WM Nixon
William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.
The death of John Sisk of Dun Laoghaire highlights the sailing achievements of a private yet remarkable family whose name is internationally-recognised on major building sites and civil engineering projects in several countries, while at the same time, they are…
Afloat.ie regrets to record the death of John Sisk of Dun Laoghaire, the youngest brother in a notably successful three-brother generation of a remarkable sailing family. After childhood sailing in the family setting, his successful racing career began with Team…
The old salt who looked out at the weather this morning (Saturday) in Howth and remarked that in the west of Ireland this would be called “a high stool day” was echoing the feelings of most participants. But the J24…
Ireland's Headcase Makes It Two Bullets On The Trot In Penultimate Day Of J/24 Euros At Howth
2nd September 2022 J24
A distinct change in sailing conditions today (Friday) - from a sunny nor'easter to a grey sou'easter - seems to have suited the Irish contingent in the J/24 Euros very well indeed, with the afternoon ebb making for distinct delineations…
SB20s Will Come Of Age At World Championship With Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire
3rd September 2022 W M Nixon
In 2002, the ingenious Laser SB3 was unleashed on an unsuspecting world by Performance Sailcraft as one of several innovative craft that enabled the leading Laser builders to offer loyal Laser sailors – already in their several thousands with the…
Three-Race Programme for Third Day of J/24 Euros at Howth Keeps Jmania In Front
1st September 2022 J24
“Regatta weather” has provided the perfect sunny racing conditions for Day 3 (Thursday 1 September) of the J24 Euros ’22 at Howth Yacht Club. But any notions of lolling around in leisurely style were soon dispelled by the determination of…
Racing continued today (Wednesday) in the J/24 Euros at Howth with a moderate-plus northeast breeze in which there was no doubting the north in northeast. In such relatively crisp conditions, you’d have expected the hardy souls from more rugged regions…
While Admirals are expected to lead, the accepted naval strategic thinking would have it that the leading is meant to be done from Staff Headquarters, either ashore or on some vast ship, rather than out on the water in a…
In a weekend in which Eve McMahon of Howth added a major Silver Medal to her year's store of internationally-achieved significant metalware, you'd think that was enough to be going on with. But the formidable female skippers of the peninsula…
J/24 Europeans At Howth Is Latest Stage In A Long Story Of Continuous Renewal
27th August 2022 W M Nixon
The International J/24 European Championship getting under way this weekend in Howth leads inevitably to thoughts of a special drama afloat two months ago. The crunch finish period of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race 2022 at Wicklow on Friday,…
Concern That All-Ireland Helmsman's Championship Is To Become The Champions Cup
24th August 2022 All Irelands
It has had three or four titles in its 74 years of existence. But until now, the Irish Championship of Champions, or whatever it's called, has been raced for the same original and increasingly battered Silver Salver, as presented by…
Marina For Westport Proposed As Major Local Facility And Vital Link For Cruising Atlantic Seaboard
24th August 2022 Irish Marinas
The almost absurdly picturesque township of Westport at the head of Clew Bay has been variously acknowledged and nationally recognised as “Ireland’s Best Place to Visit”, and Ireland’s “Best Place to Live”. Even if dedicated misanthropes would argue that any…
With Ireland's diverse selection of women sailors achieving an extensive range of success locally, nationally and internationally during 2022, interest in getting involved is running at a high level across the population generally, and this Friday evening (August 26th), the…
With a fleet of 20 boats and crews drawn from 15 different clubs, including Seattle to the far west and Poole to the nearer southeast, the Irish J/24 Easterns over the weekend at Howth set the ball rolling towards the J/24…
A breezy session to round out a rugged series today (Friday) saw Patrick Boardman's immaculate Classic Half Tonner King One from Rush SC and Howth confirmed as overall winner of the RORC Half Ton Classics 2022 at Cowes from a…
Ireland’s Volatile Late Season Weather Increases Challenge For Race Officers
20th August 2022 W M Nixon
So where are they? The hurricanes, we mean. Or more accurately, the “decaying tropical storms” which occasionally make their ominous and often unpredictable way towards Ireland as the Summer progresses and morphs into Autumn. For as it happens, back in…
The three top Fingal-based classic Half Tonners - Patrick Boardman's King One from Rush, and Harmony (Jonny Swan) and Checkmate XV (Dave Cullen) from Howth - are having themselves a rare old time in the17-strong fleet in the RORC's Half…
Finished At Last! Medallia Is The Least Slow Of The RORC Round Britain & Ireland 2022 Fleet
18th August 2022 Rd Britain & Ireland
There has been so much enthusiasm and energy put into setting new sailing speed records in every discipline over the years that it may well be the only way to make a breakthrough is to see just how slowly you…
When we remember that as recently as 1576, the most memorable visit to the Dublin area by the Connacht Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley resulted in her kidnapping of the heir to Howth Castle in a dispute about the hospitality -…
“Mixed feelings” might describe the ordinary host club members’ feelings in contemplating the results of the Squib Easterns at Howth. For although Derek Bothwell, one of HYC’s elite squad of Race Officers, managed to pull a very complete set of…