Harbour regeneration project at Royal Torbay Yacht Club
by Martin Edgell 14 Jan 2007 23:28 GMT
13 January 2007
Bridge linking Marina to Beacon Quay harbour area © Royal Torbay Yacht Club
Torquay is back on the sailing map with the completion of a £21 million harbour regeneration project. Torquay harbour now boasts a brand new, fit for purpose slipway and extensive hard, to meet the demands of world class dinghy and keelboat classes. A footbridge now links the marina with Beacon Quay where new harbourside business premises including restaurant, pub, marine industry shops and cafes have been opened.
Sailing from Torquay hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club had a world class reputation. It can claim some of the best race management anywhere. However the closure of the Second World War slipways and the regeneration project meant that for the last 3 years Torquay was not the venue to attract world class fleets.
That has now changed. Torquay has brand new and extensive waterside facilities for Dinghy, Keelboat, Sportsboat, One Design and IRC fleets. And changes are not stopping there!
The next phase due for completion in late 2007 is a Town Dock on the eastern side of the outer harbour that will provide berthing for local and visiting boats for championship regattas. This will again make Torquay and the fabulous sailing waters of Torbay one of the first choices for Open, National, European and World Sailing events catering for large dinghy and keel boat fleets right up to IRC, IRM and One Design classes.
Backing this regeneration the Royal Torbay Yacht Club has given the club house a major refurbishment, improved the bar and catering facilities and is training race officers and support teams to provide a world class facility in Torbay.
Commodore Robert Horne is committed to delivering the best sailing and club facilities in the UK with strong local fleets underpinned by providing the best youth training in the South West.
The Royal Torbay Yacht Club is launching a promotional campaign to attract the best UK fleets large and small by providing either single fleet or shared race management opportunities. The aim being to provide fleets with excellent sailing in Torbay led by world class race officer teams, full facilities of the RTYC clubhouse and at a competitive price to ensure maximum entry.
Torbay provides a natural amphitheatre, and the waters are sheltered from the prevailing SW winds. This is one of the reasons the bay was selected to host the Olympic sailing events in 1948.
A beauty of Torbay is the proximity of the racetrack to the marina and slipways, unlike other sailing venues. One can literally leave the dock and be sailing on the course in minutes. Move out of Torbay and you have the extensive sailing area of Lyme Bay which has been used to host Ton Cup World Championships and Dragon Gold Cups in the past.
Torquay not only provides excellent on water facilities but as one of the UK’s leading holiday destinations it has superb restaurants, bars and clubs many close to the yacht club.
The RTYC is negotiating with local hotels, guesthouses, letting accommodation and caravan and camp sites to help visiting sailors find the accommodation that meets their requirements at best price. The 2007 Regatta will take place over August 27th to 29th and will re-introduce the Harbourside après sailing fun that was the hallmark of the past Torbay Royal Regattas.
Fleets looking for a location to hold future events should contact Roger Porteous, Secretary, Royal Torbay Yacht Club, 12 Beacon Terrace, Torquay TQ1 2BH, or call 01803 292006.