All posts by kieran branagan

Recent Results

Sunday September 27th saw the last races of the regular season. Congratulations to Sam Shields for winning the mermaid May Cup, Ian Fitzpatrick for winning the Murphy Cup, and Nail McGrotty for winning a competitive Gun Club trophy.  Also congratulations to Don Cromer for winning the Late Sunday Progressive series and to Cathal Sheridan for winning the Late Sunday PY series.  All results up on your club webpage.

Brian Leahy, RIP

Brian Leahy

It is with regret that we have learnt of the untimely death of our fellow sailor and good friend Brian Leahy.  The challenge of sailing had no fears for Brian who embraced the sport totally.   He will be missed by his wife Sinead and three lovely daughters Aisling, Emma and Rachel.  May he rest in peace.

Weekend 19th/20th September – Racing

This weekend see the Junior Section run their delayed 2015 Junior Regatta on Saturday 19th.  All support appreciated.  Hopefully the yard and car park will be full of young sailors for most of the day.  If not involved please come along anyway and watch the event and partake in Donal’s finest renowned BBQ cuisine – steaks plus extras for €10 – starting at 17.00hrs.

With only two weeks left in the dinghy calendar there are a number of trophies as mentioned in the last newsletter, to be decided.  Weather permitting here is the plan:

Sunday 20th September

Race to the Rock and back for the Tommy Rooney (all dinghies) and McIntyre (GPs).  If weather does not permit this race we will have two bay races – the first will be for the Murphy Cup (brought forward from Sunday Sept 27th) and the second will include the Smyco trophy (female helm) and the Gun Club trophy for traipse boats (assuming that there are sufficient competitors).  1st gun regardless is 10.45 for cruisers and 11.00 for dinghies.  Forecast is F4/5 S.  Rescue supplied courtesy of Martin O’Brien/ Monica Alcock/Daniel Owens/Harry Boylan/Andrew Sexton

Looking forward to Sunday 27th September

If the Rock race does not go ahead on the 20th we will attempt to run it on this date.  Failing that we will have two bay races as – race 1 will be for the Murphy Cup and race 2 will include the May Cup (to south strand) for mermaids, and the Gun Club trophy for trapeze boats and Smyco trophy.

All a bit rushed as the regular season comes to an end.  However if we do not get the Rock race in we will look to use one of the October dates to rerun.  All comments/suggestions to Kieran at 0879849813.  Enjoy your sailing.

Thanks to All

The 2015 Irish National Open Optimists run in our Club during 13th to 16th August was one of our most sucessful events to date.

IMG_20150815_093853851

190 optimists from 6 different countries competed in 22 races over 4 days.   The logistics involved parades,  yard clearing, wall demolishion/rebuilding, registration, measurement, boat and trailer storage, launching, recovery, rescue, race management, recording, feeding, tea/coffees, race office, protest hearings, etc. etc.

And all this happened smoothly…… very smoothly.   Because so many members helped in so many many ways.  What ever your role – take a well deserved bow.  Well done and thank you for your contribution to this great even.  Thanks also to members who took their boats out of the yard and gave up their sailing.

In particular thanks and well done to Olive Parker for her hard work and dedication over the past two years to make the event a reality.

Now back to club sailing.  This wednesday August 26th is the last of our evening sailing.   Remember 1st gun is 19.00 for cruisers with dinghies starting at 19.15.  Fresh SW F4/6 winds should make for an exciting evening.  Burgers will be available post sailing.

Skerries Regatta 2015

Our annual Regatta went off successfullylast weekend (July 18th/19th July)  Thanks to the support of very many members all races were run to schedule.  The weekend started with 5 brave Skerries Cruisers battling their way to Howth for the M Davis Cup (Sapphire series) in winds over F6.  Sean Davis won in a two hour race by less than a minute on corrected time from Declan Higgins.  They were closely followed by Jim Boylan, Aidan Boylan and Paul Harrison.  Well done to all.

The traditional Howth to Skerries race commenced proceedings on Saturday with 14 boats taking part.  With a strong southerly winds the leading competitors reached Sherries just after 13.00 hrs.  Howth boats took all hours with Peter Dunlop of Mojito collecting the Rockabill Cup.  Dinghies completed two races in continuing strong winds.  Fortunately Sunday saw lighter winds.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Cruiser Regatta     

1st                                            Peter Dunlop of Mojito HYC

2nd                                           Sean Davis of Symi

 3rd                                          Jim Boylan of Shockwave

Crystal Prize                     Sean Davis of Symi

 Mermaids Regatta

1st        (Brown Cow)       Sam Shiels

2nd                                           Enda Weldon of RSC

3rd                                            Paddy Dillon of RSC

Red Island Cup                Sam Shiels

 Lasers

1st                                            Daragh Kelleher

2nd                                           Tom Fox of RSC

Sundry Class

1st                                            Liam O’Callaghan

 

Sailing …. at last

 

Finally the 2015 season got underway with two dinghy cup races on Sunday morning May 3rd.  After poor weather on the both the previous Wednesday, for the practice race, and on Saturday forced cancellation of sailing on both days, it was with some relief that lighter airs (F4 SW) allowed Liam, Micheline and Helen, our ROs, do some catch on the Sunday morning by running the Paddy Hand Trophy and the McGowan races consecutively. 7 boats took the challenge of these early races. Congratulations to Niall McGrotty for winning the Paddy Hand Trophy and to John Fitzgerald for winning the McGowan Cup. As is traditional the Paddy Hand Trophy was presented in the clubhouse after racing.

Wednesday May 6th, weather permitting, will be the start of the points competitions for cruisers and dinghies. Remember Cruiser warning signal will be at 19.30 hrs while dinghies warning signal will be at 19.45 hrs.

Cruiser Prize Giving and Laying Up Supper

The 2014 annual Cruiser Prize giving and Laying up Supper was held in the club last Saturday night, February 28th 2015.

Over 70 cruiser folks and guests and friends enjoyed a pleasent meal of smoked salmon, roast beef and crumble for desert.  Kathryn Collins, the new Cruiser Class Captain, oversaw the presentation of the Sapphire Cups as:

  • The Carlingford and Boland Cups to Sean Davis,
  • The Matt Davis and Challenge Cups to Paul Hick / Bernie Alcock,
  • The Wicklow Trophy to Declan Higgins / Bernie Lynam and
  • The Poolbeg Cup to Morris Creegan.
  • Sean Davis won the overall Sapphire prize.

A raffle was run, generously supported by a number of sponsors, which collected over €400 towards a weather station which hopefuly will be installed before the next season start.

Provisional 2015 SSC Racing Schedule

And as the new year starts so we start to prepare for the new racing season.  In the attached link you will find our provisional 2015 racing schedule and events (junior events to be added later).  First review will be this Sunday, February 1st, at Boat Owners meeting at 15.00 hrs in the Clubhouse.  Hope all interested can attend and provide input on the schedule and in fact on any aspect of our race management and practice for the coming year.  Please click here –

racingSchedule

racingSchedule2racingSchedule3

Provisional 2015 SSC Racing Schedule

Skerries Sailing Club in Balbriggan

Last Saturday afternoon (November 15th) Skerries Sailing Club had a stand in the Balbriggan Community Council “Open Day for Balbriggan” held in the Balbriggan Clubs Community Centre at 23 Dublin Street, (formerly the old Balbriggan Cinema).  This was an open 3 hour event to allow clubs/societies/groups present information on their activities. The aim of our stand, manned by Camilla McLoughlin, Brian Thornton, Paul Rogers and Kieran Branagan, was to inform attendees of the great sea amenity at their doorstep and how SSC can facilitate enjoyment of that resource by both adults and children from all over the north county.  New upright posters (thanks our Commodore Tom Adams) and other material allowed for a great presentation. Interest was high and hopefully this promotion and future ones will enhance club membership in the months to come. If you have any ideas on other presentations/forums you think we could usefully attend please let us know or in fact if you have any ideas on promoting membership they will be gratefully received. Talk to any committee member.

IMG_20141115_132809635
Paul at the Balbriggan Community Open Day