Though this conditions this past Saturday proved unsurmountable for some, those who chose to race in the penultimate day of Autumn League returned ashore triumphant.

The races scheduled for the Offshore fleet were two windward/leeward races for Classes 1, 2 and 3, and one round-the-cans race for Classes 4 and 5. A breezy wind came from a general direction of 285°M, averaging 18 knots, with a maximum gust of 25 knots and the wind varying by 15 degrees around the average. A further challenge for sailors was a strong ebb tide which, combined with an offshore wind, kept the seas reasonably light. This meant sailors needed to watch for wind shifts and ensure they were not overcanvassed during the gusts. The conditions gave rise to some spirited sailing, and the Race Committee witnessed one really spectacular high-speed broach under spinnaker.

As the Garbh mark is missing, a temporary buoy was set in position by the RIB crew, who also laid both leeward marks. A rain shower came through during the start sequence, but well done to all, as there were no OCS incidents across the eight starts.

Following the first five starts, the race management team noticed that the black leeward mark could not be seen. With the rain reducing visibility, it was difficult to be sure, so a RIB was sent down to investigate. The crew reported that the mark had drifted southeast, unintentionally extending the course. Classes 1 and 2 rounded it and continued to the windward mark, where flag F was displayed, sending them straight to the finish. This resulted in a 46-minute race for Class 1, with the other classes taking longer. Class 3 was unaffected.

Dux and Maximus pictured in last week's Autumn League Races - photo by John Furlong

By the time the second W/L race was underway, the recalcitrant leeward mark had been subdued, and Classes 1, 2 and 3 completed two laps in gustier conditions.

In Class 1, The Big Picture was first over the line in both races, extending her lead in the series.

Insider Again won the first race in Class 2, with Dux in second. Those positions were reversed in the second race and, with only one point separating the two boats, it is all to race for on the final day.

Alliance II kept up her winning streak in Class 3, winning the first race, with Lazy Bones taking the second.

Non-spinnaker Classes 4 and 5 sailed their round-the-cans course, finishing in Howth Sound. Although the Osprey mark had drifted, Out & About was first over the line in Class 4, while Leeuwin maintained her consistent winning streak in Class 5.

With fresh to strong winds forecast, the Puppeteers were the only fleet to take to the Inshore course, with the Howth 17s and Squibs having earlier exercised their discretion under Fundamental Rule 3, Decision to Race.

On the water, the westerly wind, ranging from 18 to 26 knots, matched the forecast conditions, with even stronger gusts in the squalls.

A tight race course was set up in the quadrant bounded by Dumbo, West, Cush and Island marks. Nine Puppeteers presented to race, with No. 2 headsails and five crew aboard being the order of the day.

Starting on schedule, the Puppeteer fleet encountered a severe squall midway up the first beat. The challenging conditions prompted Blue Velvet and Geppetto to call it a day, douse their headsails after the weather mark and head for home.

Neil Murphy and crew in Yellow Peril continued onto the first downwind leg, but while setting the kite, suffered the misfortune of their mast coming down, bringing their race to an end. The Safety RIBs were quickly tasked to stand by and render any assistance needed. However, the experienced and unflappable crew on Yellow Peril quickly sorted their predicament and returned to harbour independently.

The squall quickly moderated, and the other six Puppeteers enjoyed a close and exhilarating race, with high downwind speeds and plenty of exciting moments. The first four boats finished within a minute of each other after an hour and a half of racing, in the order of Trick or Treat, Nimon, Shiggi Shiggi and Gold Dust.

Fleets returned safely to shore, and the windswept masses largely took the hard day's sailing as a sign to take to the sofa. Many thanks to all who participated, and indeed to our RIB crew for their efforts in the windy conditions.

Stay tuned for the grand finale next week, with prizegivings for Weeks 5 and 6, along with the overall prizegiving, all set to go ahead. We’ve got specials for all sizes of appetite and some excellent tipples behind the bar. We recommend booking a table to get the most out of the revelry.

Report written by Paddy Judge and Jim Lambkin. Photos provided by Gerry Seargent and John Furlong. You can view the full gallery here.