It looks like Ireland is looking to make it big at the offshore racing event this year as it has planned to bring out two separate transatlantic solo campaigns this season.
Ireland has done a very good job in 2016 in the Round Ireland Race as well as the Round Ireland speed records. They have done extremely well in the monohull and the multihull events. Ireland is looking for even greater achievements in the 2017 offshore sailing season. There is also an Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association fleet waiting in the wings.
There was a survey conducted by the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) on behalf of Yacht Charter in Scotland, and the result of this is that 53 percent of the respondents to the survey out of the 115 responses said that they are regular offshore racers and 30 percent of the respondents said that they are regular coastal racers. This means there is a wealth of talent in the offshore sailing in Ireland.
There are a greater number of racers looking to move from the inshore to the offshore racing in Ireland. The big regattas in June and July to be held in Crosshaven, Dun Laoghaire and Kinsale now have added more coastal courses following feedback from the skippers.
The ISORA season for this year will kick start with two races on April 22, the Pwllheli Castle Race in Wales and the ISORA/RAYC Dún Laoghaire to Wicklow coastal race. There are plenty of races for the Irish sailing enthusiasts to check out this year.
Conor Fogerty is already getting ready for the offshore solo ocean races for the season. He is looking to take part in the Original Solo Transatlantic Race (OSTAR) in May. He is hoping for a very good performance at the OSTAR and will be bringing the Sunfast 3600 “Bam” to the starting line-up.