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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
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The Department of Transport advises that it has re-established a panel of surveyors to conduct surveys of small fishing vessels of less than 15 metres in length, to check for compliance with the department’s Code of Practice for such vessels.…
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Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Shannon Navigation that Clarendon Lock in Knockvicar, Co Roscommon will be closed this Wednesday 28 February from 9am to 5pm due to a planned ESB power outage in…
Marine flares
RYA Northern Ireland says it has been in discussions with British Marine and other stakeholders regarding the safe disposal of out-of-date flares. Marine flares have become increasingly difficult to dispose of in Northern Ireland in recent years, which RYANI recognises…
Some of the damage suffered at Galway Bay Sailing Club during storm Debi last November. The stretch of the Atlantic coast is very exposed and now a new coastal flooding study has been approved for south Galway Bay,
Funding for a study to identify risks from coastal flooding in south Galway has been approved by Minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Patrick O’Donovan. A sum of €108,000 has been approved for conducting a study…
Killybegs Port in County Donegal. Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney says he was struck during a recent visit by its similarity to Fraserburgh in Scotland, which is a port that has offshore renewable energy (ORE) capabilities. The Minister intends to publish an offshore renewable energy (ORE) industrial strategy for Ireland shortly
Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney has said he intends to publish an offshore renewable energy (ORE) industrial strategy very shortly. A draft of the strategy was due to be presented to Cabinet this week, he told the third annual national…
Match racing is gaining popularity in Ireland, with the National Yacht Club's Elliott 6m boats (pictured above) playing a pivotal role
The Irish Match Racing Association (IMRA) has been established with a clear mission: to promote and cultivate match racing across Ireland. Match racing has been gaining popularity in Dun Laoghaire and other local clubs, but IMRA aims to broaden the…
Commodore Peter Sherry (left) awarded the Boyne Regatta Cup to National Yacht Club member Will Byrne  for the best performance in offshore racing of the year
The National Yacht Club's annual Sailing Awards Dinner was held at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Saturday night. The event saw the presentation of fifteen awards for outstanding sailing achievements. The club's Commodore, Peter Sherry, awarded the prizes to several deserving…
Kinsale Yacht Club Marina in County Cork
Kinsale Yacht Club has cancelled racing on Sunday, 25th February, due to the adverse weather forecast. KYC Race Officer John Stallard will run the next Frostbite races for Squibs and dinghies sailing on Sunday, March 3rd. Easterly winds are expected…
Wicklow RNLI assisted a fishing vessel with a rope fouled propeller -the lifeboat crew after are pictured returning from the call out, and a photo of RNLB Bridie O’Shea returning to station
Three fishermen were rescued by the Wicklow RNLI on Thursday afternoon, February 22. The fishermen were brought to safety after their vessel developed mechanical problems three miles southeast of Wicklow Head.  The lifeboat, RNLB Bridie O’Shea, was dispatched from the…
Charles Caudrelier, the skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, departed the Azores this morning at 0945hrs UTC. He has just over 1,100 miles to go to the Ultim Challenge race finish line in Brest
Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, race leader of the Ultim Challenge left his Azores weather stopover at 0945hrs UTC this morning, according to race direction. He has just over 1,100 miles to go to the race finish…
Laura Brien is the chief executive of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA)
There will be “no hierarchy” of access to Ireland’s sea areas under its new maritime licensing system, the head of the new Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) has said. MARA chief executive officer Laura Brien was speaking at the third…
Charles Caudrelier should leave the Azores today, which could see him cross the Ultim Challenge finish line between Monday noon and Tuesday noon
Sheltered in the Azores since last Wednesday, the leader of the Ultim Challenge Race Charles Caudrelier should leave today which could see him cross the finish line between Monday noon and Tuesday noon according to Race Direction. In second Thomas Coville…
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir pictured with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority and local fishers during a visit to Portavogie Harbour on Wednesday 21 February
Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir met with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority (NIFHA) and local fishers during a visit to Portavogie Harbour in Co Down this week. The visit on Wednesday…
The 11m sailing vessel Anna Maria
Waterways Ireland proposes to dispose, by public tender, of a number of vessels removed from the inland waterways under its purview. Sixteen vessels are presently stored by Waterways Ireland at Shannon Harbour, Co Offaly on the Grand Canal. All vessels…
A young fisherman in black waders on board a fishing vessel drops out parts of fish as hungry seagulls swoop to catch them
A major new European project aims to improve our understanding of how the bycatch of fisheries impacts protected, endangered and threatened species (PETS) in the Atlantic Ocean, and develop methods for better monitoring and mitigating these impacts. Funded by the…
Finn Lynch (left) adds 2024 European Bronze to his world championship silver at Barcelona in 2021 after a thrilling final day at the European ILCA 7 Championships in Athens
With a final day turn of speed, the National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch won the bronze medal at the ILCA 7 European Championships in Athens today (Friday, 23rd February 2024) after a three-race final day that ended the weather-hit event.…
Ballyholme Bay looking southeast – it is ideally located between town and country, and used to be within handy bike free-wheel distance of Bangor Grammar School
Back in the day, Bangor Grammar School was seen by a small but significant sector of its pupils as a sailing school with a grammar problem. This was in a time when it was an establishment of friendly size, located…
IRC Zero victory goes to Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán (SWE)
The fourth day of the RORC Caribbean 600, Thursday 22 February, decided the class winners for IRC Zero in the early hours, the Class40 division in the afternoon, and just before midnight the IRC One champions crossed the finish line.…
Satellite image of Lough Neagh
The owner of Lough Neagh’s lakebed has said he is “open to exploring options” amid reports of the return of toxic blue-green algae blooms. But as BBC News reports, the Earl of Shaftesbury has refused to budge on suggestions that…
ILCA 6 class European Championships racing on the final day in Athens
Nineteen-year-old Eve McMahon concluded the weather-hit ILCA 6 class European Championships in 15th place overall.  Already qualified for Paris, the Howth Olympic debutante will compete at the forthcoming French Olympic Week in Hyeres as her final major competition before the Olympics.…

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