Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#CruiseHolyhead - The Port of Holyhead in north Wales will according to Cruise Europe welcome 34% more passengers in 2018 than this year, bringing the total to 36,000 on 43 calls. The jetty, which is owned by Stena Line but…

#Rowing: Irish boats are making progress in the Atlantic Rowing Race. Damian Browne, who was tested by difficult conditions and seasickness in the first two days, reported on his Facebook page that he has recovered. By 6pm on Monday he…

The historic 1926-built 56ft ketch Ilen is to exit The Old Cornstore in Liam Hegarty’s boatyard at Oldcourt near Baltimore, the building which has accommodated her re-birth, early in the New Year writes W M Nixon. Much remains to be…

#Seafest2018 - Returning to Galway in 2018 will be Seafest, Ireland's biggest and most spectacular maritime festival. For three days SeaFest 2018 take place from from 29th June to 1st July – a weekend of fun, family friendly events not…

#WW1ceremony - The relatives of two men who died when two merchant ships were torpedoed by a German submarine in December 1917 have spoken of their pride at seeing their family members remembered at a ceremony in Waterford. As The…

The forecast was for wind! The Frostbite organisers were expecting wind as they posted on Facebook that although the wind in the earlier part of the day was strong, it was due to moderate by the start of the afternoon…

Mermaid IV, a Beneteau 50, one of the biggest yachts in the 73–boat Rathfarnham Ford DBSC Turkey Shoot, held on to her overall lead in the predominantly heavy weather series to clinch the Christmas Turkey First Prize at the Royal…

“I’m that bad nobody would come with me….” That’s what Enda O Coineen told me when he confirmed that he will be completing his round-the-world voyage which he started as part of the Vendee Globe Race, alone to complete the…

#Angling - Angling clubs have until this Friday 22 December to submit their tender for rivers opening in the New Year in the State Fisheries Tender Process for 2018. Tenders will be accepted up until Friday for rivers opening in…

Francois Gabart, who left Ouessant on 4 November 10:05 (UTC+1), crossed the finishing line of his solo round the world, located between Lizard Point and Ouessant, at 02:45 (French time, UTC+1) this 17 December. For his first attempt, the MACIF…

#MarineScience - The Marine Institute awarded €108,000 in grant-aid funding to 94 recipients in 2017 under its Networking & Travel Awards. This scheme, funded under the Marine Research Programme with the support of the Government, makes awards to provide assistance…

#Property - Galway City Council has granted permission for the construction of new student accommodation on the former Topaz oil site in Galway Docks, as Galway Bay FM reports. Two blocks of seven and eight storeys each would provide 345…

#VOR - The leading crews in the Volvo Ocean Race are currently in the middle of the most physically demanding hours of the race to date. Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE are gybing back and forth and they zig-zag in…

#CoastalNotes - Plastic continues to litter Ireland’s coastline, with over 8,800 drinks bottles recorded around the island’s shores in the 2017 Coastwatch survey. Preliminary results from the volunteer survey conducted in September and October show that more than four-fifths of…

#RadioSurvey - Further to this summer’s tender call for a panel of radio surveyors, the panel is now established and authors to conducts statutory radio surveys on Irish seagoing vessels, including fishing vessels. Owners of vessels in the categories listed…

#ClipperRace - HotelPlanner.com crossed the finish line in Sydney Harbour on Saturday 16 December at 20:24:50 local time (09:24:50 UTC/Irish time) to officially bring Race 4: The Clipper Telemed+ Tasman Test — and the first stage of the Clipper Race’s…

#Rowing: Irish crews competing in the Atlantic Challenge race from the Canaries to Antigua have had to battle seasickness and strong winds in the first two days. Relentless, a four, and Gullivers Travels (crewed by Damian Browne) both started well.…

#Figaro - Following this summer’s first images of its new foiling one-design, Beneteau has announced the pricing for the Figaro 3. And the French marque says it has kept its promise of an affordable boat, with a special price of…

A successful new development in the national sailing programme will inevitably be something of a revolution. Yet if those managing the event handle it in the right way, the changeover can take place without people thinking that anything really revolutionary…

#ClipperRace - Sanya Serenity Coast skipper Wendy Tuck has geared up for her 11th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by winning the fourth leg of the 2017-18 Clipper Race late on Thursday 14 December Irish time. It was a photo…