National Yacht Club Feva Dinghies Ready for Blessington RS Fest National Championships

14th June 2023

The National Yacht Club RS Feva sailing team competed at the British National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales, under NYC coach Thomas Chaix (pictured right)

After a very successful Eastern Championships organised by the neighbouring Royal Irish Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, a small group of National Yacht Club RS Feva sailors got set for the British Nationals. After a light-air yet instructive clinic, the team of five partnerships made it to the UK on May 26th.

The team was greeted in Pwllheli, North Wales, by sunshine and champagne-style sailing conditions... simply glorious!

After a short training session to get their bearings in the bay, they competed in a fleet of 95 boats over four days.

The scene at the beach in Pwllheli, North Wales where a 95-boat fleet competed for the UK RS Feva National title

The large fleet was split into two starts and completed a six-race qualifying series.

The first day offered somewhat medium conditions, whilst the second day sometimes muscled up with up to 20 knots.

The National Yacht Club's Zara Whelan and Amelia Chapman at their RS Feva dinghy at the UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

On day one, the group learnt fast from initial mistakes concluding on race three with two top 10 (courtesy of Felix Dion/Lucas Browne and Grace Keating/Hannah Walsh). The rest of the group also secured their best race at the end.

The National Yacht Club's Grace Keating and Hannah Walsh competing at the RS Feva dinghy UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

On day two, the group found the going challenging in the breeze and despite moments of brilliance, mistakes (capsizes, kites gone fishing...) proved costly; gear was also put to the test with Felix and Lucas suffering gear failure. Two partnerships (Jules Start/Amy O'Halloran and Theo Madigan/Cathal O'Regan) managed to secure their place in the gold fleet.

Five races were completed in the finals. The conditions had gone down to a lovely light to medium Easterly. Gold fleet proved tough and big lessons were learnt by both our teams. The best finishers were RstGYC sailors Jules and Amy in 37th.

The National Yacht Club's Felix Dion and Lucas Browne competing at the RS Feva dinghy UK National Championships in Pwllheli, North Wales

Although a few mistakes were also made in Silver, the results were encouraging and nearer the front, with Felix and Lucas concluding their event with a race win.

The trip away was a first for some sailors, and they certainly enjoyed the competition and the after-sailing fun. The opportunity to learn from the very competitive British fleet was also a great added value to the trip.

Next is now the RS Fest in Blessington, which will also be the Irish nationals. The NYC team is now looking forward to applying the gained experience against the home fleet on June 24-25.

Published in National YC, RS Sailing

Published in National YC

Tagged under

National Yacht Club

About The Author

Thomas Chaix

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Thomas Chaix is Head Coach at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. He currently sails the 49er dinghy (for fun) but raced the Laser for 25 years and has been a member of French and Irish teams

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National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

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