Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Greystones Harbour Marina Bids Farewell to Retiring Marina Manager Alan Corr
1st March 2024 BJ Marine
After a decade of dedicated service, Alan Corr, the marina manager of Greystones Harbour Marina in County Wicklow, retired at the end of February. Alan has been a vital part of the marina's success story since January 2014, bringing his…
Greystones Sailing Club ex-pat Sean Cleary was in the top ten of the OK world championships at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Brisbane, Australia, but a DSQ originally reported initially as a fourth (before protest) has proved unfortunate. Nick…
The Irish Coast Guard has said it is “closely monitoring developments” after the Sikorsky S-92A crash in Norway earlier this week which claimed one life. A woman in her sixties died and five people were injured when the helicopter crashed…
Dunmore East RNLI in County Waterford has announced the appointment of David Murray as its new full-time Station Mechanic. David, who has been a volunteer with the lifeboat station since 2013, has made significant contributions to the team and the…
Firth of Clyde’s Arran Service Sees No New Support after Latest CalMac Ferry 'Shambles'
1st March 2024 Ferry
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has provided no new support for the Firth of Clyde’s Arran route in a shake-up of services after the biggest and oldest vessels in Scotland's ageing lifeline ferry network were sidelined for nearly three months.…
European Ombusdman Calls for Independent Inquiry Into Large Number of Mediterranean Deaths
1st March 2024 Rescue
A European Ombudsman inquiry into Frontex’s role in search and rescue operations says that the current rules leave the EU’s border and coast guard agency unable fully to fulfil its fundamental rights obligations. The inquiry says Frontex has no internal…
Incident Where Fishing Crew Survived Asphyxiation Could Have Been "Far More Serious" - MCIB Report
1st March 2024 MCIB
An incident where two crew members of a fishing vessel were asphyxiated during a fish tank cleaning operation could have had a “far more serious outcome” but for a number of factors, the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has said.…
The day after second placed Thomas Coville’s finished in the Ultim Challenge round the world race, attention is now focused on the Maxi Banque Populaire XI which is expected to finish on Sunday. In the South Atlantic, Anthony Marchand (4th)…
Five trails on two offshore islands are among 62 new walking routes announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys. The five new island routes are on the Aran island of Inis Meáin and Oileán Chléire/Cape Clear island…
The £80m flagship of the Isle of Man Steam Company the Manxman will be out of commission for four days in the coming months. According to the IOMSPCo. the ferry which operates the Douglas-Heysham route will undergo planned servicing of…
Andy Thompson of East Antrim BC is “Sailor of the Month (Worlds)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
We’ve become accustomed to veteran dinghy racing superstar Andy Thompson of Larne suddenly emerging into the spotlight again at some world championship, and he has already made his annual mark for 2024 by brilliantly crewing for Tom Gillard at Geelong…
Ed Wheeler of County Down is Afloat.ie “Sailor of the Month (Voyaging & Services to Sailing)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
Ed Wheeler’s extraordinary career in sailing has ranged from racing the first International Cadet dinghy to be seen on Belfast Lough in the early 1950s (he won Ballyholme YC’s famous Lufra Cup for the big-fleet end-of-season pursuit race) to solo…
Colin Leonard of Strangford Lough and Ballyholme is “Sailor of the Month (International & Cruising)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
There seem to be two Colin Leonards prominent in the sailing scene in the north, but in fact, it’s one and the same man making the best of several possibilities. Colin Leonard of Ballyholme was tops in the medal stakes…
Mark Lyttle of the National YC is February “Sailor of the Month (International)”
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
Mark Lyttle’s devotion to the Laser/ILCA class is truly world league, as he has continued to race the boat for decades, from success at junior level right up to becoming World Grand Master Champion on Dublin Bay in 2018. There’s…
Windy conditions marked the first day of the 44Cup Calero Marinas in Lanzarote on the Canary Islands, in which Irish crews compete in the owner-driver high-performance keelboat league. As Afloat reported previously, Royal Cork Yacht Club's Grattan Roberts is the latest…
Joint Award Presented to National Yacht Club and Ruffian Association at MG Sailing Club of the Year Ceremony
1st March 2024 National YC
The prestigious MG Sailing Club of the Year Ship's Wheel was awarded to both the National Yacht Club and the Ruffian Association at a presentation ceremony at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Thursday evening, February 29th. As Afloat's WM Nixon announced…
The Famous Project’s All-Female Crew in Transatlantic Challenge After RORC Caribbean 600 Success
29th February 2024 Women in Sailing
Fresh from their third-place finish in the RORC Caribbean 600’s multihull class and multiple training laps around the island of Antigua itself, the seven-strong The Famous Project crew — which includes Ireland’s own Pamela Lee and Joan Mulloy — have…
Sligo County Council to Pay €2,600 in Fines and Costs for Damage to Salmon Habitat
29th February 2024 Angling
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a conviction against Sligo County Council for damage caused to a tributary of a river linked to a Special Area of Conservation. The incident happened at Carraun in Corballa, Co Sligo on a stream…
Portrush RNLI Welcomes Causeway Shantymen as RNLI Water Safety Ambassadors
29th February 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Portrush Lifeboat Station has welcomed “aboard” the Causeway Shantymen as the latest RNLI Ambassadors. The Causeway Shantymen have become ambassadors for the RNLI during its 200th year. They have drawn great inspiration from a collaboration with Portrush RNLI and hope…
Emirates Team New Zealand Gifts New Fleet of Elliott 7s to Boost Youth Sailing Programme
29th February 2024 Match Racing
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) and Emirates Team New Zealand has gifted a brand new fleet of Elliott 7s to support the country's Youth Sail Training Programme. The new boats, equipped with brand new North Sails and the…