For sailors in the greater Dublin area, as the boat size increases so too does the need to find a relatively distant well-furnished port if a proper change of scene is sought for a civilised stopover. Thus last weekend’s finishing of an ISORA cross-channel race at Greystones was historic in its way, for it’s not so long since the nearest options for a viable destination port south of Dublin Bay were limited to Wicklow and Arklow.
DUN LAOGHAIRE TO WICKLOW MARATHON
Yet we only have to read that droll writer Patrick Campbell’s accounts of getting to and from Wicklow Regatta with his father’s engineless Dublin Bay 21 Garavogue could be a very long business. Despite sailing under her original large area jackyard topsail-sporting gaff rig, the 21 nautical miles from Dun Laoghaire southwards to Wicklow’s magical river port under the hill might have provided endlessly entertaining copy when mist and calm arrived and desperate sorties were made ashore in search of water and sustenance, but actually experiencing it was a turnoff for potential sailing enthusiasts.
The restored DB21 Garavogue racing to the Clontarf At Home 2025 under the newly-introduced “American gaff” rig. Under her original jackyard topsail rig in the ownership of the Campbell family, getting to and from Wicklow Regatta might take an entire weekend. Photo: Jonathan O’Rourke
Certainly readers may be entertained, but tyro crewpersons become discouraged. So if you want a budding crew to acquire a taste for venturing slightly beyond the usual sailing limits, the transformation of Greystones into a proper port at a manageable distance from Dublin Bay has been a real boon.
DART STATION NEEDED AT GREYSTONES HARBOUR
That said, if they want to encourage people from elsewhere to make full use of it, then they should install a DART station where the old Dublin SE Railway (The Dublin Slow & Easy of times past) curves nearby carrying the DART, but the existing Greystones station further south at the alternative town centre is beyond handy walking distance.
Greystones Harbour & Marina – the DART passes tantalizingly close, but the only station is significantly far to the south. Photo: Facebook
Be that as it may, when seen from the cockpit of a 22-footer, the Dublin coast can become a varied mini-cruising area, and this is something which is utilized by the Julian Everitt-designed lifting keel E-Boat class at Clontarf, and the Howth 17s based round the corner beyond Howth Head.
MAGIC AREA BETWEEN LAMBAY AND GREYSTONES
Admittedly the Howth 17s have an overall hull length of 22ft 6ins, which becomes something like 25ft when you include the crumple zone, aka the bowsprit. But in both cases we’ve boats of a size that can find complete sailing entertainment in organising races or rallies in the area between Lambay to the north and Greystones to the south.
The E Boat Class at Clontarf take the opportunity of high tide for evening racing in a seemingly industrial setting close off the club……..PHOTO: CY&BC
……..but at weekends it’s only a short sail for E-Boats to enjoy summer sailing in Dublin Bay. Photo: CY&BC
Though Howth 17s have made some remarkably long passages, both coastal and offshore, if in port you would tend to seek a bed ashore. But the E-Boat provides an overnight option, albeit somewhat Spartan. Thus their passage racing and cruising area extends from marina-furnished Malahide to the north down to Greystones in the south, and from time to time Clontarf Y&BC’s ancient links with the Royal Canal will find the E-Boats in motorboat made, making their way to the North Shannon at the Royal Canal’s Richmond Harbour in the far depths of Longford.
WORKING DUBIN COASTLINE TO BEST ADVANTAGE
As for the 1898-founded Howth 17s, their 125th anniversary three years ago found them cruising in company in West Cork. But during 2026 they’re working the Dublin coastline to best advantage as they welcome the newest boat to the class, Gerry Comerford’s own-built and utterly immaculate Anna, No 22.
Early days of the 2026 season – top performer Deilginis (Massey syndicate, built Kelly of Portrush 1907) on a bracing sail through Howth Sound when the grass was still green on Ireland’s Eye. Photo: Tom Ryan
BIGGEST CLASS AT DUN LAOGHAIRE CLASSICS
In the spirit of the season, they provided the largest single class turnout at the Royal Irish YC Classics Regatta in late June, and then in mid-July arrived with a flourish for the Clontarf At Home, racing from Howth in a tradition - which goes back to 1899 - for the first prize of a proper freshly-baked Clontarf brack loaf, won in 2026 by Conor & Brian Turvey’s 1988-built Isobel.
Exceptional quality of construction and finish – Gerry Comerford aboard his newly-launched creation., Howth 17 No 22 Anna. Photo: H17 Assoc.
They’ve had a very successful Family Day with short races for all categories of helming, their annual championship will be over the early-starting weekend of August 7-9th, while the annual pilgrimage which is the Gibney Classic - finishing in Malahide - concludes in the eponymous pub there on August 15th.
The joy of sailing your own-built boat – Gerry Comerford’s Anna settling into open sea racing. Photo: Jim McCormack
NEW AND EXOTIC
And the remarkable thing is that when you sail into a port like Malahide in a low-slung boat like a Howth 17, it seems like somewhere complete new and exotic, no matter how many times you may have arrived there by road or rail.
Southward bound. The Howth 17s off a very parched Howth Head and headed for Clontarf are (left to right) Oona, Eileen, Aura, Orla and the new Anna. Photo: Jim McCormack
Northward bound. Howth 17s head through Howth Sound on their weekly evening race, when – in the interests of quicker preparation time – topsails are not permitted. Photo: Jane Duffy.
