The Flying Fifteen & friends annual dinner and prize giving took place at the National Yacht Club at the weekend. The class mustered over 90 for dinner with piano accompaniment Terry Brown who generously provided his talents for a donation by the class to the Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat.
Class Captain Ronan Beirne welcomed the guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of Afloat.ie, Georgina Nixon, Larry Power Commodore of the host club and Commodore Pat Shannon of Dublin Bay Sailing Club. The Captain thanked the Clubs for their support and Mitsubishi Motors for their sponsorship of the class.
In between courses class members gave a short presentation on the fleets activities in the year. Alan Dooley reviewed a busy year with his “flying fifteen health check” resumé. Chris Doorly presented his “Magic Moments” as crew with David Gorman while winning the Championship of Ireland, The Northern and Southern Championships. Alan Green reported on the Worlds in France where he attained a place on the podium with third place.
Flying fifteen champions David Gorman and Chris Doorly
David Mulvin recounted on “The Road to Rhu” and the British Championships which took place on the Clyde.
The guest of Honour Winkie Nixon of “Afloat” gave a most entertaining and informative talk on the talents and life of flying fifteen designer “Uffa Fox”. In addition to the Fifteen he recalled the many other yachts from the board of Fox including the flying thirty five “flying Fox” formerly of the National Yacht Club.
The prize giving was organised by Frank Burgess where some twenty trophies and thirty class medals and six ISA medals were presented. The top class trophy the Championship of Ireland which winners David Gorman and Chris Doorly presented to Larry Power Commodore of the National Yacht Club for safe keeping. The top Dun Laoghaire class trophy the “Heineken Plate” for the best combined Saturday & Thursday results was presented to David Mulvin.
The evening’s formal proceedings concluded with Ronan Beirne passing on the Class Captains Cap to the new Class Captain Joe Coughlan.