Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

In line with the Irish Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland (IODAI) push to have a fun and inclusive fleet, a Team Racing Optimist Nationals will be held on the 16th of August, the day before the Fleet Racing Nationals starts…

RYA Northern Ireland has issued the Notice of Race and opened entries for the 2023 edition of the RYANI F10 Marine Youth Championships, which will take place on the weekend of 9-10 September. Following the cancellation of last year’s championships…

The 2023 Optimist World Championships from 16-24 June were and extra-special occasion this year as IODA is celebrating its 50th year, writes Fionnuala Start. The location in L’Escala on the Costa Brava in Spain was ideal with sunny weather throughout…

The beautiful seaside village of Dunmore East in Waterford was the setting for the Optimist Munster championship. Nicola Harris and her very able team of volunteers from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club ensured that 120 sailors and parents alike had a…

East Antrim Boat Club in Larne were the host of the Optimist Ulster Championships last weekend. 75 sailors and their families were warmly welcomed by Jill Doig and Gordon Kane, event manager and their team of volunteers. The event was…

Spare a thought for PRO Michael Tyrell and his team, who had to wait until Sunday afternoon to deliver three races so that the Optimist Leinster could have a championship, writes Brendan Foley of the IODAI. After waiting in vain for…

Lough Ree Yacht Club were host to the fun, friendships and team-building experience by the Irish Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland (IODAI) Development Squad and the U12 team last weekend when the teams came together for the first time to…

2023 got off to an 'optimistic' start at the Youth Nationals at Easter. Much has already been written about the Howth Yacht Club event last weekend, and the largest fleet with the youngest sailors that saw Optimists produce some thrilling racing over…

The concluding day's one extra race at the Investwise Youth Sailing National Championships at Howth Yacht Club, slotted in between the morning's sunlit near-calm and the mid-afternoons varying attempts at fog, provided some key classes with an additional discard to…

Storm Antoni has been making quite a lot of noise and bother all over Ireland in recent days, but now he has moved east just in time for the Investwise Youth Sailing Nationals 2023 to move in on Howth from…

The Irish Optimist Dinghy Association will continue with its coaching arrangements in 2023, IODAI President Paddy Ryan has confirmed. Dennis Paaske, Soren Laugesen and Thomas Chaix will resume their roles from the successful National Training Week on Lough Derg last November.…

IODAI Communications Officer Brendan Foley reports on a recent Optimist dinghy class survey What do Junior sailors and their families want from Oppie sailing? That was the key question that IODAI, the organising body for Optimist sailing in Ireland, wished…

The membership of the Irish Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland (IODAI) met through Zoom for their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday the 13th of December 2022. With an outgoing President and three senior committee members, there was much change but…

You’ll never forget the first time you drive into the Weymouth and Portland RYA Sailing Academy sailing base. It’s massive, writes Brendan Foley of the IODAI. The venue for the London Olympics in 2012 is simply stunning. Its sheer scale and…

Now in its second year running the National Training Week for Optimists provides an end-of-season opportunity for sailors to get together to learn from fantastic coaches. Hosted by Lough Derg Yacht Club, the event was a huge success. Running from…

135 young sailors aged 7 to 15 gathered in Lough Derg YC, Dromineer, for the Annual IODAI Optimist national Training week, three days of coaching and fun followed by the final event of the year, the Hallowe'en cup incorporating the…