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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Cindy O’Brien of Abalone Chonamara Teoranta and Sinead O’Brien of Mungo Murphy Seaweed are participating in an international study on the “challenges and benefits of a nature-positive economy”.
A south Connemara abalone aquaculture farm is one of over 100 ocean farming and marine businesses across Europe participating in an international study on the “challenges and benefits of a nature-positive economy”. The Western Development Commission (WDC) and Trinity Business…
New Ross boatyard owner Michael Kehoe with the new boat hoist installed through the Brexit Blue Economy enterprise development scheme
A Co Wexford boatyard says that a €340,000 investment under the Brexit Blue Economy enterprise development scheme will allow it to work with heavier fishing and leisure vessels for dry dock and repair. New Ross Boat Yard has taken delivery…
The winner of the Frank Godsell League in 2023 was Alan Mulcahy. He can be seen holding the trophy with sponsor Frank Godsell, along with his crew and the flag officers of Kinsale Yacht Club, Anthony Scannell (on the left) and Michele Kenelly. The league for 2024 will commence this Sunday
The 42nd annual Frank Godsell League kicks off this Sunday at Kinsale Yacht Club, located on the South Cork coastline. The cruiser league will run for three weeks, with two more races to follow after Sunday's opening. The next race…
MIIN is to host a free online event on March 28th when key players in the marine industry will focus around the future national skills needs for the offshore wind, maritime, ports and the blue economy.
Marine Ireland Industry Network (MIIN) is to hold an online event, Skilling Up: Meeting the Future Needs of the Marine Industry, on Tuesday, 28th March (between 14:30 and 16:00). MIIN represents and promotes the interests of their members working in…
Finished job - Quarter tonner Purple Haze' Arrives on Strangford Lough with (from left to right) yacht designer John Corby, skipper Stuart Cranston and Will Watson, Head Painter
The Ker 32 Hijacker was a popular competitor owned by Stuart Cranston of Strangford Lough YC at Whiterock and the nearby Down Cruising club, but he was struggling to get enough regular crew (eight) so downsizing was the answer, and…
Dublin sailors Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove have moved up to 18th overall after the second day of racing at the 49er World Championships in Lanzarote
Dublin sailors Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove made a strong start on the second day of racing at the 49er World Championship in Lanzarote, Spain on Wednesday. Despite challenging conditions, including an unstable northerly wind, the duo managed to score…
American's Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise claimed the overall lead in the Bacardi Cup after winning race 3 on Biscayne Bay
Cork-Belfast duo Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne continue their march back up the 97th Bacardi Cup in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday after Monday's low opening result. The sole Irish pair, sailing IRL 8118, 'The Iron Lotus,' finished 39th in the opening race. With a…
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Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Shannon Navigation that the lifting bridge at Tarmonbarry in Co Roscommon will remain closed until at least Thursday 18 April to facilitate essential maintenance works. Works at Tarmonbarry…
The Ardrossan-Arran’s main route ferry, MV Caledonian Isles remains out of action, leaving just one ferry, MV Isle of Arran to operate and also during the summer months. This has forced CalMac to axe the Ardrossan-Campbeltown (Mull of Kintyre) summer-only service also operated by the vessel that in 2013 opened the route between North Ayrshire and Argyll from where above, AFLOAT captured the ferry berthed at the peninsula port. The tourist route offered a convenient short-cut across the Firth of Clyde saving mileage and time for those travelling in south-west Scotland.
Scotland's west coast operator, CalMac, has revealed their summer timetable - confirming a single ferry will service the Ardrossan-Brodick route at the busiest time of the year, using the company's oldest large vessel on the Firth of Clyde route. As…
What funding is there to replace the Isle of Man Steam Packet’s fast-ferry Manannan in 2026? – the topic was discussed during a sitting of the Tynwald. As above Afloat captured the catamaran craft underway having departed Douglas Harbour whilst operating on a seasonal service that involves routes linking Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.
In two years’s time, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. is due to replace the fast-ferry Manannan which has operated on seasonal-only sailings since its introduction in 2009. The 865 passenger/200 car capacity catamaran routinely operates seasonal routes, chiefly…
AQUARIUS - this 48-month project aims to provide free access to state-of-the-art research facilities across Europe to enable collaborative marine and freshwater research
The Marine Institute has announced that it will lead a major €14.5m Europe-wide project called Aquatic Research Infrastructure Services for the health and protection of our unique oceans, seas, and freshwater ecosystems (AQUARIUS). This 48-month project aims to provide free…
The restored Dublin Bay 24 Periwinkle has been brought back to the original racer/cruiser concept as first developed in Dun Laoghaire in the 1930s
The concept of the Dublin Bay 24, envisaged as a 24ft waterline 37ft LOA Bermuda-rigged racer-cruiser, was first suggested in 1934 at a Committee Meeting of the innovative yet “homeless” Royal Alfred YC in Dun Laoghaire by the owner-skipper of…
The fifth race of the six-race AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Dublin Bay saw sunny conditions accompanied by a good breeze
A new overall leader goes into this Sunday's final race of the AIB DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Dublin Bay as sportsboats occupy the podium places. The fourth-placed J80 Jambon has moved to the front of the mixed cruisers handicap fleet (the…
Calling All Uniformed and Frontline Services - representatives of the Defence Forces, the Fire Service, An Garda Siochana and the RNLI joined the Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Annamarie Fegan, and Volvo Cork Week Chairman Ross Deasy for the launch of Beaufort Cup 2024
Representatives of the Defence Forces, the Fire Service, An Garda Siochana and the RNLI joined the Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Annamarie Fegan, and Volvo Cork Week Chairman Ross Deasy for the launch of Beaufort Cup 2024 this…
Farewell to the former flagship L.E. Eithne (P31) and helicopter patrol vessel (HPV) which departed the Naval Base Basin, Cork Harbour for the final time. The HPV was built locally at Verolme Cork Dockyard (V.C.D.) in 1984 and served the State for almost four decades, during which the ship made many firsts for the Naval Service, among them the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean to North America and also to the southern hemisphere with calls to South America. The HPV is seen above in its original appearance along with a Dauphin helicopter on the aft deck. The flagship vessel, AFLOAT highlights is historically significant given this was the last ever ship to be built in the Irish Republic.
The former flagship of the Naval Service, LÉ Eithne, RTE News reports, has departed the naval base at Haulbowline, Cork Harbour for the final time. Built as a Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV), the 1,920 tonnes ship is to be taken…
Thanks to a second place in the opening race of the 49er world championships in Lanzarote followed up with two 14th places, Royal Cork Yacht Club's Seafra Guilfoyle and Johnny Durcan lead after day one of the first Irish Olympic trial for Paris 2024
On the first day of the Irish Olympic 49er trial, Royal Cork Yacht Club's Seafra Guilfoyle and Johnny Durcan had a better day than rivals Robert Dickson (Howth Yacht Club) and Sean Waddilove (Skerries Sailing Club) for the Paris 2024 berth later…
Cork-Belfast duo Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne competing in their Star The Iron Lotus at the 97th Bacardi Cup on Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida
Cork-Belfast duo Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne bounced back from an untypical low opening result in the 97th Bacardi Cup in Miami, Florida on Monday to post a top ten in the 66-boat fleet in the second race on Tuesday. The sole…
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Waterways Ireland, in partnership with Monaghan County Council and Fáilte Ireland, is inviting individuals, businesses and organisations to tender for contracts to create attractive visitor experiences at the Ulster Canal Marina in Clones, Co Monaghan as part of the redevelopment…
The Cornavannogue River with plumes of silt evident
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has prosecuted a forestry owner who must now pay €10,000 for damage caused to a fish spawning habitat. Michael McHugh of Kilbride, Clonee, Co Meath was prosecuted for allowing large volumes of silt to wash into…
Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland Mari Skåre with Marine Institute chief executive Dr Rick Officer with the institute’s scale model of the RV Tom Crean
The Marine Institute welcomed Mari Skåre, the Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland, on an official visit to the Marine Institute’s headquarters in Galway on Tuesday (5 March). Commenting on the visit, Dr Rick Officer, chief executive of the Marine Institute said:…

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