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Tenby Sailing Club and its Suitability as a Centre for Major Sailing Events.



Watercolour of Tenby Harbour by David Bellamy. (50.7k bytes)



          Tenby Sailing Club has been staging National Dinghy Championships for more than 30 years with at least one major class visiting each year, including Fireballs, Larks, Fireflies, Scorpions, Toppers, National 12s, Merlin Rockets, Redwings and Ospreys.

          Tenby is a very popular holiday resort in South West Wales in the Pembrokeshire National Park. Typical journey time from the Severn Bridge is less than 2 hours with dual carriageway to within 15 miles of Tenby.

          The Clubhouse is in the middle of the picturesque Harbour surrounded by the slipways, dinghy parks, beaches, accommodation, restaurants, pubs and town. Families and supporters will find they can be in the middle of the action just by going to the harbour beach.

          A new dinghy park along the North Walk was completed in early 2003.

          There is a very experienced team of club members (including an IRO and NRO ) who make every effort to make the events a success and make everyone welcome. In 1999 Tenby SC was very proud to have won the prestigious RYA/RTYC 1840 Challenge Trophy for excellence in Event and Race Management for their staging of the Fireball Championships so they must be doing the right things in the competitors eyes. The clubhouse itself has recently benefited from a major refurbishment with the aid of a Sportlot Grant. There are changing rooms, showers, storage, meeting room, club room with bar, and a balcony overlooking the harbour and launching area.

          There is an excellent range of accommodation in and around Tenby but as usual in school holidays early booking is needed to get a place near the harbour.

          The Race area is in Carmarthen Bay and is reached within minutes being off the North bay side of Tenby. Launching can take place at all states of the tide with a hard sandy beach right down to low water.

          The usable area is at least 2 miles by 2 miles. There is shelter all the way round from 180 to 045. Shelter from the west and north is afforded by the mainland and from the South West by Caldey Island. In fact the shelter of Caldey Island is the key to the popularity of dinghy sailing in the bay.

          There is no shelter from the east and south east and big seas can result from force 4 upwards. Fortunately the prevailing wind is from the SW and W. Some wonderful dinghy sailing can be had in a SW to W wind with steady wind direction and relatively flat water.

          In high pressure situations a north easterly often develops overnight but dies away towards midday. Any wind that returns is usually light and follows the sun around.

          When the wind is offshore, W around to N, courses are laid out as far as possible to minimise the shifts caused by the wind coming over the land mass and cliffs.

          Out in the bay the flood tide runs towards the north and the ebb towards the south. Well out the tide turns at high and low water but within ½ mile of the shore the tide can turn up to 2 hours before. When possible the dates for major events are chosen to coincide with neap tides although, because spring tides are always evening and early morning in this area, racing can take place to span low water at midday to early afternoon to minimise the effect of the tide.



Major events staged by Tenby Sailing Club.

YearClassEvent
1960RedwingsUK National Championships
1966RedwingsUK National Championships
1971RedwingsUK National Championships
1976RedwingsUK National Championships
1976LarksUK National Championships
1977Redwings and JavelinsUK National Championships
1978MothsUK National Championships
1979LarksUK National Championships
1980Redwings and MaraudersUK National Championships
1981Scorpions and JavelinsUK National Championships and Europeans
1982RedwingsUK National Championships
1983420sUK National Championships
1984OspreysUK National Championships
1985RedwingsUK National Championships
1986FirefliesUK National Championships
1987OspreysUK National Championships
1988ToppersUK National Championships
1989Redwings, Tasars & KestrelsUK National Championships
1990OspreysUK National Championships
1991ScorpionsUK National Championships
1992FirefliesUK National Championships
1993Ospreys and RedwingsUK National Championships
1994Merlin RocketsUK National Championships
1995LarksUK National Championships
1996Celtic Watersports FestivalEuropean Event
1997National 12sUK National Championships
1998OptimistsWelsh National Championships
1998FirefliesUK National Championships
1999LasersWorld Qualifier Event
1999FireballsUK National Championships
1999Redwings and HornetsUK National Championships
2000SolosUK National Championships
2001Merlin RocketsUK National Championships
2002Redwings & National 12sUK National Championships
2003ScorpionsUK National Championships
2004FirefliesUK National Championships
2005EnterprisesUK National Championships
2006Merlin RocketsUK National Championships
2006RedwingsUK National Championships
2007RS200sUK National Championships
2008EnterprisesUK National Championships
2009RS800sUK National Championships
2010FirefliesUK National Championships
2011ScorpionsUK National Championships
2012National 12sUK National Championships
2013Merlin RocketsUK National Championships
2014FireballsUK National Championships
2015RS500sUK National Championships
2016FirefliesUK National Championships
2017RS200sUK National Championships


National Champions of Tenby Sailing Club.

The following people have had success in National Sailing Championships:

YearChampionshipHelmCrew
1977Redwing NationalsSteve RichJustin Hearne
1979Snipe national Steve Rich
1980Redwing NationalsChris CrockfordJonah Jones
1982Redwing NationalsSteve RichBethan Eastlake
1983Laser NationalsSteve Rich 
1983Redwing NationalsBlake ShawPhil Bement
1987420 Nationals David Marsden
1987Div. II Boardsailing WorldsSteve Rich 
1989International 14 Classic David Stubbs
1989Laser Europeans3rd: Steve Rich 
1990Laser Worlds5th: Steve Rich 
1991Laser NationalsSteve Rich 


To look at a Line map of Tenby, click here.

To look at a Detailed map of Tenby, click here.

To look for accommodation in Pembrokeshire in 2008, click here.

To look for self-catering accommodation with Frank B. Mason in 2008, click here.

To look at Championships to be held at Tenby Sailing Club in 2008, click here.

To return to Tenby Sailing Club home page and main menu, click here.