(Photo shows HYC's Kerfuffle  37 and Dürt 241 at the front on Lough Derg) 

Four HYC Squibs made the annual pilgrimage to Lough Derg for the Inland Championships, forming part of the Freshwater Keelboat Regatta.

The 35 boat fleet was greeted by Smithwicks conditions (Champagne not being available in Tipperary). With a light forecast for the Sunday, the Race Officer made a popular decision to get four races in on Saturday.

Short and snappy and very close racing saw Kerfuffle (Emmet Dalton & Neal Merry) taking a 2nd in Race 1. Kerfuffle's expected run of form then disappeared quicker than a toupée in a hurricane, leaving them 9th overall.

Dürt (Fergus O'Kelly & Rob Stanley) flew the HYC burgee with most passion thereafter and chalked up a tasty 6, 3, 2 and discarded a 9, leaving them 2nd overall. It was widely agreed that Dürt's performance was down to boat prep and crew conditioning.

Big Shadow (Kerfuffle's almost carbon copy) was sailed into 12th place by Jill Sommerville and Tom McMahon, wrapping up their series with a nice 4th place race result. Big Shadow also took the "Hunter Boat Trophy", named after the second and arguably least fashionable builder of Squibs.

Cool Beans (HYC Class Captain Tom O'Reilly & Peter Malone) snaffled 16th overall and the Silver Fleet Trophy.

The HYC fleet is growing with some new and returning boats for the 2024 season. Howth also hosts the Irish Championships next August.

Click here for results

Sunday morning at LDYC (Photo: Ron Stanley)