Irish Sailing League 2026 Set for April Showdown in Dún Laoghaire

7th February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

J80 keelboats will be centre stage at the Irish Sailing League 2026, hosted at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire

The Irish Sailing League 2026 will take place from 18–19 April at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.

Racing will be contested in identical J80 one-design keelboats. Each team will consist of five mixed-gender sailors representing their home club. The event features short, high-intensity races lasting just 15 minutes. Racing is umpired, and all boats are included in the entry fee.

“Teams will compete in up to 30 races across the weekend,” said an event spokesperson. “There will be minimal downtime, with continuous action on the water.”

One or two teams will rotate off each round, ensuring fast turnarounds and sustained racing pressure.

All boats will be supplied and rigged by the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School. This levels the playing field, with results based solely on teamwork, tactics, and crew skill.

Entry is limited to 10 teams, with only a few places remaining. Interested clubs are encouraged to register promptly to secure a place.

Published in Irish Sailing League, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire Harbour News

Published in Irish Sailing League

Tagged under

Dun Laogahire

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About the Irish Sailing League

The inaugural Irish Sailing League 2023, under the control of Kenneth Rumball, will be sailed over three weekends, in late June and early July, in Dun Laoghaire, and the plan is to race in Scotsman’s Bay vicinity.

In the first instance, each club is limited to one entry, but this may be increased based on the number of clubs wishing to participate. Worth noting, too, that in future years the plan would be to extend the event to include regional rounds in North, South, East and West.

Each Club must nominate a crew. The maximum crew number is 4, all members of the same club, and one crew must be female. The crew number and lineup cannot be changed later than seven days before the first race without a points penalty.