It Was Utter Madness! (In the Best Possible Way)
Title: It Was Utter Madness! (In the Best Possible Way)
Last Saturday, our club played host to Midsummer Madness—and madness it was, in the most glorious, sun-soaked, wind-blown, burger-fuelled way imaginable. It was the kind of beautiful Irish summer day where the rain almost stayed away, and the wind showed up on time. A win for all, really.
On the Water: Madness with a Hint of Strategy
Race Officer Brian Jones—clearly having taken his morning coffee with a dash of “let’s make them work for it”—gave the keelboat fleet a brilliant course. Starting at Grassy, boats were sent out to Ringabella and then back to finish at the Club marina. A good workout for the sailors. Thanks to Brian and Mary for organizing a course that was equal parts tactical and chaotic (just how we like it).
The race was open to all classes, and the competition was tight. In the non-Spinnaker ECHO class, Freya took the top spot, likely propelled by skill, cunning, and possibly some very determined crewmates with snacks as motivation. Meanwhile, Damacle lived up to its name by causing problems for the competition and taking the IRC win in style.
In the Spinnaker classes, it was the IMP show, as the boat stormed to victory in both IRC and ECHO. When asked how they managed it, the crew simply replied, “We remembered to pack the spinnaker this time.” Inspirational.
On Land: BBQ, Beats, and Big Prizes
Just when sailors thought the day couldn’t get any better, they came ashore to the mouthwatering smell of BBQ and the sound of live music drifting across the marina. The vibes were immaculate, the burgers were abundant, and nobody was left wondering what to do with their evening.
But the highlight of the night was the grand prize draw sponsored by Daniel O’Donoghue of DOD Marine. The prize? A brand new outboard engine. Not a joke. An actual engine. The kind that makes your dinghy go vroooom instead of sputter sputter oh no not again.
Lady Luck smiled on Pat Tanner, whose name was pulled from the hat. Congrats, Pat—now you just need something to put it on!
A Madness Worth Repeating
Massive thanks go to DOD Marine for the incredible prize, Brian and Mary Jones for running a tight ship, Sean for keeping track of the chaos in spreadsheet form, and the club staff for serving food, drinks, and patience in equal measure.
To everyone who raced, danced, cheered, and maybe accidentally knocked over a barbecue table—we salute you. Until next year’s edition of Midsummer Madness, keep sailing fast and partying responsibly (or at least creatively).
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