Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian (Colm Buckley and Simon Knowles) was the winner of Sunday’s 11-boat Viking Marine coastal race with ISORA JPK 1030 debutante Alan Hannon finishing second.

A light wind start for the third ISORA Viking Marine Coastal Race from Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

The J109 Indian crew make the best of the light winds Photo: Afloat

The third coastal race of 2024 got underway in less than five knots off Dun Laoghaire Harbour’s West Pier, but by the time the fleet reached Scotsman’s Bay and exited Dublin Bay off Dalkey Island, the breeze had increased to a steady six or seven knots, producing some champagne conditions by the time the race was shortened at north Kish to satisfy the four-hour limit.

The unmistakable decal of Alan Hannon’s Belfast Lough JPK 1030 Coquine with Rockabill VI ahead and to leeward Photo: Afloat

Finishing third was reigning ISORA champion (Paul O’Higgins, Royal Irish Yacht Club) in the larger JPK 1080, Rockabill VI.

Reigning ISORA champion Paul O’Higgins’s JPK 1080, Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

“Those that turned out were rewarded with a great race”, ISORA boss Peter Ryan told Afloat. 

The ISORA fleet leave the bay on race three of the Viking Marine ISORA Coastal Series Photo: Afloat

The next ISORA race on the 2024 calendar is on Sunday, April 28th following Saturday’s first DBSC race of the season. After that, ISORA’s Irish and Welsh fleets will then combine for the first cross-channel race.