Guest Speaker - Michael Harpur of eOceanic
2025-11-03 19:00 - 20:30 UTC
A New Era in Coastal Navigation with eOceanic
Join us on Monday November 3rd from 7pm in the Asgard Room at HYC to hear from Michael Harpur, Founder and Manager of eOceanic and discover the difference. He will unveil his plan to open a new world of leisure sailing, with the intention of putting a spring in your stride afloat, ashore and for decades to come.
All HYC members are welcome. Guests welcome – please sign them in at the bar.

“Unfinished Business” – An Evening with Pat Lawless
2025-11-26 20:00 | Howth Yacht Club, Middle Pier, Howth Harbour, Howth, Dublin, D13 E6V3, Ireland
Pat Lawless competed in the 2022 Golden Globe Race but retired off Cape Town when his self-steering failed. He’s now entered again for the 2026 Race, determined to finish what he started.
The first GGR took place in 1968 and was won by Robin Knox-Johnston. The challenge remains the same — solo, non-stop, around the world, in a boat under 36ft with no GPS, no satellite weather, and no stops.
On Wednesday 26th November, Pat returns to Howth Yacht Club to share his preparations for the 2026 start from Les Sables d’Olonne. He’ll be introduced by Paddy Barry and will show film and photos of life at sea and managing storms.
Pat has no title sponsor this time — donations on the night are welcome.

Guest Speaker - Mark Sweetnam on Cruising Norway
2025-12-01 19:00 - 20:30
We are excited to welcome Mark and Dawn Sweetman to share their experiences on their two year adventure sail around Norway.
Monday December 1st, 19:30 with refreshments served as usual from 7pm.
All are welcome and guests should be signed in at the bar.

Cruising Group Annual Awards Dinner
2025-12-06 19:00 - 22:00 | Howth Yacht Club, Middle Pier, Howth Harbour, Howth, Dublin, D13 E6V3, Ireland
Annual Dinner – Asgard Room and Dining Room
Saturday 6th December 2025
Reception 7pm | Dinner 7.30pm
Awards for best logs and best photo of the year.
Please contact cruising@hyc.ie for dietary requirements and table preferences.
4-Course Meal with Prosecco Cost €60 (including reception drink and gratuity)
Book here

Guest Speaker - John Leahy CAI Talk
2026-01-06 19:00 - 20:30
To kick off the New Year 2026, we are delighted to have John Leahy (Cruising Association Ireland) join us at HYC on January 6th, from 7pm in the Asgard room.
Shake off the cobwebs, gather friends and fellow sailors and come down and join us for an evening of stories on the origins and effects of our unique Irish weather and its implications for our sport.
John is well known to Irish sailors for his daily weather briefings for up to ten days ahead on a dedicated WhatsApp channel called “Sailing Weather”. Up to 460 sailors tune in each morning to see what the weather will bring, with particular focus on sailing conditions along the east coast, but also for those on long passages to Scotland, the Azores, or the Canaries.
John has written a companion book to the morning briefings that explains in detail every aspect of the formation of our unique weather systems. There will be a book sale and book signing right after the talk.
The book is sold on a not-for-profit basis, and any surplus from the printing cost (10 euros) goes to the RNLI. The book will be available for €15 euros. This is cash only so bring some with you if you are interested.
Our weather is unique, and an understanding of why we have four seasons in one day and sometimes in one hour is very much at the heart of the talk and the book.
Come along and meet friends, new and old, for an enjoyable evening. All HYC members are welcome and if you wish to bring a guest please sign them in at the bar.

Tales from a Transatlantic Race
2026-02-03 19:30 - 21:00 | Howth Yacht Club, Middle Pier, Howth Harbour, Howth, Dublin, D13 E6V3, Ireland

Cruising Group March Meet Up - Cruising Calendar 2026 and eOceanic Live Demonstration
2026-03-02 19:00 - 21:00
Folks,
Please join us for our next HYC Cruising Group meeting March 2nd in the Asgard Room. Refreshments served from 7pm as usual.
We will be showcasing our 2026 calendar for the Cruising Group including Annual Cruising Group Breakfast, Summer Armadas and Cruise to Scotland.
Michael Harpur will join us again with previously promised live demonstration of the eOceanic app.
Full agenda and all are welcome!
A few notes from Michael in advance.
The What and How of eOceanic
We’ve talked about the Why. Now, it’s time to get practical.
On Monday, March 2nd, at 19:00, we are moving from the big picture to the cockpit. Founder Michael Harpur is returning to give you a hands-on look at how eOceanic makes leisure sailing safer, more expansive, and more intuitive.
What we are breakding down;

The ENS (Enhanced Navigation Suite): A tour of the specific tools designed to give you total Agency at sea.
The IMAaGN (Intelligent Marine Assistance and Guardian Notifications): A look at the new tech providing the Agility to stay ahead of changing conditions.

This is more than a talk; it’s a personal tour of a new era in coastal navigation. Michael will walk you through the individual resources and host a live Q&A so you can get the answers you need.

HYC Cruising Group Annual Breakfast
2026-04-11 10:30 - 12:30
We would like to invite all our Cruising Group members to our annual Cruising Group Breakfast on April 11th at 10:30am.
Admiral Gerry will ring in the summer season and we will have our ever popular line heaving competition!
Save the date!!

Armada to Greystones
2026-06-27
Please join us for our armada to Greystones on July 11th. Aideen will send out whatsapp poll in advance. Please let us know if you have a berth available or are looking for one.

HYC Cruising Group presents: Celestial Navigation
2026-07-06 19:30 - 20:30 | Howth Yacht Club, Middle Pier, Howth Harbour, Howth, Dublin, D13 E6V3, Ireland
A talk by Captain Jeff Werner

Monday 6th July | 19:30 | Asgard Room

Celestial navigation can be a very intimidating subject for cruising sailors. This presentation
demystifies celestial navigation and serves as an introduction for those sailors interested in pursuing
theory and practical instruction on this topic.

Over the past thousand plus years instruments and techniques for celestial navigation were developed
to find the latitude and longitude of any place on Earth. From the Arabian caravan navigator who used
the kamal to guide his camels across the desert to the bazaars in Timbuktu, to the quadrant and
astrolabe that Christopher Columbus used on his voyage of discovery in 1492. Running down the
latitude and taking lunar distances to determine longitude were practical techniques for navigators at
sea until 1850. Today, cruising sailors can use a modern marine sextant and the Marcq Saint-Hilaire (or
altitude intercept) method developed in 1875. Regardless of the instruments and techniques used
throughout the ages, there is one constant: It’s all about altitude!

Jeff Werner has been a yacht captain for almost 35 years. He is a certified instructor for the
RYA, US Sailing, MCA and the US Coast Guard. Jeff is a US Sailing celestial navigation instructor and has
completed just under 100,000 miles of passage making under sail.

Armada to Red Rock
2026-07-11
Please join us for an armada to Red Rock on June 27th.
Aideen will send out Whatsapp poll in advance. Please let us know if you have a berth available or if you are looking for one.

Armada to NYC and Brunch
2026-07-25
Please join us for our annual armada to NYC for brunch. Aideen will send out poll in advance.
Please let us know if you have a berth available or are looking for one using the poll on Whatsapp.
– A particularly special and long standing traditional annual event organised by our Admiral Gerry O’Neill and Aideen Sargent.
– We have been invited to join fellow cruisers from the NYC for brunch in the NYC Dining Room!
– Brunch will be €20 pp, payable by card only.
– We will need to finalise numbers for brunch by Thursday 23rd please.
– You don’t have to sail across, you can join us by other means of transport on the day.
– We also plan to Crossing Dublin Bay exercises with the VTS as we go across Dublin Bay.

Armada to Loughshinny
2026-08-01
Please join us for an armada to Loughshinney on August 1st. Aideen will send out whatsapp poll in advance. Please let us know if you have a berth or are looking for one.

Armada to Skerries
2026-08-15
Please join us for a very special joint armada with the NYC and the CAI. Boats from Rush and Malahide may also be participating.
The itinerary for the day involves:
– Depart HYC at 9am to drop anchor off Lambay Island at 11:00. Rendezvous with fellow cruising sailors from across the water for a quick brunch on board.
– ⁠Depart Lambay 11.30’ish for Skerries Sailing Club where we will be welcomed by SSC Commodore Colm Collins and committee. We will be accommodated at the club through a combination of rafting off the pier, available moorings and anchoring. The club will provide a ferry service on the day. Light bites and bevs will be available ashore.
– ⁠Depart Skerries later in the afternoon and return to Howth Marina for an evening in HYC. NYC Rear Commodore, Andrew Collins and CAI Commodore Mike Kelly and other visiting boats will overnight in HYC. It should be a fun evening!
Obviously all of the above will be weather dependent but HYC as the organisers, will need to get some feel for numbers of boats participating. Final decision and further information will be issued on Fri August 14.

Armada to Killiney
2026-08-29
Please join us for an armada to Killiney on August 29th. Aideen will send out whatsapp poll in advance. Please let us know if you have a berth available or are looking for one.

HW Howth 13.09
Depart HYC Marina 11.00
Muster Killiney Bay 13.30
