Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
A Mayo based renewable energy startup Solar MarineEnergy is making plans to build Ireland’s first floating solar energy plant which it proposes to locate in Cork Harbour, writes the Irish Examiner. “We have secured permission from the Port of Cork…
Stronger Winds in Fastnet Race Give Smaller Boats a Tough Time But Faster Speeds to the Finish
6th August 2019 Fastnet
Strong southwest winds last night – with Met Eireann issuing a Small Craft Warning at 2100 hrs – gave the more determinedly sailed smaller craft a fighting chance of significantly improving their overall standing in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2019,…
Haulbowline: Famous Lighthouse Illuminated in Memory of People Who Died in Carlingford Lough
6th August 2019 Lighthouses
Near the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic sits a famous lighthouse which has been illuminated in memory of people who have died in Carlingford Lough. The Haulbowline Lighthouse, writes the Irish Examiner, is situated on the Lough, separating…
Welsh sailor Alex Thomson, who has strong links with Cork Harbour, has announced the completion of the new racing yacht, which it hopes will lead the team to victory in the 2020-21 Vendee Globe round-the-world race. For five formative years of…
A formal legal process to place Harland and Wolff into administration will be completed later today. As the BBC News reports an insolvency request is expected to be filed at the High Court in Belfast. On Monday, the company announced that…
Appeal to Citizen Marine Scientists for More Sightings of Rare Golden Kelp
6th August 2019 Marine Science
Citizen science pinpointed the first samples of a rare kelp in Irish waters, and now NUI Galway researchers are hoping that sea swimmers, divers and kayakers may help to find more writes Lorna Siggins Samples of golden kelp (Laminaria ochroleuca),…
Curly Morris of East Antrim Boat Club in Larne has been elected as President of the International GP14 Class. The Class AGM held in Abersoch last night voted for the GP14 Ireland stalwart during its 2019 national championships, a year…
Sutton Dinghy Club father and son pairing Peter and Stephen Boyle had a very good second day at the GP14 UK National Championships in Abersoch to be top Irish boat in 14th place writes Andrew Johnston. The Boyles had just competed…
The fascinating adventure of RIB skipper Sergio Davì continues alone in the most extreme and difficult part of his bid to complete an ‘Ice RIB Challenge’ from Palermo to New York. Since his departure from Palermo about a month ago,…
The GP14 UK Nationals kicked off yesterday with a practice race and the first of 9 races at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club in Abersoch, North Wales writes Andrew Johnston. With 10 Irish crews in the 56-boat fleet, hopes are high for…
While IMOCA 60s are renowned for racing non-stop around the world in the Vendée Globe, the doublehanded crews of these extraordinary space-age craft appreciate the Rolex Fastnet Race as it offers most conditions of a round the world race within…
Fastnet Race Line Honours Winner George David Salutes 2011 Irish Rescuers Again
5th August 2019 Fastnet
American Owner George David, skipper of Rambler 88 the monohull line Fastnet Race winner has again paid tribute to the RNLI Lifeboat crew in Baltimore West Cork who rescued him after he capsized at the rock eight years ago. "We know…
When Kerry Blasket islanders built the naomhóg for fishing, they would never have dreamed the same craft might transit Nova Scotia writes Lorna Siggins However, four Irishmen have now rowed and sailed a similar design across Cape Breton in northern Canada.…
The great George David’s Rambler 88 – holder of the Round Ireland monohull record – finished the Rolex Fastnet Race at 0955 this morning to take mono-hull line honours, but the final run into Plymouth from the Scillies put paid to a…
Two recently recruited volunteer lifeboat crew at Bundoran RNLI have had a key part of their training funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, according to the lifesaving charity. Brothers Oisin and Nathan Cassidy, from Kinlough in Co Leitrim, recently travelled to…
Carrybridge lifeboat volunteers a busy morning on Sunday (4 August), starting with two personal water craft with engine issues close to Naan Island on Upper Lough Erne. The relief inshore lifeboat and rescue water craft were launched at 11.33am to…
There were jubilant scenes at Royal Cork Yacht Club on Sunday evening when Paul Smith, President of the Mermaid Sailing Association presented the Foynes Yacht Club triplets Darragh, Noel and Mark McCormack with the National Championship trophy writes Bob Bateman. The…
Youth sailors from the Irish 29er fleet travelled to Gdynia, Poland to compete in the Zhik 29er World championships held last week, from Friday 26th to Saturday 3rd August writes Chris Bateman (17), a member of the Irish contingent that…
Day 1 of the 50th Anniversary Squib Irish National Championships at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough had all the hallmarks of champagne sailing, sun out, blue skies and a steady breeze but only for a few…
Mermaid National Champion Darragh McCormack of Foynes Yacht Club has successfully defended his national title at Royal Cork Yacht Club moving from third place and into the overall lead in today's final races of the ten race championships. McCormack eeked…
