Eleanor is rear commodore of Lough Derg Yacht Club, and emailed to flag the third Waterways Ireland Classic Boat Regatta, taking place in Dromineer this weekend.
The classic boat sailed at Lough Derg Yacht Club is the Shannon One Design Class. This boat is an 18ft clinker built vessel, with one mainsail and raced three up. Alongside the Shannon One Design, the Fairie class, the Water Wags, IDRA 14s, Mermaids, Howth 17s, Colleens are among the other classic boats that will be seen at the regatta in September. In the Waterways Ireland harbour in Dromineer village, next door to LDYC, the Heritage Boat association will display classic recreational and motor boats.
The event was formally launched on Thursday August 14th at Lough Derg Yacht Clubs Annual Regatta by Ruth Delaney. As a historian and author of many books on the Irish Inland Waterways Mrs. Delaney expressed her delight to launch an event that will bring together Classic Boating enthusiasts from all over the Island of Ireland. Commander Charles Lawn of Waterways Ireland also addressed the company.
Guests at the launch enjoyed a movie of an 1950 regatta at LDYC which was kindly donated by Ruth Delaney, a photographic presentation of Classic Boats of the Shannon compiled by Reggie Goodbody and a display of photographs illustrating the many facets of LDYC today including Club Sailing, Schools Sailing, Disabled Sailing, Junior and Adult training.
The Waterways Ireland Classic Boat Regatta was the idea of Joey Kelly of LEYC who, with support from Alan Algeo of LRYC and David Coote of LDYC, led the initial application to Waterways Ireland. The first of these events took place at Lough Erne Yacht Club in 2006, and the theme for the regatta was the Centenary of the Fairie class. In 2007 Lough Ree Yacht Club hosted the second Classic Boat Regatta with the theme Classic Sailing on Lough Ree. Lough Derg Yacht Club has chosen Memories of Sailing on Lough Derg as the theme for their regatta in September.
The event is also an ideal opportunity to introduce new sailors to the waters of Lough Derg. It will be possible for both able bodied and disabled sailors to try sailing over the weekend and for visitors to view the sailing races and parades both from the yacht club and the public harbour.
Susie Coote, event manager for Lough Derg Yacht Club, commented that the location of the Waterways Ireland harbour in Dromineer Village, next door to the Yacht Club is beneficial for the event, as it her hope that the entire village will become a stage to display the Classic Sailing and Motor boats that have shaped the history of the inland waterways and sailing today. Ms Coote said that she is delighted that so many classes and classic boat enthusiasts have already committed to traveling to LDYC in September, adding that the event is shaping up to be the largest of the three Waterways Ireland Classic Boat regattas.
