News
ISORA News Items all in date order.
ISORA is now all set for the first coastal race of the Re-Boot Program of Races
The first race in the 12 race series is on Saturday 4th July.
This is also the first race in the Viking Marine Irish Coastal Series of four Races
Competitors should be familiar with the following documents:
Re-Boot General Sailing Instructions for 2020 (SIs) these are published – see here
Supplemental Sailing Instructions For Race 1 (SSIs) – see here
ISORA Back to Boating Protocol Version 8a – available here
Entry Form is now available – see here
See who has already entered - here – 10 entries so far!
Re-Boot Program Published – see here
Calendar updated to show all re-boot races see calendar here
The race can be followed on our YB race tracker here
The course for Race 1 will be published on the ISORA web site before 12.00hrs on Friday 3rd July and will be circulated by e-mail
Please make sure you have registered to receive the e-newsletters with race information by subscribing here
ISORA is working on a the 'Back to Boating Protocol' that will allow coastal racing to begin after 29th June. This hinges strongly on the 2m distancing being reduced.
Irrespective, racing will be provided for 2-handed and family pods. It will be issued early this week.
It is proposed that all starts and finishes would be done using the trackers eliminating any need for committee boats etc.
ISORA will at all times comply with the recommendations and guidlines issued by Irish Sailing, RYA and RYA Cymru Wales.
With the anticipated easing of restrictions, the Race Committee is working on a new re-boot programme with a view of publishing by the weekend
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR BREAKING NEWS
It is with sadness we report the passing of Bruce Lyster an ISORA Champion
Bruce successfully campaigned 1/2 tonner Swuzzelbubble and won the Overall ISORA championship and the coveted Wolf's Head in 1980 and was also a winner in Cowes in the same year.
Our most sincere condolences to the family and friends
Swuzzlebubble in Dublin Bay
ISORA have postponed the first two offshore races in the 2020 series.
These two races are the offshor races scheduled for 2nd May and 23rd May
This follows the advice of our Governing bodies, RYA and IS and ISORA understands the need to keep everyone safe.
The e-newsletter circulated on Sunday 26th April can be seen here
The Race Management Committee is looking at opportunities, with our partners, for rescheduling postponed races and considering the consequences of cancelled races.
Suggestions and ideas from Skippers and crew welcomed. These can be sent by return e-mail to: ISORA Hon. Sec
The first four races in the 2020 series have been postponed this includes the first two offshore races.
The ISORA Race Committee have been looking at reshaping the series and Chairman Peter Ryan said 'we are committed to running a full series in 2020 by providing the offshore racing requested by competitors. To achieve this, we will continue to listen to suggestions and consider all options. We will introduce all of the cutting-edge technologies to achieve this'
There is, however, a lot of speculation about when the lock-down restrictions will be eased or lifted, what form of social distancing will be imposed and for how long these will last. We then need to consider the impact these restrictions will have on sailing and offshore racing. We are, of course, reliant on the advice given by our National Governing Bodies RYA & IS. Whilst considering options the safety of our competitor and those who support us is of paramount importance.
ISORA does, however, have the ability to be very flexible in setting a revised programme and will react very quickly when there is clarity in what will be allowed.
We have looked at a number of options in what may be a very crowded calendar for late summer and autumn. In considering options we are conscious that ISORA has always provided the races required to qualify for the round Ireland Race and we hope to provide this again this year. The new date for RI is 22nd August. We also want to support other established Championships and Regattas, such as the Wave Regatta 11th - 13th September and the IRC Welsh National Championship 14th to 16th August. The ISORA-organised 160-mile Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour Race is also in the mix with a proposed start date of 31st July.
We have set out, in the following document the latest proposal for the revised 2020 ISORA Series.
Suggestions and ideas from Skippers and crew welcomed. These can be sent by return e-mail to: ISORA Hon. Sec
Below is a copy of the e-newsletter distributed to all ISORA subscribers - it can be read as a e-newsletter format here
Please subscribe to receive the next update here
This is the time of year that you are all usually rushing around with final touches to your boats and kit. New sailing boots being tested, dusting down the fenders and mooring lines. Bottoms clean and polished (boats bottom that is) and all boat checks completed. Visits to the chandlery for the hundred and one tweaks that you had planned at the end of last year and only now completing! Crew planning complete and race schedules set in everyone's diaries. You are ready!
At this time of year we have the admin side of ISORA sorted with race schedule published, Sailing Instructions ( SIs) and Supplemental Sailing Instructions (SSIs) published, new diary of events published, entry form published, competitor list published, Race results system published and this new e-mail newsletter system completed. ISORA is ready!
Last year we were wondering if BREXIT would disrupt our cross channel sailing and worrying about the amount of racing in a crowded calendar - and the comments in the club houses on both sides of the Irish sea '....how can we possibly do all those races, regattas and championships!
Not in anyone's wildest nightmares would our risk register include disruption to sailing because of a virus!
Yet, here we are 'locked-down' or 'locked-in' Isolated but hopefully not lonely. Distracted from real sailing and bored with virtual sailing. Fed up of TV, Netflix and Sky but amused by the new entertainment offering on WhatsApp, text and e-mail (keep the jokes coming!).
What we can and must do is continue to hope for the best and plan for the worst. So, in best seaman manner batten down the hatches and weather the storm, survive and return to the homeward downwind run under blue skies!
We, of course, respect the advice given by Governments and our Governing Bodies (RYA and IS), the resulting decisions taken to cancel or postpone sailing and other events. We understand the need to keep everyone safe and want to play our part to minimize the spread of this virus.
It is therefore with regret that ISORA has announced the postponements of the first 2 races
- Race 1 - Welsh Coastal Race - Postponed
- Race 2 - Irish Coastal Race - Postponed
We will contact you again shortly about the first and second cross channel races (races 3 & 4). To cancel these will have an impact on our Sailing Instructions in respect of the number of qualifying races. Postponements require planning of alternative dates and venues. The ISORA Race management Team is now considering options for the Sailing Committee to consider.
For now, please keep safe and we hope that we can see you racing later in the year.
Hwyl - Kind regards
Stephen
Stephen Tudor
HON. Secretary ISORA
ISORA have postponed the first two races in the 2020 series.
These two races are the coastal races scheduled for 18th April in Wales and 25th April in Ireland
This follows the advice of our Governing bodies, RYA and IS and ISORA understands the need to keep everyone safe.
The e-newsletter circulated on Sunday 29th March can be seen here
The Race Management Committee is looking at opportunities, with our partners, for rescheduling postponed races and considering the consequences of cancelled races.
Suggestions and ideas from Skippers and crew welcomed. These can be sent by return e-mail to: ISORA Hon. Sec
Carrying on the success of past years ISORA will be bringing in new and innovative ways to ensure that all people taking part in their series, both racers and cruisers, enjoy their experience.
The series this year includes 13 races, six of which are traditional cross-channel offshore races. As a change to normal racing it is proposed to organise a cruising rally associated with each of the traditional offshore races, where cruising boats may take part in the race or to follow the fleet and then take part in the post-race social events. This year there will be a strong emphasis on the social side of each race and there will be a social get-together at the end of each race, irrespective of the finish time.
As usual all boats taking part in the ISORA race will be fitted with the Yellow Brick Trackers, where the progress of every boat can be seen by all on land.
The ISORA season starts this year with a coastal race on 18th April starting and finishing in Pwllheli in Wales. The following week the first coastal race on the Irish side takes place from Dun Laoghaire.
The highlight of the offshore calendar in Ireland this season is the Round Ireland Race in June from Wicklow. In preparation for future participants of this very challenging race, and to celebrate the anniversaries of two great clubs, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire and the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, a race is been run that starts in Dun Laoghaire and finishes in Cobh, Cork. The race is being orgnaised by the National Yach Club. This race marks the 150th anniversary of the National Yacht Club and the 300th anniversary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club. This race, The Kingstown to Queenstown Race, first run in1860, was the first offshore race held in Irish waters. It is proposed that this race would be run on a biannual basis, and in alternative years to the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race.
It is hoped that this new race being approximately 160 miles long will encourage people to take part in offshore racing and will prepare them for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race and eventually give them the experience to tackle the Round Ireland Race.
ISORA are looking for volunteers to help with all their races this season. Volunteers are needed at the start of each race in ensuring that they raised starts on time and trackers are distributed to the relevant boats. At the end of each race, volunteers would be required to collect and disarm all trackers and return them to ISORA. Ideally, volunteers would not be taking part in the race and would suit anyone interested in offshore racing but not interested in taking part in that race. Any interested volunteers can contact me by emailing
We would like to acknowledge our 2019 ISORA Offshore Champion, Paul O'Higgins and Rockabill VI, who have just won the ICRA Irish Cruiser Racing Association boat of the year.
Details of ISORA and all its races and online entry can be found on the ISORA website www.isora.org.
Peter Ryan
Chairman
2019 ISORA Champion Rockabill VI is the ICRA Boat of the Year
Congratulations to Paul O'Higgins and the Rockabill VI team
Read the full article on the Afloat.ie web site here
ISORA would like to invite cruisers to join in our exciting race programme by cruising our race courses, and joining in our social events both before and after our races, and of course the incredible season ending finale, the ISORA dinner and prize giving.
Cruisers will be given a start 10 minutes after the racing fleets, and encouraged to sail as much of the course as possible. Like the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) the use of the engine is permitted to ensure the course is completed in a reasonable time to enjoy the Aprés Sail with the rest of the fleet.
There will be a trophy for the cruiser class, and some simple rules to enable a results table, just for cruisers to be published on the ISORA website.
We look forward to welcoming cruisers in both the coastal and offshore races, and sharing our experiences afterwards in our host ports and clubs
For more information about ISORA and the cruiser class contact
Cruiser Rules
- Start 10 minutes after the Racing Fleet
- Engine use allowed - declaration of engine time at the end of the race,
- Take own start and finish times
- AIS and Life Raft required for Offshore Races
- Safety declaration to be completed
Scoring
- NHC Base handicaps
- Engine time added to elapsed time at X2
We look forward to welcoming cruisers to our 2020 season www.isora.org
The 2021 MUSTO - ISORA Schedule of Races is published on Page 7 of the Notice of Race 
2019 ISORA Champion Paul O'Higgins receiving the Wolf's Head Trophy from Charlie Jones Commodore Royal Dee Yacht Club and from 2018 Champions Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox (Mojito).
Also present Stephen Tudor (ISORA Hon Sec) and Anne Marie Ryan.
2025 Class bands are anticipated as follows:
Class 0 = 1.070 or greater
Class 1 = 1.010 to 1.069
Class 2 = 1.009 or less
2025 bands will be published before the first Race.
More DetailsPlease Get in Touch to Know More About ISORA
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