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The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School Celebrates its 40th birthday this year. Over the years INSS have had some fantastic achievements, have great stories to tell and made wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

To celebrate 40 years of training people from all walks of life in sailing and powerboating they’re 'putting on a few events'. Chief instructor Kenneth Rumball will share stories about his sailing experiences and how they’ve helped the INSS grow the sport of sailing. Centre principal Alistair Rumball will deliver a lively history of the INSS and where to next!

Parade of Sail

Finally, as part of our 2018 Open Day, where we’ll be introducing over 100 people to sailing for the very first time, we’re inviting all the graduates, staff and friends from over the years to take part in a parade of sail, where we’ll try to get as many of the 250 boats in the fleet as possible on the water in Dun Laoghaire Harbour at one time.

From Sailing an Optimist to an Offshore Racing Yacht and Running a Sailing School

Kenneth Rumball will share tales about his background and the pursuit of his hobby including the story of the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Campaign and how the lessons learnt can be used to encourage more people to try sailing in Ireland.

Date: Wednesday 14th March. 8pm-10pm at INSS Clubhouse.

A life in the Irish National Sailing School

Alistair Rumball will recount the history of Ireland’s largest sailing school, from its humble beginnings on George’s Street in Dun Laoghaire to what we are today. He’ll recant as many of the stories from along the way as possible and talk a bit about his view for the future of sailing.

Date: Wednesday 18th April. 8-10pm at INSS Clubhouse.

Open Day and Parade of Sail

On Saturday the 12th of May we invite all our staff, clients and friends from over the years to our Open Day where we intend to get as many of the 250 boats in our fleet as possible onto the water in Dun Laoghaire harbour to celebrate 40 years of sailing. Back ashore, we’ll have a small party and witness our Junior Club Sailors hand over their fundraising cheque to the RNLI, having just completed their 10th annual Sail-a-thon.

Date: Saturday 12th May, Time TBC.

Keep an eye on the INSS Facebook and Twitter pages for details of each event closer to the date or visit www.inss.ie. Both talks are open to all. Please let them know if you’re coming along by emailing [email protected].

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The Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School is based on Dun Laoghaire's West Pier on Dublin Bay and in the heart of Ireland's marine leisure capital.

Whether you are looking at beginners start sailing course, a junior course or something more advanced in yacht racing, the INSS prides itself in being able to provide it as Ireland's largest sailing school.

Since its establishment in 1978, INSS says it has provided sailing and powerboat training to approximately 170,000 trainees. The school has a team of full-time instructors and they operate all year round. Lead by the father and son team of Alistair and Kenneth Rumball, the school has a great passion for the sport of sailing and boating and it enjoys nothing more than introducing it to beginners for the first time. 

Programmes include:

  • Shorebased Courses, including VHF, First Aid, Navigation
  • Powerboat Courses
  • Junior Sailing
  • Schools and College Sailing
  • Adult Dinghy and Yacht Training
  • Corporate Sailing & Events

History of the INSS

Set up by Alistair Rumball in 1978, the sailing school had very humble beginnings, with the original clubhouse situated on the first floor of what is now a charity shop on Dun Laoghaire's main street. Through the late 1970s and 1980s, the business began to establish a foothold, and Alistair's late brother Arthur set up the chandler Viking Marine during this period, which he ran until selling on to its present owners in 1999.

In 1991, the Irish National Sailing School relocated to its current premises at the foot of the West Pier. Throughout the 1990s the business continued to build on its reputation and became the training institution of choice for budding sailors. The 2000s saw the business break barriers - firstly by introducing more people to the water than any other organisation, and secondly pioneering low-cost course fees, thereby rubbishing the assertion that sailing is an expensive sport.