#rsgyc – The Royal St George YC celebrates its annual all classes regatta night in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday.  All types of yachts are entered from wooden Mermaids to Squibs to dinghies to racing SB20s and Flying 15s to cruisers from zero to class four.

This year, the Frank Keane BMW George Yacht Regatta 12, promises to be the best ever regatta and a fabulous fun filled family day out for young and old. From the piers, spectators can watch boats leaving Dun Laoghaire Harbour mouth from 10.30 onwards for racing starting at 11.30 until 3pm in Dublin Bay.

The club celebrates its 174th regatta proudly sponsorsed by Frank Keane BMW of Blackrock. Since the construction of this fine Victorian harbour in 1820, Dun Laoghaire with itswaterfront yacht clubs has been a focal point for yacht racing & sailing in Dublin. The first recorded Kingtown Regatta was in 1828.

All types of boats can enter from wooden mermaids to squibs to dinghies to racing SB3s and flying 15s to cruisers little and large.  Ashore, at the Royal St George YC, family fun begins at 12 midday on the quarterdeck with a bucking Rodeo Bull, Face-painting and bouncy castle? Summer Jazz by Stedfast marks the sailors return ashore and the start of the Pig on the spit BBQ. Prize Giving will be at 6pm by Frank Keane BMW.

Family Day out 2.45pm to 3.15 pm by the Rodeo Bull & Face Painting, The Quarter Deck. PRiZE Giving The QuarterDeck: 6 to 7pm..

#JOBS – Dun Laoghaire's Royal St. George Yacht Club is seeking an Events Manager. The job involves the management and co-ordination of the smooth operation of the catering-events office, with main responsibility for the coordination of the Club's major sailing events, weddings, private functions, and meetings. The demanding and rewarding role requires an energetic and driven individual according to the yacht club who want the position filled in time for the ISAF Youth Worlds at the club in July. More details below.

General Scope and purpose:

Liaise with Members and Event Organisers in the planning and organisation of Weddings, Major Sailing Events and ad hoc Social Events.

Communicate and market the Club's social programmes, dining options and private function facilities (weddings and corporate) and, in doing so, support the General Manager, Sailing Manager and Catering Office in achieving performance targets.

Promote the function business of the Club to Club Members.

Reporting to the General Manager.

Main Duties:

As the catering contact for the Club, to ensure that all catering enquiries are dealt with in an efficient and professional manner while liaising with the primary contact/ organiser to ensure that all his/ her requirements are met and the correct booking procedure carried out at all times.

To work with the General Manager in developing the Function Business in the Club. This is to include corporate and wedding business.

To be responsible for updating and maintaining the Club's 'function diary'.

Produce weekly function sheets and 'Banquet Event Orders' for each Club event and hold weekly briefing meetings with the Catering Operations Team to ensure the smooth running of all events within the Club.

To produce catering revenue forecasts every two weeks.

Participate in the organisation and running of the Club's major sailing events and in particular the Club's annual regatta, the junior regatta, the Dun Laoghaire combined regatta and the ISAF Youth Worlds in July 2012.

Promote the Club's bar and dining facilities to Members and their guests, through various forms of communication i.e. – posters, flyers, programmes, plasma screen, hymn boards, club emails and website with a view to increasing bookings and revenue.

Produce the Club's Spring, Summer and Autumn Social Programmes. This involves liaising, collating and drafting the programmes with all persons concerned to final completion.

Support the Social & Catering Committee in marketing and promoting the events outlined in the Spring, Summer and Autumn Social Programmes.

Keep the Club Website and additional micro sites up-to-date in regards to the Club's Social Events & News (the sailing section of the website is maintained by the Sailing Manager).

Use Social Media as a platform to keep in touch with Members – Twitter and Facebook.

Research markets to identify opportunities for events in the Club and develop new approaches for increasing and attracting the function business to the Club.

Competitive salary based on experience.

Please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to Ann Gill, General Manager by email to [email protected] or by post to Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

#DRAGON SAILING – Ireland's Edinburgh Cup sailing champion Martin Byrne took fourth overall at last weekend's International Dragon Match Racing event in Cascais, Portugal.

The invitation only event included Dragon National Champions from across Europe.

Weather conditions were ideal with clear blue skies and moderate breezes for the three day event which was raced inside Cascais Harbour which drew a big crowd of specators on the shore. Having topped the round robin series of racing, Byrne faced Dutch Dragon and RC44 helm Pieter Hereema in the semi final.

After a penalty to Philipe Silva, Portuguese National Champion, in the 3rd/4th place race off the Irish champion who is also Commodore of the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire finished fourth overall.

Pieter Hereema went on to win the event beating Klaus Klaus Deidericks in the final.

2012 is a big year for the Dragon class in Ireland. Not alone are they hosting the Gold Cup in Kinsale but the Edinburgh Cup is to be held in Belfast Lough in July.

Dragon sailors from over 12 countries have already entered this year's Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup, to be held at Kinsale Yacht Club from 8th-14th September.

Already, entries from Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Scandinavia, Portugal, France and the UK have entered as entries are expected from Hungary, Estonia, and further afield - from the USA and Australia - making this a truly international competition.

Participants are encouraged to register early and to book their and accommodation in this busy seaside town on the south coast of Ireland.

Entries are welcome through the specially designated website: www.dragongoldcup2012.com

The event is Sponsored by Private Client Investment Managers, Brewin Dolphin, who recently entered the Irish market with their acquisition of Tilman Asset Management.

Brewin Dolphin is also sponsoring the Grand Slam Series of Dragon events in Ireland this year which includes the Northern Area Championships and Edinburgh Cup in Belfast Lough in July, the Irish National Championships in Dun Laoghaire in August and the South Coast Championships and Gold Cup in Kinsale in September.

The Dragon Gold Cup was last held in Ireland in 1997, when the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire hosted the event.

#RS SAILING - UK RS Association chairman Pete Vincent will be running another RS200 and 400 demo day from the Royal St George Yacht Club on the weekend of 24-25 March.

The well-known expert on RS boats is being brought to Dublin by RS400 owners Richard Tate and Emmet Ryan, who are "really keen to get an RS fleet up and running" in Dun Laoghaire.

"After the huge attention our boats have drawn both ashore and on the water, we feel there is already a keen interest from a broad cross section of sailors to learn something more about these incredible hiking dinghies," says Tate.

"There is a ready-to-race format for both RS200s and 400s to have a full season of racing every Tuesday and Thursday in Dublin Bay right from the go."

The RS200 is described as a "natural progression" from the RS Feva, while the RS400 "takes the concept one step further and way beyond". Both classes provide high performance assymmetrical racing for all age groups.

If you are thinking about moving into an RS200 or 400, this is the perfect opportunity to help you make your decision.

All demo sails must be booked in advance by contacting Pete Vincent directly at +44 7812 899 043 or [email protected].

#NORTH SAILS SEMINAR – US Sailmaker Bill Gladstone of North Sails returns to these shores for a nine stop lecture tour of Ireland starting this Saturday at the country's biggest club, the Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire. Gladstone was last here in 2009 and the series proved popular. From Dun Laoghaire the North Sails seminar heads West to Galway Bay. The full schedule is below.

Gladstone has been teaching sailing and racing for over 30 years. Topics this week, for the €20 pay at the door event, include starting tactics, upwind trim, wind shift Strategy to spinnaker trim and handling.

For more information, contact the club, Maurice O'Connell ([email protected] / 086 2364200) or Nigel Young ([email protected] / 087 2514434)

2012 SEMINAR SCHEDULE

Royal St George Yacht Club.....28 January 2012
9:30 am - 1:30 pm
National Yacht Club..................30 January 2012
7 pm - 11 pm
Galway Bay Sailing Club...........31 January 2012
7 pm - 11 pm
Tralee Bay Sailing Club...........01 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Cork Yacht Club.............02 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Kinsale Yacht Club...................03 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Irish Yacht Club.............04 February 2012
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Howth Yacht Club....................06 February 2012
7pm - 11pm
Royal Ulster Yacht Club*......... 07 February 2012
7pm - 11pm

Pay at the door. €20 per person. *RUYC £18 per person.

#YOUTH SAILING – In spite of three separate attempts to stage it since October, the All Ireland Junior Sailing Championships for 2011 were finally scrubbed this morning in Dun Laoghaire after winds again blew over the maximum limit for youth racing.

In an unfortunate turn of events the ISA All Ireland Junior and Girls Sailing Championships at the Royal St. George Yacht Club will not take place this year after first suffering postponements on October 29th, November 26th and this weekend too.

Racing Manager Ed Alcock met with the Royal St. George team this morning and regretfully decided to 'call off the event' due to the increased winds. Met Eireann is forecasting 20 knots with gusts of 30-40 knots.

Renowned yachtsman Roland Jourdain will be visiting Ireland next month to show off his new vessel ahead of the Fastnet Race.

A veteran of 60-foot monohulls, Jourdain will be in Dun Laoghaire from 4-5 August to test his new Veolia Environnement MOD70 trimaran, as well as select crews for next year's transatlantic races.

His new MOD70 is the second in a series of 12 that will begin racing next summer when six of the fleet race from New York to Brest in France. But the first test will be at the Fastnet, where he will race the only other MOD70 on the circuit.

The Veolia Environnement MOD70 will be berthed adjacent to the Royal St George Yacht Club for anyone curious to have a peek. For more details on the vessel and on Roland visit www.multionedesign.com and www.canyousea.com.

The Royal St George Yacht Club has described the entertainment package for the upcoming International Match Racing Challenge as "value for money".

As reported Friday on Afloat.ie, the club is charging €200 for its 'hot seat' package, which will put yacht racing fans on board with a team "experiencing the thrills and tension of the race as it happens along with the competitors".

But the RSGYC has pointed out that the package, while expensive, works out as good value.

"We are very conscious of asking anyone to pay for anything but the package includes a lot - lunch, dinner, drinks, sailing, hot seat sailing, goodie bag, embroidered gear, etc," said RSGYC marketing and events co-ordinator Sonja Lee. "It is expensive but personally I feel it's value for money."

She added: "The feedback from last year’s hot seaters was excellent and quite a few are coming back this year. Nobody complained or felt it was bad value. Pricing is on a par with other 'corporate days'."

The 'hot seat package' includes a meet-and-greet in the clubhouse, a race briefing and a yacht trip around Dublin Bay as well as the hot seat race with a competing crew. Lunch and a post-race barbecue and drinks are also provided.

Meanwhile, the similarly specced 'pure spectator' package for €100 replaces the hot seat race with the chance to fire the starting gun for one of the weekend's races.

Further details are available on the RSGYC website.

You could be in the hot seat at next month's International Match Racing Challenge - provided you'e got €200 to spend.

The top-level entertainment package for the Royal St George Yacht Club's second annual event, set for the weekend of 23-24 July, will put yacht racing fans on board with a team "experiencing the thrills and tension of the race as it happens along with the competitors".

A spectator package - which will set fans back €100 - gives a bird's-eye view of all the racing in Scotsman's Bay "as well as the added bonus of firing the starting gun", according to the RSGYC.

The second International Match Race Challenge will see Ireland’s top six match racing teams go head to head against a world team consisting of six international crews from France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Ireland will be hoping to avenge their 36-29 loss to the world at last year's inaugural event.

Match racing involves head-to-head racing between two identical boats over short 20 minute courses, with each boat having four crew members. At the end of the competition and after approximately 90 races, there will be an overall individual winner. In addition, the combined scores of the six Irish teams and the six international teams will deliver an overall team winner.

Package One
THE HOT SEAT
€200 per person
Experience the thrills and tension of the race as it happens aboard!

12:00 Meet and Greet in Club
12:30 Race Briefing and Intro to the Event
12:45 Light Lunch
13:30 Trip on Yacht around Dublin Bay
14:30 Arrive at Spectator area to watch racing
15:00 Hot Seat Race
16:15 Return to shore
16:30 BBQ and Drinks
Hot Seaters need to be prepared to get wet and be active!

Package Two
PURE SPECTATOR
€100 per person
Get a Bird's Eye view of all the action!

12:00 Meet and Greet in Club
12:30 Race Briefing and Intro to the Event
12:45 Light Lunch
13:30 Trip on Yacht around Dublin Bay
14:30 Arrive at Spectator area to watch racing
15:00 Step on Board the Starter's Boat and fire the Starting Gun
16:00 Return to shore
16:30 BBQ and Drinks

The Royal St George Yacht Club will host its first charity fun sailing race in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin on Friday 22 July. 

The race is open to all with a suggested entry feel of €5 for every crew member. Following the action the RSGYC will host an aprés race party for all participants and friends.

And since fun is the aim of the day, there is also a fancy dress option with a prize for the best dressed person!
Entries can be made online at the RSGYC website or alternatively by e-mail to [email protected]. 

Our Lady's Children’s Hospital Crumlin is an acute paediatric teaching hospital and is Ireland's largest paediatric hospital, being responsible for the provision of the majority of tertiary care services for children and medical research for childhood illnesses in Ireland. 

For more than 50 years, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital have relied on fund raising to help ensure that critically ill and injured children have access to the highest quality care. Contributions are invested in outstanding paediatric care and research to help the nation's sick children and continue to support efforts to ensure healthier children and happier lives.