Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on the southern shore of Belfast Lough has a long-established Squib fleet, and this weekend (25th/26th May), will host the Northern Championships.
The entry list (download as a PDF below) is a respectable 22 with a good mix of local and visiting boats. If the weather cooperates, another couple of local entries may be possible.
Among the ones to watch are locals Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan on Quickstep III, the far-travelled Ian Travers and Kieth O’Riordan and Ronan MacDonell and Lindsay Nolan from Kinsale, the always fast Peter Wallace and Carl Allen on Toy for the Boys and the defenders Terry Rowan and Andrew Vaughan on Dogwatch, all from the host club. A couple of returning national champions are certain to be near the top, Ross Kearney and Micheal Wright on Jumini and John Driscoll and David Cagney on Aficionado.
Also on a long trip to Belfast Lough are Dick Batt from Royal Victoria YC on the Isle of Wight, Mark Bradshaw from Aberdeen and Stonehaven Sailing in the North East of Scotland and Tudor Roberts from Holyhead.
Killyleagh on Strangford Lough and Howth YC are represented, too.
The forecast is to settle to a brisk and more manageable South Easterly of 14 -18 knots on both days, which will provide flat seas and relief from the very strong Northerlies and rough seas midweek.
The Race Officer for the four-race programme of windward /leeward courses is Sam Lyness.
