Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Peter & Rob O’Leary are “Sailors of the Month (Inshore)” for February
1st March 2018 Sailor of the Month
The International Star Class is both historic and completely up-to-the-minute, and competition in it is razor-sharp. In getting a clear series win in their debut majors – the Walker Cup - in this very special class in early February in…
Maire Breathnach of Dungarvan is February’s “Sailor of the Month (Cruising)”
1st March 2018 Sailor of the Month
The award during February of the Irish Cruising Club’s premier trophy - the Faulkner Cup - to Maire Breathnach of Dungarvan was another highlight in a remarkable cruising career. The trophy was for the voyage she made with her husband…
Conor Fogerty is February’s Afloat.ie “Sailor of the Month (Offshore)”
1st March 2018 Sailor of the Month
Less than a fortnight after he’d been declared the Afloat.ie/Irish Sailing/Volvo Sailor of the Year 2017 in Dublin, Conor Fogerty of Howth Yacht Club was back on the podium in Antigua, having been declared runaway winner of Class 3 in the…
Concern has been expressed in West Cork about the effect of a proposed reduction in power in the Fastnet Rock Light after the Commissioners of Irish Lights have completed work at the famous Lighthouse during 2018 and 2019. In a…
Watersports Inclusion Games Up For Irish Sport Industry Award
1st March 2018 Watersports Inclusion Games
The Watersports Inclusion Games at Dun Laoghaire Harbour last summer have made the shortlist of nominees for the 2018 Irish Sport Industry Awards. Hosted by Irish Sailing at the Royal St George Yacht Club in late June, the inaugural event…
#Rowing: The two heads of the river scheduled for this Saturday have fallen foul of the weather, although both are set to be rescheduled. The Erne Head, at Enniskillen, had drawn a top-class entry. But while conditions at Enniskillen might…
Dun Laoghaire Classics Champion Takes on New Restoration Challenge
28th February 2018 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
Welsh skipper Rob Mason has taken on a new vintage boat restoration challenge writes W M Nixon. The retired Milford Haven tugboat skipper swept all before him when he brought his beautiful 1897-vintage 37ft restored cutter Myfanwy to the Volvo…
Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School 40th Birthday Celebrations Announced
28th February 2018 INSS
The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School Celebrates its 40th birthday this year. Over the years INSS have had some fantastic achievements, have great stories to tell and made wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. To celebrate 40 years…
#MarineScience - An Irish research team from IT Sligo and University College Cork recently joined the ‘Europe’s Lost Frontiers’ project to explore the extensive submerged landscapes in the Irish Sea aboard the Marine Institute’s Celtic Voyager research vessel research vessel.…
'Bangor Town Regatta' Will be Northern Ireland's Biggest Sailing Event This July
28th February 2018 Belfast Lough
Early in July 2018, the well-loved coastal town Bangor on Belfast Lough will be the backdrop to the largest sailing event to be held in Northern Ireland for many years – the Bangor Town Regatta. The event is being hosted…
Bouncing back after what he termed the 'disappointment' of January's World Cup top half result in Miami, the National Yacht Club's Laser ace, Finn Lynch was on the podium at Andalusian Week in the Bay of Cadiz this week. After six…
#Navy - It is expected the Government is to announce next Tuesday to agree to send two Naval Service ships to the Mediterranean in an effort to help the European Union’s mission to rescue migrants and reduce people-smuggling . If…
#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI were called out on Monday afternoon (26 February) to a fishing trawler that had broken down 50 miles south of Baltimore in West Cork. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 2.12pm after the…
Postponed: Glenua Presentation “From the Aegean to the Fastnet Race 2017"
28th February 2018 Coastal Notes
#CoastalNotes - “Even Dermot Cronin, just home from competing in the 2018 Caribbean 600 in stormy conditions more typical of the Fastnet Race, can’t compete with “The Beast from the East”! Consequently, the weather forecast for tomorrow (Thursday 1 March)…
As expected 'The Beast from the East' arrived through the night and forecasters now say this severe winter weather is considered very likely to last a week or longer. It's time to check the boat and avoid the five most common…
The world’s oldest original operational lighthouse at Hook Head has been developing a series of unusual events. To mark the “beginning of Spring” it celebrates Ireland’s ‘Fire Goddess', by staging the first Imbolc Festival to be celebrated at the 800-year-old lighthouse.…
#Rowing: The year 2018 is set to be big one for Rowing Ireland. The National Rowing Centre will host a festival of rowing over three weeks in July. The Irish Championships, with an anticipated entry of over 1,100 crews, is…
#Rower of the Month: The Afloat Rower of the Month for February is Paul O’Donovan. The Skibbereen quartet of Mark O’Donovan, Shane O’Driscoll, Paul O’Donovan and Gary O’Donovan warmed slowly to their task in competing in the New Zealand Rowing…
Team AkzoNobel Holds Off Late Charge To Win Epic Volvo Ocean Race Leg 6 Into Auckland
27th February 2018 Ocean Race
#VOR - Team AkzoNobel has won Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, racing 6,344 miles from Hong Kong to Auckland in 20 days, 9 hours and 17 minutes and 26 seconds. The result came after an epic final 24…
Last Sunday, Wexford Sub Aqua Club, presented the Kilmore Quay branch of the RNLI, with a cheque for €1,000. The presentation was done just before the crew went out for their scheduled morning training exercise. This money was raised by…