What is Howth Yacht Club?

Howth Yacht Club is one of the most storied in Ireland — celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2020 — and has an active club sailing and racing scene to rival those of the Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Clubs on the other side of Dublin Bay.

Where is Howth Yacht Club based?

Howth Yacht Club is based at the harbour of Howth, a suburban coastal village in north Co Dublin on the northern side of the Howth Head peninsula. The village is around 13km east-north-east of Dublin city centre and has a population of some 8,200.

When was Howth Yacht Club founded?

Howth Yacht Club was founded as Howth Sailing Club in 1895. Howth Sailing Club later combined with Howth Motor Yacht Club, which had operated from the village’s West Pier since 1935, to form Howth Yacht Club.

What does Howth Yacht Club do?

The club organises and runs sailing events and courses for members and visitors all throughout the year and has very active keelboat and dinghy racing fleets. In addition, Howth Yacht Club prides itself as being a world-class international sailing event venue and hosts many National, European and World Championships as part of its busy annual sailing schedule.

Who are the flag officers of Howth Yacht Club?

As of November 2020, the Commodore of the Royal St George Yacht Club is Ian Byrne, with Paddy Judge as Vice-Commodore (Clubhouse and Administration). The club has two Rear-Commodores, Neil Murphy for Sailing and Sara Lacy for Junior Sailing, Training & Development.

How many members does Howth Yacht Club have?

Howth Yacht Club says it has one of the largest sailing memberships in Ireland and the UK; an exact number could not be confirmed as of November 2020.

What are Howth Yacht Club’s burgee and ensign?

Howth Yacht Club’s burgee is a vertical-banded pennant of red, white and red with a red anchor at its centre. The club’s ensign has a blue-grey field with the Irish tricolour in its top left corner and red anchor towards the bottom right corner.

Does Howth Yacht Club organise racing?

The club organises and runs sailing events and courses for members and visitors all throughout the year and has very active keelboat and dinghy racing fleets. In addition, Howth Yacht Club prides itself as being a world-class international sailing event venue and hosts many National, European and World Championships as part of its busy annual sailing schedule.

Does Howth Yacht Club cater for youth sailing?

Yes, Howth Yacht Club has an active junior section

Does Howth Yacht Club cater for sail training?

Yes, Howth Yacht Club hosts sailing and powerboat training for adults, juniors and corporate sailing under the Quest Howth brand.

What sailing classes does Howth Yacht Club host?

Among its active keelboat and dinghy fleets, Howth Yacht Club is famous for being the home of the world’s oldest one-design racing keelboat class, the Howth Seventeen Footer. This still-thriving class of boat was designed by Walter Herbert Boyd in 1897 to be sailed in the local waters off Howth. The original five ‘gaff-rigged topsail’ boats that came to the harbour in the spring of 1898 are still raced hard from April until November every year along with the other 13 historical boats of this class.

Does Howth Yacht Club have its own fleet?

Yes, Howth Yacht Club has a fleet of five J80 keelboats for charter by members for training, racing, organised events and day sailing.

What facilities does Howth Yacht Club have?

The current modern clubhouse was the product of a design competition that was run in conjunction with the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland in 1983. The winning design by architects Vincent Fitzgerald and Reg Chandler was built and completed in March 1987. Further extensions have since been made to the building, grounds and its own secure 250-berth marina. Today the clubhouse comprises club offices, stores, marina reception, junior room, meeting rooms, laundry room and changing rooms on the ground floor, while the dramatic and spacious first floor is mainly reserved for the bar areas, dining room, function rooms, snooker room which is bordered by the modern sweeping balcony and terrace. Other facilities include 70 harbour moorings, 12-tonne cranes, secure hardstanding and dry-sailing facilities and onsite sail repair bins among many more.

Does Howth Yacht Club have a bar and/or dining facilities?

Yes, the Howth Yacht Club clubhouse offers a full bar and lounge, snug bar and coffee bar as well as a 180-seat dinging room. Currently the bar is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Catering remains available on weekends, take-home and delivery menus for Saturday night tapas and Sunday lunch.

What are the opening hours of Howth Yacht Club?

The Howth Yacht Club office is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Contact the club for current restaurant opening hours at catering@hyc.ie or phone 01 832 0606.

Does Howth Yacht Club host functions such as weddings, parties or corporate events?

Yes — when hosting sailing events, club racing, coaching and sailing courses, entertaining guests and running evening entertainment, tuition and talks, the club caters for all sorts of corporate, family and social occasions with a wide range of meeting, event and function rooms. For enquiries contact office@hyc.ie or phone 01 832 2141.

How do I become a member of Howth Yacht Club?

Howth Yacht Club has various categories of membership, each affording the opportunity to avail of all the facilities at one of Ireland’s finest sailing clubs

Do I need to own a boat to become a member of Howth Yacht Club?

No — members can join active crews taking part in club keelboat and open sailing events, not to mention Pay & Sail J80 racing, charter sailing and more

How much does it cost to join Howth Yacht Club?

Fees range from €190 to €885 for ordinary members

How long does membership of Howth Yacht Club last?

Memberships are renewed annually.

How do I contact Howth Yacht Club?

Tel: 01 832 2141 or info@hyc.ie

Lifeboat

29th August 2010

Lifeboat Rescues Flying Fifteen Crew

A rescue operation to recover a Flying fifteen keelboat and its two crew is underway on Dublin bay this evening. The 20-foot sailing boat capsized in strong north westerly winds in Scotsman's Bay. Both Dun Laoghaire's inshore and offshore lifeboats and a local RIB is at the scene.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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22nd August 2010

New Lifeboat for Shannon Estuary

Volunteers at Kilrush Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station on the Shannon Estuary have received a new state-of-the-art lifeboat which enters service this month.

The Atlantic 85 RIB (Rigid Inflatable boat) is not only bigger and more powerful than Kilrush's existing craft but it also fitted with the latest Search and Rescue technology and instrumentation, equipping the service to continue saving lives into the next generation. Kilrush is one of only two stations in Ireland and the UK which will receive such an upgrade this year.

Following the construction of a new station in 1996, an Atlantic 21 B Class lifeboat was placed on temporary duty at the Kilrush station however it was replaced by a new Atlantic 75 lifeboat the following October. Fourteen years later, this vessel will now be replaced by the new Atlantic 85.

Kilrush Lifeboat Operations Manager John Lamb said, "This is a great vote of confidence in the crew here at Kilrush. It shows that we are doing what is being asked of us and that are being rewarded by being entrusted by this the latest in lifeboat technology and development"

The Atlantic class of lifeboats is named after Atlantic College, where the design was originally developed. Like previous RIBs, it has a manually operated self-righting mechanism, deploying an airbag mounted atop the A-frame arch. It is capable of being beached in an emergency without sustaining damage to engines or steering gear. The Atlantic 85 is fitted with radar and VHF direction finding equipment and can be operated safely in daylight in a force 6/7 and at night in a force 5/6 gale.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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16th August 2010

Three Die in Cruiser Fire off West Cork

Three men are dead and a fourth has been injured after a boat went on fire and sank off the West Cork coast this evening. It happened in waters south of Roundcarrig Lighthouse off Adrigole Harbour, Bantry Bay. It is understood a serious fire broke out on the 25-foot cruiser. The RNLI lifeboat went to the cruiser's rescue at 5.45pm. There is no information currently about the type of cruiser involved.

cruiseronfire

Photo: courtesy of Castletownbere lifeboat

A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the men in the water. The boat was on fire and sinking as they arrived.

The bodies of the three victims have been removed to hospital. It is understood all four men, who were in their 60s, were living in the Glengarriff area.

One of the victims is Irish and the other two men are from other European countries. A fourth man, who survived the incident, has also been taken to hospital.

The boat sank a short while later off Roancarrig, about seven miles from the fishing port. Conditions were calm at the time with some light fog in the bay, the spokeswoman said. Officials from the Marine Casualty Investigation Board will carry out an inquiry into the incident.
It is understood investigations will centre on whether an explosion in the engine caused the fire.

Press Release from RNLI:

Lifeboat crew with Castletownbere RNLI responded to a callout out this evening (Monday 16 August 2010) to a 25-foot cruiser on fire seven miles off the coast of Castletownbere, off Adrigole Harbour in Bantry Bay. The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter was on scene and recovered four casualties from the water. Three were pronounced dead and one was taken to Cork University hospital for treatment.

The Castletownbere all weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 17.41 hrs in calm conditions. On arrival at the scene the lifeboat volunteers witnessed the vessel on fire and the CG helicopter was recovering the casualties from the water. The Shannon based helicopter had been out on a callout and was in the area. The lifeboat was designated on scene commander and stayed on scene until the burning cruiser sank.

Published in Rescue

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15th August 2010

Welsh Coastguards Carry Out Two Irish Sea Evacuations

A three year old boy and a commercial seaman have both been evacuated from two separate vessels due to medical problems yesterday afternoon.

Milford Haven Coastguard was contacted at just before 4.00 pm to report that a child had been taken ill onboard the roll-on-roll-off ferry Stena Europe. The vessel was 13 nautical miles west of Strumble Head. The boy was being attended to by a doctor and two nurses onboard the ferry who, after discussion with doctors at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, advised that the boy needed to be taken off the vessel. Rescue helicopter 122 from RAF Valley was scrambled and the boy was airlifted to Withybush Hospital.

The little boy and his family were on their way home to Ireland when the child was taken ill, says Graham Warlow, Milford Haven Coastguard Watch Manager. We wish him a speedy recovery.

At the same time that the Stena Europe was in contact with Milford Haven Coastguard, the merchant vessel Marida Melissa contacted Holyhead Coastguard to report that they had their own medical emergency onboard. One of their seafarers, an Indian national, had become ill, and after discussions with doctors it was decided that the best course of action would be to evacuate him to hospital. However, the rescue helicopter was already needed for the ill child on the ferry and so Moelfre RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch with paramedics onboard.

We dont normally use lifeboats for medical evacuations but in this case, the child had to take priority, says Barry Priddis, Holyhead Coastguard Watch Manager. When the lifeboat crew arrived at the vessel, which was anchored off Moelfre, they assessed the scene and reported back to us that they were confident that they could evacuate the ill man off of the ship safely. The man was carefully lifted on to the lifeboat then taken back into Moelfre, where he was lifted into an awaiting ambulance, then on to hospital.

Published in Coastguard

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13th August 2010

Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists 3 People on 'Engine Failure' Vessel

At 20.55hrs last night, Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch to assist three persons on board a 43ft motor cruiser which had suffered engine failure. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Deirdre Kenny and Ruth Spillane on board, launched at 21.00hrs. Winds were north-westerly, Force 4, gusting 5. Visibility was initially fair with fading light. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel at 21.18hrs and found all passengers to be safe and unharmed. They were requested to put on their lifejackets. The vessel had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed onto the rocky shore. Once a tow was set up, the vessel weighed anchor and was taken to the safety of the public harbour in Dromineer, where the lifeboat Deputy Launching Authority Fergal Kerney and RNLI crew members Ciaran Murphy, Ger Ahern and Dom Sharkey were waiting to take lines to assist moor the boat.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 23.00hrs

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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12th August 2010

Launch of Helensburgh Lifeboat following capsized dinghy

At 6.27pm on Wednesday 11 August 2010 Clyde Coastguard instructed the launch of Helensburgh RNLI Lifeboat after they were advised that a dinghy had capsized off the Helensburgh sea front and that there were two children in the water; the adult with them appeared to be having difficulty righting the dinghy.

While the inshore lifeboat (ILB) was proceeding to the scene, Clyde Coastguard advised that a passing RIB had taken the children ashore however the adult was still trying to right the dinghy. At 6.37pm the ILB was on scene where the crew helped to right the boat; this was complicated by the fact that the mast was stuck in the mud.Once 'unstuck', the dinghy was towed back to Helensburgh Pier by the ILB. The ILB then returned to base.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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8th August 2010

Red Bay RNLI Rescue brother and sister off Fair Head Rocks in County Antrim

County Antrim's Red Bay Lifeboat crew launched this evening (Saturday 7 August 2010) to rescue a brother and sister who had got into difficulty in the Boulder Field on Fair Head rocks on the North Antrim Coast. This is the first callout for Red Bay's new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Geoffrey Charles.

The call for help was received at 18.25 this evening when the siblings went walking in the Boulder field and got into difficulty. The Red Bay lifeboat was launched and in a heavy swell manoeuvred close to the rocks. One of the volunteer lifeboat crew then swam from the lifeboat onto the rocks with another crewmember's drysuit and a lifejacket. He then assisted the casualties one at a time using a rope.

Under difficult conditions the two casualties were recovered onto the lifeboat and landed at Ballycastle. No further medical attention was needed. Commenting on the rescue Red Bay RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin said, " Although people like to walk in this scenic area of North Antrim it can be a very dangerous spot. This was a successful first callout for our new lifeboat and the two people are recovering well from their ordeal."

The new lifeboat was only put on station less than a fortnight ago. It has a number of improvements on its predecessor including a faster top speed of 35 knots; radar; provision for a fourth crew member and more space for survivors. It can operate safely in daylight in up to force 7 conditions and at night in up to force 6, it is also capable of being beached in an emergency.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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28th July 2010

Clifden Lifeboat Calls for Vigilance over Hoax Flares

The RNLI Lifeboat in Clifden, Co. Galway has issued a plea over a series of call outs due to the irresponsible use of flares at the weekend. Flares were spotted off Roundstone which led to an extensive search mission in the area. It is the latest in a series of flare sightings in the area. Sources believe the cause of the problem may be expired flares let off from land.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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26th July 2010

Baltimore Lifeboat Assists Yacht Adrift

The Baltimore RNLI inshore lifeboat Bessie, was launched this evening to assist a yacht that was adrift west of the Kedge Island near Baltimore, West Cork. The 26ft yacht with two people on board had been making its way from Glandore to Schull when its engine failed. The two crew on board decided that they would not be able to make their way to a safe harbour under sail and issued a call for assistance. Baltimore lifeboat was alerted at 19:54. Within minutes the inshore lifeboat Bessie was launched. Helm Youen Jacob with his crew, Ronan Callanan and Paul O’Driscoll, made their way towards the Kedge and having located the yacht established a tow. The casualty was towed to the safety of Baltimore Harbour. Prevailing weather conditions were moderate with Westerly winds of 12-15 knots.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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18th July 2010

Busy Weekend for Baltimore Lifeboat

Baltimore Inshore lIfeboat was called into service twice on Saturday to assist vessels in distress in poor weather conditions. A yacht dragging its anchor in Church Strand called for assistance while winds were freshening to force 7 from the southwest with heavy rain and poor visibility. The alarm was raised at 20:15 on Saturday. Helmsman John Kearney and crew Micheal Cottrell and Ronan Calnan provided assistance to the lone yachtsman, helped to secure the vessel and escorted her back to Baltimore Harbour.

Later at 22:40 the inshore lifeboat was again called out to give assistance to a RIB that had gone aground on a rocky shore following engine failure. There was one man and two children on board at the time. The inshore lifeboat was launched again under the direction of Helmsman John Kearney and crew Paul O'Driscoll and Tadhg Collins. Again the lifeboat was able to secure the safety of the vessel and passengers.