The Sea Scout Sailing Regatta

Not to be confused with the Sea Scout Rowing Regatta, the modern Sea Scout sailing regatta had its origins on board L.S.Albatross the former Irish Sea Scout training centre.Known originally as the Albatross Regatta which was held annually in Dunlaoghaire harbour until the early ‘90’s .

In 1969, two Sea Scout leaders from Malahide Patrick Henderson and Robert Molony had negotiated with Irish Lights on the decommissioning of their light ship Albatross to use it as a sea training centre for Sea Scouts. The vessel was originally to moor in Malahide’s Lower Estuary, but due to tidal restrictions was eventually put on station in Dunlaoighaire Harbour in 1971.

For many years the Regatta was run from the Bridge of L.S. Albatross .Here the Officer of Day and his committee  could run the several events within and outside  the harbour wall from an elevated position and then get a bird’s eye view from the top of the ships light when boats exited through the harbour mouth.

Original races had a mixture of craft from mirror dinghy’s to whalers with a lug sail. With the introduction of the Irish Sea Scout standard boat the BP18 in 1979 brought a new dimension to the regatta. Here in the preceding years the BP18 proved to be a very popular crews racing boat. With its lively and speedy performance made events   truly challenging to the finish line.

When L.S.Albatross was sold in 2000 the regatta became dormant for several years but took on a new image when it restarted in Broadmeadow Malahide. The event as popular as ever with more challenging races added.

Now in 2013 as part of the “The Gathering” an International Sea Scout Regatta is to take place on Saturday 24th August in Malahide’s Upper Estuary Broadmeadow. A first for this regatta will be its International dimension, as Sea Scout crews from Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Spain will take part. The winning crew will get the opportunity to represent sea scouts from Europe in the Koch Cup, in California in 2014.