Wags lead the way on Dublin bay

19th June 2009

With over 100 years of history behind them the Wags are backs as a key part of the heritage section in VDLR 2009 . Although the Water Wag Club was founded in Shankill in 1887 it prospered in Dun Laoghaire as a club for Corinthian sailors racing in one-design ‘double ended’ boats. That was, of course, until it was realised that the rules governing the design of the boats were not strict enough, resulting in some boats employing a standing lug rig in preference to the balanced lug. Some boats built in Scotland had ten planks per side instead of the 11 used by all the Irish boats, and boats were built with cedar planking and using silk sailcloth in the mainsail which cost £45 to build compared with the original boats which cost £13.

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.

Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive

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