Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Chef Cormac Healy Retires After 30 Years of Service at the National Yacht Club (Photo Gallery)
7th February 2024 National YC
The National Yacht Club (NYC) in Dun Laoghaire Harbour bid farewell to Chef Cormac Healy on Saturday night, as he retired from his role after 30 years of service. The event was attended by present and past Commodores, Flag Officers,…
Ultim Challenge Skippers Make Meaningful Speeds in Pacific and Indian Oceans
7th February 2024 Ultim Challenge
The Pacific and Indian Oceans give the Ultim Challenge skippers conditions for making meaningful speeds. A big low is a major impediment to progress for race leader Charles Caudrelier in the South Atlantic, but with a lead of 2,577 nms, the…
Howth’s “Secret” Puppeteer 22 Class Launch Into Celebration Of Forty Years With HYC
7th February 2024 Puppeteers
In recent years, the large and varied membership of Howth Yacht Club have seen so many major anniversaries come and go – after proper programmes of lively celebration afloat and ashore – that casual observers might expect an element of…
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has opened the first draw for anglers wishing to catch and keep salmon from Kerry’s Roughty River. ‘Brown tag’ regulations come into force on the river from 15 March and will remain in place until the…
Between the delivery of its new committee boat and the strong entries received so far, it looks like a great season ahead for Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC). DBSC Commodore Ed Totterdell visited builder Gerry Smyth Boats on St. Brigid's…
Plans Progress to Redevelop Cork Dockyard for Offshore Wind Assembly Site
6th February 2024 Cork Harbour
At the Cork Dockyard facility at Rushbrooke, Cork Harbour is where redevelopment plans to service planned offshore wind projects have taken a step forward. The plan to support offshore windfarm projects is proposed by the Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) which…
Charles Caudrelier Passes Cape Horn in Ultim Challenge Solo Race Around the World
6th February 2024 Ultim Challenge
French sailor Charles Caudrelier, the long-time leader of the Ultim Challenge solo multihull race around the world, has become the first to pass Cape Horn. The landmark was passed at 17:08:20hrs UTC on Tuesday, marking a significant moment in the…
Marathon Mission Sees Arranmore RNLI Bring Fishing Crew to Safety After 26-Hour Rescue
6th February 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Lifeboat crew from Arranmore RNLI finally got to their beds at 1.20 am this morning (Tuesday, 6 February) after spending over 26 hours at sea to bring a fishing vessel, with five people onboard, to safety. The Coast Guard requested…
Royal Navy Blames Propeller Issues for Flagship’s Withdrawal From Historic NATO Drill
6th February 2024 Navy
The UK’s Royal Navy has withdrawn its fleet flagship from a historic NATO exercise on Norway’s Arctic coast over what it says are issues with the vessel’s propeller. According to Marine Industry News, the HMS Queen Elizabeth had been due…
Multiple championship-winning J109 Joker II of the Royal Irish Yacht Club won the first race of the DBSC Spring Chicken Series on Sunday. The results are downloadable below. As Afloat reported previously, strong westerly winds reduced the fleet to 17…
Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Lower Bann navigation in Northern Ireland that due to the installation of new lock gates at Movanagher Lock, the lock will be closed for a period of around…
Wärtsilä's Five-Year Lifecycle Agreement With Naval Service for Maintenance of Offshore Patrol Vessel Quartet
6th February 2024 Navy
Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Optimised Maintenance Agreement with the Irish Naval Service which is to cover four offshore patrol vessels (OPV). The Nasdaq Helsinki listed Wärtsilä group's agreement with the Naval Service, is to ensure the OPV…
Marine Institute's Bursary Scholarship Programme Invites Students to Apply
6th February 2024 Marine Science
The Marine Institute has announced its 2024 Summer Bursary Scholarship Programme, inviting third-level students to apply for work experience in a variety of marine areas. The programme, which has been running for over 30 years, provides essential career development, support,…
Candlelit paper boats were set adrift in the south Galway harbour of Kinvara late last week at a vigil hosted by the Kinvara Palestine Solidarity Group. The event, entitled Caoineadh-Lament for Gaza, was held at dusk when many local people…
Harland & Wolff Sponsor Maritime UK Roundtable Marking Start of National Apprenticeship Week
6th February 2024 Shipyards
Shipbuilder, Harland & Wolff Group is among the participants in the UK of the National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) which is underway and continues to this Sunday, 11 February. As part of National Apprenticeship Week, the Group had sponsored a Maritime…
The new chair of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is to meet members of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action in Leinster House, Dublin, today (Tues Feb 6). Prof Tom Collins is heading a new IFI board. He was…
Four years after windsurfing off Sligo’s Mullaghmore Head, Katie McAnena took advantage of the right wind and weather conditions to catch the infamous surf break again. As The Irish Independent reports, the Galway-born GP launched her windsurf board late last…
Ringsend residents lined the streets of the south Dublin village to pay respects to the late Ken Cunningham following his funeral Mass on Saturday (3 February). For many years Ken ran the passenger ferry, Licence No 1877, from Coliemore Harbour…
Drone Firm Touts Successful Test of AI-Powered Aircraft in Italian Coastguard Exercise
6th February 2024 Rescue
A Portuguese drone company has confirmed the successful deployment of an inflatable lifeboat from one of its drones as part of an exercise with the Italian Coast Guard. According to Marine Industry News, the Tekever AR5 drone — which resembles…
Hydrographic and Geophysical Surveys for INFOMAR in Celtic Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea
6th February 2024 Marine Science
The Department of Transport has been advised by Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the Marine Institute that hydrographic and geophysical survey operations will be undertaken by INFOMAR in the Celtic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, western coastal areas and Irish Sea areas…