Wave Regatta postponed until 2028, Howth Harbor awaits dredging

Howth Yacht Club said that the next edition of the Wave Regatta will not take place in 2026, as the club awaits essential dredging works in Howth Harbor. The event is now scheduled to return in 2028.

“Wave Regatta was built with ambition. It was designed to welcome the largest and most competitive keelboats in Ireland and from overseas, and that requires the depth and accessibility of a properly maintained harbor,” the organizers said.

“The dredging is critical, not just for the event’s future, but for the wider sailing and fishing communities that depend on Howth Harbor every day. We are disappointed that we will have to wait another 3 years before the harbor might be back up to the capacity and depth that our event was conceived to accommodate.” 

Speaking about the urgency in respect of the dredging, Howth Yacht Club Commodore, Kevin Monks, was forthright in his message and said: “The EPA has had the Department’s application for these vital works since November 2023 and it’s unbelievable that they have not progressed it despite endless representation.”

The announcement regarding pausing Wave Regatta until 2028 also serves as an early notice to sailors planning their 2026 racing calendars, Howth Yacht Club concluded.