As the final days of voting for the UK's Sailing Club of the Year draw near, and as Northern Ireland's East Antrim Boat Club is for sure the minnow in the competition the Larne club is looking for every single vote available to bring this award across the Irish sea for the first time.
As Afloat previously reported, the Royal Yachting Association and Yacht&Yachting magazine's annual UK-wide 'Club of the Year' competition is now well underway with the final 10 finalist's destiny – as in 'Strictly' – resting with the public vote!
EABC has made it into that elite top ten. They have already scooped one of the special category awards having been recognised for its particular achievement in 'embracing modern communication'.
It was a jubilant Steven Kirby – immediate past Commodore – who broke the news to an expectant EABC membership just before Christmas. He said: "Not only is it a tremendous feat to have made it into the finals but we've picked up one of the special category awards as well." He continued, "Moreover we are out to win, and bring this prestigious award across the Irish Sea for the first time. But to do so, we really need the support of the Larne public, whether that is from nautical types or land-lubbers: sporty or academic folk or weather you hail from the charity or industrial sectors. We need every available vote to pull this off!"
East Antrim Boat Club's new Commodore Richard Ford-Hutchinson also said. "Ours is a compact forward-looking vibrant organisation with a diverse membership. However in comparison to some of our cross channel opponents, the big South of England clubs for example; we are 'the minnows'. This is why we have put the call out to the Larne public and to you, the Mid., and East Antrim residents to get behind us. My club is awash with champion sailors and long-distance cruising yachtsmen so winning this UK-wide award would be the icing on the plate." Two former world sailing champions and EABC members Mark Fekkes and Andy Thompson have endorsed Commodore Ford-Hutchinson's call.
The voting for the' RYA - Club of the Year' will close on 27th January 2020. Time is slipping away. Here is how to vote, in five easy steps:
- 1. Go to East Antrim Boat Club's website; www.eabc.club.
- 2. On the home page locate the 'white triangular finalist pennant/button'.
- 3. Click it. You will be transferred directly to the vote page of the magazine Yachts &Yachting.
- 4. Follow the links and ...VOTE for EAST ANTRIM BOAT CLUB.
- 5. No computer, smart phone or tablet! Call at the Book Nook or McFarland's Chemists on Larne Main Street; they'll help...
