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Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland
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RYA Northern Ireland has launched its Active Clubs Grants scheme, which offers funding for Northern Ireland clubs aiming to grow and retain their membership. Priority will be given to clubs who are running programmes for women and girls, people with…
The WOW festival is an opportunity for women to try a variety of different activities on the water within a supportive environment and a chance to meet new friends whilst developing skills
This year’s Women on Water Festival will be held at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club at Cultra on the south side of Belfast Lough near Holywood. The date is 12th May. This event, hosted by the RYANI is…
Windsurfing and wing instruction at Newtownards Sailing Club on Sunday 24 March
More than 60 sailors, instructors and centre principals from across Northern Ireland gathered at Strangford Lough Yacht Club and Newtownards Sailing Club for a recent weekend of RYANI training. The training day and windsurfing clinic allowed for all participants to…
Maeve Bell is a member of RYANI’s Hall of Fame
Last year marked 50 years since the founding of RYA Northern Ireland, and three of those who were there at the beginning have shared their memories of how it got off the ground. In 1973, amid the turmoil of the…
Participants of all background and experience in a previous Women On Water Festival hosted by RYA Northern Ireland
RYA Northern Ireland’s Women On Water Festival will take place at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club in Cultra on Sunday 12 May and online sign-ups are now open to women across Northern Ireland and the wider island of…
Alison Young, seen here competing in Tokyo 2020
Three-time Olympian and 2016 ILCA World Champion Alison Young will provide coaching for Northern Ireland sailors at RYA Northern Ireland’s ‘Female Focused Camp’ at Ballyholme Yacht Club on the weekend of 27-28 April. The camp is specifically targeted for junior…
Marine flares
RYA Northern Ireland says it has been in discussions with British Marine and other stakeholders regarding the safe disposal of out-of-date flares. Marine flares have become increasingly difficult to dispose of in Northern Ireland in recent years, which RYANI recognises…
Lymington sailor Hannah Snellgrove will sail the ILCA 6 for Britain at the Paris 2024 Olympics
Lymington sailor Hannah Snellgrove has been selected as the 11th sailor for Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the British Olympic Association (BOA) announced on Tuesday. The 33-year-old will be competing in the women's dinghy class sailing the…
The ILCA squad representing Northern Ireland at the 2024 Celtic Cup were Lewis Thompson, Daniel Palmer, Charlotte Eadie and Rory Pollard
Ten of Northern Ireland’s Topper and ILCA sailors travelled to Plas Heli in Pwllheli for the Celtic Cup earlier this month (3-4 February). This annual event sees the best youth and junior sailors from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland compete…
Teams lined up in Dun Laoghaire Harbour in the semi-final race for the Elmo Trophy in August 2023
Entries are now open for RYA Northern Ireland’s Team Racing Programme, following on from a successful coach development weekend last month. This RYANI programme, which is the first of its kind for Northern Ireland, aims to provide more double-handed pathway…
County Antrim Yacht Club lies on the northern shore of Belfast Lough in Whitehead and enjoys a very expansive sailing and racing area. CAYC has been selected as a finalist for the second year in the UK-wide RYA Club of the Year Awards
Northern Ireland's County Antrim Yacht Club has been selected as a finalist for the second year running in the UK-wide RYA Club of the Year Awards. The Club lies on the northern shore of Belfast Lough in the town of…
Team racing at Ballyholme on Saturday 20 January on the first day of the RYANI Coach Development Programme
RYA Northern Ireland’s Coach Development Programme held its first session at Ballyholme Yacht Club last Saturday 20 January. Launched in December, the new initiative — part of RYANI’s five-year strategy, Navigating The Future — offers free training in an effort…
Crest Of The Wave: The RYANI Podcast logo
RYA Northern Ireland launches its first ever podcast this coming Friday 26 January. Crest Of The Wave will be hosted by RYANI marketing and communications executive Peter Gilmore and will feature a diverse array of guests and topics intended to…
Sailing downwind on an ILCA dinghy off Valencia in Spain
Several of RYA Northern Ireland’s ILCA squad spent the New Year break at a warm-weather training camp in Valencia, Spain from 27 December to 3 January. Supported by RYANI performance manager Hammy Baker, the contingent comprised ILCA 6 sailors Lewis…
RYA Northern Ireland logo
RYANI is currently recruiting for two lead coach roles for the Development Academy and Team Racing as well as a Women On Water Ambassador. The lead coach of the Development Academy provides a supportive learning environment for junior sailors within…
Lucy Kane
Northern Ireland dinghy racer Lucy Kane has shared her excitement at being selected for the British Keelboat Academy. The 22-year-old QUB student and member of East Antrim Boat Club made the grade after an impressive showing at the selection weekend…

About the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Northern Ireland 

  • The RYA is the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
  • The RYA is recognised by Government, the media and opinion formers as the representative body and voice for the activities that it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 112,000 personal members.
  • The RYA has more than 1,500 affiliated clubs and classes, which represent some 350,000 boaters throughout the UK. It is estimated that 4 million people in the UK take part in boating activity annually.
  • The RYA also sets and maintains recognised standards for training for both leisure and commercial boating through a network of more than 2,400 RYA Recognised Training Centres across 58 countries. More than 250,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.
  • The RYA is responsible for one of the UK’s most successful Olympic medal-winning sports. Our coaching and development schemes actively support 800 of our country’s top sailors, from talented juniors to Olympic and World champions.
  • The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone. For more information please visit www.rya.org.uk.
  • The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYA NI) acts for the RYA in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Chairman of RYA NI is invited to join the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Policy Review Committee.
  • You can find the RYA Northern Ireland at Sketrick House, GE8, Jubilee Road, Newtownards, BT23 4YH.
  • RYA NI is a company limited by guarantee – Registration number NI 51945
  • Contact RYA NI: Tel: 02891 827154 email: [email protected]