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GP14 Worlds 2026 Set To Fill Belfast Lough Waters

16th April 2026
“Lough
Lough Launch Leaders—Gerry Reid joins Mayor Gillian McCollum and Commodore Lindsay Nolan at Royal North of Ireland YC ahead of the GP14 Worlds 2026 on Belfast Lough this August

Belfast Lough will host more than 100 boats this August as the GP14 World Championships 2026 arrives in Northern Ireland.

The week-long regatta runs from 8–14 August and is hosted by Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, with support from Ards and North Down Borough Council.

Entries sold out in record time, with a waiting list now in place. Organisers say the demand reflects both the strength of the GP14 class and the appeal of Belfast Lough as a racing venue.

Competitors aged from 14 to over 80 are expected to take part. The fleet will include elite sailors alongside families and club crews from across the world.

Shore activity will centre on Holywood, where the waterfront is set to host visiting teams and supporters throughout the week.

Lindsay Nolan, Commodore of the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, said the event would be “a true celebration of sailing”.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming competitors and visitors from around the world and giving them an unforgettable experience both on and off the water,” she said.

Councillor Gillian McCollum, Mayor of Ards and North Down, said the championship would deliver wider benefits.

“This event will bring significant benefits for the local economy while showcasing our coastline, tourism offering and maritime heritage to an international audience,” she said.

Organisers have confirmed a full programme of racing and shore events. Further details on schedules and visitor information are expected in the coming months.

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The GP14 is a popular sailing dinghy, with well over 14,000 boats built.

The class is active in the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and parts of north-eastern USA, and the GP14 can be used for both racing and cruising. 

Designed by Jack Holt in 1949, with the assistance of the Dovey Yacht Club in Aberdyfi. The idea behind the design was to build a General Purpose (GP) 14-foot dinghy which could be sailed or rowed, capable of also being powered effectively by a small outboard motor, able to be towed behind a small family car and able to be launched and recovered reasonably easily, and stable enough to be able to lie to moorings or anchor when required. Racing soon followed, initially with some degree of opposition from Yachting World, who had commissioned the design, and the boat soon turned out to be an outstanding racing design also.

The boat was initially designed with a main and small jib as a comfortable family dinghy. In a design philosophy that is both practical and highly redolent of social attitudes of the day the intention was that she should accommodate a family comprising parents plus two children, and specifically that the jib should be modest enough for "Mum" or older children to handle, while she should perform well enough to give "Dad" some excitement when not taking the family out. While this rig is still available, and can be useful when using the boat to teach sailing, or for family sailing, and has some popularity for cruising, the boat is more commonly seen with the full modern rig of a mainsail, genoa and spinnaker. Australian boats also routinely use trapezes.

GP14 Ireland Event Dates 2026

  • April 25–26 — O’Tiarnaigh Trophy, Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
  • May 9–10 — Munster Championship, Cullaun Sailing Club
  • June 6–7 — Ulster Championship, County Antrim Boat Club
  • June 11–14 — UK Nationals, Llandudno Sailing Club
  • July 4–5 — Leinster Championship, Howth Yacht Club
  • August 1–2 — Championship of Ireland, Carrickfergus Sailing Club
  • August 8–14 — GP14 World Championships
  • September 19–20 — Autumn Open / Youth Championship, Sligo Yacht Club
  • October 17–18 — Hot Toddy, Mullingar Sailing Club

 

At A Glance – GP14 Dinghy Specifications

Crew 2
Draft 1,200 mm (47 in)
Hull weight 132.9 kg
LOA 4.27 m (14 ft)
Beam 1.54 m
Spinnaker area 8.4 m2
Upwind sail area 12.85 m2

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