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Meet Exec Committee 2024
From Left to Right
Honorary Treasurer Alex Ward
Vice Commodore Colin Robinson
Captain Tarek Qutteineh
Honorary Secretary Ed Winton
Commodore Rob Milligan
Rear Commodore (Shore) David Anderson
Member Fiona Hutchinson
Rear Commodore (Sailing) Stephen Polly
Member Mark Bickerstaff (not in the picture)
Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
Dear Member,
- This email constitutes notice of an EGM to be held at Ballyholme Yacht Club (BYC) at 1930 on 28 May in accordance with Rule 17(1) of the BYC Rules.
- The business of the EGM is to invite you, the voting members of BYC, to vote “Yes” or “No” to the following question:
“Do you authorise the Executive Committee and Trustees of Ballyholme Yacht Club (BYC) to enter into agreement with Ards and North Down Borough Council (ANDBC) for the redevelopment of BYC as set out in the Heads of Terms documents, and to enter into such contractual agreements comprised in the Heads of Terms document as are necessary to bring about the redevelopment?”
- On 13 May 2024, the Executive Committee voted to support the agreement set out in the Heads of Terms. The Heads of Terms documents are available in the BYC Office for members to read.
- Only those members who are voting members (as described in Rule 21(5) of the BYC Rules) are entitled to vote at the EGM, although non-voting members are welcome to attend. Given the importance of the decision to be made at the EGM, the Executive Committee have decided that the vote will be conducted by secret ballot, with individual ballot papers to be issued to voting members at the meeting. In order to obtain your ballot paper, you will be required to present your Club membership card, or, if you do not have a membership card, photographic identification such as a passport or driving licence. Votes will be counted and the decision of the members announced at the meeting.
- In further recognition of the importance of the decision to be made at the EGM, voting members may vote by proxy if they are unable to attend the EGM in person due to work or other unavoidable commitments that prevent attendance. If you do wish to vote by proxy, you must obtain your individual ballot paper from the BYC Office, complete it, and return it to the Office at least 24 hours before the time and date stated at paragraph 1. Ballot papers may be returned to the Office by post, in person (during office hours) or by scanning the completed ballot paper in as an electronic document and returning by email to admin@ballyholme.com. The deadline for proxy votes has been extended no later than 1400 on Tuesday 28th May.
- In accordance with Rule 19 of the BYC Rules, the only business that will be transacted at the EGM will be the vote on the question set out at paragraph 2 above. However, there will be a short presentation on the options open to the members prior to the vote taking place, and questions may be put to the Executive Committee and the Redevelopment Group. You are also encouraged to read the FAQ document here https://ballyholme.com/the-club-redevelopment/ . The BYC Rules are silent on what type of majority is required to carry a motion, and the Executive Committee have therefore decided to continue the current practice in General Meetings, which is that a motion is carried if 50% of those voting plus one vote in favour.
- The Executive Committee believe that the decision to be made at this EGM is a very important one which will affect the future of BYC for decades to come, and strongly urge you to attend and vote in person if at all possible, and by proxy if not. In order to help inform your decision, there will be a further Members’ Information Evening on 22 May at 7.30pm. Copies of the Heads of Terms documents and other relevant documents are available for members to review in the BYC Office during normal opening hours, as posted on the weekly Bulletin. I look forward to seeing you on 28 May.
Yours faithfully,
Ed Winton
Honorary Secretary, BYC
Ballyholme Yacht Club Sailors dominate at RYA Youth Championships!
by Amy West-Hurst
At the RYANI Youth Championships last weekend almost 28 Ballyholme Yacht Club sailors made their way to Strangford to compete in the RYA Youth Championships. The event had Youth sailors competing from all over Ireland competing in Opi, Topper, ILCA, Feva and 29’er classes.
As the sun shone for everyone on Saturday the first day of the Championships, the challenge of the day for our sailors was the light wind & strong tides. However, this was certainly not the case on Sunday when the winds at times were gusting over 22Knots but rise to the occasion they did.
We had 13 Sailors competing in the ILCA fleets alone with a range of conditions from 2kts to 24kts it was an all-round competition which was a brilliant learning curve for many and a great experience for all.
Saturday started with a light breeze of 3-4knts. The IlCA racing got under way just above 5Knts but dropped gradually through the 1st and only race of the day with Ballyholme Sailors Katie Brow, Isabel Nixon and Iseult Speirs in 1st 2nd and 3rd in the ILCA 4 Fleet. ILCA 6 saw Daniel Palmer from BYC taking 3rd spot and Lewis Thompson taking second spot in ILCA 7 followed by Josh McGregor in 3rd. A great start for Team BYC in all 3 ILCA fleets.
Sunday started at 11-14 Knts and an eager fleet launched at 0950. A few squalls coming through made the down winds exhilarating…. Race 3 was upwards of 20knts again with squalls making for a hard day for all sailors and rescue crews with the odd snapped mast!
Final results for our BYC Sailors – ILCA 4 – 1st overall Emily McAfee, 3rd overall Isabel Nixon and Hugo Boyd 5th overall and 2nd boy. First and second in the ILCA 6 went to Daniel Palmer and Bobby Driscoll and Cormac Byrne was 3rd boy in 5th position. ILCA 7 saw 2nd and 3rd from Lewis Thompson and Josh McGregor.
In the Feva Class, again the mix of weather including not enough wind to sail at some times on Saturday and lots of gusty wind on Sunday but all the BYC sailors stayed afloat and did well.
Saturday saw most of the fleet sail the wrong course and as a result received NSC and earn 11 points because of a post-race protest. Further races on Sunday thankfully allowed for a discard of Saturday’s high score for many.
Ballyholme had a clean sweep on the podium in this fleet with Niamh Coman and Ellie Nolan (BYC and RNIYC) received a fabulous 3rd, Sally Nixon and Jessica Dadley-Young placed 2rd place and first place went to Emily and Annabel Ridout.
A record number of entries was recorded in this class at the RYANI Youth Championships and a great sign for double handed sailing in the future.
Meanwhile, over in the Topper class the racing was no less exciting with the light breeze causing the Race Officer much deliberation in getting a course set on Sunday however finally they manage to get two races in before calling it a day and heading in to shore to be greeted by some scrumptious pasta thanks to the kitchen crew!!
Sunday saw very high winds & gusty conditions for this fleet and after two strongly fought races the Race Officer decided to call it a day. Matthew Holden & James Eadie had another strong performance ending the weekend in 3rd & 4th place in the 5.3 fleet. Over in the 4.2 Fleet Leo West-Hurst following on from his impressive 4th place in the Topper Worlds this Summer, Leo showed his heavy wind ability and raced his way to complete the event as Topper 4.2 RYA Youth Champion. Emma West-Hurst finished first girl in the 4.2 Fleet. Ballyholme also had a clean sweep in the Topper Youth Females prizes with Polly Robinson, Alex Eadie and Zoe West-Hurst taking the top 3 placings.
Overall Ballyholme YC retained the RYA Club Shield for 2024, with Champions in the ILCA 4 class Emily McAfee, ILCA 6 Champion Daniel Palmer, RS Feva Champions Emily & Annabel Ridout & Topper 4.2 Champion Leo West-Hurst.
A special mention to Daniel Palmer from Ballyholme Yacht Club who won the RYA Northern Ireland Youth Champion trophy and the RYA Northern Ireland Men’s Youth Trophy for the 3rd year in a row. Congratulations to all our Sailors and to the RYANI and Strangford Lough Yacht Club for such a great event.
Photos from wavelength Image day 1
Photos from wavelength Image Day 2
Lufra Cup – 7th September 2024
by Stephen and Barbara Polly
The end of season Lufra Cup menagerie race started off with a fresh North Easterly breeze. RO Catherine Gallagher with David McMullan having worked out the handicaps boarded Ken and Debbie Hunter’s committee boat to set a windward leeward course with the beat being approximately a mile. Shortly after the start the wind started dropping and by the end there was virtually no wind in the bay. The lead Lasers on the second and last beat managed to get out of the bay on the dying breeze whilst the rest of the fleet headed home realising the same as the America’s Cup, there is no second! Squawk lead the cruisers round the leeward mark, but Endevour slipped inside them up the beat at Ballymacormick Point to go onto to win the cruiser fleet.
The overall Lufra Cup winner was mike Kimber in his ILCA 7. Prizes are awarded at the annual BYC prize giving which is scheduled for Saturday 26th October in the Members lounge.
A big thankyou shout out to Stephen Glasgow’s rescue and mark laying teams who have earned a well-deserved break. Not only do they support us on the water they give up a huge amount of time to maintain our rescue RIBs and YAKs. If you have any spare time and would like to volunteer, please speak to any of the committees or let the office know.
We are delighted to say that Taggarts have kindly agreed to sponsor our Icebreaker series again, thanks to Sinead and Kieran Byrne who have been great supporters of BYC.
The series starts on Sunday 6th October. Entry form will be online this week.
Lead Battery Hen Julie Wilson is working away at the rota.
Report on BYSea Swim Fest 2024
by Mark Bickerstaff
Some might say that sunshine follows thunder and on the same morning thousands of britpop fans across Northern Ireland were left distraught in their quest to experience the reunion of the decade, the sun arrived in spades to provide the backdrop for another great reunion, the annual Ballyholme Yacht Club open swimming event, better known as The BYSea Swim Fest.
With the support, once again, of generous sponsor Dunluce Healthcare, BYC welcomed more than 150 adults and kids to enjoy challenges over 3.9k, 1.5k, 750m and 400m. Bangor Barracudas Water Polo Club provided an exciting addition to this year’s schedule with an open water match to finish off the day’s events in the water. Participants were looked after throughout the day by a great team of volunteers including rescue boat crew, kayakers, paddle boarders and onshore teams ensuring everyone’s needs were well met.
Congratulations to Daniel Beggs and Helen Charlton, male and female home in the 3.9k, Carl Bailie and Caitlin Buck, first home in the 1.5k and Adrian Beattie and Catherine Markwell, first home in the 750m.
With the sun continuing to shine and a full supply of food and beverage many participants remained to enjoy the atmosphere and hospitality at the club late into the evening.
Event Coordinator Mark Bickerstaff commented ‘It was a fantastic day. Conditions were great and we have received so much positive feedback. It is brilliant to see so many visitors coming to the area and meeting up with our local swim community but we must remember none of this is possible without the army of volunteers working tirelessly in the background. I would like to thank them all and of course our sponsor Dunluce Healthcare. Ryan Smith has been a great support over the years and without him the event would just not be the same’.
OPEN WATER POLO SUCCESS AT BYSEA SWIM FEST
Bangor Barracudas kicked off the 2024 / 25 season with an open water polo match as part of the Ballyholme Yacht Club’s successful BYSea Swim Fest sponsored by Dunluce Healthcare.
A mixed u16 Bangor Barracudas’ side, featuring a number of Irish and Ulster representative players, took on a scratch adult side featuring BYC members and some recreational water polo players. The adult team prevailed after a closely fought contest, expertly refereed by club coach Barry O’Callaghan.
Bangor Barracudas Club Chairman Adrian Beattie said: “Our players thoroughly enjoyed the match in near perfect conditions in Ballyholme Bay. Everyone at Bangor Barracudas would like to thank BYC for hosting us, allowing us to use their facilities and of course for their hospitality afterwards. We would also like to congratulate BYC on running such a successful swimming event.”
Bangor Barracudas training resumes at Bangor Aurora on Thursday 5th September. For more information search Bangor Barracudas on Instagram, facebook or TikTok.
Report on BYC Regatta 2024
Healthodontics Regatta
by Stephen and Barbara Polly
This year’s regatta was kindly sponsored by Emma Prentice of Healthodontic. With a fresh westerly breeze Race Officer Colin Loughead set a windward leeward course north of Ballyholme bay with a finish line at the Yacht Club. There were nearly 30 ‘big boats’ starting over 5 different fleets. Whilst 23 dinghies took part in 4 fleets.
In the IRC fleet not only did Heathodontics Emma sponsor the event but she also managed to win with her husband and crew on their sigma 33 Squawk. The larger white sail fleet was won by MerryJack owned by father and son Gerry and John Bell with Brian Lawther.
In the YTC fleet handicap Squawk won again with Mark Mackey in Mithril finishing second. In the smaller White sail fleet Signet was first with Kevin Byers and Uncle Mike. Sticking with the family theme Rory Flannigan won the smaller YTC Fleet after persuading his dad not to sail in his dinghy. Scamp from Cockle Island won the small White sail fleet.
The dinghies had great racing in the fresh breeze and thankfully were all ashore when a heavy rain squall came through. Another Emma (Pierce) won the ILCA6 (Radial) with Colin Leonard at the front of the full rig closely followed by Iron Mike (Kimber). Brother and sister duo Annabel and Peter Ridout won the slow dinghy class in an RS Feva with Des Magee in Aero 7 taking home the fast dinghy prize.
The Mayor and Mayoress joined The Commodore Rob Milligan and event sponsor Emma Prentice (Healthodontic) to hand out the prizes.
Following the Regatta an afternoon tea with homemade sandwiches and cakes was enjoyed by all provided by the many volunteers. It then moved to a lovely evening of music in the bar and great craic was had by all. Thanks to all who made the day such a success!
Ballyholme Cadet Regatta 2024
by Colin Robinson
Saturday, the 24th of August saw the annual Cadet Regatta in Ballyholme bay with roughly 20 dinghies across 5 classes sailing.
A strong westerly breeze gusting 15+ knots put the 30+ sailors on the water through their paces throughout the 3 windward leeward sprint races of 2 laps.
This was a great opportunity for sailors to put into practice all the skills they gained from attending summer training. The RYA courses were run at BYC by Kaitlyn Eadie, our awesome Senior Instructor.
Racing was split into 2 starts, with the first comprising of Fevas, Picos, Toppers and RS Quests.
The RS Quests was a keenly fought race with Hunter Reddy coming out on top over Russel Finlay. The young cadets onboard crewing had an exciting time hiking hard to keep the boats flat going upwind.
The Feva class had 5 boats participating with Sally Nixon and Jessica Dadley-Young winning all the races. They further helped by splitting up and helping helm other boats in the race as the breeze built and some of the younger sailors got to enjoy sailing.
The Topper fleet was well contested with Matthew Glasgow finishing first, Eira Lloyd and Lucas Anderson 2nd and 3rd respectively. It was tight racing on a short circuit and good to see the Topper sailors having a successful day with smiles all round.
The 2nd start was the Qube class filled with enthusiastic 8 to 10 years olds whizzing about waiting for their start. Well done to Yak teams led by Aileen and Charlie keeping the boats close to the start. The 3 races saw plenty of action with 1st place changing several times per race as the sailors fought to the windward mark. Zoe Johnston and Olivia Jessup had great starts in the first race and led up to the windward mark. The first race was finally one Evie Bailie closely followed by Olivia Jessup, Finn Kelly and Alexander Hughes.
As the wind built 1 of the Qubes had to retire, the 2nd race was won by Freddie Robinson.
By the time the 3rd race was started the sailor’s hand be on the water for more than 80 minutes, that race was won by Evie Bailie followed by Olivia Jessup. The overall win went to Evie Bailie who showed real determination across all 3 races.
Many thanks to the parents both on shore and on the water, particular thanks to the Senior cadets for helping out – Hunter, Sally and Jessica helped deliver a fun days racing and BBQ in some fine weather.
Report on RS Feva Irish National Championships 17th-18th August 2024 at Ballyholme Yacht Club
by Mat Ridout
A total of 27 RS Fevas entered for a weekend of exciting sailing at BYC. 25 boats with crews resident on the Island of Ireland were entered in the Irish National Championships, and 15 boats with crews from the UK were entered in the first race of the UK Feva Class’s Grand Prix series of 2024-2025.
There was a tremendous cross section of sailors including two times world champions Ben Greenhalgh and Tom Sinfield, nearly new sailors David and Daniel McGinty, and a wide range of ages from 8 years to 56 years. On the Saturday the fleet launched into a gusty south-westerly and reached out into the Lough for more consistent winds. Aidan Pounder the RO delighted the sailors by setting the first two races with trapezoid courses, which Feva sailors love for the furious reach which plays to the boats strengths and is always the most memorable part of Feva sailing.
(Note: Race placements relate to the Feva Irish Nationals rather than the GP1 event).
The first race was sailed in 12-15kts with gust into the 20s which provided most sailors with enough to think about. A family team sailed by Ross (father) and Martha (daughter) Nolan had a clean win. The second race was postponed as a heavy squall made its way up the Lough with 25Kts winds arriving just minutes before the start. It was won by BYC’s Jessica Dadley-Young and Sally Nixon who flew around the course. The final race of the day was abandoned as crews worked their way up the first beat with a 40 degree+ wind shift favouring the left-hand side. Once re-started local girls Emily and Annabel Ridout began to find their form, finishing first just in front of their father Matthew and younger brother Peter. As the front runners finished, another pile of wind began to hit the racecourse providing some challenging conditions that put some of the sailors into the drink. The fleet then charged for the shelter of Ballyholme Bay in a steady 25kts breeze and darkening skies.
The weather forecast for day two was for more wind, but that only dissuaded a few of the younger and less experienced crews from sailing. The first race was a trapezoid, but the RO laid two 3 lap windward-leeward courses for the final races, which pleased the mark layers. Apparently, some of the sailors were heard shouting with joy when these gruelling final courses were announced, but this has not been independently verified and may well be fake news. The day saw Emily and Annabel take 3 firsts with second and third places fought over by Matthew and Peter, Jessica and Sally, and Finn Foley and Louie Murphy from Royal St George Yacht Club.
Emily and Annabel were crowned as the Irish National Champions, with Jessica and Sally coming second in front of Finn and Louie, who gained the under 13 first prize. Matthew and Peter won the prize for first family boat.
During the event BYC’s famous and hard-working volunteers provided all the unseen services which make events safe, fun and awesome. On the water rescue teams, mark layers, the race team, providers of the committee boat, finish boat crew, cooks for post-race pasta, organisers of food for volunteers, standby medics, protest team, registration team, tally team, shore team lugging trolleys up and down the slipway, and those invisible people carrying out the jobs no-one sees like preparing all the flags and horns and hoovering the floor, all contributed to an amazing weekend of fun for the sailors. A special thank you to Glynis Ridout for coordinating all the volunteers, putting together the prizes and cooking Saturday nights sailors’ dinner.
It was exciting to see 5 “family” boats from the club competing which bodes well for the future of sailing in BYC as it allows children to compete at exciting events at an early age.
There was a tremendous array of great prizes provided by Marine Services in Dublin, True North Life in Bangor, and Rooster Sailing, and the event entertainment provided by 3 brilliant musicians from Ards CCE, was sponsored by Bosun Bob’s Chandlery located in Bangor Marina.
If you want to sail an RS Feva and enjoy a fast, furious and friendly sport get in touch with the BYC office and get involved – we have some of the best dinghy sailing on the Island of Ireland – don’t miss out.
Report on Osborne King RS 200 and RS 400 Irish Nationals 9th-12th August 2024 at Carrickfergus Sailing Club
by Robert Espey
9th– 11th August saw the RS200 and RS400 Irish Nationals hosted by Carrickfergus Sailing club and kindly sponsored by Osborne King.
Race officers were Sheela Lewis and Ballyholme’s own Aidan Pounder, just winding down from the ILCA Youth Europeans.
Day one was blown out due to gusts of 29 knots and wind against tide creating a difficult swell. Some launched others watched. Capsizes for all gave PRO Lewis no option to postpone race 1 until Saturday.
4 races on Saturday in 15 gusting 25 knots led to champagne sailing. With these conditions, there saw a high attrition rate with breakages of both boats and crew
One boat (Helmed by Luke McIlwaine- CAYC/CSC) split in 2 during the first race but he managed to limp over the line with crew Ryan Wilson to take 3rd in the first race. That would be the end of this championship with his boat likely to go to dinghy heaven.
Also to complete only one race on day one was Emma Pierce who was crewing with Rob (Bosun Bob) Hastings as she unfortunately got injured just after the first race.
What happened?
Incident report from Bosun Bob- “our spini retrieval line got stuck under the pole during a capsize, we finished the race with the kite up but it wouldn’t come down into the boat. Emma went forward to try to haul it in, she slipped off the deck and fell in, boat promptly capsized again. I got to the board, she was sorting the ropes on the pole when the boat came up with me not even on the board and the spini pole smashed her in the face resulting in her two front teeth getting broken. She had them fixed yesterday” (12/8/24)
Some were feeling the heat during race 2, going for a dip to cool off (Peter Kennedy and Steve Kane from SLYC and RNIYC) allowing Espey and Ferguson to slide right by and take their second win.
Some were heard to say, that to keep the young Waszp experts behind them, PK was holding on too tight, SK, not tight enough leading to a swim back to the boat that would rival Daniel Wiffen.
Things piped up for race 3, so much so that some (Liam Donnelly from RNIYC) felt it necessary tack downwind, a tactic that needs to be seen to be believed- it somehow worked, allowing him to overtake Young Bucks Sherriff and Robinson (BYC) in #1006-‘Gay Hound’, who capsized during their final manoeuvre before the finish.
Special mention must go to the battle in the RS200 fleet. Hill Sisters Jocelyn and Emily (CAYC) were exchanging the lead position with Frank O’Rourke and Henry Start from Greystones and RSGYC. 6.9 Waszp sailor Start was being taught a thing or two about how the locals like their Guinness, with a cheeky shot of whisky dropped in for added vitamins. It must have done the trick, finishing off with 3 bullets on day 2 after the dust had settled for the first race of the day.
2nd place in the RS400 class Barry McCartin opted to forgo the Saturday evening entertainment opting to attend late night mass in Cushendall instead. This made for him and crew Conor Kinsella to be quick out of the blocks on Sunday morning taking the first race win of the day. Clearly under hydrated, his energy levels dropped for the subsequent races in the day.
In the end, top spots in both the RS 200 and 400 classes were taken by Waszp sailors.
by Robert Espey
Report on 2024 ILCA UK Open & National Championships
BYC was represented this year at the Championships by Iseult Spiers in ILCA 4, Cormac Byrne in ILCA 6 and Dan McCaughey in ILCA 7 with Iseult finishing 67th, Cormac 53rd (in Gold fleet) and Dan 28th. A fantastic achievement by our young sailors.
To round off a successful event at Weymouth, the BYC Sailors won the main prize draw, an Ovington ILCA 7 which was presented to them by Olympic GBR Sailor, Micky Beckett who was accompanied by John McAfee, Export Sales Manager from Ovington Boats.
This boat was kindly delivered from WPNSA to BYC by Kieran Byrne last night.
This ILCA 7 will be used to support and build the Class at our Club and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Ovington Boats for their generous and kind support.
Conan and Dadley-Young are Irish 29er Class National Champions
After representing BYC at the 29er Worlds in Denmark held at the Aarhus International Sailing Centre 1-9th August Hannah Dadley-Young returned home and won the 29er Irish Nationals held in Cork the following weekend 16-18 August.
Conan and Dadley-Young were the first all-girl pairing ever to win the event.
See the article from afloat.ie below.
Royal St. George and Ballyholme Yacht duo Club Emily Conan and Hannah Dadley-Young won the Irish 29er Class Association National Championships 2024 after eight races sailed in Cork Harbour at Crosshaven.
The girls edged on 11 points edged out the day one leaders Royal Cork YC’s Oisin Pierse and Fionn Daly in the final race eight on Sunday to clinch the title by a single point.
National YC’s William Walsh and Eoin Byrne finished third in the nine-boat fleet on 13 points.
The championship is one of three this weekend at Royal Cork Yacht Club as part of the ‘Tri Championships 2024’, the other two being the Irish Fireball Class Association National Championships 2024 and the Irish 420 Class Association National Championship 2024.
Congratulations, Hannah!
Report on Cadet swim and Open Monday Swim Session
BYC children’s open water swimming season kicked off on Saturday 22nd June. Around 30 enthusiastic swimmers of all abilities participated in the late afternoon swim. A short 300m course was provided by BYC using brightly coloured buoys and swimmers were accompanied by an experienced on-shore and on-water safety team. The safety teams are made up of a support boat with parents in kayaks and on paddle boards. BYC is known for its great volunteer support to help encourage our young cadets to safely enjoy the water.
Swimmers’ ages ranged from 6 years to 15 years, with some of the more experienced swimmers completing the course several times.
After the swim a well earned hot dog was awarded to all the swimmers.
The rest of the evening was a relaxed fun evening ashore.
Following this successful event the regular Monday evening swim for adults was held and was open to non-members. Monday saw a brisk off shore breeze with a small chop in the water. All swimmers must have a tow float case they need assistance.
Non-member evenings encourage others to come along and see what all the fun is. We had several support kayaks and a rescue rib on standby. Swimmers of all abilities swam in their own comfort zone, the course was approximately 600 metres with some enthusiasts doing 4 or 5 circuits. Following the refreshing swim members and visitors were treated to a warm drink and chocolate biscuit thanks to the shore team.
At BYC we take safety very seriously and encourage all our members to support the general public in this along with our RNLI and Coastguard teams.
This was highlighted when the BYC shore team noticed a few paddle boarders outside the bay. With the strong offshore breeze paddling back could have proved difficultm, the decision was taken to offer assistance. They brought two paddle boarders to shore with another passing boat assisting the other paddle boarders.
Thanks to our safety team and the other boat!
North Down Residents Discover Watersports at BYC
Close to 100 North Down residents took to the waters to discover sailing and powerboating this May public holiday at Ballyholme Yacht Club’s annual open day.
The free event, supported by the Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYANI), is designed to encourage residents of Bangor and North Down to have a try at watersports and learn more about the courses and watersports opportunities available at the club for residents.
The event was judged a success by the club’s Commodore, Rob Milligan who said: “We know we have done a good job when we welcome guests of all abilities and ages, some new to sailing or powerboating, some returning to a sport they enjoyed as kids, and some transitioning from other sports.”
One guest had just run the Belfast marathon on the Sunday but still had the energy to come along with friends to try sailing and powerboating which they all enjoyed. The young women are now considering joining the ‘Women on Water’ watersports programme which will start in May and is open to the public. The programme runs on five consecutive Wednesday evenings and offers women the opportunity to try sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, paddle boarding and keelboating for a low per-session fee.
Another Bangor resident was there with his sons aged 8 and 17. A sailor in his youth, this resident had other plans for the weekend but when these were cancelled, and looking around for something else to do, he found himself at Ballyholme Yacht Club’s Open Day with his sons. The boys took part in sailing and powerboating sessions and came off the water with sparkling eyes and huge grins. When asked which they enjoyed best, they both agreed that both activities were amazing, but sailing was better – just. The family is now exploring a family membership which will allow dad to get back on the water with the ‘Adult Improvers’ programme, and for the sons to get involved in sailing either through the Youth Programme, or the family-focused Dolphins & Sharks sessions. Powerboating courses are available for anyone aged over 12 and, on successful completion, participants often join the Rescue Boat team to help with race management and safety on the water.
Ballyholme Yacht Club offers a range of adult and youth watersports courses that are open to members of the public so that anyone interested can dip their toe in the water before making the commitment to regular watersports and club membership. The Women on Water programme is also open to members of the public and more information is available on the Ballyholme Yacht Club website. www.ballyholme.com
On behalf of Exec Committee we would like to say massive thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make discover sailing day at BYC so successful. From setting up, rescue, powerboat instructors, dinghy instructors, shore assistance, registration, equipment, teas, coffees, bbq and generally making everyone feel so welcome.
David bidding for Gold Fleet – Report from Taggarts Icebreaker 2023/2024 Series 2 Race 4
Another glorious spring like day for the biggest fleet yet for race 4 of the Taggart’s Icebreaker. Colin Leonard just back from the ILCA 7s World Masters championships in Australia showed us why he won the silver medal well by winning. David Wilson is bidding for promotion from the silver to gold fleet by being in 5th position overall. Conor Simms still leads the way with his dad John and Jonny Henry close behind. Emma Pierce won the radial fleet finishing halfway up the full rig fleet.
In the large dinghy fleet Bob Espey and Michael Ferguson continued their winning ways closely followed by Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane. Christina Cunningham was the first of the RS Aeros.
It was perfect conditions for the catamarans who looked fantastic twin wiring with their kites up. Ageless Adrian Allen showed the rest of the fleet how it’s done.
Small dinghy fleet numbers were bolstered by a few Toppers and Annika Hunter in a Laser 4.7 led from start to finish.
Click here to see the results page.
Report from Taggarts Icebreaker 2023/2024 Series 2 Race 5
Sunday saw another cracking day racing at the Taggarts Icebreaker at Ballyholme Yacht Club. With the relatively high water and NE wind building, launching can really be quite challenging, that said one of more experienced sailors came up with a novel solution of using the wall of the slip as a ‘mounting block’, entangling his Laser on an abandoned trolley to hold the boat steady and then arriving at the start line late, but still managed a very respectable 5th place. Perhaps there is some merit in this type of race preparation.
The Committee boat set up position just east of the Club and fleets set off on time beating to the NE Mark at Ballymacormick Point. A great start was had by Maxi who lead the Class away. John Simms who was late to the party tacked off early to get clean air and had a great sail. The fleet started to spread out a bit at the weather mark and as the sailors came towards the turning mark the wind shifted slightly right and a course change followed. Unfortunately, this wasn’t picked up by Richard Ramsay who sailed to the wrong mark before realising his mistake and correcting himself. With the wind again shifting, this time back to the original course axis, the course was changed again. On this lap there was a lot of position changes as the fleet sailed for the finish. The bullet was taken by Colin Leonard, our recently retuned silver medalist in his class at the ILCA 7 World Championships in Adelaide, Australia, followed closely by Conor Simms with Jonny Henry in third. In the Silver it was great to see David Wilson continuing his great run of form, finishing in ninth and fifth overall. Mark Mackey was hot on his heels but not enough time to catch David. Charlie West-Hurst took third place, finishing 12th. In the Bronze fleet, despite the earlier antics, Richard Ramsay had a great 8th position, taking the win for the Bronze fleet from his son Peter Ramsay who was 3 places behind, and Chris Mackey taking third in 16th position. Chris’s performance means he continues to lead the Whiskey Cup. In the Radial fleet we only had the one sailor, Emma Pierce who had a great sail with the Laser Standards / ILCA 7. There was RYA NI Training on this weekend for the ILCA 6 class at Ballyholme Yacht Club, which took a number of the fleet away, so next week will undoubtedly see an increase in numbers. Next Sunday will see the first discard come in to play and overall results will /may change.
We saw another good turn out in the Large Dinghy fleet with Barry Swanston swapping his F18 for a Contender. There was no Bob Espey this week and his place was covered by Michael Gunning who was sailing with Michael ‘Chunky’ Ferguson in the RS 400. Michael Gunning was charged with the responsibility of trying to keep Flipper and Stephen Kane in their RS 400 at bay, but that wasn’t to be with Flipper and Stephen taking an early lead and one they never lost. Robert Eadie took a commendable third place with Sandra Halliwell not too far behind in the RS Aero. It was great to see the 29er back out and after a wee bit of bother and strong swimming at the turning mark on lap 2, Jakub Ozarek and crew made a concerted effort to catch up with the fleet.
In the small dinghy fleet we saw a great performance by Annika hunter in her ILCA 4, taking line honours, however an even stronger sail by Mathew Holden in his Topper saw him pip Annika to the post by 8 seconds on corrected time, with James Eadie taking 3rd place.
The overall results at the moment for the ILCA / Laser fleet are, Conor Simms, leading with Jonny Henry, second and John Simms third. In the Large Dinghy fleet, Bob Espey & Chunky Ferguson lead with Flipper & Stephen Kane second and Sandra Halliwell third. In the ILCA 6 fleet Emma Pierce leads from Cormac Byrne and Jess Mackey. In the slow Dinghy Class, Annika Hunter leads from Stephen & Rhemy Polly and Mathew Holden in third. In the Multihull class, Adrian Allen & Barry Swanston lead over Richard Swanston & Ollie Haig.
Click here to see the results page.
Report from Taggarts Icebreaker 2023/2024 Series 2 Race 7
Race 7 of the BYC Icebreaker was cold, wet and windy day. Early updates from the RO was for a wind range of 19knots gusting 25 knots with conditions to be monitored; but that racing would be on. For the sailors arrival to the club, the breeze had dropped slightly since those initial updates. Direction from the east/north east, which was blowing directly onto the slipway which always going to make launching and recovery difficult. After some deliberation of whether to go out, many sailors took the decision that the rugby, and Mother’s Day would take priority.
Once launched, the sailors were in for an interesting day on the water. The RO opted for course 11, a course not used very often but consisted which consisted of a beat and run alongside the beach, starting from the front of club then a course quick beat to the south east mark on the far side of the bay. Due to the wind direction through the night, a large swell was coming in to the bay from a North North-easterly direction , this meant that the first leg on starboard (sailing directly into the swell) was very tricky to manoeuvre through. The lasers started first, with good starts from Jonny Henry, Colin Leonard, Conor Simms. Colin and Conor trucked out to the left hand side with Jonny tacking out to the right side to find clear wind. Colin had the better breeze coming in from the left to lead round the first mark with Conor following in closely, both sailors rounding in a large squall of breeze. This created a large separation to the trailing fleet, with Jonny rounding third with club veterans/legends Charlie Taylor and John Simms close behind. Colin and Conor battled down the first run with Colin managing to nudge ahead to gain mark rights at the leeward club mark, this positioning would remain until the end of the race, with not too much separation between the pair over the next two laps.
The RO then opted to go to course 3 from here, with a tough reach to the North-West and then an equivalent tough beat to the North-East. The waves state and wind was a lot higher on the outside of the bay, which meant boat handling was quite hard for the fleet, but the left for a joyous epic beam reach from the north east back to the club, with excellent surf conditions. The results for race where the leading group with Colin winning followed by Conor, a gap back to third with Jonny Henry and then another gap to the chasing pack of Charlie Taylor 4th, Mike Kimber in 5th, who sailed a brilliant last beat and John Simms in 6th.
In total 14 lasers went out with 12 finishing and 2 retiree’s . 4 fast dinghies with 2 finishing and 2 retirees.
Many thanks to the Aidan Pounder (RO) and the safety boat teams for running racing in the difficult conditions. And as always, big thank you to the event sponsor Taggarts
Click here to see the results page.
MCCANLIS TAKES VICTORY IN FINAL RACE OF THE TAGGARTS BALLYHOLME ICEBREAKER 2023/24
The bright blustery conditions of Sunday morning gave way to light, veering winds for the final race of the Taggarts Ballyholme Yacht Club Icebreaker 2023/24. Race Officer Aidan Pounder set a good beat to the north east for the first lap before a second lap in a variable easterly.
As usual, the ILCA fleet were enthusiastic to start and a few too enthusiastic, including Andrew Henry returning to the fleet after a prolonged absence in yacht racing. The middle of the line got away cleanly and Gareth McCanlis after his near miss last week was straight to the front of the pack. Bill O’Hara didn’t miss a shift or a puff all beat and led at the windward mark with Jonny Henry using pressure on the right to get round the mark in third. Meanwhile, contenders for the Whisky Cup and Overall win eyed each other cautiously…in general somewhat further down the pack than intended. Soon though Colin Leonard and Conor Simms had pushed up to make up the top 5. In large part aided by being far enough back to benefit from a shift to the right down the run.
A quick course change later and Bill O’Hara was a contender for mug of the day for failing to read it correctly. John Simms and he have been given remedial lessons on the difference between “10” and “11.” Gareth sailed a fast and clever beat and stretched to a healthy lead. He was never at any risk of being caught. Colin, with one eye on Conor and the overall trophy almost allowed Jonny Henry, Cavan Fyans and Jonathan McAlister back in after a further right shift but did enough to round in second. It finished Gareth followed by a large gap and then Colin, Jonny, Cavan, Jonathan and Conor. Ed Winton took another whiskey cup victory.
The light and variable conditions made for tight racing in the large dinghy fleet. Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane, or was that Gareth Flannigan and Jeremy Tomalin, sailed a strong first beat but in their enthusiasm got caught in the bunch of the ILCA fleet at the leeward mark. Bob Espey and Michael Ferguson deftly maneouvred around the chaos to take the lead and defended the favour right side of the beach to extend away to win. Gareth and Jeremy came second, with Martin and Vicky Dews enjoying the conditions in third.
In the small dinghy fleet, Rhemy Polly, with Stephen Polly (Rear Commodore Sailing) sailed to another victory.
Denis Finlay Memorial Trophy 2024
Topper Traveller 2024 at BYC – Sunday, 21st of April
We had a great weekend hosting the Topper Traveller event and BYC had some great winners!
Thanks to all our sailors, Ballyholme support team and parents for a great competition across 3 races . It was also great to see so many of our senior cadets Charlotte, Charlie, Isabel, Emily and Joseph coaching on the Saturday and mentoring on Sunday. They provided novice cadets with a very enjoyable and supportive event experience!
Ballyholme does Adelaide, ILCA Masters Worlds 2024
By Colin Leonard
I joined Bill O’Hara and Conrad Simpson in Adelaide after their warm up regatta in New Zealand. At this stage with a little over a week until racing in the ILCA Masters Worlds I was jet-lagged, and Conrad was sporting some mild tennis elbow. We got some good training in but two things were learnt very quickly. Firstly, there was a lot of weed. Secondly, when the sea breeze blew things got kind of windy! Add in a shallow venue and 2m waves and 20-25 knots is seriously challenging on boats, body and mind. Sadly Bill fell foul of the conditions and suffered a rib injury that resulted in him not racing.
Conrad and I were racing in separate starts. Conrad in the Grand Master fleet with such luminaries as Mark Lyttle (Irish Laser Olympian 1996) and Brett Beyer (16 times Masters World Champion). I was in a start with the combined Apprentice and Masters fleets, a line with about 40 boats including two Olympians. Day 1 saw light conditions and I was pleased with an initial second, although failed to make a decision on the last beat in Race 2 and went from 2nd to 6th by taking the worst of both sides of the beat. Day 2 and 3, had a fresh breeze from the start. A high pressure ridge was driving 15-20 knots of gradient southerly over South Australia so when the sea breeze that often blew that hard on it’s own kicked in it was always going to be a tough few days. Consistently racing in more than 20 knots, and gusting above 30 knots was exhilarating. Although at times more about survival. Conrad and I both sailed consistently but he suffered a Black Flag and I had a bit of a shocker in Race 6. I was lying second, well clear of 3rd but in a tight race with 1st in my fleet and the older Masters fleet racing on the same track. In my exertions I ran out of energy, and shortly after seeing a shark spent a considerable amount of time swimming and fell to sixth. I never seemed to capsize when I saw dolphins.
The rest day was appreciated by all but the conditions had taken their toll on Conrad and reluctantly he retired to attend to his back and tennis elbow. I was a little jealous of his extra rest. The second half of the regatta was a little lighter. We had one slightly lighter race as the sea breeze filled in (usually marginal hiking building to 15 knots) and then one slightly windier (15-20 knots). I was consistent, with highlights being getting a yellow flag for rocking. Although I was still able to get back to second. On the final day the sea breeze was late arriving and within a minute after the start there was a 40 degree left shift. I had started conservatively mid line and found myself in a dire situation but was able to get back to 6th leaving it all to be done on the final race. The wind was up, and frustrated by the first race I summoned the energy to lead round the windward mark having engaged a low and fast mode for the whole beat. I couldn’t hold on downwind but 2nd was enough to secure a silver medal at my first Masters Worlds.
Adelaide was an amazing venue, and the club a great example of volunteers and community, a bit like Ballyholme but with better weather. I could get used to 22 degree water and think the Icebreaker will come as a shock.
Taggarts Icebreaker race 3
A Sunny Sunday with a 15 knot Westerly breeze greeted the racers for an earlier start due to the Ireland match against Italy starting at 3pm. In the laser class the usual suspects were at the top of the fleet, with Garth Flannigan on his latest come back beating Connor Simms in the gold fleet. The silver fleet is to date led by David Wilson (no pressure) who has some notable gold fleet racers in his wake. Ed Winton leads the bronze fleet so also on the trophy hunt. The laser Radial fleet was won by Cormac Byrne who was doing so well he was mistaken for a full rig.
A few RS400s have joined in the fast handicap fleet, this bolsters the numbers with Bob Espey and pro crew Chunky leading the way. In the slow handicap Rhemy Polly had her first race capsize, going for a swim but all is well her grandad stayed dry.
Click here to see the results page.
Next week we will be reporting on the amazing silver medal win of our own Colin Leonard who took the medal at the Adelade Australia ILCA7 World Maters Championships. Congratulations we are very proud of your achievement Colin. He is presently on his return journey and we are looking forward to his report .
Wind Powered Zero Carbon Guinness World Record
Ballyholme Yacht Club were delighted to host Artemis Technologies in their support of Mixed Catamaran Olympic medallists, John Gimson and Anna Burnet, who we are delighted to report, set a new record (subject to ratification) for the fastest crossing across the North Channel yesterday, Tuesday 26th September 2023. The starting point was off Ballyholme Yacht Club and would see the Olympic Foiling Nacra 17 cross the North Channel finishing at Portpatrick, Scotland.
“Embarking on this Guinness World Record attempt is not just about the thrill of setting a new record – it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to a cause greater than ourselves. Beyond the excitement of the race, we’re using this opportunity to shine a light on the critical issue of climate change. With every mile we cover between Ballyholme and Portpatrick, we’re reminding the world that urgent action is needed to protect our environment. It’s not just a record we aim to break – it’s a wake-up call we hope the world will heed.” John Gimson and Anna Burnet
Artemis Technologies’ accompanied the Nacra17 in their zero-carbon hydrofoil with a full support team.
Optimist Irish National Championships a blast
Despite Storm Betty, the IODAI championship held 17-20 August was a huge success with almost 130 competitors getting to experience a plenty of racing and a full range of sailing conditions over the course of the event! So many people remarked on what a brilliant place Ballyholme is and the warm welcome they received at BYC.
This is the third major event hosted by BYC this summer which would be impossible without the amazing efforts of the member volunteers who step forward to help. From everyone involved in the race office, race management on the water and the so-important safety crews, to those on the slipway (both in and out of the water!) launching and recovering 128 boats each day, to those who kept volunteers and sailors fed from the galley.
Special thanks go to PRO Ruan O’Tiarnaigh, RO Aidan Pounder and Event Safety Leader Mike Meharg, and to Shaun and Cathy Doran, and Emma and Mark Holden for the massive effort put into planning and running the event. You all did BYC proud!
You can read more about the event on the BYC website, on the members’ Facebook group, on the Afloat website and you can also feast your eyes on all the marvellous photos taken by Wavelength Image
RS FEVA Northerns, East Down Yacht Club, August 2023
The most recent RS Feva class event were the Irish Northerns hosted by EDYC.
15 boats competed, with visiting crews camping in the beautiful lough shore grounds of the club. The fleet were made extremely welcome and provided with dinner and a quiz on the Saturday evening by the EDYC volunteers.
Saturday saw great winds, competitive sailing and some challenging courses with outer buoys hiding close in to the shoreline. Sunday was quieter, so more challenging to those who prefer a sailing blast, in comparison to stealthy light wind sailing whilst being carried back and forth by a strong tide. Emily & Annabel Ridout took the main trophy, and Sally Nixon & Jessica Dadley won first Juniors, with Polly Robinson & Zara Whelan coming a close second. Peter & Mat Ridout were first family (apparently this was actually won by Emily & Annabel, but the organisers felt sorry for Peter & Mat), and Aileen Smith & Louis / Andrew took the second family prize.
Chloe Whyte and Greta Qutteineh were congratulated by the organisers for sterling work aboard the committee boat on both days – and we now know the reason for long pauses between races is actually due to the volume of work aboard, rather than coinciding with breaks for tea, cakes and sandwiches.
The next Feva event is on the afternoon of 7th October at RNIYC. Three races and a BBQ.
All Feva sailors welcome – especially those just starting.
Ballyholme Yacht Club was delighted to host the Minister of State for NI, Steve Baker on 22 August, along with the Mayor of Ards and North Down, Cllr Jennifer Gilmour. The Minister enjoyed a great sail with Adrian Allen in his F18, and even tried his hand at Waszp sailing under the watchful eye of Bob Espey. A capable sailor, Minister Baker had nothing but praise for the club and our fantastic sailing area here in Bangor.
Rob Milligan, Commodore
Please click HERE to read the full article on Ards and North Down Borough Council website.
RS Feva Championships 2023, Follonica, Italy
The Ridout family flew over to Follonica, to compete with the top 211 boats from 14 countries at the RS FEVA World Championships. The 5-day event kicked off with a grand parade through the town and fireworks at midnight.
Emily and Annabel qualified into gold fleet while Peter and Mat competed in silver in the “family class”. After five great days of racing, with day two bringing thirty knot winds and a massive swell, everyone was tired, but the amazing venue and friendly competitors made the journey to Italy well worth it. Around 50 Fevas travelled from the UK, and the event was won by Ben Greenhalgh (grandparents from BYC) and Tom Sinfield who both sail in North Wales.
The RS Feva class is fun, furious, and very friendly.
If you are 8-18 years old and interested in Feva sailing, get in touch with Glynis or Mat Ridout.
The world championship next year will be held end of July in the Netherlands and plans are afoot for a larger NI group to go.
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The Multihull Championships concluded at Antrim Boat Club on Sunday the 6th. August,Adrian Allen and Barry Swanston regained the Irish title after an exciting high wind tussle with the 2022 Champions Matt and James McGovern. Sean Lemonnier and Ally O’Sullivan Galway Bay Sailing Club winning the Junior prize.The fleet came from the four corners of Ireland, with one competitor Wyatt Orsmond flying in from Portugal.Saturday’s four races were sailed in fantastic Lough Neagh conditions of 15 – 20 knot winds with no quarter being given between 5 of the leading catamarans. The rest of the fleet including two talented Junior sailors from Galway who swapped positons throughout the racing. At the end of the day Adrian and Barry had a small lead over last year’s champions, all to play for on Sunday. Sunday arrived to sunshine and calmer weather. Three race were to be held in the lighter airs. Lough Neagh served up flukey lake conditions with sharp increases of breeze from mirror like flat water. Racing got underway in a solid force 2-3 the two leaders jousted with each other only to find Matt McMurtry/Emma combo and Watt and Tom Murphy ruining the party, a 4 way fight now. Unfortunately the last race had to be abandoned after the wind came up briefly to 25knots dropped to 5 -10 knot to allow the course to be changed and race started then abandoned as it switched twice through 180 degrees and disappeared. Our very own National RO Aidan Pounder was masterful in his control and race management. The IMA would sincerely thank all at Antrim Boat Club and their members for their enthusiasm and friendliness. The club is a superb example of the organisation for an excellent championship. |
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Junior Committee
Alongside our Committee, BYC have recently established a Junior Committee. There are seven members each with their own position.
The members are:
- Annika Hunter as Junior Commodore
- Charlie O’Malley as Vice Junior Commodore
- Niamh Pyper as Honorary Secretary
- Eva McDonough as Treasurer
- Hannah Archer as Water Sports Representative
- Effie Lappin and Chloe Whyte as Shore Representatives
Irish Sailing Awards 2022
Success for Ballyholme Yacht Club at the Irish Sailing Associations Awards in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday, 25th of March 2023.
Winners & nominees in two categories.
Water Quality in Ballyholme Bay
We have had some correspondence back from DAERA and NI Water in relation to water quality in Ballyholme Bay, please click on this link for more information.
BYC Tree Planting Day 2024
A group of hardy BYC sailors braved the chilly easterly to climb Cave Hill for some tree planting with #woodlandtrust and were rewarded with great views over the Lough. They planted over 550 saplings to help off set carbon emissions of the RIBs during the ILCA 6 European Championships which BYC are organising along the guidelines of #sailorsforthesea for the Clean Regattas certification. A big thank you to all the members who helped out!
BYC Tree Planting Day
Glas-na-Bradan Wood
Saturday, 11th March 2023 at 11am
After our very successful Tree Planting day last year we are once again aiming to carbon off-set our 2023 events with a local tree planting day with the Woodland Trust.
So join us at Glas-na-Bradan Wood in the Belfast Hills to plant some trees.
Aidan Pounder – RYA Lifetime Commitment Award 2022
Aidan has been a key player in Ballyholme Yacht Club’s success for many years. A member since childhood, he has served as Powerboat Instructor, RYA Principal, Rescue Convenor, Rear Commodore Sailing and most recently, as an outstanding Commodore. As Commodore through the pandemic lockdowns, he set up a working group to maintain close liaison with RYANI and co-ordinate volunteers, preparing plans and risk assessments and ensuring that guidance and regulations were complied with. He was instrumental in increasing the membership of the club, encouraging the relatively new sport of paddle boarding, and sea swimming. He led the way as one of its first qualified SUP instructors. He has championed both the cadet programme and the successful training programme for disadvantaged children, demonstrating that sailing and water sports are for everyone. Aidan has been very supportive of volunteers and meticulous in crediting those who have given their time. He is now a qualified National Race Officer and remains an integral part of Ballyholme Yacht Club.
Reducing BYC Bills – we need your help
Some of you will have noticed little plastic covers to the light switch in toilets and changing rooms. The down position for these lights are ‘auto’, the lights come on as you enter the room and will go off automatically. The covers are to prevent accidentally moving the switch from ‘auto’.
We are looking at other measures to reduce our utility cost and seek your support to keep all our fees lower particularly with the use of the hose (switch it off as soon as you can) and length of showers, particularly kids! BYC is on a water meter so every bit counts!
Thanks for your support.
Sporting events showing in the Members’ Lounge
Pilates with Lisa Tomalin
Friday, Jubilee Room
9.30am – 10.30am
To book your place contact Lisa on 07975701682
Price for 6 weeks:
£36 – Members, £42 – Non-members
Pay as you go: £8.50 (Please contact Lisa to book your space)
Bar Opening Hours
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 19:00-21:00 (open for Poker Nights first and third Tuesdays and advertised Cruise n Craic)
Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday: CLOSED
Friday: 16:00-24:00
Saturday: 15.00-24:00
Sunday: 14.00-20:00*
Under Northern Ireland licensing laws bar staff will stop serving an hour before the closing times indicated. All members and their guests MUST be off the premises at the closing time.
*(If there are groups of people wanting to stay on and use the bar after this time it will remain open until 21:00)
Snow Patrol ‘Prinks’ at the Club- Wednesday, 31st August
We will have the Members Lounge open on Wednesday 31st August before the Snow Patrol concert in Bangor.
It is expected that as well as the 5000 people attending the concert, the bars around town will be busy with other people who just want to see and hear what’s going on.
Our plan is to open at 3pm and stay open until 7pm when concertgoers can dander round Seacliff Road and enjoy the gig!!
Members can of course bring guests but please ensure they are signed in as normal in the Visitors Book.
BYC at the Feva World Championship 2022
Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy, England, 21-27th July 2022, by Glynis Ridout
Feva Frenzy abounds as BYC’s double-handed fleet of RS Fevas dramatically increase over 2022. Four of our sailors, Matt & Peter Ridout, Emily & Annabel Ridout and one Beachmaster, Glynis Ridout, took part in the UK RS Feva Nationals in May and more recently the RS Feva World Championships in July. Both events were held at the Olympic venue of Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy in England. The buzz was tangible at the World’s as 370 sailors came together to compete.
Our BYC teams commented on the super vibe and the friendliness of the class both on and off the water and how much their skills have improved from the experience provided by sailing in large fleets. The sail tell-tales were clinging on for dear life during the first 3 days of sailing and our own BYC sailors have plenty of stories of wipe-outs to share! Next year the UK Nationals will be held in Pwllheli Sailing Club, Wales and the World’s in Italy.
Optimist Irish Nationals 2022
11th – 14th August 2022, Royal St George Yacht Club
A fleet of over 120 boats, including a strong contingent from GB, was racing over 4 days in fabulous but challenging conditions.
BYC’s Matthew Holden won 2nd in Senior Silver Fleet with an overall position of 18th and he was 10th Irish boat. As a result Matthew’s now been upgraded to Gold fleet.
A fantastic result for his first year in Senior fleet!