National Yacht Club

At a Waterwag Club function in the National YC on 12 May, NYC member Ian Meldon presented the Club with a trophy that has been in the possession of his family since it was won in 1914. The ‘Mollie’ trophy is a beautiful Copper framed oval mirror with an enamel burgee of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club and inscribed DBSC – Mollie – 1914. Waterwag Mollie was built in 1903 and raced in Dun Laoghaire for many years until the 1980’s. In 2004, a new built Wag was named ’Mollie II’ and this is now sailed from the National by Cathy and Con Murphy. According to the Wag Club archivist’s records:- Louis Meldon Joined The Wag Club about 1889 two years after the founding of the club. His first boat, a double ender, was ‘Rose’ built in 1889 by Wm. Fife in Scotland. She was the first of many Water Wags built by Fife. Meldon achieve recognition in 1889 for sailing to the Wicklow Regatta in stormy weather along with two other Wags. ‘Rose’ was followed in 1894 by ‘Rose Bud’ built by J.N. Atkinson. ‘Moss Rose’ followed in 1896. built by Hollowey & Son on the south Quays of Dublin Docks. It was the culture of those days to keep a racing boat for no more than a couple of seasons, after which she was sold off as a fishing boat. It was not the norm in those days for anybody to purchase a used racing boat. When the Transom wag was introduced he purchased No. 5, ‘Mollie’ from J.T. Wigham about 1911. He subsequently bought No.7 ‘Bluebird’. which her retained from 1921 till 1942. Bluebird was broken up some time about 1960.  The 1910 programme refers to a race on 11th. May for the ‘Mollie’ Prize. In 1913 the ‘Mollie’ prize was competed for on 21st. May. At that time there were ‘Club’ prizes which were generally cash prizes based on competitors paying an entry fee to the O.O.D. who was Tulip Newland. ‘Special Prizes’ were cups or sails or something else of value. Boats which won a Special prize gained 4 minutes on their handicap automatically. At that time most of the Club prizes were not perpetual prizes. Those prizes which were annual prizes were generallly presented with conditions which allowed the first person to win the prize on three occassions to keep it, or to represent it.