Charlie O’Malley from Donaghadee Sailing Club has spent the last six months getting on the water as much as he can in his Topper awarded by the John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST) and RYA OnBoard partnership.

Since its launch in 2013, the partnership has supported youth sailors who display enthusiasm, drive, talent and commitment to the sport but may not ordinarily have had the opportunity or financial backing to achieve their goals.

In its six years, 76 boats and boards have been donated across the UK — with 10 of these awarded in Northern Ireland, and some remarkable success stories.

Charlie first got into sailing when he joined his friends to take part in Bright Night Sailing — an initiative where young people learn the basic skills of sailing while meeting new friends along the way.

He says that winning the boat meant a lot to him: “I was speechless for the first time ever! I was so excited, I was jumping up and down in joy. Especially when I saw the delivery truck coming down the street towards me.

“When I started racing I borrowed a club Topper. It was pretty basic but it got me started and I was coming last every time.

“When I got my own boat from JMST and RYA OnBoard, I had it out for the first day and I did very well. That made me feel very grateful and made me more confident in the water.”

Charlie hasn’t wasted a moment since he was awarded the boat, he says. “I sail five times a week — sometimes six — with my boat at different clubs. I sail mostly at Donaghadee but I also enjoy trying different waters at different clubs.

“It has helped me lots because now I can go to different places to sail and to sail in national events such as the Youth Nationals and the Irish Topper Nationals.”

He says that he enjoys the social side of sailing and meeting new people but he also enjoys competing.

“I had achieved a lot since I got the boat. I won a series in Donaghadee Sailing Club and won the [Centenary] Regatta in Ballyholme Yacht Club. I also did my first three-day event in my boat at the Nationals.

“Sailing gives me something to do in my spare time that I really enjoy and something that I can carry on throughout my life.”

After meeting one of his sailing heroes at the RYANI Annual Awards earlier this year, Charlie says he is inspired to follow in his footsteps.

“My inspiration would be Ian Walker because he started in a Topper and slowly worked his way up to Olympic level, meeting new people and sailing with friends. I want to do the exact same thing when I grow up.”

Charlie has got big plans before he gives the boat back next year and hopes to continue on his winning streak.

“Before I give back the Topper I would like to have competed in the worlds and get a few more trophies elsewhere,” he says.

RYANI’s high performance manager Matt McGovern said: “I have met Charlie several times since the JMST awards, at several different sailing clubs, and I have been extremely impressed with his attitude and keenness to get out on the water.

“Getting enthusiastic young sailors access to boats and helping give them time on the water is what this award is all about.

“I can think of no better example than that of Charlie. I will not be surprised if we see him rising through the ranks of the RYANI Performance Programme over the coming years.”

Applications for this year’s John Merricks Sailing Trust are now open and further information can be found HERE.

The RYANI is calling on clubs across Northern Ireland to nominate their sporting heroes for its the Annual Awards, sponsored by Garden Rooms NI.

This year’s awards evening will be held on 17 January 2020 at Queen’s University Belfast’s Riddel Hall.

For the last few years, the awards recognise all the good work by volunteers in clubs and centres across the province.

Richard Honeyford, RYANI chief operations officer, said: “I am very pleased to be launching the awards, which have been growing from strength to strength since becoming a standalone event in 2015.

“The event has gained the support of Garden Rooms NI. The family owners are sailors themselves with a daughter who recently completed her RYA Dinghy Instructor award, and they want to give back to a sport that means so much. We are, of course, very pleased to have them on board.”

RYANI chairman Jackie Patton added: “This event is the highlight of the year, reflecting growing participation in our sport. The growth is due to hard work and good practice in our clubs and beyond, by the plethora of volunteers and workers. It is a great opportunity for us all to meet and celebrate.”

Nominations can be made in the following categories:

• Instructor of the Year
• Club Race Coach of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Young Volunteer of the Year
• Young Powerboater of the Year

Also awarded on the night will be Young Sailor of the Year, nominated by the RYANI Performance Committee, and regional Club of the Year.

Following on from last year’s awards, clubs wishing to be considered as Club of the Year must nominated themselves via the RYA’s national competition, in association with Yachts & Yachting and supported by Gallagher.

The Club of the Year awards recognise the outstanding achievement of sailing clubs across the UK, and all 1,000 sailing clubs in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are eligible to apply.

The RYA Awards Panel will select a finalist for each of the 10 RYA regions and Home Counties, as well as two ‘wild card’ entries.

During this shortlisting stage, the panel will provide five clubs with recognition for particular achievements in the following five areas: boosting membership; innovation and forward thinking; inclusivity; facilities; and embracing modern communication.

All finalist clubs will then go through to a public vote, with the overall winner selected by RYA members, Yachts & Yachting readers and the panel. The 2020 Club of the Year will be announced at the RYA Dinghy Show at London’s Alexandra Palace from 29 February to 1 March 2020.

Thirty years after its Youth Championships first began, RYANI has committed to reducing plastic and making the youth sailing event more environmentally sustainable as sailors gear up to compete just over seven weeks from now.

The two-day championship will run 21-22 September at Strangford Lough Yacht Club and as part of the competition, sailors will also compete for the highly coveted Northern Ireland Schools Cup and Club Trophy.

This year’s event also recognises the Green Blue Charter, a UK-wide environmental awareness initiative developed by the RYA and British Marine to work towards promoting a sustainable boating community.

RYANI has this year committed to ensuring the Youth Championships have an environmental focus which will ultimately save money and safeguard the waters and habitats for the future.

Last year the Green Blue and RYANI delivered a series of workshops to educate clubs and instructors in Strangford Lough, an area of natural beauty, highlighting the importance of protecting marine habitats and species, including birds.

RYANI’s high performance manager Matt McGovern said: “We are really looking forward to this year’s event. It is a particularly special milestone as we celebrate 30 years of the RYANI Youth Championships.

“We are always looking for ways to help protect the environment and this year we are focusing on reducing single-use plastic, paper communications and many other initiatives, in line with RYA’s Green Blue Charter.

“We are encouraging competitors to bring their own water bottles and food bags so that we can reduce plastic and protect our beautiful surroundings.”

The RYANI Youth Championships event is renowned for its inclusivity, allowing sailors to experience their first major championship as well as being an important event for sailors who have made the podium at world and European championships.

Among previous winners is Olympic competitor Ryan Seaton, who is campaigning towards Tokyo 2020 with crew Seafra Guilfoyle in the 49er Class. Seaton, from Carrickfergus Sailing Club, has won medals at World Cups and races at the Olympic Games with former sailing partner Matt McGovern.

The John Merricks Sailing Trust is once again on board for the event and will be supporting young sailors who may not normally have the opportunity to buy their own boat.

Last year, over 150 sailors from 24 sailing clubs competed across nine disciplines in the RYANI Youth Championships.

Fourteen sailing clubs across Northern Ireland have been given a unique opportunity by RYANI to grow and develop their clubs.

Through the Focus Clubs programme, each of the selected clubs will receive support from RYANI so that they can focus on development, explore funding support for participation programmes and promote activities that they will be running.

In 2019, the following clubs will benefit from the programme:

• Ballyholme Yacht Club
• Ballyronan Boat Club
• Carrickfergus Sailing Club
• Coleraine Yacht Club
• County Antrim Yacht Club
• Donaghadee Sailing Club
• Craigavon Lakes Sailing Club
• East Antrim Boat Club
• East Down Yacht Club
• Holywood Yacht Club
• Lough Neagh Sailing Club
• Newcastle Yacht Club
• Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
• Strangford Lough Yacht Club

The initiative was established to help clubs to develop into world class clubs.

RYANI active clubs co-ordinator Lisa McCaffrey said: “The Focus Clubs programme is a fantastic initiative where we help clubs to sustainably grow and support their active membership.

“At RYANI we work with the club and provide support so that they can maximise the good work they are already doing and identify opportunities to grow membership further.

“We are delighted to be able to run this initiative for the third year, with support from Sport Northern Ireland and the National Lottery.

“It is programmes like this that really add value and help to increase opportunities and the number of people taking part in sailing and boating in Northern Ireland.”

In 2018, Focus Clubs membership grew by an average of 8.1% on the previous year.

RYANI says the programme and support are not only about helping bring new members in, but also allowing clubs to deliver activity from which all their members will benefit.

More than 960 volunteers are helping to sustain sailing and boating across Northern Ireland each year, according to the RYA Northern Ireland.

In 2017, over 91,000 people took part in a sailing or boating activity.

And with 9,600 club members, volunteers are vital to keeping the sport alive.

Gemma McCoubrey, a volunteer with Belfast Lough Sailability (BLS), finds dedicating her spare time to the organisation rewarding.

“I first got involved through a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club, who was also a member of Belfast Lough Sailibility. My husband and I had joined the sailing club as we wanted to develop our sailing skills. We spent an evening volunteering with BLS and loved it,” she says.

“Although we had no personal connection regarding disabilities, we were immediately drawn by the immense satisfaction of helping others.”

Gemma explains that her role is to support the overall aim of BLS and to provide access to waterborne activities for people with disabilities.

She says: “The rewards are seeing the smiling faces and hearing the laughter of participants and of being part of that. It is humbling to see just how they overcome extreme challenges.

“In addition to this, I get the opportunity to work with a great team of likeminded people and the craic is great.”

Gemma tells RYANI that she would recommend others to get involved, and she believes they will also see the rewards.

“I love it and always leave a volunteering session with a big grin on my face. I would absolutely encourage others, regardless of their abilities, to volunteer. I believe it is of benefit to both myself and others.

“It is only a few hours of my time each week, but it has a big impact upon people who get a lot of enjoyment from our support.”

A talented group of youth sailors from Northern Ireland secured solid results at the Eric Twiname Junior Championships earlier this month.

The championships took place at Rutland Water Sailing Club in England’s East Midlands, which played host to over 330 junior racers across nine fleets from 4-6 May.

The sailors took a range of sailing and weather conditions in their stride, contending with light to strong winds, sun and hail, and everything in between.

Tom Coulter from Coleraine Yacht Club topped the field, winning a race and finishing the regatta in sixth place overall.

Ethan McCormac from Cushendall Sailing and Boating Club was close on his stern, finishing ninth overall.

Zoe Whitford from East Antrim Boat Club was the first female from Northern Ireland and scored a race win on the Sunday.

RYANI’s high performance manager Matt McGovern said: “The Eric Twiname Junior Championships was a fantastic opportunity for our young sailors.

“Only two members of the team had ever been selected for this event before so it was great for them to experience a major event.

“Our NI sailors have done us proud, they managed to produce excellent performances overall and put into practice their training over the winter months.”

The iconic regatta, hosted by Rutland Sailing Club in conjunction with the Eric Twiname Trust, was won overall by the RYA’s North region.

Full results from the competition are available HERE.

People in Northern Ireland are invited to ‘Push The Boat Out’ and try sailing or windsurfing for free or low cost across the region this May.

Around 20 venues across NI are hosting Push The Boat Out (PTBO) open days and taster sessions throughout the month.

Getting active outdoors has been shown to positively impact physical and mental health.

“An escape from modern-day life, getting out on the water is something the whole family can benefit from,” says the RYA Northern Ireland.

It highlights the “freedom of being afloat, the challenge and achievement of learning a new skill and the many new friends you will meet” among its attractions.

“Meanwhile, youngsters can develop heaps of positive life skills, like confidence, independence and teamwork, which they will take into all other areas of their lives.”

RYANI active clubs co-ordinator Lisa McCaffrey said: “We are delighted that for the second year running, Push The Boat Out will be returning for the whole of May.

“This is an exciting initiative where people right across Northern Ireland are being given a unique opportunity to visit many clubs and centres to give sailing a go.

“There are so many benefits to getting out on the water and it can really help to improve both our physical and mental health.

“If you’re interested in trying something completely different with your family, a workout in the fresh air or perhaps to get back out on the water after having a break then pop down to your local sailing club or centre during May.”

Push The Boat Out is a national campaign by the RYA which aims to make the water more accessible, whatever your age, background or ability — getting more people sailing, windsurfing, having fun and getting active outdoors.

All kit and safety equipment is provided, so just bring a pair of old trainers you don’t mind getting wet “and your sense of fun”.

Refreshments will be also be available at many venues, with a host of shore-side activities and entertainment to enjoy too.

Last year more than 39,000 people across the UK attended a PTBO open day, inspiring thousands of new sailors to join their local club.

Learn more about the Push the Boat Out campaign and find the dates and full details of your nearest event at on the RYA website HERE.

The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland has developed a hub on its website to bring together resources on cruising, navigation and the environment.

The Knowledge Base comprises a vast range of easy-to-read information and links to guidance on many key topics, including cruising tips, regulations and current affairs.

It also links to sites such as the Irish Lights MetOcean page or Notices to Mariners and has a section on key consultations in Northern Ireland.

In addition, information on the most pressing Brexit-related matters can also be accessed on RYA Current Affairs, with latest advice and updates available to members.

RYANI’s chief operating officer Richard Honeyford said: “The RYANI Cruising and Environment Group is dedicated to keeping up to date on the latest developments in Northern Ireland. It works with key stakeholders to protect boaters’ rights.

“Using all of this information to update the RYANI website, we now have a fantastic resource for our members. It is a hub which includes up-to-date, useful and comprehensive information and guidance on the many issues around cruising, navigation and the environment.”

Marking International Women’s Day last Friday (8 March), RYANI launched its popular Women on Water programme for 2019.

The initiative, which sees women of all abilities take to the water, is being run in conjunction with a number of sailing clubs right across Northern Ireland.

Women taking part in the four-week programme will learn the basic skills of sailing, as well as meeting many new friends along the way.

RYANI’s active clubs co-ordinator Lisa McCaffrey said: “We have now been running the Women on Water programme for four years and it continues to grow from strength to strength.

“Sailing is a fun-filled sport but as our past participants have learned, there are many other health benefits. It is a fantastic stress-buster, helps us to keep fit and is a great way to learn some new skills.

“The programme is open to all – you don’t need to be a member of a club already and you don’t need to have any sailing experience. This is a chance to get out on the water and have some fun.”

Any NI women interested in finding out more can complete this expression of interest form online.

Sailors and boaters across the country are getting ready for RYANI’s Annual Awards, which take tonight at Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

The awards recognise and celebrate the contributions and achievements made over the last year by clubs, teams and individuals across Northern Ireland.

Ian Walker MBE, who is currently Director of Racing at RYA, will deliver a talk at the event. The double Olympic medallist, America’s Cup sailor and Volvo Ocean Race-winning skipper will talk about his experiences throughout his sailing journey.

Speaking ahead of the awards, RYANI’s Chief Operating Officer Richard Honeyford, said: “The RYANI Annual Awards is always a great event in the sailing calendar. It is on this night that we get to see first-hand the dedication and enthusiasm of the people who keep our sport alive. It is inspirational to see and hear about the work of the many instructors, coaches, young sailors and volunteers who are the bedrock of sailing.

“We are delighted to welcome Ian Walker MBE who will deliver a talk on the night. Ian has had a spectacular journey in sailing and it’s sure to be a highlight of the evening.”

The main categories for the awards are listed below with all those who have been shortlisted.

Instructor of the Year

Jack Kennedy from Strangford Lough Yacht Club is a Senior Dinghy Instructor delivering Adult and Youth courses at his club. Ross Johnston from Ballyholme Yacht Club is Chief Powerboat Instructor. He also helps out with boat work and website work at the club.

Club Coach of the Year

Tom Purdon from Strangford Lough Yacht Club is a Dinghy Instructor with recent Race Coach Level 2. He has re-introduced race training activity at the club.

Young Powerboater of the Year

Conn Finnegan from Ballyholme Yacht Club has been shortlisted for his regular support for club racing and mark laying for national and international events.

Joshua Kane from East Antrim Boat Club is four times winner of the NI Honda Youth RIB Challenge in the younger age group.

Kelly Patterson from East Antrim Boat Club has won the NI Honda Youth RIB Challenge twice in the older age group.

Volunteer of the Year

Paul Green has been shortlisted for his work with Belfast Lough Sailability. Paul has worked to develop his sailing and powerboating skills and has undertaken qualifications which allow him to support those with disabilities. Paul regularly gives up his time to work with groups and at events. He is also in charge of group activities and helps with boat maintenance.

David Nelson from Ballyholme Yacht Club has been shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year after he developed his skills as a sailor, racer, official and coach assessor. David oversees and delivers a successful youth programme and Topper training at Ballyholme. He has also taken on the role of club Bosun and provides advice on training.

Young Volunteer of the Year

Abbie Brown from Donaghadee Sailing Club has been shortlisted for Young Volunteer of the Year. She is Junior Commodore and AI and organises many events. This includes a junior regatta. Abbie also promotes sailing and racing and represents junior views on the main committee at the club.

Young Sailor of the Year

Ellen Barbour from County Antrim Yacht Club has been shortlisted as Young Sailor of the Year. Her accolades include 1st at the Topper Northerns, 3rd at Irish Nationals, 14th at Worlds and 5th female. Ellen was also 1st Topper at the RYANI Youth Championships.

Erin McIlwaine from Newcastle Yacht Club has been shortlisted for Young Sailor of the Year. She has secured many top spots – she was ranked 2nd Irish Topper Class, Irish Topper Champion and 6th at the Worlds, which was 1st female.

Club of the Year Award

This year the Club of the Year Award is a joint award between Ballyholme Yacht Club and Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.

Both clubs will go forward to represent Northern Ireland at the RYA Yachts and Yachting National Club of the Year Award later in March, where Ballyholme Yacht Club has also been recognised for increasing Membership.

Special Awards

The Special Awards will be revealed on the night.