Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Islanders Fear 'Tory Island is at Risk of Extinction' - As Row Over New Ferry Deepens
12th March 2018 Island News
#IslandNews - A new ferry service to be introduced in serving Tory Island could lead to the 'extinction' of the community according to a group of concerned islanders. According to the Irish Independent, 'Mná Thorai' claim that a new ferry…
The ISORA fleet's newest arrival, a brand new Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 named Yoyo, made its debut at Dun Laoghaire Marina this weekend and although only partially commissioned by MGM Boats at this point, the Daniel Andrieu design looks more than ready…
Royal Cork's O'Leary Brothers 11th at Star Bacardi Cup, Royal St. George Pair Finish 18th
12th March 2018 Star
With seven out of the top 10 at the Bacardi Cup being Star world champions, Peter O'Leary and Robert O'Leary from Royal Cork Yacht Club were in good company when they finished 11th overall in Miami at the weekend. A…
Having lost three weeks to the vagaries of the Irish weather, flat seas and a 9 – 12 knot breeze greeted the fleets on Sunday morning for the last day of the 2018 Kinsale Yacht Club Frostbite Series. 13 Squibs…
Odd Easterly Entertains Fireballs & Others Dinghies in a Tricky DMYC Frostbite Race Outside the Harbour
12th March 2018 DMYC
When sailors arrived to rig for the DMYC Dinghy Frostbites on Sunday the wind was considerably less than the 6-12 knots promised by Windguru but by the time boats got afloat an encouraging 8 knots plus ENE had kicked in.…
420 Dinghy Pair Win First Prize in Royal Cork Yacht Club's Horizon Energy PY 1000 Race
11th March 2018 Royal Cork YC
The fourth running of the Horizon Energy PY 1000 at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven today saw James McCann and Harry Whitaker sailing a 420 dinghy win €700 first prize writes Bob Bateman. Racing on the Owenabue river opposite the RCYC clubhouse, there…
A successful Irish University Sailing Association (IUSA) Intervarsity team racing championships concluded today at Kilrush Marina on the Shannon Estuary in County Clare. To a bystander not familiar with team racing it may have appeared somewhat chaotic with lots of…
Highs & Lows For Clipper Race Fleet As Chase For Qingdao Podium Heats Up
11th March 2018 Clipper Race
#ClipperRace - As the Clipper Race fleet pushes north up the eastern Taiwanese coast, a real contrast in wind and conditions have been reported over the last 24 hours, resulting in a vast range of fortunes and emotions for the…
European Commission Issues Brexit Preparedness Notices On Maritime Transport
11th March 2018 Ports & Shipping
#Brexit - The European Commission has published notices to stakeholders in maritime transport and in seafarers’ certificates in preparation for the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. These notices are intended to facilitate preparation by EU-27 Member States and…
#RNLI - Clogherhead RNLI assisted a fisherman in need of medical attention on Thursday evening (8 March). The all-weather lifeboat was launched around 5.45pm following a request for a medevac from a small fishing boat operating off Gormanstown and north-east…
#Rowing: Trinity’s senior eight were the fastest crew at the re-fixed Erne Head of the River in Enniskillen today. It was their fourth consecutive win, achieved this year in rainy conditions. Junior crews did well: Enniskillen RBC’s junior men’s eight…
#Ports&Shipping - Following the final RMS St. Helena sailing linking the UK overseas territory of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean with the outside world, a replacement freight-only service has finally begun, writes Jehan Ashmore. The lo-lo containership MV…
#ClipperRace - After a tough and wet couple of days for the Clipper Race fleet, the sun came out on Day 6 of Race 8 (Saturday 10 March), bringing plenty of positive attitudes as the teams make better progress up…
Dongfeng Win Auckland In-Port In Challenging Conditions for Volvo Ocean Race Fleet
10th March 2018 Ocean Race
#VOR - Dongfeng Race Team showed great concentration and resilience in winning the New Zealand Herald In-Port Race in Auckland, New Zealand earlier today (Saturday 10 March). Conditions were extremely light, shifty and patchy on the Waitematā Harbour for the…
Senator Says Dun Laoghaire Cruise Ship Plans 'Not Dead in the Water Yet'
10th March 2018 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
In a further twist in the long running proposed cruise Line berth at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, An Bord Pleanála has written to Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company this week requesting them to furnish further information in relation to the effects on the…
Will Olympic Sailing Regimentation Spoil Irish Offshore Racing’s Growing Attraction for Young Sailors?
9th March 2018 W M Nixon
It’s highly likely that a trial Olympic offshore racing event will be run in tandem with the 2020 Sailing Olympiad in Tokyo in 2020, and one proposal which seems to have traction is that a boat similar to the Figaro…
#Navy - The latest Irish Naval Service newbuild, LÉ George Bernard Shaw was floated-out for the first time from a UK shipyard, writes Jehan Ashmore. LÉ George Bernard Shaw costing €67m, is the fourth of the offshore patrol vessel (OPV90…
Dublin Port’s iconic landmarks are set to be illuminated in green for the first time to celebrate the St Patrick’s Festival next week. The Diving Bell on Sir Rogerson’s Quay, Port Centre and Crane 292 will be aglow in emerald…
Illness has forced Balimore’s Fionn Lyden to withdraw from the Finn Europeans getting underway in Cadiz today, Friday 9 March. Irish Sailing’s James O’Callaghan confirmed the news as sailors from across Europe take to the waters of Andalusia ahead of…
#Figaro - Bord Iascaigh Mhara will support for Joan Mulloy in her challenge this year as the first Irish female sailor to compete in the world famous Solitaire du Figaro race. The solo, multi-stage race spans the length of the…
