Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, met European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, this evening for the first time since the Minister’s appointment. The Minister and Commissioner for Agricultre and Rural Development…

The passing of Mickey d’Alton of Killiney at the age of 95 further reduces our direct links to an increasingly remote era. A noted navigator, voyager and enthusiastic Dublin Bay sailor, his background and education were such that he spoke…

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has announced Cork TD Michael Creed as his Minister for Marine. Creed also takes on Agriculture and Food as part of his ministerial portfolio. The appointment comes following a days of tense negotiations between Fine Gael…

#BoatyMcBoatface - It's been confirmed that Britain's latest polar research vessel will not be named Boaty McBoatface despite that tongue-in-cheek moniker running away with the public vote in a controversial online poll. Instead, the £200 million (€253 million) marine science…

#PesaroRovigno - This year's Pesaro-Rovigno regatta in the Adriatic was marked by a serious collision between two competing boats at the weekend, as the photo above shows. According to Liguria Nautica News, Michele Cinquepalmi's 83ft Maxi Chica Magnum was on…

#Baltimore - A verdict of accidental death was returned at Clonakilty courthouse today (Tuesday 26 April) in the deaths of a Penney's retail scion, his son and his son's girlfriend, all three of whom drowned off Baltimore in West Cork…

#CrewRest – The Dutch embassy has contacted Afloat.ie to say the submarine that docked in Dublin Port was not in directly for repairs but for a crew rest and recreational call to the capital, writes Jehan Ashmore. HNLMS Walrus had…

#SubRepairs - It transpires the Dutch submarine HNMLS Walrus which made a call to Dublin yesterday is in port due to repairs according to the Dutch Embassy, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 2,650 displacement tonnes (when submerged) 'Walrus' class are regarded…

#JamesEspey - Olympic Laser hopeful James Espey made time in his busy Rio 2016 training schedule for to help launch a new campaiign aimed at getting people involved in watersports, according to the News Letter. As previously reported on Afloat.ie,…

#BoatyMcBoatface - Not so fast, Boaty McBoatface! Despite the public voicing their choice of name for Britain's latest marine research vessel, the UK's Science Minister has put the kibosh on that notion – to much disappointment online. As reported yesterday…

#BoatyMcBoatface - The votes are in and 'Boaty McBoatface' is the clear choice in a public poll to name a new British polar research vessel, according to the Guardian. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, bosses at the National Environment Research…

#IrishSea - The inquest into the death of a Polish woman from Dublin whose body was recovered from the water off the Isle of Man last summer has recorded an open verdict, as BBC News reports. Recording his findings at…

#Galway - BreakingNews.ie reports that post-mortems on two bodies recovered from Galway waters over the weekend are scheduled for today (Monday 18 April). Gardaí have confirmed that the body of soldier Private Ben Garrett (21), who was missing since 31…

Maritime spatial planning for Ireland takes a step closer this year thanks to an EU directive first adopted in 2014. The directive obliges all coastal Member States to establish maritime spatial plans by 2021. Member States, including Ireland, must transpose…

A much-admired ongoing restoration project, which had resulted in the full return to original condition of the classic sloop-rigged 26ft South Coast One Design Pegasus, almost ended in tragedy with an explosion aboard the newly-launched boat on the Galway Bay…

Ireland is an island nation but not yet a maritime nation. So said Capt. James Robinson of the Irish Maritime Forum and formerly of the Irish Naval Service when opening the Forum's conference at the National Maritime College in Ringaskiddy,…