News From Northern Ireland

2023 saw a schedule of activities that included the interests of all members of the EDYC L17 fleet while also welcoming boats from other clubs plus other like minded small boats and adventurous individuals. 

The year was filled with dates for club and regatta racing with one design starts for L17s, plus day cruising of the waters of Strangford Lough and beyond, all complemented with social/educational evenings off the water.   

The year demonstrated an active promotion of sailing for all at EDYC, aligned with the vision and values of the RYANI (Royal Yachting Association, Northern Ireland) 5 year strategy ‘Navigating the Future’:

Vision: An active community working together on or around the water, where everyone has a place.

Values:

Approachable and Supportive: Visible: Brave and Adventurous: Transparent:

Passionate and Proud: Embracing Equality

For further details see

www.rya.org.uk/news/RYANI-launches-new-five-year-strategy-and-Hall-of-Fame

Since the club's foundation, sailors from Belfast and County Down have given their time to promote inclusive sailing experiences for all, developing a well-known family approach to sailing. The introduction of the Leisure 17 in 1973 continued in this vein.

The Leisure 17, by its nature, has inspired diversity among both new and seasoned sailors, many of whom have became dedicated volunteers within the club, branching out into roles like RYA powerboat instructors, RYA sailing coaches, and RYA Officials.

Among notable members is Laura Hampton, who completed a transatlantic crossing and is currently racing in the Clipper Round the World race as a first mate and exemplifies the club's adventurous spirit. Laura and her brother Gareth can often be found during their down time at the club competing in any of the Leisure 17 racing, in their beloved ‘Goose’.

Over the past five decades, the Leisure 17 community at East Down has fostered a supportive environment for sailors across Strangford Lough, organising training activities and events which- include regattas and cruises.

Currently the community has worked tirelessly to help maintain the standards of the club as an RYA training centre, ensuring a positive learning experience for all members.

Within the past year this group has been visible facilitating training for many of the members inside and beyond their association. These activities have included: sail trim awareness; tactical sailing awareness (under the watchful eye of Richard Ramsey Ramsey Sails and Roy Edwards RYA Officer); Mooring; Boat Maintenance; Rig Tension (Under the watchful eye of the EDYC Rear Commodore John Paterson).

It is due to this level of hard work, as well as the desire for improvement within EDYC, that the club  is numbering twenty five Leisure 17 boats.

East Down boasts one of the largest keelboat classes in Ireland, and possibly Britain. Looking forward, the club recognizes the challenges faced by smaller cruiser class fleets and aims to address them through their own initiatives.

Initiatives such as day cruises with other classes of smaller cruisers; continuing to advocate for smaller classes at regatta conferences; organising mixed helm (both youth and gender) races within club events, and on-water training sessions with RYA Keelboat trainer Roy Edwards.

The 50th Anniversary of the Leisure Association at EDYC has been a time of reflection and celebration, highlighting the club's strong sense of investment in members, community, and heritage. As we look to the future, the association continues to be committed to encourage club principals of participation from a wider audience while maintaining a culture of mutual appreciation and support among members.

For the season ahead, club racing at EDYC will take place on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoon: This will be complemented with the following cruising dates and Strangford Lough Regatta Conference dates, with L17 one design starts:

Open invitation to all. Please contact Stephen Perry, email:

ireland-area-contact@leisureowners.org