The National Yacht Club has offered its congratulations to Dublin Bay Sailing Club on its recognition as Mitsubishi Motors Sailing Club of the Year for 2021.

As our own WM Nixon wrote last week, it marks only the second time that the unique Dublin organisation — primarily comprising members of the Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs, the NYC included — has received the accolade.

“DBSC did a fantastic job in difficult circumstances in 2020 to get our members out sailing for most of the summer,” said National Yacht Club Commodore Martin McCarthy.

“The NYC is delighted that our member Ann Kirwan has taken on the role of Commodore of DBSC this year, with club stalwart Chris Moore being Hon Sec, and other NYC members also heavily involved on other fronts.

“Congratulations also to 2020 Commodore Jonathan Nicholson on his fine stewardship of the club.”

The National Yacht Club has cancelled its previously scheduled January training sessions in the RS Aero due to the extended Level 5 coronavirus restrictions.

It's hoped the sessions will be rescheduled for future weeks as restrictions allow. The NYC website will have an update on details accordingly.

While this training cannot go ahead as planned, it nevertheless marks a recognition of the growth of the RS Aero class which now has 25 boats across Ireland, as recently reported on Afloat.ie.

Summer dinghy parking at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire ended this past Sunday 11 October, and all dinghies were expected to be removed by that date to facilitate the club’s annual lift-out.

A limited number of storage slots are available for those signed up for winter training and/or the DMYC Frostbite racing series, and anyone who has not yet done so is invited to apply HERE.

Temporary space has also been secured in the Old Ferry Terminal until Friday 30 October for boats that do not yet have a winter parking slot. Please note that you will need to bring over your own boat and collect it on the assigned dates.

Optimists are currently exempt from these requirements, but storage space is available — with preference given to those actively sailing, who will get the bottom racks.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring National Yacht Club is now taking applications for dinghy platform parking over the winter.

Dinghies taking part in either the junior training sessions or the Frostbite series must complete this form prior to bringing their boats back on the platform.

Boaters must note that platform parking does not reopen before Saturday 31 October as the boathouse still has to lift many keelboats on trailers and position them on the platform following the main lift-out scheduled for Saturday 24 October.

The National Yacht Club welcomes new general manager John O’Grady, who started this morning (Tuesday 29 September) and brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality sector, particularly with the neighbouring Royal Marine Hotel.

O’Grady joins at a crucial time, as Level 3 lockdown restrictions in Dublin put paid to so much hard work by the NYC staff in ensuring safe dining for members in the clubhouse.

The club says it is learning from its first week of Level 3 catering, with upgrades to the outdoor shelter and heating, and reconfiguring the balcony and outside the JB Room to make things more comfortable.

There is a rolling catering programme from noon to 7pm each day, and these hours may be extended if weather allows. Chef Cormac and his team are also offering a full takeaway service.

In the meantime, O’Grady and the clubhouse team have started planning for events for once Dublin emerges from Level 3 and following next month’s scheduled lift-out, with quiz nights, awards nights, speakers’ suppers, ladies’ lunches and more.

They may take on a different format, the NYC says, but with the adjustments everyone has made this year they can still bring members together.

Dun Laoghaire sailors are advised that lift-out day on the National Yacht Club platform is scheduled for Saturday 24 October, weather permitting.

Platform space for winter storage is limited and, for essential planning purposes, applications for keelboats should be returned prior to Monday 21 September.

Applications must include a cheque made payable to the National Yacht Club and come with confirmation of intention via email to [email protected]

The National Yacht Club hosts the Flying Fifteen East Coast Championship in Dublin Bay next weekend, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.

The Notice of Race is available to read or download, and the online entry form can be found HERE.

Please note that due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no race office for the event.

All competitors, skippers and crews, are invited to join the WhatsApp group dedicated to facilitate communications for this event.

The competitors’ briefing will be via Zoom (link emailed to competitors) on Saturday 19 September at 9am and all helms and crews are encouraged to download and unstall the Zoom app ahead of time.

The National Yacht Club’s planned two-day race weekend for its own 150th anniversary has been scaled down to a single-day event now known as the Sesquicentennial Race Day.

The decision was reached earlier this week following the latest Government announcements concerning the coronavirus pandemic.

Now scheduled solely on Saturday 5 September, the event will be on-the-water only with no social events or catering on land other than regular offerings available to club members by prior booking.

The NYC website has further details of the reconfigured event and how to enter.

Elsewhere, Wicklow Sailing Club has offered its apologies to the catamarans that were expected to visit the club next weekend as due to the current restrictions, the club is not in a position to host visiting boats.

The East Coast club, which last month was forced to cancel this year’s edition of the Round Ireland Yacht Race, says it hopes to welcome the catamarans again in 2021.

The Notice of Race and entry form are now available for next month’s Dun Laoghaire Regatta, celebrating the National Yacht Club’s 150th anniversary.

This special event, an initiative of all five Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs, will take place over the weekend of 5-6 September and comprises the Rationel J80 National Championships and Shipman National Championships, as well as the respective Eastern Championships for the SB20 and 29er classes.

The Notice of Race is available to download below, and entry is online via the NYC website HERE.

It is with great reluctance that Irish Sailing have decided, along with hosts the National Yacht Club, to cancel the Women at the Helm regatta that had been set to take place later this month, writes Gail McAllister.

Despite the tremendous energy behind the event, the health and safety of sailors is our number one priority, and in the light of the ongoing Covid-19 situation and the complexities arising from this it became clear that the event could not go ahead.

Irish Sailing are extremely disappointed for yet another event to be lost to Covid this year, but now look forward to next year and the Women at the Helm in Royal Cork Yacht Club on the weekend of Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September 2021.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for their incredible support and enthusiasm for Women at the Helm as an event and the Take the Helm campaign to encourage more women to move into positions of leadership. The campaign goes beyond the race course and creates leaders on committees, instructor teams and management.

The Transition Year Sailing Member Programme has run for a number of years between the Dun Laoghaire Waterfront clubs, and has proven important for keeping teenagers involved in sailing.

Heading into the 2020/21 academic year, another programme of youth sailing events has been established for the latest cohort of TY students — a challenging feat while coronavirus restrictions are in place, and as such it remains subject to change.

This year’s programme can only run if supported by volunteer parents. The National Yacht Club will be looking for assistance throughout the year, and parents will also be asked to volunteer during individual course registration sign-ups.

A summary of what’s been planned to offer during the school year is on the NYC website — families are asked to study this carefully before completing the expression of interest form, which should be submitted by this Friday 10 July.