Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The question of the eligibility of paid hands has been a creeping question in 1996. In July, at Ford Cork week Dublin class zero, yacht, Sarah J, retired in protest from the Cork regatta following, her tactician's disqualification under the RCYC's eligibility ruling. Sarah J went on to become the 1996 RAYC Carlsberg Superleague champion. Unphased by the growing threat of professionals, Dickson acknowledges there is little doubt that professionals improve the performance of a yacht, but in a career spanning 50 years as a racing helmsman, he has seen many developments within the sport and remains confident in his own amateur approach: "I do it for fun, I only sail with people I like and we prefer to race against the pros because it makes us try harder," says the Howth sailor who first went afloat in Sutton creek in 1939. From a total racing crew of 10, Dickson relies on a nucleus of six regulars: Jim Bardon (mainsheet), Arthur O'Kelly (halyards/electronics), Declan Byrne (tactician), Brian Moran (foredeck), Trevor Smith (mastman) and David Nixon (genoa trimmer). There have been few seasons as successful as 1996 for Dickson (64) when he consistently finished in the frame. At the RAYC's own Carlsberg superleague he was second overall on CHS and a winner on ECHO. There were many who thought the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland title was Dickson's but again he had to be content with first in class, but second overall. Like most sailors of his generation Dickson began in dinghies' and raced Snipes and Hornets in the 1950s with his brother Derek. He became Irish Hornet champion at dinghy week in 1953 and then changed classes. His boatbuilding skills leaned him towards home construction and in the early 1960s Dickson began a love affair with the Fireball, a 17 foot international dinghy that he built and introduced to Ireland and in which he had his finest international success, a third overall in the 1969 World championships.