East Antrim Boat Club at Larne, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, celebrated its 75th anniversary on Saturday night with a gala dinner, prize presentation and dancing at the Ballygally Castle Hotel.
The evening began with a pre-dinner drinks reception as members reconnected. Commodore Lucy Whitford welcomed guests and proposed a toast to absent friends.
Club President Curly Morris shared a short history of the club and its achievements in hosting successful sailing events. “The sailors always look forward to coming to Larne,” he said.
Following dinner, Commodore Whitford presented a series of awards. Gordon Kane and the crew of Artemis received the Endeavour Award for their performance at West Highland Yachting Week, where they won several races and their overall class.
Ian Patterson received the Gingles Trophy for finishing 7th in the Mini Keel Boat Class at the 2025 Silverrudder singlehanded race in Denmark. He spent over 28 hours on the water.
A special moment came when members sang “Happy Birthday” to Penny Doig, who shared her cake with the room.
The night concluded with live music and dancing, marking a memorable milestone in the club’s history.
