Displaying items by tag: Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland

18th November 2020

RYANI's Richard Honeyford Joins Northern Ireland Sports Forum

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 organisation for the voluntary sector of sport in Northern Ireland and its vision is to lead the development of a cohesive and informed Sport and Recreation sector in Northern Ireland.

Richard is excited to be involved. "The Sports Forum is a key stakeholder for the voluntary sector of sport in Northern Ireland and works to represent those sports as well as driving initiatives forward such as the Code of Good Governance and Female Sports Forum. I am looking forward to being a part of the organisation and supporting them going forward".

Richard has been the Chief Operating Officer for RYA Northern Ireland since 2017. He has sailed since childhood and won several Irish National titles in Toppers and Lasers. He also represented Ireland in the Laser class at the ISAF Youth Worlds in 1997 and 1998. Academically, he qualified as a Modern Languages Teacher and professionally has worked as an instructor in several training centres and became a racing coach at national and international level.

Richard has been with the RYA Northern Ireland since 2005, where he began as a coach and then became Performance Manager for over ten years. Developing the performance pathway, he saw Northern Irish athletes win 15 World and European medals from junior to senior level and also coached Laser sailor, James Espey at the London 2012 Olympics. He now enjoys windsurfing, getting on the water with his two daughters and competes on the Irish Windsurf Association's slalom series, when time allows.

Published in RYA Northern Ireland

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Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland

25th October 2019

The Late Doug Smyth OBE

Tributes have been paid to Northern Ireland sailing stalwart Doug Smyth OBE who passed away this summer writes Betty Armstrong.

Doug, a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club and former Chair of The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYANI) died on 21 August 2019 after a long illness.

Doug was RYANI Chair from 2002- 2004. He took the organisation forward as a Limited Company and developed it into the governing body it is today.

For his support to the sport of sailing he received a lifetime achievement award and was proud and honoured to receive a gold medal.

Doug’s contribution to our sport was notable. He put huge effort into Sailability and Belfast Lough Sailability, and he wrote the constitution for the Carrickfergus Berth Holders Association, which was adopted as the standard across the UK. He and his wife, Lillian regularly cruised in the Western Isles.

Doug had a varied career, including Chief Executive of Dr Barnardo’s and Chief Executive of Northern Health and Social Services Board. On his retirement, Doug was the Chair of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. He was also an accomplished musician.

A keen sailor, Doug was a member of several clubs and organisations and was well respected in the sailing community. He continued to keep an interest in RYA Northern Ireland, offering advice and support to help develop sailing and boating opportunities in the region.

Condolences go to Lillian, his wife of 59 years and their family.

Published in Belfast Lough

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Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland

21st January 2013

Newtownards To Host RYANI Instructor and Coach Conference

#RYANI - Newtownards Sailing Club will be hosting this year’s Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYANI) Instructor and Coach Conference.

The conference on Saturday 16 February is aimed at RTC principals, RYA instructors and Volvo Champion Club coaches and co-ordinators.

Topics to be covered include Racing Rules of Sailing rule changes for 2013-2018 and a national update on activity by the RYA throughout the year.

The event also has an allowance for on-the-water activities, with a chance to pick up some new ideas for training in sailing and powerboating in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Sunday 17 February will see various courses taking place throughout the day, including in first aid and SRC/VHF certification, as well as a club mark laying course for RYA members.

This half-theory, half-practical course will give an introduction to mark-laying which includes basics like how an anchor works plus techniques to stream marks, lay level gate marks and spreader marks, and a short section on signalling.

Details on booking your place at the Saturday conference and on the Sunday courses are available at the RYANI website HERE.

Published in News Update

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28th July 2009

Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland

The RYA is the national body in the United Kingdom for all forms of boating, including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and narrowboats, and personal watercraft. The RYANI is their Northern Irish branch.

For the latest RYA Northern Ireland news from Afloat click here

There is a space for Irish boating clubs and racing classes to use as their own bulletin board and forum for announcements and discussion. If you want to see a dedicated forum slot for your club or class, click here

Published in Organisations

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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

At A Glance - National Yacht Club 2024 Events