Ed Wheeler’s extraordinary career in sailing has ranged from racing the first International Cadet dinghy to be seen on Belfast Lough in the early 1950s (he won Ballyholme YC’s famous Lufra Cup for the big-fleet end-of-season pursuit race) to solo voyaging for thousands of miles along the Australian coast in a 28-footer. And now he is the latest awardee (for the second time) of the Irish Cruising Club’s premier trophy, the Faulkner Cup, for exceptional passage making over 3,500 often rough miles in 2023 with the Contessa 35 Witchcraft, from Strangford Lough to Madeira for the ICC Conor O’Brien/Saoirse Centenary Rally, and then home via the Azores, often with a newby crew.
In addition, he has served for years as Chairman of ICC Publications, and also put in long service to Royal Ulster Yacht Club, concluding in December 2023 when he stood down after many years in the senior executive role of Vice Commodore. During that time, he put Bangor Town Regatta firmly on the sailing map, yet in addition found the time to write hugely entertaining logs of his varied cruising experiences.
Ed Wheeler brings his Contessa 35 Witchcraft across the finish line at RUYC regatta. Though now mainly a cruising and voyaging boat, in 1993 this versatile Doug Peterson design achieved the possibly unique distinction of winning Royal Ocean Racing Club cups in the same year as she was awarded trophies by the Irish Cruising Club, and the Royal Cruising Club
