In what promises to be a very exciting season, the Silver fleet will now be represented by 19 boats, so there should be plenty of good racing at all different standards. To help ensure that both new entrants and current Silver fleet sailors are out racing as soon as possible, an extensive training course has been arranged as follows:

April 8th and 9th 2000 and April 15th and 16th 2000.

Training sessions run from the National Y.C., co-ordinated by Frank Cassidy, starting at 11.00am each morning. There will also be a lecture given by John Lavery, former World, European and National Champion, on racing tips. Spaces will be limited, and will cost £40 per boat. The objective of the training course will be as follows:

• Ensure boats are in reasonable racing trim
• Advice on racing starts, including gate starts (required for Europeans) and spinnaker work
• Advice on racing rules.

The training course will essentially kick start the season with the Ulster Championships May 6th and 7th. Besides the events however the other major event planned for 2000 is " The Silver Fleet League", to be run in conjunction with Dublin Bay Sailing every Tuesday night. A total of 14 boats are expected to enter, and this series will be run along the same basis as the frostbites, with the silver fleet boats being given a separate result after each Tuesday niight racing. Results will then be maintained in Dunphy's Pub for close scrutiny afterwards. All boats interested must be members of Dublin Bay S.C., have adequate insurance, and must attend the first Tuesday race (probably last week of April). This should make for a terrific series, and with a number of discards available it should help to ensure that all silver fleet boats race on Tuesday nights. Generous sponsership has been arranged, with a cup for the winning team. Finally, it is planned to have team racing in the current season with teams from Clontarf, D.M.Y.C., Coal Harbour and the National Y.C. A minimum number of Silver Fleet boats willl be required for each team, and it is hoped to have the first race by the end of May (probably in Clontarf).

Peter Houlihan