And so it was, on the 4th March 1961, six like minded men, Fred Moulton, Danny Thomas, Ieuan Evans, Reg Morris, Vincent Davies and our current President Lloyd Thomas, brought the first meeting of the Aberaeron Regatta and Boating Club to order in the lounge bar of the Monachty Arms Hotel. The Aberaeron Annual Regatta actually began three years earlier on the 5th August 1958 with the typical Cardigan Bay squally weather making its now familiar appearance.

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Shortly thereafter, securing a lease from the town council on "Enid Yard and Stores" on South Beach quayside, the members got down to the task of equipping the Boating Club with boats. Some 70 years after the Cadwgan, the last ship to be built in the town, the first of a new generation of sea-going vessels, "Glynarth" a slightly smaller GP14, was built and launched followed by another four, "Aeron Lass", "Llinos", "Wennol" and "Fancy That," which made up the Club's fledgling dinghy fleet. 

 

With more permanent lease secured by 1963 and more and more members joining, attention turned to all round improvements both inside and out of the clubhouse with members turning out in force to lend a hand . These efforts lead to an increase in social activities and yet more members. It wasn't until the beginning of the 1970's that the Club premises were purchased from the Council. Yet more expansion work was carried out but by the end of the 1970's the Club was again in need of more room and some refurbishment and the most up-to-date wave expansion took place which resulted in the Club House today.

 

Throughout the sixties the once strong dinghy fleet was slowly overtaken by rhe Cruisers. The mid 70's saw the start of the popular Aberaeron to Ireland "Passage Race". Many a cruiser laden with a first aid kit of Chicken Curry, Bacon, Spam, a can or two of Pop, the compulsory tot of Rum, bottle of Port (to settle the stomach you understand) and stilton, set sail on the evening tide bound to tackle the Irish Sea with an excellent crew dressed to the gills in heavy weather gear.

 

Throughout the sixties the name of the Club changed from the original Aberaeron Regatta and Boating Club to the Regatta Yacht Club and finally in 1969 it adopted Aberaeron Yacht Club which stuck right up into the 1990's when it changed once again to its current title of Aberaeron Yacht and Watersports Club, often shortened to Aberaeron Yacht Club (AYC).

 

Of course no Yacht Club would be complete without a Pennant or Burgee and the familiar one of a white Aberaeron Shovel and bright Yellow Crescent was designed in the mid sixties by Vincent Davies and David Evans. The Flag now adorns the walls of Yacht Clubs all over the World, from Arklow to Barbados.