The Irish National Sailing Club is pleased to announce the election of Dun Laoghaire Laser sailor and dinghy instructor Patricia Kelly to the position of the first Commodore of the six-year-old club at their AGM held online on Monday the 21st of December 2020.
Patricia is a relatively recent convert to sailing, having taken a beginner course roughly five years ago onboard a keelboat before trying out dinghy sailing after joining the Irish National Sailing Club. Patricia embodies the ethos of the INSC, which promotes pay as you go sailing in a fun and safe way and becoming totally immersed in all things small boat sailing.
Patricia Kelly (right) with (right to left) fellow INSC dinghy instructors Alex Wan, James Linton, Nick Smith and Joan Sheffield
After a short while using the INSC Laser fleet, Patricia took the plunge and bought her own Laser, and was immediately an enthusiastic sailor and progressed quickly. She was instrumental in organising a small group of INSC members to get out on the water for a series of mid-week lessons with various coaches from Dun Laoghaire. This flare for making things happen was a natural asset when the club teamed up with the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School to develop a group of adult dinghy and keelboat instructors in 2019.
Patricia flew through the various assessment and training modules qualifying as a dinghy instructor and was straight out onto the water that Summer introducing many new sailors to the sport, and most importantly encouraging them as they took their first steps after their courses while sailing with the club.
Patricia Kelly trials the INSC’s new RS Zest dinghy, before designing a training programme for new club members on these new craft
Elected onto the INSC committee, Patricia was instrumental in driving numerous projects to help the Club develop a pathway and strategy to get more people afloat, and was a contributor to all club activities including putting in a number of shifts at the RS Super Series in the depths of Winter.
Patricia is regularly found on race courses, both in safety boat duties such as the 2019 Laser Masters and is also a regular competitor in her Laser in DBSC Summer and DMYC Frostbite series.
Patricia Kelly (helm) providing safety cover at a RS Super Series Event in Dun Laoghaire
A contribution of particular note was the heading of a subcommittee tasked with developing a training programme for INSC member for the 2020 season. A comprehensive and truly ambitious programme was developed, drawing on her own experience. The programme was full of specific actions all linked to a measurable outcome and had total support from the entire INSC committee as well as a very supportive and excited membership. Alas, the pandemic has postponed some of the plans, however Patricia did lead the INSC women afloat programme, developing a coaching day with support from Irish Sailing as part of the Women at the Helm initiative that saw one of the busiest and most successful days afloat for the INSC in 2020.
Not a tough choice for Club members, Patricia was elected unanimously, and the Club is looking forward to an exciting 2021 under Commodore Patricia Kelly’s leadership.
