Dinghy Regatta at East Down Yacht Club planned for late May bank holiday
by Patrick Hamilton 23 Apr 10:05 BST
24-25 May 2025
Dinghy Regatta at East Down YC planned for late May bank holiday © EDYC
East Down Yacht Club are inviting dinghy sailors of all boats with PY numbers to two days of competition on the beautiful waters of Strangford Lough over the late May bank holiday (24th and 25th May).
Classes with more than four entries will have their own races and prizes like a single class open meeting. Six races are planned over the two days sailing. See the flyer [PDF]
The club is situated about a mile north of Killyleagh opposite the National Trust owned Island Taggart. The club has a five acre site which since the opening of the club in 1969 has provided the members with a weekend retreat. There is space alongside the members caravans for visitors tents and motorhomes (by arrangement - see NOR) together with clubhouse and children's playground facilities.
The club has run major dinghy events in the past including the 2014 GP14 World Championships but has not put on such an event for multiple dinghy classes before. The club has since the beginning been associated with the GP14 and Wayfarer classes (the latter holding a very well attended and successful International Cruising Rally at EDYC in 2023).
There is a growing RS400 fleet in Northern Ireland with boats at EDYC and nearby Strangford Lough Yacht Club at Whiterock (who are hosting the RS400 Ulster Championships the weekend before). It is hoped that there will be fleets of these boats together with ILCAs, youth classes and the more unusual classes racing on handicap.
The attractions of the club and the lough were showcased recently when the makers of UTV's 'Keepers of the Lough' filmed the 2024 club regatta for keelboats and dinghies which like the other similar regattas run by the Lough clubs brings the clubs together for a race and a traditional feast of sandwiches and cakes. The filming can be seen in the second episode of series four (available on the ITV catch up service). Young EDYC Topper sailor Daniel steals the show taking over presentation from Patrick Kielty.
Further information, entry form and Notice of Race are now available on the club website edyc.co.uk