HYC sailors at 420 Schull/ Munster Championships

28 February 2019
HYC sailors at 420 Schull/ Munster Championships
While the Optimists were in Baltimore the 420’s were at the Schull half term 420 sailing week which is the longest of the Irish 420 open training events and was followed by the Munster Regional Championships. The four days of training at Schull provided a mixture of on the water and land based sessions in the purpose built Fastnet Marine and Outdoor Education Centre. The intensive week is planned and delivered by experienced coaches David Harte, Graeme Grant and Cara McDowell with on-water and classroom based sessions for the sailors.
 
The training days set the sailors up nicely for the 2019 Munster Regional Championships held on the Friday and Saturday. Day 1 of racing on Friday brought very strong winds ranging from 25 to 35 knots so racing was cancelled. The winds moderated for Saturday and with all the sailors primed the weather duly delivered an exceptional days racing. With racing held within the bay to avoid the large Atlantic swell, still running after the previous days strong winds, the race team excelled and a full series of six races were completed
 
Harry Shackleton and Christopher Evens Garrett HYC have only recently progressed to the 420 class from the RS The Gold Fleet prizewinnersFeva and were delighted to be been awarded the most improved crew along with 1st in the Silver fleet (6th overall)
 
1st Morgan Lyttle (Royal St George Yacht Club) and Patrick Whyte (Lough Ree Yacht Club)
2nd Ben Graff and Alexander Farrell (Lough Ree Yacht Club)
3rd Lucy Kane (East Antrim Boating Club) and Emma Gallagher (Malahide Yacht Club)
 
Silver Fleet results:
1st Harry Shackelton and Christopher Evans Garrett (Howth Yacht Club)
2nd Olivia Cure and Isabella Irwin (Galway Bay Sailing Club)
3rd Andrew Boyle and Ben Patterson (Malahide Yacht Club)
 
The International 420 has provided the natural pathway for many sailors and choosing the 420 pathway provides sailors with the essential skills they will need whatever their next step in sailing. It is the perfect boat to develop skill in strategy, tactics, boat handling, tuning and technique. Whilst the 420 is accessible and easy to start to sail The Silver Fleet podium– it is also a high performance boat which demands excellent skills to compete at the top level. 
The boats are designed to plane easily, yet the hull shape gives a measure of stability. Should a capsize occur, the 420 is safe and easy to right and comes up with little water in it due to its buoyancy lifting the hull out of the water. The controls allowed a variety of crew weights to get maximum speed on the water, as well as enabling sailing in higher wind strengths and in choppy sea states that other dinghies struggle to sail in.   At Schull some of the more experienced sailors had the opportunity to test their skills in wind speeds well in excess of 25knots, which provided scintillating conditions for 420 sailing, especially upwind.
 
The 420 class is an excellent progression boat for teenagers being both easy to get started in and with plenty to learn to bring out its high performance potential.   It’s also fun and fast.
It’s easy to get started in this class HYC has a number of club 420s and the 420 Class Association also has two boats which may be chartered for either training and/or events.
The class association offers open training throughout the year which many clubs pooling resources.  Northside this winter Harry and Christopher have been able to sail in Malahide YC and we hope to see the 420s training out of HYC later in the year.
If you are interested in learning more about the class then chat to either of the lads or Chris Shackleton.