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DL Yacht clubs - worth joining? Which one?

  • 28-03-2020 9:41pm
    #1
    Van Doozy
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭


    I'm lucky enough to have met some really sound boat owners who have brought (and hopefully will continue to bring!) me on as crew for racing and just for social jollies around Dublin Bay.

    It's in no small part due to input from this forum by the way - so thanks for that, I've gotten great opinion and advice here either directly or by reading responses to others. I came on here as a complete novice reading through many threads, and progressed to getting my day skipper with the good folks in INSS and then chartering a boat on holidays last year - achieving an ambition I have had for years.

    Anyway here I am back again! What are people's thoughts on joining a DL yacht club? I would qualify for a country rate. My question is whether I would get enough use out of it to make it worth my while joining. I've made a few contacts now thankfully so there are folks happy to have me aboard their boats as ballast without being a club member!! Also, I can avail of the facilities in the marina when I go...

    I don't own a boat (some day!!), I don't have a family, and at the moment I am not particularly interested in the extracurricular activities on offer so they are key advantages of a club which probably don't apply to me.

    However, I would like to do more racing though, especially trying offshore, and I do like the social side of sailing, and the environs of a nice clubhouse, so perhaps it would still be worth my applying to join? Then there's the proposer and seconder thing which may prove challenging without contacts, through my experience of this type of process is just to ensure you're not a complete screwball and it's usually not to difficult to get sorted - but perhaps I am wrong there as well!? Opinions welcome...


Comments

  • #2
    neris
    Registered Users Posts: 20,032 ✭✭✭✭neris


    The National would probably be the most relaxed & welcoming. The Irish comes across as very clique & stuffy & the George less so. The DMYC is one club over there I know nothing about and have never been in

    Personally I'd recommend Howth :D:D


  • #3
    BowWow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭BowWow


    neris wrote: »
    Personally I'd recommend Howth

    Plus 1 :p


  • #4
    Sir Galahad
    Registered Users Posts: 691 ✭✭✭Sir Galahad


    neris wrote: »
    Personally I'd recommend Howth :D:D

    Another HYC vote here ;).


  • #5
    Van Doozy
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭Van Doozy


    Thanks for replies.

    Howth is not really an option for me, geographically!


  • #6
    Sir Galahad
    Registered Users Posts: 691 ✭✭✭Sir Galahad


    Van Doozy wrote: »
    Thanks for replies.

    Howth is not really an option for me, geographically!

    Dart ;)


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  • #7
    Van Doozy
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭Van Doozy


    I'd probably have to drive to Dun Laoghaire to get the Dart...


  • #8
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,872 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    Would you not join the same clubs as the owners/crew of the boats you are getting spins on?

    Years ago I sailed out of the Royal St. George & The National, and occasionally out of the Royal Irish.
    If I was to rank them from most to least snobby, I'd go;

    Royal Irish
    Royal St. George
    National
    DMYC


  • #9
    Tabnabs
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Not a member of any, but would know them all pretty well. The Irish is the most professional and best run Club, their boatmen are by far the best in the industry. The National has a more relaxed atmosphere but still retains a top tier club status. Personally, I find the George the most cliquey, but all Clubs suffer this problem (in any sport).

    For me I'd rate them:
    Irish
    National
    George
    DMYC


  • #10
    crashplan
    Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭crashplan


    There is another club based in the Coal Harbour

    https://www.sailingindublin.ie/Home

    Or further afield Greystones or Bray sailing clubs.


  • #11
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 28,776 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    OP, if you're sailing regularly, I'd firstly be guided by what club(s) those boats are in, there's no point in you joining the National if the boat is in the Irish and that's where they socialise!

    If the boats are club based, you're not really meant to be using the club facilities on an ongoing basis without joining, so fair play for considering it. If the boat is on the marina or not attached to a club, then that changes the scenario somewhat. (If boats are not club based, I'd ask is there actually any point to joining a club??)

    I'd really base your decision on what happens in reality - if you're hanging around a club a lot, and/or using their facilities, you really should join up. If you're sailing with boats from different clubs, then there's kind of a gentleman's agreement that if you're a member of one DL club, that will suffice. (I'm a member of one, but since we sold our boat I now race on a boat from another club, and I hardly set foot in my own club last season - but I'd still be very reluctant to switch membership, old loyalties die hard!)

    If you're known to members, the proposer/seconder thing seems to be a formality more than anything, I really wouldn't worry about that.


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  • #12
    CrankyHaus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,281 ✭✭✭CrankyHaus


    HYC's a good club but getting the DART over to Howth every time you sail won't be worth it. Imagine club racing twice a week with an hour or more of driving and DART before and after, drudgery.
    I'd favour the National but possibly biased. If you're sailing in DL already and making friends I'd be inclined to follow where that leads you. All 3 are decent clubs.
    Maybe they've changed in recent years but from what I saw DMYC may not have as much going on, it was dead for the DL Regatta last time I was over.


  • #13
    Van Doozy
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭Van Doozy


    Thanks to all for the replies - I appreciate it. Yeah CrankyHouse Howth is out, for sure. And crashplan thanks for the link - I was aware of them alright - I like what they’re about - I probably should chat to a member there so see how it all works.

    I don’t think I would be overly concerned with snobbiness if the facilities are good - there are eejits in every club. If someone is going to take an attitude without knowing anything about a person, I think that says more about them. I am sure all clubs have plenty of normal people as well!

    Heidi thanks for the input, what you have written here:’ If boats are not club based, I'd ask is there actually any point to joining a club?’ Sums it up for me I guess. It would appear there may not be. I'm not a regular in any of them.


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