Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Fireball International, the UK Fireball Association and Clwb Hwylio, Pwllheli Sailing Club have just launched a presentation announcing Pwllheli as the venue for the 2015 Fireball Worlds. The regatta will take place in Wales between 17th and 28th August 2015.
It will be ten years since the International Fireball World Championships were last held in the UK, and this regatta will represent the first occasion on which the Championship will go to wales. With a substantial domestic fleet of Fireballs in the UK, the event will provide an opportunity to race against some of the best amateur dinghy sailors in Britain and from across the globe. The combination of big fleet, tactical racing combined with the high performance character of the Fireball makes it a very hard act to beat.
The Welsh National Sailing Academy and Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club are a well-known venue in the international sailing world. The club has a wealth of experience in organising major regattas and sailing events and are currently constructing the new Welsh National sailing Academy & Events Centre. The racing areas are a short sail out from sheltered launching conditions off the beach and racing is visible from the shore. Regular south westerly winds and minimal tide provide excellent racing conditions for all, with the beautiful backdrop of the Llyn Peninsula and Snowdonia National Park.
Pwllheli is the unofficial capital of the Llyn Peninsula in Northwest Wales with the Peninsula an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Pwllheli providing an ideal base for exploration and easy access to nearby Snowdonia, Anglesey and the western coast of Wales.
Pwllheli Marina is situated on the south side of the Llyn Peninsula with moderate tides and sea conditions with varied patterns of wind.
CHPSC is located in the Welsh National Sailing Academy complex and boasts a modern building with catering facilities, changing rooms, showers, meeting and protest rooms. The Club is part of the RYA's UK National sailing Academy Network and was selected as a London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp.
CHPSC have hosted a significant number of major Championships in recent years;
• Worlds: - Finn Masters, Cadets, Laser 2, Mirror, Splash.
• Europeans: - 470 & 420
• Nationals
o 2012: - UK Youths, Finn Worlds Masters, Topper, Optimist, Firefly
o 2011: - Optimist (457 boats), Sprit 15, 420, Finn UK Masters.
o 2010: - 29er, 49er, Finn, Topper, RS400
o 420, Cadets, Optimists (457 boats in 2009), Topper, Contender, RS Classes, Merlin Rocket, GP14, Formula 18, Kestrel, laser, Firefly, Hornet, Scorpion, Osprey, Flying Fifteen, Laser.
Wind
South-westerly winds prevail through most of the year, including the summer months. Long periods of settled weather can occur in August bringing dry sunny weather and light sea breezes. The sailing areas are open to the prevailing south-westerlies, creating unbiased race areas. Large waves or swell are rare in august, small chop of waves will form in onshore winds from SW to S.
Tide
The tides across the race areas are very weak with a peak of 0.3 knots and an average of 0.1 knots. In very approximate terms, the flood tide runs East for the first half of the cycle and Northeast for the second half. The ebb tide runs SW for the entire cycle.
Getting there.
By plane: To Manchester and then by train to Bangor where pick-ups can be arranged.
By ferry: From Rotterdam or Zeebrugge to Hull and then by road across the UK East to West.
From Dublin to Holyhead and then by road.
By road: From all mainland UK destinations.
Accommodation
Haven – "Britain's Favourite Seaside Holiday", 5kms from CHPSC – boasts 5-star on site facilities, including;
• Large heated indoor swimming pool complex with flumes and slides
• All-weather multi-sports courts
• Indoor SportsDrome
• Ropeworks including climbing and abseiling
• Go-karting
• Adventure Golf.
B&B, Apartments (overlooking the beach at Pwllheli's West End), Motor Homes, Caravans & Trailer Tents, Camping.
Quotation.
Chris Gowers, GBR Olympic Sailing Team Head Coach.
"From a sailing point of view, Pwllheli provides the best sailing water in Britain. Clean wind in the prevailing South Westerly makes it the perfect venue. The facilities speak for themselves. The club is incredibly supportive of top sailors, always prepared to go the extra mile. The PSC has a friendly atmosphere and is undoubtedly the premier sailing club in the country."