In 1898 the Club Members agreed to make the drawings and specifications more precise, and to revise the design with a more affordable boat with a transom stern (costing £14 and 10 shillings) better suited to being kept on a mooring within Kingstown Harbour (the earlier design was selected as being appropriate to a beach-launched boat by two men on the stone beach at Corbawn Lane).
The oldest boat in the Water Wag Fleet is Erica, built by Hollowey & Son in Dublin Docks in 1896. This boat is the last of the original ‘double ender’ design and is now retained for display use only, as she has no boats to race against.
Coquette, Wag no 17, is 100 years old this year and her centenary will be celebrated with a race in Dun Laoghaire last night for the Coquette cup. The class held a BBQa nd birthday cake in the RIYC after racing. Coquette is sailed by Seymour Cresswell whose mother, Germaine, and father (also Seymour Cresswell) campaigned her successfully in Dublin Bay for many years.
The class are also holding a Wags day on Sunday 28th June which will include an invitation race to people who don't usually sail wags. There are a number of wags for sale and the class would much rather have them out racing rather than sitting in garages awaiting buyers.