Classic clinker-built wooden dinghies can mean a lot of maintenance work as they mature. Betty Armstrong's recent stories on Afloat.ie of restoration projects on some of the almost-forgotten 14ft Ballyholme Insects in the North, will have been an evocative reminder for many of the grim end-of-season discovery that it's going to be a busy winter if you're in the vintage clinker club, and wish to continue sailing a boat whose interior seems to be a complex mosaic of deterioration-attracting timber rectangles set under many ribs, all of which appear keen to join the rot rotation.

Thus it's little wonder that the advent of edge-glued rib-free clinker construction - as seen in the Rankin dinghies from Cobh - was regarded as a glimpse of the promised land. But barely had they started to make an impact before glassfibre appeared to take centre stage. Yet now classic fully-ribbed clinker-built dinghies - some of remarkable vintage - are on tops for a certain discerning cohort of sailors. And if you're vulgar enough to demand why they take an interest in such an arcane and not exactly inexpensive branch of sailing, the answer might well be the equally blunt: "Because I can".

Masterpiece in the making - an early stage in the creation of the two latest Dublin Bay Water Wags by Rui Ferreira in Ballydehob. Photo: Rui Ferreira

The hull shell is finished and awaiting the installation of ribs - many ribs....Photo: Rui Ferreira 

The rib-installation programme is well advanced, with painstaking attention to detail and a continuous policy of cleanliness. Photo: Rui Ferreira

SOOTHING ATMOSPHERE OF CLASSIC BOAT-BUILDING

But that said, there's something extraordinarily satisfying about witnessing a master craftsman restoring or new-building a clinker boat - particularly if you've ever tried doing it yourself, to learn from frustration just how difficult can be this skill which they seem to make almost easy. And the very aroma of a good wood workshop is reassuring in itself too, as it's bred into us. For once upon a time a very long time ago, an affinity for wood and working with it was an essential survival mechanism. If your remote potential ancestor took against wood for some weird personal reason, then there's no way they were going to thrive sufficiently to actually become your ancestor.

Rib programme is now complete, and the centreboard case has been installed, but there's still much work to be done. Photo: Rui Ferreira 

So today, when everyone needs something soothing to fortify them for the challenges of Cheltenham, the pace of Patricks Day, and the exquisite agony of anticipating the England rugby match followed by Mother's Day, we publish a calming image from Athlone, where Dougal McMahon is putting new ribs into the Alan & DJ Algeo's Shannon One Design wth a clean style that puts to shame anyone who has tried to short-cut by doubling-up on fractured timbers.

We also have images from Rui Ferreira in Ballydehob, where he has two new Water Wags for Dublin Bay under construction to such a standard that, really, they should be consigned straight to an up-market artworks auction. And finally, from Dun Laoghaire we have a photo of the multi-boat sailor Sean Craig's recently-acquired Water Wag, Brittany-built in 2022 by Skol Ar Mor's latest offshoot, a maritime and boat-building school in St Nazaire.

A good idea of the amount of work in fully finishing a Water Wag can be gleaned from this glimpse of Sean Craig's new Brittany-built boat. Photo: Sean Craig

Although women sailors have played an active role in the Dublin Bay Water Wags OD Dinghy Class since their foundation in 1887 as revealed in Afloat.ie recently until Gail Varian (RStGYC) was elected President at last night's AGM in the RIYC, the class has never been led by a woman President.

Perhaps they thought that the fact that the second version of the boats - introduced in 1900 - had been created by yacht designer Maimie Doyle covered options not available to other classes. But anyway, as of last night, they're now up to speed on all contemporary trends, and longtime Water Wag sailor Gail Varian brings a special enthusiasm to the role, as her interests in classic dinghies are such that she's also into the revival of the 1912-designed International 12s.

In one of the largest-ever class turnouts, 100 Water Wag Club members and their guests attended the 2022 season prizegiving dinner in the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Friday 10th, February.

Guests included the 2022 race management team of the DBSC Committee Boat Mac Lir (Harry Gallagher, Ann Kirwan, Brendan Briscoe, Ian Meldon and Hal Sisk) along with NYC Commodore Conor O’Regan.

The Water Wag, which was created in 1886 and formally recognised as a one-design class in Ireland in 1887, is the oldest one-design dinghy now in use and one of Ireland's most popular with summer racing from Dublin Bay's Dun Laoghaire harbour, typically attracting up to 30 boats for Wednesday night racing. The 2022 season had the largest entry – 39 boats with an average race turnout of 25. 

There were some 26 prizes winners of the Water Wags' historic perpetual trophies presented at the National Yacht Club Photo: Michael Chester

21 races were run on Wednesday evenings in Dun Laoghaire Harbour between 25th April and 21st September 2022.

The Jubilee Cup is the Club’s premier trophy and was presented by the founder of the Water Wags, Thomas Middleton, in 1897 (the year of Queen Victoria’s second Jubilee) and has the names of each year’s winning Water Wags and their crews going back to the start of the class in 1887.

Water Wag Class main prizes 2022

Water Wag Class Main prizes 2022

NYC Commodore Conor O’Regan (left) presents the Water Wags Jubilee Cup to Jackie and Guy Kilroy (centre) with Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

Amy O’Leary (left) presents the Water Wag Hilpotsteiner Tankard to the Peggy crew of David Corcoran and Patricia Corcoran (centre) with Class Captain Con Murphy. The Corcorans also won the Snuff box for their Division 1B overall win Photo: Michael Chester

NYC Commodore Conor O’Regan presents the Water Wags Middleton Howitzer/ Book Regattas, Shannon Half Model and Coquette Cup to the Mariposa crew of Cathy MacAleavey and Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

NYC Commodore Conor O’Regan presents the Water Wags Cora Cup to the Chloe crew Amy and Kate O'Leary (centre) with the Wags Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

Other 2022 main prizewinners were:

The Sprite Trophy (for the best boat over 80 years old) went to Moosmie, sailed by John O'Driscoll and Stephen Tierney (centre) with Water Wag Committee Member Zoe Kissane and Wag Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

The Maureen Vase for Best all female crew went to Freddie sailed by Bairbre Stewart and Pam McKay (centre) with Water Wag Committee Member Zoe Kissane (left) and Wag Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

The Donohoe Titanic Trophy for the most improved performance went to Mary Kate, sailed by Mike Magowan and Ian Magowan (centre) with Water Wag Committee Member Zoe Kissane and Wag Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

The Simon Nolan Cup for the Water Wag Volunteer went to William Prentice (centre) with Water Wag Committee Member Zoe Kissane and Wag Class Captain Con Murphy Photo: Michael Chester

NYC Commodore Conor O’Regan (centre) presents the Derek Payne Trophy, Concours D'elegance, to the Water Wag Miss Scarlett crew of Heather and Sean Craig Photo: Michael Chester 

All boats were also presented with individual medals made by Cathy MacAleavey.

Download an excel file of the season prizewinners below

Water Wag Club 2022 Season Prizegiving Photo Gallery by Michael Chester

It could be argued that the progress of the Dublin Bay Water Wag Class has been unstoppable since its foundation in 1887 by Ben Middleton and his friends as the world’s first One-Design fleet. There may have been times in their unrivalled life-span when the future of these characterful little boats seemed thin enough, but such times have been forgotten, and now they thrive as never before.

The Wags have come in two manifestations. The first was a lug-rigged 13ft double-ender in 1887, while the second, a more robust 14ft 3ins transom-sterned boat to Maimie Doyle’s design with a gunter sloop rig, arrived in 1900. This second version clearly hit the spot, and though not all individual boats have stayed the course, the class’s fastidiously maintained registration system - which only allocates sail numbers to boats in full sailable condition – has been through the 50 mark for two seasons now, and will be increased by at least two more in 2023 with a couple of completely new boats under construction by master craftsman Rui Ferreira of Ballydehob in West Cork.

 Rui Ferreira with a previously-completed Water Wag awaiting the paint and varnish treatment

Rui is no stranger to Water Wag building to the highest international standards, but the pace in the class is such that having the newest boats will not necessarily bring success.

That said, the two new owner-skippers, who prefer to remain anonymous at this stage, come with impressive track records. And in keeping with the Class’s gender-blindness – part of its DNA since its foundation – one of the new owners is female, while the other is one of the others.

The Ferreira workshop is tidied, and the setup is in place for a new Water Wag to start taking shape

The skeletons of two new Water Wags begin to emerge

The original Water Wag builders of 122 years ago did not have the benefit of today’s lamination techniques for building the stem, but now it greatly enhances the finished boat

The DBSC Water Wag dinghy fleet raced their last race of the season on Wednesday for the Candlelight Trophy at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

Race Officer Tadgh Donnelly set a course of three rounds, four beats in winds of eight-ten knots from 200 degrees.

The race start was delayed by 20 minutes until the visiting cruise ship tendering at the harbour finished.

24 boats started, including a visiting boat, the last wag built; No. 52 Miss Scarlett was constructed in France earlier this year.

Tim Pearson in Little Tern number 36 takes third place in the Water Wag Candelight Trophy at the finish line buoy from number 38, Guy Kilroy in Swift Photo: Ann Kirwan

The race was won by number 15, Moosmie sailed by John O'Driscoll, Second was Mariposa, number 45, Cathy Mac Aleavey. The third was number 36; Little Tern sailed by Tim Pearson.

Results are below

A strong turnout of Water Wags on Wednesday night in Dun Laoghaire Harbour counted for the National Yacht Club's Women at the Helm regatta as well as regular Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) points. 

19 Wag dinghies entered 'WATH', all helmed by women.

Race Officer Harry Gallagher of Sutton Dinghy Club set a course of three rounds and four beats in the sub-10-knot breeze.

Rio Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy crewed for her sister Claudine in Mollie and the sister's parents Con and Cathy came up from Domineer in County Tipperary taking advantage of yesterday’s lay day in the Fireball Worlds on Lough Derg where Con is Race Officer and also competed as regular Wag racers. Cathy helmed Mariposa with Con crewing as usual.

Number 49 Hilda sailed by Heather King was the winner, Number 45 Mariposa sailed by Cathy MacAleavey second and Number 15 Moosmie third. Third, in the WATH race was Nicky Gray.

The 23-boat Dublin Bay Water Wag dinghy fleet had one light air race on Wednesday evening (August 17th) in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

DBSC Race Officer Tadgh Donnelly set a course of three rounds (four beats) in a six-knot breeze from 120 degrees.

Guy Kilroy's Swift (Number 38) was the race winner, with Justin Geoghegan's Swallow (40) second and Hilda sailed by Martin Byrne (49) in third. 

Guy Kilroy's Swift (Number 38) was the Water Wag DBSC race winner Photo: Ann Kirwan

In a tight finish to Wednesday's single DBSC Water Wag dinghy race inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour, Guy Kilroy executed a race-winning move at the favoured end of the finish line to take the gun. 

Race Officer Tadgh Donnelly set a course of three rounds and four beats. There were 22 starters in a southeasterly breeze of 7-8 knots.

22 Water Wags turned out for the Wednesday night race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Ann Kirwan/DBSC

Kilroy no. 38 (Swift), who was in fourth place at the third weather mark, pipped Adam Winkelmann no. 46 (Mademoiselle), followed by Hugh Delap no. 21 (Jacqueline) on the line as the video below shows.

Laura and William Prentice sailing Tortoise were the winners of Wednesday night's DBSC Water Wag race at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The wind was 10 to 13 northwesterly on the Harbour course.

Race Officer Harry Gallagher set three rounds (four beats) for the 26-boat fleet.

Second was Guy Kilroy's Swift with Cathy Mac Aleavey's Mariposa in third place.

John O'Driscoll's Moosmie was the winner of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) single Water Wag dinghy race on Wednesday evening in trying conditions inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Following a postponement for 15 minutes, Race Officer Ian Mathews started the race setting a course of two rounds for the 25 starters.

Mathews shortened after one round and a second beat to finish at the weather mark.

William Prentice's Tortoise was second

Scroll down for results below