the weekend and a parade of sail before the start of sunday’s racing. on Monday there will be a passage race to Plymouth linked to the Plymouth-Brest-La Rochelle race and some of the competing yachts for that event are expected to be in Dartmouth for the weekend. As part of the 150th anniversary sailing programme, the Royal
Dart Yacht Club has issued a challenge to nine other Yacht Clubs in the south West to compete for a new team racing trophy. the savills Commodore’s Challenge Cup, which is sponsored by real estate services provider savills, will be held in start Bay on July 23. the Royal Dart Yacht Club also plays host to two major sailing
events this year. For the first time they will be the host club as teams compete for the spring Cup at the J24 southern Area Weekend (April 16 and 17). Later in the year is the Association of sail training organisations Race for sail training ships (August 20-21). the Royal Dart Yacht Club will host the start and, in this special anniversary year, has launched the RDYC Provident 150 Challenge to sponsor ten local young people as crew on the traditional gaff-rigged Brixham trawler Provident. the trawler, part of the National Historic Fleet, was built in 1924 and is returning to sea this spring (MAY) after a year of restoration by the trinity sailing Foundation. the Asto race brings together sail training vessels and young people in friendly competition. the event is open to sail training vessels under 24m, and other sailing vessels if at least half of the crew are between 12 and 25 years old. the fleet arrives in Dartmouth on August 20, with training and social events the following day before starting the overnight race to Gosport on Monday, August 22, expecting to arrive two days later. this friendly and sociable yacht club is thriving today, with a lot of activity on, in and around the water. there is, literally, something for everyone. You don’t even need to have a boat! the Junior sailing Programme includes activities alongside
RYA training. Races and other junior events prove extremely popular with competitors, organisers and spectators. the RDYC Cruising section organises cruises and associated
events designed to encourage best practice and increase the knowledge, skills, experience and confidence of members. the Cruising Programme normally includes short trips upriver as well as the more traditional coastal hops to enjoy the hospitality of other Devon yacht clubs. the RDYC Ladies Afloat meet every thursday with the
opportunity to dinghy sail, cruise in a wide variety of yachts and keelboats or experience power and safety boats. there are also overnight trips and other activities. Ladies Afloat will hold an open Day on June 2 as part of the 150th RDYC celebrations. the Boys in Boats meet on a tuesday for a variety of activities on the water – trips up the river for lunch at the pub, fish and chip cruises to Brixham, canoeing and safety tuition. they also organise an annual cruise where yachts sail in company. For the more competitive sailor, there is a calendar packed
with races throughout the season at the Royal Dart Yacht Club. And for the armchair sailor there are talks, monthly get- togethers, quizzes and social events or just the pleasure of enjoying a drink with friends on the terrace in the sunshine. Commodore of the Royal Dart Yacht Club, Clive Bennett, who has been a member of the RDYC for more than 20 years, is looking forward to the 150th celebrations and has set a challenge to recruit 150 new members during the year. For further information on the Royal Dart Yacht Club and its 150th Anniversary, please visit
www.royaldart.co.uk
HISTORY OF THE RDYC 1775 the first yacht club in england was established by the Duke of Cumberland, becoming the Royal thames Yacht Club in 1823.
1833 the mid-Victorian era’s enthusiasm for sailing for pleasure leads to a number of regattas. the Royal Western Yacht Club is founded in Plymouth.
1856 Queen Victoria is sailing along the Devon coast when inclement weather forces her to take shelter in Dartmouth on August 11, her impromptu visit coinciding with the annual Dart regatta. Delighted by her welcome, she bestows the title Royal on the regatta.
1863 the wooden hulk HMs Britannia arrives in Dartmouth ahead of the creation of Britannia Royal Naval College which opened to cadets in 1905.
1864 the railway reaches Kingswear, bringing with it many visitors.
1866 Henry studdy and a group of like-minded friends gather at the Castle Hotel, Dartmouth for the inaugural meeting of the Dart Yacht Club, setting membership fees at a guinea a year. they take over two rooms in the Yacht Club Hotel in Kingswear as a club house. the Friday sailing Regatta soon becomes part of the national yachting scene.
1872 Not to be outdone by the Royal Regatta, the Dart Yacht Club petitions Queen Victoria to be granted a Royal Charter. the monarch is told that the club “now takes the leading position as a sailing and racing club in the West of england.” Permission is granted in time for the 1873 Regat- ta in August.
1894 Ladies are elected as members for the first time, but ironically are excluded from the club house until 1936.
1900s Both World Wars have a detrimental impact on membership, but the establishment of the Dart one Design Dinghy Club, which becomes affiliated to the RDYC, brings about a reversal of fortunes and, by the 1930s, member- ship is increasing.
1959 the first Junior sailings Week.
1985 Membership is building and the club acquires a new pontoon
1990s there are turbulent times for the club which is hit by the effects of a tough period of recession.
2000 the arrival of the millennium is auspicious. Membership reaches 1,000 and £118,000 is raised for developments at the Royal Dart Yacht Club as their Millennium Project.
2016 the club is thriving with lots of activities on and around the water. A year of celebrations will mark the Royal Dart Yacht Club’s 150th anniversary.
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