Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Day one completed at the 2019 Optimist Nationals in Howth Yacht Club, with three good races in a real mix of conditions for the main fleets - senior and junior. The day started with 16-20 knots of breeze but this…

When Howth Yacht Club hosted the 1981 Optimist Worlds, it was while the harbour was in the midst of a major redevelopment project writes W M Nixon. Yet young sailors from 26 nations provided a fleet of 130 boats, and…

Howth Yacht Club’s Rocco Wright scored a tremendous result for Ireland as he placed 10th in the Optimist Worlds in Antigua earlier this week. He was followed closely in the final standings by 13th-placed James Dwyer Matthews of the Royal…

The International Optimist Dinghy Association Ireland (IODAI) shared a photo yesterday (Sunday 30 June) of the five-strong team headed to Antigua to represent Ireland at the 2019 World Championships later this week. Rocco Wright (Howth YC), James Dwyer Matthews (Royal…

Seven young sailors were selected at the Optimist trials last April to represent Ireland at the Optimist Europeans in Crozon, Brittany writes Coach Thomas Chaix. The 2019 regatta had about 300 entries from 50 countries making it virtually a 'B Worlds'.…

In Cork Harbour, five youth national sailing titles were decided at the four-day Irish Sailing Youth Championships hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven though Storm Hannah disrupted the event programme writes Bob Bateman. Ferguson victory in 420 In…

The Optimist class at the Irish Sailing Youth Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club were the only class that got racing today thanks to the relative shelter of their race course on Cork Harbour's Curlane Bank. In the Trials fleet,…

Howth Yacht Club’s annual Brassed Off Cup is once again being held on its traditional date of Good Friday, which falls this coming Friday 19 April. The Optimist dinghy event is a great opportunity for junior racers to dust off…

Optimist talent Justin Lucas scored three wins out of eight races on his way to a convincing victory at the Optimist Club Netherlands selection event last weekend. Last year’s Sailor of the Month for April, who sails out of the…

The International Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland (IODAI) is setting two volunteers to fill key positions in its committee. The roles of teams organiser and child safety officer do not require the volunteer to have any sailing experience or knowledge,…

James Dwyer Matthews (15) of Kinsale and Luke Turvey (13) of Howth have led the charge for Ireland in the 155-boat International Optimist British Spring Opens at Lymington, with both on the podium at the finish yesterday evening – Matthews…

#Optimist - Waterford Harbour Sailing Club will host the IODAI Optimist Munster Championships 2019 in Dunmore East on the weekend of 20-21 July. Regatta, Junior and Senior fleets will race in the event which is open to all boats of…

Howth Yacht Club will soon be hosting their annual IceBreaker Dinghy Series, kicking off this year on the 24th March, and running for four Sunday mornings with two races each morning writes Cormac Farrelly. It’s a great eight-race opportunity to…

It was a strong seventh-place finish overall for Howth Yacht Club’s Rocco Wright at the International Palamós Optimist Trophy, which concluded yesterday (Sunday 17 February) on Spain’s Costa Brava. The youngster remained in medal contention among a 110-boat gold fleet…

#Optimist - Baltimore Sailing Club have started preparations for the annual invasion of Irish Optimist sailors for the week from next Sunday 17 February. The International Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland’s (IODAI) team of coaches are making plans for training both…

Howth Yacht Club’s Rocco Wright continues his outstanding run of form at the Trofeo Euromarina Optimist in Torrevieja, going into the penultimate day in second place overall. The winner of the Seaward Bell Trophy in last week’s HYC Achievers Awards…