Last Saturday, August 23rd, Ballyholme Regatta on Belfast Lough featured 60 boats, including Insect Class No. 11, Lacewing. This boat was built approximately seventy years ago as part of a new dinghy class at Ballyholme and has been immaculately restored by Ewan Rathbone-Scott.
After much deliberation by Ballyholme Yacht Club, six of these clinker-built boats were ready to sail by Opening Day in 1950, with two more still under construction. In total, 17 Insects were built. During the days before Bangor Marina, these boats were moored in Ballyholme Bay, which is known for its challenging Northerly winds that often led to capsizes.
Lacewing restored in 2023
I learned that a second-hand Insect in 1959 sold for £90, which would be equivalent to over £2,200 today! Ewan Rathbone-Scott, commonly known as Yonkers, dedicated three years to restoring Lacewing. He noted, "I have been working on Lacewing on and off for the last three years; if I had been able to focus solely on it, it would probably have taken about a year."
Insect Lacewing before Ewan got to work on the dinghy
Lacewing was gifted to Yonkers by the late Norman Henry, who worked at Bangor Shipyard, with the expectation that he would restore it to its former glory. The boat was launched around August 10th to allow the planks to swell, to sort out the rigging, and to have a few test sails.
1953 Ballyholme Regatta programme listing the Insect Class
Yonkers expressed his joy at participating in Ballyholme regatta, stating, "It was a pleasure to be part of it and to bring Lacewing back to the club where she started her life." As a teenager, Ewan worked for Laird's boat hire and is now part of the Marina staff. His crew member, James Gillespie, also has a history with boats; he worked for Caulfield's rowing boat hire and is now the Ship's Captain and an RNLI helm.
