Betty Armstrong
Betty Armstrong is Afloat and Yachting Life's Northern Ireland Correspondent. Betty grew up racing dinghies but now sails a more sedate Dehler 36 around County Down
S Class sailing cruisers are synonymous with Bertie Slater, who designed them at his shipyard in Ballyholme on Belfast Lough in 1946. They were superb, affordable sailing yachts built traditionally by skilled craftsmen at the yard on the east side…
Insect Dinghy 'Lacewing' Shines at Ballyholme Regatta After Restoration
27th August 2025 Historic Boats
Last Saturday, August 23rd, Ballyholme Regatta on Belfast Lough featured 60 boats, including Insect Class No. 11, Lacewing. This boat was built approximately seventy years ago as part of a new dinghy class at Ballyholme and has been immaculately restored…
The first Laser or ILCA Ireland Championships were held in 1975 in Kinsale, just four years after the design was launched in New York. Now, after half a century, the single-hander, which originally was called a Laser, is still as…
The 50th Anniversary Irish ILCA Nationals to be held at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough this coming weekend (15th – 17th) is expecting 150 competitors of all ages from across Ireland and beyond, including entries from Canada, Croatia, Ukraine…
Gordon Kane's Artemis Takes Class Eight Win at West Highland Week
11th August 2025 Northern Ireland Waters
It was a case of third time lucky for Gordon Kane's Westerly Fulmar Artemis from East Antrim Boat Club on Larne Lough, as she was the best performing of the nine Northern Ireland boats in this year's West Highland Week…
Following the success of the 2024 ILCA 6 Youth European Championships, Ballyholme Yacht Club will be hosting the ILCA Ireland National Championships next weekend (15-17th August) as the championship celebrates its 50th anniversary. Up to 150 competitors from across the…
There's still time to volunteer for National Marine Week. Ulster Wildlife is calling on coastal enthusiasts to help take the pulse of Northern Ireland's shores– by recording the incredible marine life found along the coastline. Marine week ends on 10th…
Sailability was a special feature of the 2025 Cockle Island Boat Club (CIBC) Regatta on Belfast Lough. Cockle Island Boat Club is an RYA-affiliated club in Groomsport. There were 18 starters in its annual regatta, and although the wind was…
Lough Erne Yacht Club, the Upper Lough in County Fermanagh, has every reason to be proud of its two young Topper sailors who raced in the Topper 5.3 Worlds at Medemblik in the Netherlands. Adam Green finished fifth overall, counting…
Inaugural Northern Ireland IRC Championship Victory for J109 Blue Jay
21st July 2025 Northern Ireland Waters
What a difference a day makes! John Stanley-Whyte's J109 Blue Jay from Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club, Scotland, outshone the overnight leader, John Minnis's Archambault 35 Final Call II, to win the first-ever Northern Ireland championships in the Irish…
It has been a sports-filled day in Northern Ireland today (July 19th). Up on the North Coast, there is golf at The Open in Portrush, from Australia we see the British and Irish Lions secured a victory in their first…
Nearly 100 boats crowded the stretch of water between Strangford on the west side of the entrance to Strangford Lough and Portaferry on the east for Northern Ireland's Narrows Series held by three clubs on 11th, 12th and 13th July.…
Minnis' Dun Laoghaire Victory Adds Extra Spice to Inaugural Northern Ireland IRC Championships
14th July 2025 Northern Ireland Waters
John Minnis' Final Call II returns to Belfast Lough fresh from victory at last weekend's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta that saw a three-way tie for first place in IRC Zero. The Final Call campaign will be looking for more silverware…
The Narrows Series is a busy three days of Northern Ireland yacht racing at the mouth of Strangford Lough in Co. Down, comprising three regattas run by Strangford Sailing Club, Portaferry Town and Portaferry Sailing Club. The series will bring…
There are eight Northern Ireland entries for Ireland's biggest sailing event in 2025, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR), which begins on Thursday, July 10. Among the northern boats competing are two Sigma 33s, which made the short passage from Howth…
Sunfast 3600 Blacksmith is Line Honours Winner in 2025 Ailsa Craig Race
28th June 2025 Northern Ireland Waters
While some celebrated the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, others were racing in the Royal Ulster Yacht Club’s Ailsa Craig Race and viewed the sunrise on 21st June afloat. Apparently, there was only about an hour of darkness for the fleet…
The Seaside Revival, organised by the Open House Festival, includes the legendary Pickie to Pier Swim on 4th July as part of its programme. Pickie refers to the area on the west side of Bangor Bay on Belfast Lough and…
It rained nonstop in Bangor on Belfast Lough on Saturday, June 14. But that didn’t deter the 38 young Ballyholme Yacht Club Cadets from enjoying and even revelling in the very wet conditions during their annual flotilla outing – this…
Sailing on Saturday last weekend told of Centenaries and suggested that 100-year fatigue may have set in. But one anniversary will not pass without huge celebrations, and that is the Golden 50 years of ILCAs or Lasers, as old hands…
Emily and Annabel Ridout from Ballyholme finished a commendable sixth overall in the 42-strong Gold fleet racing in the RS Feva Nationals at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club, Scotland, over the weekend of May 24/25, according to provisional results. Their Black Flag in…
