Dear Members, Thereâs plenty of excitement around the Club at the moment, with the ILCA World Championships just around the corner â and our new Committee Boat has successfully completed its trial runs and is now ready to get to work! This is a really exciting...
The fifth Women at the Helm (WATH) Regatta 2026 (WATH) took place at the National Yacht Club over the weekend of June 12th-14th, with the Water Wag WATH Regatta race held on Wednesday June 10th in keeping with the Wag tradition of holding each clubâs regatta race on the previous Wednesday.
The WATH Regatta was held in conjunction with the National Yacht Club Regatta on Saturday June 13th with WATH racing continuing on Sunday June 14th. Event organiser Ann Kirwan, along with her organising committee aimed to deliver a fun-filled, female-led, event on and off the water.
The WATH Regatta, kindly supported by Sia, kicked off with a speaker supper on Friday evening with Bryan Dobson in conversation with leading sports psychologist Kate Kirby, and offshore sailors GrĂĄinne Costigan and Pamela Lee, both of whom are competing in the round Ireland race which starts on Saturday June 20th. The speakers inspirational stories enthralled the packed NYC dining room.
Over 60 women took the helm in the regatta on boats ranging from 44 footers to Flying Fifteens and Water Wags. Many more female crews partook â well over 150 of them. Saturdayâs NYC and WATH racing was run by Race Officers Con Murphy, John McNeilly and Suzanne McGarry, while Mairead NiCheallachain ran Sundayâs WATH racing aboard DBSC committee vessel Freebird. Saturdayâs race took place in moderate to breezy conditions, while Sundayâs race took place in sunny conditions with light easterly winds. Entries included 2 boats from Wicklow, while sailors from HYC crewed on NYCâs Echo 90, and offshore Sailor GrĂĄinne Costigan and her French team mate sailed on NYC J80 Jay-Z.
Newly elected NYC Commodore Rosemary Cadogan presented the WATH Regatta prizes in glorious sunshine on the NYC platform on Sunday afternoon.
As well as the class prizes, the two premier prizes were presented. The inaugural Woman at the Helm overall prize - the OâConnor family trophy, was awarded to Sarah Cooney on J80 Joyride. The Roy Family Trophy was awarded to the winning 3-boat team of NYCâs J80 Sea Jade helmed by Clare Gorman, DB21 Oola helmed by Jean OâDriscoll, and Ruffian 23 Bandit helmed by Ann Kirwan.
WATH are delighted to welcome Pamela Lee to the line-up for our Speaker Supper on Friday, 12th June. Pamela joins us fresh from competing in the CIC Normandy Channel Race aboard her Class40 yacht, #EMPOWHER.
One of Irelandâs leading offshore sailors and a world record holder, she is currently campaigning towards her ambition of becoming the first Irish sailor to compete in the legendary Route du Rhum.
Limited tickets are still available. Members can book via the app, while non-members can visit www.nyc.ie/regatta for the booking link.
Women on the Water warmly invite all women sailors and volunteers to join us for supper on Friday, 6th February, at the National Yacht Club.
Come along for a relaxed evening of good food, conversation, and community.
Weâd love to see you there!
The National Yacht Club Women on the Water Dinghy Race Day took place in glorious sunshine in Dun Laoghaire harbour on Sunday August 17th. After a briefing ashore, the 21 competitors set about rigging the fleet of National Yacht Club fireflies, toppers and optimists, and heading out on the water.
Race Officer Ed Totterdell, set a triangular course with the start line just west of the Carlisle pier and the weather mark towards the bandstand, and ran a series of 14 races.
Crews swapped around and the competitors got to sail in several different classes. A few people who had said they would sail in a firefly and a topper but âdefinitely not an optimistâ, ended up giving it a go and enjoying the experience. Others said they would be comfortable crewing but not helming or racing single handed, but after a few races they gained enough confidence to try a topper or an oppie, recording their first solo helming experience.
Our Cruising Committee have put together a day Vital Information, Live Demonstrations & Life-Saving Skills for a Safe and Enjoyable Season
đ Saturday, April 5th
â° 10:00 AM â 4:00 PM
Join us for an engaging and informative safety demonstration ahead of the season. We have an exciting program planned, featuring:
Offshore Safety Gear Demonstration â Ian from Viking Marine and Tom from Solas Marine will showcase the latest advancements in offshore safety equipment.
Man Overboard Night Rescue Presentation â Kenny Rumble will share insights from a real-life âman overboardâ rescue during the Around Ireland Race.
Live Search & Rescue Simulation â A joint demonstration by the Coast Guard and RNLI, highlighting their cutting-edge equipment and interagency coordination. This will include a live rescue simulation, featuring the Coast Guard drone and collaboration between the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard and RNLI units.
Donât miss this opportunity to enhance your safety knowledge and see these critical rescue operations in action!