Conway Ones


	The CYC Weather station is currently out of service.


	Conway One Designs - What Are They ?

We are based on the north bank of the River Conwy in the Village of Deganwy.

We have an active COD (Conway One Design) racing fleet, which races weekly between the months of May and October.

Our cruiser fleet also races regularly during the summer months.

We have a very active social programme centred around our club house in Deganwy Village. Have a look at the social pages for a list of events.

Feel free to drop into the clubhouse one evening if you are in the area.

If you are interested in joining us then please drop an email to:

paulskent@hotmail.com


		Conway One Designs or CODs as they are affectionately called were built specifically to race in the waters of Conwy Bay.The recently restored ‘Seriol’, was the original prototype built in Menai Bridge in 1928 and initially had a lifting keel or centreboard as do the Menai Strait One Designs.

	This was changed to a fixed keel better suited to the often choppy waters of Conwy that allowed the boats to sail closer to the wind in the narrow mouth of the river. Sailing ability in the local conditions is further helped by the short bluff bow which is able to punch through the choppy seas thrown up by the mixed forces of the wind, river current and tide. In all 16 boats were built to the design of Mr W H Rowlands but sail numbers go up to 18, sail numbers 3 and 13 not being used as they were regarded as unlucky. Today all the original boats survive but several are at risk of complete loss and need extensive restoration. The fleet has been a colourful part of the Conwy Estuary for over 80 years and dedicated owners have ensured the fleets survival.


	Project 100


	Conway Yacht Club is launching PROJECT 100 to celebrate its centenary in 2011 by aiming to get all 16 boats to the start line for the club regatta that year. Great effort will be needed to achieve this and to establish a mechanism for future care of this part of our local maritime history. The Project 100 scheme is seeking local support from enthusiasts, potential sponsors, and anyone interested in sailing the boats. Plans are at an early stage but please fill in the book of support to be kept up to date on progress.


	Why Now

	One Design racing is fun and competitive with none of the complications of handicapping (adjusting race times for boats of varying ability sailing together). COD’s have been sailing this way in the Conwy Estuary since 1928 and have always been a colourful part of the local scene. 2011 sees the centenary of The Conway Yacht Club which despite its name is based in a fully equipped club house in Deganwy village. Project 100 is just one of a number of initiatives planned to commemorate 100 years of racing.




	The aim is to get all COD’s ever built, up to full sailing condition and on the start line for the CYC’s regatta in the Menai Strait in the summer of 2011. Currently four of the sixteen boats are at risk. At risk implies that without urgent attention they could be lost from the fleet and from the areas maritime heritage within the next year or two. Two are in the custody of CYC and two are in private ownership. In other areas, notably the South coast of the UK there are thriving fleets of traditional One Design boats that are either privately or club owned. They may be rented out to club members, used by local training associations like the Sea Scouts, or be used for corporate days out. CYC will be pursuing all these and other options in an effort to retain the integrity of the fleet and widen its appeal to young and old, sailor and non sailor.

Several of the at risk boats need total keel up restorations. The skills needed to carry out this work are rare, but the club is fortunate in that a recent full restoration of Seriol has shown what is possible with skill and a lot of hard work. Commercial rebuilding is probably out of the question due to costs, so the CYC intends to establish a re-building programme of its own using its in house skills to supervise the rebuilding.

Funding for materials and some specialist work will be required and all avenues are being pursued here from public and private funding to corporate and individual sponsorship and donations of materials. In addition a new base for the rebuilding will have to be found with enough space for rebuilding and perhaps storage for those boats awaiting work. Perhaps this could be opened to the public.


	The main cost will be time, but CYC hopes that individuals or groups will want to become involved in working on and then sailing one of these unique vessels. Skills can be learnt with the satisfaction that a part of the local heritage is being preserved for future generations, and with any luck some exciting sailing might be had as a result!


	(C) 2011, Conway Yacht Club, 43 Station Road, Deganwy, LL31 9DA - Telephone 01492 583690


	[Welcome] [Social] [Sailing] [Club Officers] [Useful Links] [Merchandise] [Membership] [Conway Ones] [History] [Construction] [COD Blog] [Video] [Galleries]