Thanks to support from Fingal County Council through the Fingal Sports Office Large Sports Equipment Grant, Howth Yacht Club's 420 fleet recently expanded from three boats to six, with three new additions joining the fleet earlier this year.

Howth Yacht Club sourced the boats from the Irish 420 class after making contact with a coach who was heavily involved coaching the Irish 420 Team. Working closely with Class Captain Tom Mapplebeck in Cork, the boats underwent a comprehensive restoration over the winter, with regular progress updates shared throughout the process. The journey to get the 420s to the club had Sailing Development Officer Matthew and Bosun Alan towing a double stacker trailer all the way down to the Royal Cork Yacht Club to collect the first two boats from Crosshaven. The final boat arrived on the morning of the Optimist Leinsters - a fitting addition during one of the busiest weeks of the summer.

Their impact has already been significant. This summer alone, dozens of young sailors have already benefited from increased access to training and coaching opportunities in one of the world's most successful youth sailing classes.

The International 420 has been a cornerstone of youth sailing since 1960, with more than 57,000 boats built and active class associations in 67 countries. At HYC, the class plays a vital role in our junior pathway, introducing sailors to trapezing, spinnaker handling and double-handed sailing, while preparing them for competition at national and international level.

Our 420s are used across our Kites & Wires courses and Thursday evening coaching sessions. With five boats now available, we can offer more sailors the opportunity to train together, develop racing skills, learn from one another and build the teamwork and camaraderie that are such an important part of our sport.

A special thank you to Fingal County Council for making this investment possible, and for their continued support of youth sailing in our community.