The Strangford Lough Youth Series is an informal and fun event. If you can sail round a triangle then you should enter this event. There are four of these events during the season, and on each day that they are being held this will effectively take the place of the Sunday sailing school for that day.

Susan McKnight has gallantly volunteered to organise this first event (from an SLYC perspective) at least. If you intend to take part and need a club Topper please contact Susan on susanmcknight@btinternet.com

Briefing 1pm. 1st gun 2pm.

The poster for this year's Youth Series is attached FYI.

Book online for the 2013 Summer Dinghy Sailing Courses. Running weekly from 8th July these courses will offer the RYA Dinghy Sailing Scheme levels 1-4. Click Here for more information.

Congratulations to Jamie McKnight from SLYC who passed his Senior Instructor (SI) course last week.  The SI Course lasts 4 days and is extremely demanding so this is a great achievement! Jamie is now qualified to lead RYA sailing courses such as Stage 1 to 4 and Racing Courses.

The next RYA Race Coach Level 2 Course is open for applications.

The cost to candidates is £60 each and candidates must pay individually prior to the course, there will be a further cost of £15 which will be payable on the day. The closing date for applications is the 1^st April 2013.

To apply for a level 2 coaching course, please take the following steps:

1.  Go to http://www.ryainteractive.org/course/view.php?id=1445

2.  Then click on Course information and Application form

3.  Read all the info and then click on Application for Racing Coach Level 2 Course (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

4.  Complete the application form and submit

Read the report into Junior and Dinghy sailing at SLYC. An assessment of the current situation and ideas for the future are set out to help create a sustainable junior and dinghy sailing at SLYC. Click Here

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have just published the Strangford Lough restrictions on anchoring, mooring and diving Bye Laws. Click Here.

At a meeting in Newtownards Arts Centre on Wednesday evening 28^th November we heard the latest news about finding the non-native “carpet sea squirt” or Didemnum vexillum in the Lough.

So far there are only two locations identified, the first and main infestation is around the stern of the DCC Light Ship with a second and much smaller find on the Skettrick pontoons used by Strangford Mooring.

Robbie set an impressive standard at this years youth Championships. His six firsts not only put him to the top of the radial fleet, but also secured the Youth Champion title. This follows on from a season of impressive scores which saw him nominated as the RYA Young Sailor of the year. For a short report including results from the event CLICK HERE.

Please note that the SLYC Office email address is now office@slyc.co.uk. Please use this new email address to contact Matt Jenkins.

SLYC hosted the Topper Traveller on the 9th Sept with 61 entries in total.  In breezy conditions, SLYC sailors brought in excellent results with Tom Purdon finishing 9th overall, Peter Gilmore 12th, Anna Wilson coming in 22nd and Emma McKnight in 23rd.  Matilda Storey finished 33rd, Catherine Pooler 35th, Owen Lane was 36th, Cameron Lane and Charlie Portig finished 38th and 39th respectively.  In the 4.2 fleet, we also had Lucy Bell finishing 7th overall and Adam Fermor 15th.  Great work guys!  More results and information available below:
SLYC Topper Traveller

Preparations are beginning for the SLYC Topper Traveller on Sunday 9th September 2012.  It's sure to be a big event where last year SLYC hosted with numbers exceeding 60+.
Keep an eye out on the website for further details soon!

Read how Emma McKnight, Tom Purdon - fresh from carrying the Olympic torch, and Peter and Laura Gilmore faired at the Irish Topper National Championships in Dunmore East. Click Here to read the full report

SLYC will be running the annual Pursuit Race to raise money for the RNLI. A great fun event where Toppers can sail against Flying Fifteens - all boats, large and small, are welcome to take part. If your boat is not either a Topper, Laser, Glen, River, Sonata or Flying Fifteen, it is most important to register your interest so that you get start time. Please register here. The Notice of Race can be viewed here

Read the RYA Northern Ireland formal response to the proposed ban on anchoring, mooring and diving in large areas of Strangford Lough. Click Here

Don't miss out on what is happening at the Club. Sign up to the regular Mainsail newsletter and receive it every month by email. http://eepurl.com/jvcaj

Over the last month the Club has had to replace the Card Access System. Members will now need to swipe their card for exiting via the pedestrian or vehicle gates

The "push to exit" button on the pedestrian gate has been replaced with a card reader and a new card reader has been placed on the inside of the vehicle gate (see picture). The automatic vehicle loop that opened the sliding gate when exiting the club has also been disabled for it was possible for someone standing on the outside wearing a pair of steel toecapped boots to cause the gate to  open!

Swedish tidal energy company Minesto has now finished this period of testing of a scale model of the Deep Green kite tidal power plant, in Strangford Lough, Ballyhenry Bay, about 1.5 km northwest of Portaferry, Co. Down.  For more information, click the link below:

Notice to Mariners, Portaferry (PDF 184KB)

The latest edition of the SLYC Newsletter "Mainsail" including the Annual Reports and Captains Reports is now available on the Website.  Click the link below to view:

Mainsail 2011 (PDF 623KB)

The SLYC Annual Dinner & Prizegiving at the Clandeboye Lodge, Bangor on Saturday 19th November was a great success.  A list of prizewinners is available at the link below:
SLYC Prizegiving Winners (PDF 16KB)

Portaferry Hotel has been purchased by the owners of the five-star Merchant Hotel in Belfast.  Portaferry Hotel will undergo a £100,000 (€116,700) refurbishment under its new ownership by the Beannchor Group, which is expected to help create 10 new jobs.
Read more

Members should note that if they have any Motions which they wish to have placed before the Annual General Meeting they must be submitted in writing to the Club office by 1.00 pm on Monday the 14th October 2011.  Click the link below for more information.
SLYC AGM 2011

The Strangford Lough Yacht Club Annual General Meeting has been scheduled for the 7th December 2011 at the Clubhouse.  Click on the link below for more information. 

SLYC AGM 2011

SLYC requires a Captain of Facilities to sit on the Commodores Committee for next Season.  If you are interested or would like more information about the post, please contact the Club office at slyc@nireland.com or 02897 541883.

Laura Gilmore, from SLYC, was presented with the RYANI Young Sailor Of The Year at the RYANI AGM.  This incredible achievement is due to her amazing success during 2011 with a string of firsts and being crowned Female World Champion in the Topper Class.

A dramatic video has been produced of the first 24 hours of the Volvo Ocean Race.  This included Abu Dhabi breaking her mast and Team Sanya suffering major hull damage.
Click the link below to view:

Chris Russell, member of Strangford Lough Yacht Club, is preparing for Olympic Selections.  His goals are firmly set on the final Irish Olympic team qualification event, at the Miami Olympic Classes regatta next January.  Chris has been doing some training at SLYC this year so you may have seen him out on the water. 

Courses include Diesel Engine, Essential Nav & Seamanship, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster, Yachtmaster Ocean, Marine Radio Short Range Cert, Radar, Sea Survival and First Aid.  Let us know you are interested and we will try and get something organised!
Show us you're interested!

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing surged to a commanding victory in the Iberdrola In-Port Race in Alicante, taking maximum points from the first competitive action in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 to gain an early advantage over their rivals.
Full report available here

Stephen Martin recently passed a 4 day Level 2 Keelboat Coaching Course in Plas Menai, Wales.  This course deals with the latest methods and techniques for getting the best from any yacht racing team. It uses best practices taken from RYA Olympic coaches and provides an unique insight into the practical and legal issues of coaching racing.

Dinghy owners will be liable for winter storage of their boats if they are not removed from the hard standing by the end of the month.  

Masts and sails must also be removed from the Shed as work will commence on the Shed this Winter.

If you are looking to subscribe to the SLYC Newsletter, we have had to take this option offline for a short period as we upgrade the system.  Keep an eye on the Website as it should be appearing again soon. 

Information for the SLYC Prizegiving and Annual Dinner at the Clandeboye Lodge on Saturday the 19th November is now available at the link below:
SLYC Prizegiving & Annual Dinner

RYA Youth Squad (Laser) Training and selection weekend will be held on 8th and 9th October 2011 at SLYC.  Full details can be found at the link below:
RYANI Youth Squad Information

The Topper Traveller was abandoned on Sunday due to lack of wind!  64 Toppers turned up from all over Ireland to compete in the event hosted at the club.  Photographs are available at the link below:
Topper Traveller

Our sailors from SLYC preformed incredibly well at the RYANI Youth Championships this year in Larne, with Robbie Gilmore crowned the NI Youth Champion!

First days racing Frostie Results are online now!  Click on the link below to view:
Davy Frostie Results

Fisheries exclusion zones have been established in Strangford Lough.  The associated sea beds are now non-disturbance zones. The prohibition does not affect surface traffic.  However, we have been asked to avoid deploying anchors on, or otherwise disturbing, the specified seabed as much as possible.

Summer Courses at SLYC are filling up fast this year.  Book a place on them now to avoid disappointment!

We have a selection of Adults, Beginners and advanced courses available to choose from.

Visit our Sailing School Page for Course dates and booking information.

A Navigation Aids document has been published by Ards Borough Council outlining the new Navigation Aids put in place in Strangford Lough.

To view this document, click the link below:

Navigation Aids Strangford Lough (PDF 2.7MB)

Our Summer Sailing Courses are available to book now!  We are running a total of 5 RYA Youth Beginner Stage 1 to 4 Courses, 1 RYA Start Racing Course and a RYA Adult Beginner Course.

Booking is available on our Sailing School section of the site:
Sailing School

Strangford Lough Yacht Club now offer free wireless access in the clubhouse.  The data access point is in the Bar but extends throughout the whole clubhouse so you'll always be in range.

To sign-on, just select "SLYC Wireless" on your computer and get connected!