Rory Ryan

There was plenty of traffic abput as we exited Dromineer harbour as Lough Derg sailing club were on the water. Light west to southwesterly winds grew quickly to gusty as we close hauled towards Mountshannon. The lake was becoming a little choppy as we turned to head for Garrykennedy and the wind shifted moments later too putting us on a varying close to beam reach. Our plan tonsail into Garrykennedy stone harbour didn't work as the wind was on the bow and several fishing boats were moored as we approached the tight entrance. We motorsailed in with the outboard and mailsail, diacovering that the drop in the level of the lake prevented us from going too far into the harbour. After tying off and putting sails away we headed into Larkins for a snack and beverage

The day started off with light winds coming from the west. I hoisted the main and left the main sheet loose and I used the outboard to manuver the boat about the dock. Once leaving the mouth of Portumna Castle Garbour I tightened the main a little and motorsailed out along the marked channel. In open water I turned i to the wind and stopped the engine, hoiseted the genoa and set off. Wind on the quarter gave good sailing but as I started heading more southerly the wind began to shift and much of the journey was close hauled, with a few tacks needed to get a good line past Inismore and on to a narrow channel marker near Corrikeen Islands. Winds were 15 to 22 knots which gave great progress considering the hull is overdue a clean. My main halyard is running on the correct pulley at the mast head due a new halyard being stolen from the boat at Killaloe last year. The temporary halyard is sharing a pulley with the topping lift. This can cause one or both to get stuck or move together meaning the main was not fully raised (about a foot short) and I had to use a cunningham to get good luff tension. Coming close to Dromineer, I pulled the start chord on the outboard, which due to worn gear teeth got stuck. I dropped the genoa and sailed to the east (sheltered) side of the harbour wall. Looping a line over one of the mooring bollards and releasing the main sail brought the boat to a stop according to plan.

A quick, uneventful motor from Terryglass to Portumna Castle Harbour.

I sailed off the end of the marina in Dromineer, jibing at the harbour mouth to an almost downwind course. Wind was SSE between 12 and 25kn so I made great progress with one app recording speeds of 6.2kn. Starting the outboard and dousing the sails close to Terryglass harbour in building wind proved troublesome and I spent about an hoyr getting into harbour, only to find it over full and retreating to moor against the outside of the harbour wall.

After setting out from Garrykennedy Castle Harbour, we anchored in 8m of water for a coffee, before continuing onwards to Dromineer Harbour. Wind was gusty, 10 to 24kn. We sailed using only the head sail as a problem with the main halyard not running in the correct pulley atop the mast means it can get stuck, which could cause problems putting in or taking out reefs. Despite the lack of sails, good wind across the port aide and then astern made the sail quite quick