Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Greenlink Interconnector Ltd is proposing to develop an electricity interconnector to allow for offshore cable installation and burial at a later stage. A pre-lay grapnel run (PLGR) will be performed along the planned interconnector route…

Waterways Ireland advises arrangements have been made for Iarnród Éireann to open the lifting bridge at Newcomen Bridge on the Royal Canal in Dublin on the following dates and times, if there is demand: Sunday 5 May, 9am-1pm (Low water…

Despite a horrible forecast of wind which caused Howth’s Round the Island Race to be cancelled (on the Saturday) and huge seas in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday, the DMYC dinghy Frostbites, sponsored by Viking Marine took place on Sunday afternoon…

The 2024 Sea Scout Master Mariner competition took place in Dublin on 10 March. This maritime skills event has been running since 1995 and is supported by the Irish Institute of Master Mariners. This year’s event had a focus on…

Malahide Yacht Club is inviting entries for the March Hare Regatta on Saturday, March 23rd, 2024. This open event will feature ILCA/Laser, Optimist, and PY class races on the beautiful Broadmeadows Estuary. "Sailors of all ages are welcome to participate…

French solo skipper Anthony Marchand took fourth place on Ultim Challenge this afternoon when he sailed the ULTIM Actual Ultim 3 across the finish line off Brest at 14:08:21hrs UTC. Marchand, who turned 39 years old during this first ever solo…

What significance is there in the first arrival of a basking shark in Irish waters this year being spotted on the West Coast? It is not the earliest date of arrival of a basking shark. It ranks as the third…

While tracking vessels in the north-west today, among them passenger ferry Aran Islands Express, a trio of general cargo ships operated by Wilson ASA have been trading in the Port of Sligo at the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore The operator…

Doolin Ferry Co.’s 294-passenger Aran Islands Express this morning departed Killybegs, Co. Donegal, fresh from overhaul in readiness for St. Patrick’s Day and this year's season, writes Jehan Ashmore. Afloat tracked Aran Islands Express, having left Mooney Boats, the boat-builder,…

The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) has laid out its plans for the forthcoming 2024 season, and it features a packed calendar of events that will, among other things, produce the ICRA Boat of the Year 2024 by the end…

Irish solo offshore sailor, Tom Dolan, is starting his 2024 racing season with a new approach. Rather than spending most of his time on the water, the skipper of Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan has prioritised his physical and mental preparation. Dolan is…

Rolex has renewed its sponsorship of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race for another ten years, extending its naming rights to the event through to the 2033 edition. The announcement, say the sponsors, is a testament to the brand's privileged relationship…

Strong easterly winds and big seas may have prevented the final race of the AIB-sponsored DBSC Spring Chicken Series from sailing on Sunday morning (March 10) – the first cancellation of the six-race mixed cruiser and one design league –…

Giving the host nation a huge boost just months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Erwan Fischer and Clément Pequin of France emerged victorious in the 49er World Championships held in Lanzarote on Sunday (10 March). Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz of the…

The Frank Godsell March League 2024 for mixed cruisers at Kinsale Yacht Club got off to an exciting start on Sunday. The fleet decided to round alternative turning marks after discovering that some of the prescribed buoys on the course…

While the RNLI celebrates its bicentenary, the first lifeboats in Dublin Bay date back to the early 19th century and were run by the Port Corporation. This is the subject of a talk by maritime historian and researcher Cormac Lowth…

Lough Ree Yacht Club, located on the picturesque River Shannon in Ireland, is seeking passionate and skilled instructors to join their existing team of 18+ instructors for their burgeoning Junior Sailing Course. The course runs for three weeks at the…

Tributes continue to be paid to Clayton Love Jnr, the accomplished sailor and leading businessman who made a remarkable contribution to Ireland’s marine sector. As The Sunday Independent reports, he left a distinct footprint on his native city through his…

The Marine Survey Office (MSO) of the Department of Transport has appointed four companies to the panel as Recognised Security Organisations (Ports) for the period covering 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2028. These companies appointed as RSOs for the…

After a disappointing week for both Irish crews competing at 49er World Championship in Lanzarote a final-race second place on Sunday (10 March) for Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove was a welcome early season morale boost. After a clean start,…