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Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland
Lauren McDowell (helm) and Erin McIlwaine in the 29er training at Newcastle Co Down are among the Mary Peters Trust awardees
Five young sailors have been given a unique chance to boost their training and skills after they were awarded funding from the Mary Peters Trust. The Trust aims to help aspiring young athletes, whatever their sport or social background, to…
RYA Northern Ireland’s 2021 Cruising Conference Goes Virtual
The countdown is on for the virtual RYA Northern Ireland Cruising Conference 2021, which will take place online over three separate evenings in the new year. The conference, which will be hosted via Zoom, will run on Tuesdays 19 and…
12-year-old Rory Pollard
Christmas has come early for 12-year-old Rory Pollard, who has been awarded a brand new boat by the John Merricks Sailing Trust. Rory, from Whitehead and a junior member of County Antrim Yacht Club, is the only sailor from Northern…
File image of Strangford Lough Yacht Club in Whiterock, Co Down
The second club to be celebrated in RYANI’s Recognition 2020 initiative is Strangford Lough Yacht Club, whose volunteers jumped into action to ensure the club was safe and ‘Covid-ready’ for when everyone could get back on the water. The club…
Northern Ireland Sailing Clubs Called for Submissions for New Sports Sustainability Fund
RYANI is encouraging sailing clubs across Northern Ireland to prepare for a joint application to the newly announced Sport NI Sports Sustainability Fund. Northern Ireland Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín launched the £25 million fund for Governing Bodies and affiliated…
Foyle Sailability in Derry is the first inspirational club to be highlighted in the RYANI’s Recognition 2020 series
RYA Northern Ireland’s Annual Awards have been put on hold this year due to coronavirus restrictions but this doesn’t mean that the celebrations have stopped. Virtually, RYANI will be celebrating clubs and the boating community right across Northern Ireland as…
File image of Strangford Sailing Club in Strangford, Co Down
Strangford Sailing Club has been named among the finalists for RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year 2021. Ten clubs across the UK have been selected by the RYA Awards Panel, with online voting now open. The Co…
Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 RYA Edition is Out Now
Make sure you're ready for the 2021-2024 changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing with the RYA rules books. The new editions are now available from the RYA shop - www.rya.org.uk/shop. Updated every four years by World Sailing, the Racing…
Richard Honeyford
RYANI Chief Operating Officer Richard Honeyford has joined the Northern Ireland Sports Forum (NISF). Gordon Reid has stepped down from the NISF and re-joined RYANI as Development Officer, covering Mary Martin's maternity leave. The Sports Forum is the recognised umbrella…
RYANI’s Virtual AGM Reflects on Achievements in a Difficult Year
RYA Northern Ireland held its first-ever virtual AGM earlier this month, reflecting on a different but successful year for the sport leading up to April 2020. Guests at the meeting included RYA chief executive RYA Sarah Treseder OBE, chair Chris…
Gordon Reid Returns to RYA Northern Ireland as Development Officer
Gordon Reid has rejoined RYANI as development officer to cover Mary Martin’s maternity leave. An architect by profession, Reid is an experienced watersport enthusiast who has also worked in club and coach development with Rowing Ireland. The Belfast man has…
RYA Scotland Seeks Sailing Development Officers
RYA Scotland currently employs 12 staff in a wide range of roles, from performance to training, to development alongside administrators. There are also around 60 volunteers contributing and leading its work for the boating community in Scotland. The organisation is…
Ryan Seaton (right) and crew Seafra Guilfoyle on Belfast Lough
Olympic sailor Ryan Seaton is back training at his home club in Carrickfergus on Belfast Lough following the completion of a slipway widening project. In past campaigns Ryan has had to train away from home because the slipway at Carrickfergus…
Lindsay Nolan of Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club was recoginsed by the Royal Yachting Association
Four inspiring Northern Ireland volunteers have been recognised nationally with awards from the Royal Yachting Association. Traditionally taking place at an awards ceremony in London, the RYA Volunteer Awards celebrate and say 'thank you' to volunteers who have made an…
Ryan Seaton (right) from Ballyholme Yacht Club competing with Seafra Guilfoyle in Austria
Northern Ireland sailor Ryan Seaton from Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough, took to the water at Lake Attersee, Austria, earlier this month to battle it out at the Europeans with the other half of his 49er duo Seafra Guilfoyle…
Laser dinghies at Strangford Sailing Club
RYA Northern Ireland is giving sailing and boating clubs across the country the opportunity to access support for club membership and development by providing 'Rediscover Sailing Days'. Following lockdown and a challenging few months, many clubs have seen increased interest…

About the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Northern Ireland 

  • The RYA is the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
  • The RYA is recognised by Government, the media and opinion formers as the representative body and voice for the activities that it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 112,000 personal members.
  • The RYA has more than 1,500 affiliated clubs and classes, which represent some 350,000 boaters throughout the UK. It is estimated that 4 million people in the UK take part in boating activity annually.
  • The RYA also sets and maintains recognised standards for training for both leisure and commercial boating through a network of more than 2,400 RYA Recognised Training Centres across 58 countries. More than 250,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.
  • The RYA is responsible for one of the UK’s most successful Olympic medal-winning sports. Our coaching and development schemes actively support 800 of our country’s top sailors, from talented juniors to Olympic and World champions.
  • The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone. For more information please visit www.rya.org.uk.
  • The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYA NI) acts for the RYA in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Chairman of RYA NI is invited to join the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Policy Review Committee.
  • You can find the RYA Northern Ireland at Sketrick House, GE8, Jubilee Road, Newtownards, BT23 4YH.
  • RYA NI is a company limited by guarantee – Registration number NI 51945
  • Contact RYA NI: Tel: 02891 827154 email: [email protected]