The singlehanded Lasers that provided so much enjoyment to so many have been joined in recent years by a variety of other singlehanded and two-person dinghies, competing under the Portsmouth Yardstick system. This has allowed a wide range of boats, including RS Aeros, GP14s, RS 600 and 800s and now Melges 15s to enjoy early Sunday mornings afloat and well-earned après-sail chat and refreshments that the Laser sailors hogged for the early years.

This has allowed a wide range of boats, including RS Aeros, GP14s, RS 600 and 800s and now Melges 15s to enjoy early Sunday mornings afloat and well-earned après-sail chat and refreshments that the Laser sailors hogged for the early years.

Despite the expansion of the event, it remains the “Laser Frostbites” for the veterans and the event has widely been acknowledged as the longest running Laser Frostbite series in the World. The annual series for the brave/foolhardy has cemented Howth Yacht Club as a year-round sailing club.

The early enthusiasts didn't all come from dinghy sailing backgrounds but that never dampened their ambitions. In a few cases, singlehanded competence, without the assistance of a keel, was a slowly acquired skill that involved a race between determination (doggedness?) and the risk of hypothermia - added to by the novelty of “softy” attire such as wetsuits and the reliance instead on good Aran “geansies”, with the added benefit of the speed boost that a good soak earned when the wearer had recovered from the most recent capsize.

The event format has evolved over the years, starting with a single race each Sunday. For the early years the boats launched from Claremont Beach and racing was started from the relative comfort of the balcony outside the old HYC Clubhouse, now the renowned AQUA Restaurant. The race management team, having seen the fleet away, normally retired inside to enjoy the comfort of the Club bar as they kept an eye on the fleet through the windows. Reaching starts were the norm and the cavalry charge in a good easterly, across the waves rolling up Howth Sound towards a gybe around the heavy, iron-clad South Rowan Buoy provided a wonderful focus on whether that reminder about the insurance being due had been acted on and just how cold the first swim of the day might be.

Nowadays there are two races per day around courses laid in Howth Sound with the race management team sharing the experience afloat, albeit aboard the Club's committee vessel, Sea Wych. Racing starts at 10:45 and ashore for 12:30 is the objective

Over coming weeks, the Club will interview past sailors, 'Officers Of The Day', volunteers and spectators and broadcast to the World those stories that have remained under wraps for decades. The dress code has developed over the last 50 years and those with photographic evidence of the evolution in winter attire - the more embarrassing the better - are invited to email them to HYC to facilitate the analysis of the event's heritage, cultural and comedic contribution to the sport.

The hard copy entry form, Xeroxed in the Old Clubhouse, and handover of the paper money fee have been superseded by the online entry system and those wishing to take part and share the history of this unique event can now sign up over the internet.

This 50th Anniversary year will see the Club celebrate the event's history in style with a Grand Lunch, details of which will follow shortly. The sailor and volunteers of the last fifty years will be invited to join the feast and share war stories and bruises.

Emmet Dalton

Honorary Sailing Secretary and returning Frostbiter