Sunday 1st August

1625 - results posted for race 5, competitors are arriving at the moorings.

1550 - No updates possible as I can no longer see the fleet, drizzle now so thick it is impenetrable to my telescope, pretty sure he will stop then on this lap.

1525 - Fagin it is leading at the first leeward gate. Mike and David Hill looked good off the line and managed to hold the lead up and down the track. They have a 50 second lead from John Driscoll and Mervyn Gilfillan in Afficianado. Then another smaller gap to a 'gaggle' of squibs all battling for third this group includes, the Vaughans, Gordon Patterson, Emer Harte, David Eccles, Aidan O'Connell and Derek Jago. All very close, I could sense the shouting from here........

1506 - Flags at the club now lying limp in the rain, all the crews in the race are on the leeward side decks trying to get a bit of heel. Still testing conditions

1505 - Fagin, Terpsichore and Klipbok look like they have made the best of that start.

1502 - R5 underway, All Clear (Hope I'm right this time)

1457 - in sequence for race 5 and it looks like he is sticking to the black flag

1448 - Looks pretty 'orrible out there now. Light drizzle falling and all comittee boat persons are well wrapped up. Wind still very light although R4 seemed much better.

1446- Results for race 4 posted and the discards have kicked in.

My thoughts on the all clear start for R4 were incorrect, one boat was over under the black flag.

1430 - At the bottom of the track on the second lap, Gordon continues to dominate witha 40 second lead from Aidan O'Connell. Our own commodore Mike Vaughan sitting a clear 3rd on Joint Venture with Chris Clayon and the rear commodore Des Clayton in 4th. They are being chased down by Peter Wallace in 5th and David Eccles on Inshallah in 6th.Wyat Wright and Andrew McCluggage take up the 7th and 8th spots respectivley

1405 - At the leeward mark Gordon still leading but Aidan O'Connell has worked his way up to 2nd. In the middle of the fleet in 12th to 16th places are the following, Brian O'Hare on Nimble, Jack Anderson followed by Johnny Millar on high flyer and Andrew McCLuggage also in on Allegro, finall Emer Harte on Puffin. Getting very crowded in there as the main 'Peleton' were mostly going for the port side of the gate.

1357 - Mr Patterson having a very good day, appears to be leading down the first leeward leg. He is slosley followed by Wyatt Wright on the Fat Boat Slim, in third is the improving Julian Sandford then Chris Clayton and his dad on Isismara. 5th and 6th are Aidan O'Connell of Royal St George and Harold Curran from Killyleagh having his best race so far.

1341 - All clear under the black flag. No doubt about it, Aficianado with John Driscoll looks to have made the best getaway, he has already managed to cross most of the fleet. No so good at the pin end which appeared to be a cluster rich environment, some turns being done down there by a couple of boats.

1338 - Black flag is flying in the sequence.

1336 - In sequence again for R4

1330 - GENERAL RECALL R4, my lip reading through the telescope isn't perfect, but I think the PRO just asked for a black bag?

1325 - A quick shower has blown through and has some wind below it, so at least we have movement again. In sequence for R4

1310 - Only sixteen finishers inside the time limit in R3 as the fleet ran out of wind. Results posted, but Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan are now leading the event, with Aiden and Sian 2nd and the Hills 3rd overall

1245 - Sorry slow updates, slow racing.....wind has all but disappeared, Gordon looks like his well established lead was enough. Fagin also seems to have held on for a respectable 2nd, but John Driscoll and Mervyn Gilfillan are working some sort of voodoo and making their own wind. Looks to me like they have taken about 10 places and have gained about 15 degrees in the last 5  minutes

1151 - Gordon P, leading by more than a minute as he found a different breeze to the entire fleet which lifted him all the way up to the mark.

2nd is Denis Todd in Contender, then Brian O'Hare on Nimble. 4th are the Hills on Fagin and then a first mention on the blog for Julian Sandford on Tipsichore, in 6th is Peter Wallace.

1142 - R3 underway - all clear. Gordon Patterson having a go on port at the pin, seemed to get away clear. Fagin with the Hills on board also at the pin on stbd looking very clear.

1135 - AP down

1055 - AP up, problem with comittee boat anchor, and another wind shift, so a tiny delay to start, hopefully underway soon.

Morning all....

Another fine day in Belfast Lough, All competitors now afloat in reasonable sailing conditions. Breeze from WNW at about 8-10 kts.

With this wind direction it could be several laps of a short course rather than two laps of a long course but we'll see

Saturday 31st July

1725 - Really awkward last beat there, light and shifty....pretty yukky looking from here, and now to welcome the fleet back to the moorings we have a nive heavy shower. Boo Hoo.... all coming ashore now. Results posted for R2

1620 - Windward mark rounding R2 - Klipbok way out in front Emmet Dalton showing the locals the way with another visiting boat in second, Aidan O'Connell followed by Aficianado, Then Greg Bell and then Gordon Patterson on Quickstep.The Anderson's are 6th with Allegro with Andrew McCluggage in 7th

1539 - all a bit flukey out there and course being reset so AP stays up at the minute

1512 - Another general recall, his patience will be worn......I can see him fiddling in his big bag of flags......is that a black one?

1500 - Sorry folks.....duff info there.....General Recall in R2, perhaps lucky as there has been a big shift in the wind as well, so course is being re-set. Then in the middle of all that, a very large fishing boat has decided to leave the channel and head right over the race area.

1455 - R1 results are posted, a wind for the Born Wild, Andersons.

1450- R2 underway all clear on the start.

1416 - Second time round the windward mark. The Andersons with an enormous 40 second lead. They are followed by Emmet Dalton on Klipbok and then Gordon PAtterson in Quickstep who has also made up some places. They are followed by Fagin, Ruby Blue and then David Eccles on Inshallah. Greg Bell is up there as are the father and son team Clayton on Inismara.

1345 - Winward mark roundings, with a 10 second lead, Jack and Thomas Anderson are BORN WILD, I think it was Fred Campbell second with the Hill brothers 3rd in Fagin, (I think you can get some cream for that!), behind them Greg Bell doing well in Moondance and then the first visiting boat with Aiden O'Connell in 5th.

1330 - And they are off, first start all clear.

1325 - In sequence, wind picking up now more like 18-20 kts still from west, some pretty nasty looking squalls coming up from Belfast. looking pretty wet and gloomy

1252 - Comittee boat on station.

1250 - All competitors now afloat, a few rain showers flying down the County Antrim side of the lough, but only a few wee spits here on the 'bright side'

Timetable for todays racing is a bit later than usual, first race will be underway at 1330 so a bit of a waiting around to do yet.

Competitors briefing now complete, three boats still to launch, but tide is rising and they should slide into the water in 30 mins or so.

Lovely day for it!  Reasonably bright and and excellent 12-15 kts of wind from the west (ish)