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For the second year, Howth hosted the International Moth Irish Open, an event which brings the fringe element of sailing to our waters.
WD40, in association with Team PR Reilly, and Predictwind generously supported the Open by looking after the prizes.
Six pilots climbed onto their craft on Saturday morning to be left with barely enough wind to keep the Moths from sinking. With 7 kts of breeze, the underwater foils started to function and the battle commenced, only to be stopped when the wind coughed and spluttered to nothing. A short wait allowed the sailors to tweak things. Don't ask what the things were or what they did....some tiny bolts and bits of thread is as much as most of us would recognise.
The boat types, being a development class, all have different manufacturers and models, such as Velociraptor, Mach 2, Bloodaxe, Assassin, Ninja. It doesn't set the scene for leisurely cruising!
Annalise Murphy decided the lack of wind was less attractive than her Aunt's wedding, so she headed ashore.
When the wind returned, Principal Race Officer Neil Murphy got three races got away with Rory Fitzpatrick taking the gun for all.
Sunday's breeze was a 20kt Southerly, underpinned by a flood tide. Reasonably flat but with some cross swell. This was always going to be at the edge of the comfort level for the Mothists. Alistair Kissane took the spill of the day award, by clipping his trampoline against the finish mark and ended up in a spin to the drink. Top Gun was Rory Fitzpatrick, with John Chambers on his tail. Scorching around the course, keeping out of the dogfights, was Ronan Wallace, all the way from Wexford.
Next up on the Moth calendar is the World Championship in Hayling Island (England), with up to 150 of the "Touched" competiting. The Irish Team of five, "The Metre High Club", has our own Alistair Kissane on side.
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| Prize Giving |
| Prizes presented by Commodore Brian Turvey |
Emmet Dalton (HYC Sailing Sec), Annalise Murphy, Richard Kissane, Rory Fitzpatrick,
Ben Lynch, Ronan Wallace, Neil Murphy (PRO), John Chambers (kneeling)
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Irish Open winner Rory Fitzpatrick
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2nd John Chambers
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3rd Ronan Wallace
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