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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
The late Larry Duggan at his “hobby” of traditional boat-building. The skilled use of sawn frames to fit exactly with clinker construction was one of his specialities
Larry Duggan, who has died this week at the age of 90, was one of the best-known and most popular figures in Wexford, and internationally renowned in the maritime world as a versatile builder of wooden boats of many kinds,…
Bam in the RORC Caribbean 600 2018. “A gallant little boat, raced by a determined skipper and his crew of amateur shipmates and friends”
With the third dawn of the RORC Caribbean 600 arriving on this Thursday morning, the annual warm water classic is settling into its final stages writes W M Nixon. While the successful heavy metal may be long since back into…
MJM Group director Naoimh McConville
#CruiseLiners - Fit-out firm MJM Group has said it will be looking increasingly to China after completing its first dry-dock project there. As the Business Telegraph writes the group's director Naoimh McConville says she hopes the company's recent deal to fit-out an…
Turn the Tide on Plastic picks up the pace on day 15 of Leg 6 to Auckland
#VOR - Turn the Tide on Plastic became the new leaders of Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Wednesday (21 February) as the sprint from Hong Kong to Auckland moved inside 1,500 miles. Dee Caffari’s talented young sailors…
An artist's impression of the redeveloped baths in Clontarf
#Clontarf - The seawater baths on Dublin Bay in Clontarf will reopen next week more than two decades after their closure, as RTÉ News reports. The news followed the granting of a seven-day publican’s licence for the bar and restaurant…
The new NMD 43 Albator from France looks to have the Class 1 win in the bag in the current RORC Caribbean 600, but boats of Irish interest have been battling for the second and third slots
George David’s mighty Rambler 88 has repeated her Volvo Round Ireland 2016 treble in the current RORC Caribbean 600, taking line honours, the new course record, and overall victory in IRC, all in the one fell swoop writes W M…
Brian Britton was most recently managing director of Oriel Windfarm
The death has occurred of Irish surfing pioneer and renewable energy businessman Brian Britton, as The Irish Times reports. A member of the renowned Britton surfing family, Brian and his brothers Conor, Willie and Barry — father of Easkey Britton…
Map of the Owenriff catchment and location of electrofishing sites and lakes surveyed in 2017
#Angling - Inland Fisheries Ireland has published its 2017 fish stock survey for the Owenriff catchment as well as its rehabilitation plan for the system to promote the recovery of brown trout and salmon in its lakes and rivers. The…
Tough conditions at the start of the RORC Caribbean 600
George David’s magnificent Rambler 88 has added further lustre to a career of remarkable success by taking line honours and setting the new course record for the RORC Caribbean 600 by a margin of more than two hours this morning…
J109 Joker II was Sunday's race winner on Dublin Bay
In John Maybury's absence, Maurice O'Connell, from one of the DBSC Spring Chicken sponsors North Sails Ireland, helmed his J109 Joker II to a race win in the second race of the Rathfarnham Ford sponsored six week series. Another J109,…
Roseann McGlinchey was a total novice before setting out on the Clipper Race around the world
Before setting sail from Liverpool on August 20, 2017, Clipper 2017-18 Race round the world crew member Roseann McGlinchey’s total sailing experience only consisted of three levels of Clipper Race training. Seven months and over 20,000 nautical miles later, it’s…
Rambler 88 breaks RORC Caribbean 600 Monohull Record
George David's American Maxi Rambler 88 crossed the finish line in Antigua on Wednesday 21st February at 01:21:45 AST in an elapsed time of 1 day 13 hours 41 minutes and 45 seconds, setting a new monohull race record. Meanwhile, Paradox,…
In a quick report from aboard BAM, Anthony Doyle said the HYC crew were enjoying a leisurely reach past Simpson Bay in St. Martin, all is good aboard, plenty of breeze perhaps too much at times, spirits are good and trying to keep the pressure on for the rest of the race.  Now for the beat up past Aguila and then the long fetch down to Guadeloupe
There are sailors from the National YC in Dun Laoghaire, and sailors from Howth, and they’re on the other side of the Atlantic to race against boats from many nations on a 600-mile course writes W M Nixon And yet…
Catching up to Brunel puts a smile on Skipper Dee Caffari’s face on board Turn the Tide on Plastic earlier today
#VOR - The Volvo Ocean Race fleet is facing another 48 hours of excruciating sailing as the teams plugged deeper into a massive expanse of windless ocean on Tuesday (20 February). Lying ahead of them is a 400-mile gulf that…
Cruising To Europe? Be Sure To Have An International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft
#Cruising - The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) wishes to draw attention to the fact that some European Union member states require the operators of pleasure craft operating within their territorial waters to hold an International Certificate for…
A well set–up Beneteau 31.7 racing on Dublin Bay. There are good gains to be made in adjusting the rig regularly – read how how to set up the mast and sails for best performance upwind in different wind conditions below
Mark Mansfield, Racing Consultant for UK Sailmakers Ireland, previously wrote about tuning a fractionally rigged mast. In this latest article, in association with ICRA, the four time Olympian describes how to set up the mast and sails for best performance upwind in…
The newest addition to Arklow's expanding mixed flagged cargoship fleet, the Arklow Viking which at time of writing was only launched just hours ago!
#Ports&Shipping - The newest cargoship launched for Arklow Shipping took place this morning at the Dutch yard of Royal Bodewes which so far has completed eight sisters, writes Jehan Ashmore. Arklow Viking, yard No. 729 was launched at 10.00hrs and…
Fingal Rowing Club Hosts Lambay Challenge This April
#Rowing - Fingal Rowing Club will host the Inaugural Lambay Rowing Challenge on Sunday 15 April. The 19km fundraising race from Rush Sailing Club to Lambay Island and back is open to all open water rowing vessels including but not…
The Maxi 72 Proteus – with Gordon Maguire aboard, she was leading IRC Corrected in the RORC Caribbean 600 when she had to retire with damage after nine hours of racing
Ex-Pat Irish sailing superstar Gordon Maguire may have long since taken out Australian citizenship and built his hugely successful professional career mainly in Australia writes W M Nixon. But when his former clubmates from the strong Howth contingent met up…
Minister Welcomes Stock Management Plan For Trout Waters In 2018
#Angling - Sean Kyne TD, Minister with responsibility for the Inland Fisheries sector, today welcomed Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 2018 Stock Management Plan for designated trout lakes. The 2018 plan again includes operations on Loughs Corrib, Mask, Carra, Conn, Cullin, Arrow…

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