In the time-honoured tradition at Kinsale in West Cork, the end of the season at Kinsale Yacht Club is marked by the Laying Up Dinner. This event allows members to come together to celebrate the season passed and look forward to the upcoming season. This year broke all records with tickets selling out in under three hours, such was the demand from members to attend.
2022 was a very successful year for Kinsale YC, including the inaugural Inishtearaght Race, three boats competing in the Round Ireland Race, two new National Champions this year, and the extremely successful Under 25’s Kinsailor J/24.
The Kinsale initiative is reviewed by Afloat's WM Nixon in an article entitled; Kinsale’s Pace-Setting In Nurturing Ireland’s Young Sailing Talent
Squib Champions
Ian Travers was the Regatta Director for the Squib National Championships, and the event saw 55 Squibs from across the UK and Ireland competing in Kinsale. Ian, along with Keith O Riordan took the Squib Irish National Champion title and now joins Kinsale’s list of National Champions.
Dragon Champions
Former Commodore Cameron Good, along with current Commodore Matthias Hellstern and Henry Kingston took the title of Dragon National Champion at the event in Dun Laoghaire, which had eluded Kinsale YC for 32 years.
Under 25’s Kinsailor project
The Club Member of the Year was awarded to former Commodore, Dave O’Sullivan. This award is made annually to someone who has gone to exceptional lengths to further the goals of Kinsale YC. This year’s recipient was given a suggestion which he ran with, putting a lot of time and effort into it. He used his power of persuasion to get others involved and very quickly Dave O’Sullivan had the Under 25’s Kinsailor project up and running and he agreed to be the mentor for the developing team.
With an enthusiastic youthful squad, many of whom attended the Laying Up Dinner, Dave set up a training schedule and fundraising events to be carried out by the squad who he said had to take ownership of the project.
A squad of 14 was put together and training began.
The boat and crew performed well enough in the midweek series but it really took everyone’s attention at the J24 European Championships in Howth in late August. Despite technical difficulties with a broken mast, the boat finished overall third in Europe separated from first by a single point and the best-performing Irish boat. They certainly left their mark, and hopefully, this was the first successful year of many to come.