the course from mid-morning. With this limited window of opportunity available, the Sailing Committee decided to shorten the course to go direct to Holyhead.
The Course for the Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead Avery Crest 2016 ISORA (Race 3) race has been announced and is as follows:
The largest ISORA fleet since the 1980's is gathering in Dun Laghaire for the first cross channel race of the AveryCrest 2016 ISORA series.
The story is reported in AFLOAT here.
The race entry list extending to 28 boats is available below - over 200 crew!
The race will start at 0800hrs and can be followed on the YB tracker here.
PDF printable copy of the SI's also available here
Another blast from the past - remember some eof the boats in the report and results?
Or A pdf version is available here
Please provide us with copies of any articles or ISORA memorabilia
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