The E-Boat National Championships made a long-awaited return to the very hospitable and welcoming waters of Clontarf Yacht & Boat Club (CYBC) on the weekend of 27 and 28 August.

The last National Championships were hosted by CYBC in 2019, with Paul Hick and his team on EasyGo taking Gold on that occasion. With four boats travelling from Skerries and six representing the host club, there was very hot competition for the Championship trophy!

With six races to be run over three days in very fluky wind conditions forecast between 1 and 5 knots, the Race Officer, Ian Sargent, had a difficult task ahead of him for the weekend. However, strategically setting the courses in the bay, with three Offset courses on the Saturday and three Olympic courses on the Sunday, he pulled it off to perfection!

Close E Boat racing under spinnaker at Clontarf

Gigantic clumps of seaweed through the middle of the bay, accompanied by algae of all shapes and sizes, presented their own challenges for competitors, with many boats taking turns in getting their keels and/or their rudders encircled in said substance … much to their annoyance but to the absolute glee of the competing boats! Rumours of sabotage by the locals were vigorously refuted!

Day 1, in unexpectedly moderate winds, saw the Skerries teams of EasyGo and Eaglet score bullets in the three races, with EasyGo scoring a bullet in the first and second race and Eaglet taking it in the third. At the end of the day, Skerries boat EasyGo had a clear lead with 4 points, followed by fellow Skerries boat Eaglet and CYBC boat Eureka on 9 points each. While first place was heading towards EasyGo, second place was there to be fought for.

Day 2 saw lighter conditions with Skerries boats EasyGo, Eaglet and Aoife scoring a bullet each in the three races. This saw Paul Hick of EasyGo with his team of Paula McNamee, Pat Furlong and Tom Adams continue their fine performance of 2019 and take first position overall with 8 points. Bernie Grogan of Eaglet and her team of Steven Woolnough, Pawel Muszynski and Matt O’Kane took second on 12 points - but only just about - as the wiley team of Shane Russell, Dave Carolan and Suzanne Collins on the appropriately named Wylie Coyote also scored 12 points. But having scored a bullet in the last race, the silver went to Eaglet, with Wylie Coyote had to settle for third place (Suzanne being the second generation of her family to manage the foredeck on Wylie Coyote, a boat previously owned by her father!). 

The crew of EasyGo, who took gold - Paul Hick (skipper), Tom Adams, Paula McNamee and Pat Furlong.  Also in the picture is Claire Meany, Vice-Commodore of Clontarf SBC

The crew of Eaglet, who took silver - Bernie Grogan (skipper), Pawell Muszynski, Steven Woolnough and Matt O'Kane The crew of Wylie Coyote, who took bronze - Dave Carolan, Suzanne Collins and Shane Russell (skipper)

A big thanks goes to the members and sailors of CYBC for their camaraderie and warm welcome, and all the boats and crews for making the 2022 National Championship a first-class event.

The E-Boat class are always open to new members, both crew and helms and anyone interested in buying one of the best one-design yachts racing in Dublin!