Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Elite Fast 50 Teams Sign Up as RORC Make Enhancements for 2025 Caribbean 600 Race
20th November 2024 Caribbean 600
The stage is set for an electrifying 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, starting Monday 24th February 2025, from Antigua. The early entries in IRC Zero reveal a fierce battle among some of the most advanced offshore racing machines…
Irish Sailing is Hiring for Three Key Roles to Enhance Racing, Inclusivity, and Safeguarding in the Sport
20th November 2024 Irish Sailing
Irish Sailing has announced three job openings, each offering a unique opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of sailing, powerboating, and windsurfing in Ireland. Irish Sailing is the National Governing Body for sailing, powerboating, and windsurfing. Its vision…
Imray Announces End of Chart Publishing Operations, Shifts Focus to Digital Navigation
20th November 2024 Marine Trade
Trusted by mariners and sailing enthusiasts for more than two centuries, Imray is announcing the gradual conclusion of its chart publishing operations, marking the end of an era. While this decision has not been taken lightly, it recognises growing trends…
Family of Missing Galway Swimmer Say Days 8 and 9 of Search are "Critical"
20th November 2024 Sea Swim
The family of Máire Ní Fhatharta who has been missing since she went swimming in Galway Bay a week ago have said they are overwhelmed by the community response. Organisers of the continued search said yesterday on social media that…
Diverse Fleet of 108 Yachts Set to Compete in 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
20th November 2024 Sydney to Hobart
A fleet of 108 yachts is set to take on the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR) on 26 December at 1300 hours. Previous Tattersall Cup winners are in the fleet, including defending…
Vintage Sigma 33 'Boojum' Takes a DBSC Turkey Shoot Race Win as Dublin Bay Winter Series Reaches Halfway
20th November 2024 Turkey Shoot
The vintage Sigma 33 one-design Boojum took an 11-second win in last Sunday's third race of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot Series on Dublin Bay. In another great turnout for the 72-boat entry, the 1978 David Thomas design beat the Beneteau 31.7 Camira on…
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a conviction against a man for illegally netting salmon on the River Nore. Francis Kennedy of Oaklawns, Paulstown, Co Kilkenny was accused of unlawfully capturing salmon at a catch-and-release fishery on 30 June this…
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has gained a conviction against an angler for using live roach to catch pike. Aleksandr Gavryuchenkov of Ewings Bar apartments, Carlow was found to have illegally used live fish as bait in an incident near Ballytiglea…
Bangor RNLI Joins Lifeboat Volunteers From Around Ireland in Reception at Irish Lights HQ
20th November 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
On Wednesday last (13 November) volunteers from Bangor RNLI in Northern Ireland attended a reception held at the Commissioners of Irish Lights head office in Dun Laoghaire. Christine Beale, Chris Beale and Tom Bell represented the station at the reception…
Howth's Brass Monkeys Swing Through Great Racing Morning Before "Winterburst" Arrives
19th November 2024 Howth YC
It was a perfect sailing Sunday (November 17th) with a westerly wind of approximately ten knots at the start writes Pat Connolly, followed by stronger winds throughout the race, as accurately presaged by the increasingly busy-looking sky to the north.…
Kilmore Quay RNLI Rescues Casualty from Inflatable Dinghy off Great Saltee Amid Challenging Conditions
19th November 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Kilmore Quay RNLI rescued a casualty on the Great Saltee who was reported overdue yesterday (Monday, 18 November). The Irish Coast Guard requested that the volunteer crew launch their all-weather Tamar class relief lifeboat, RNLB Irene Muriel Rees, at 11:30…
Foynes Yacht Club Celebrates Season with Laying Up Supper and Club Person of the Year Awards
19th November 2024 Shannon Estuary
Foynes Yacht Club's Laying Up Supper took place last Saturday evening at the Shannon Estuary Clubhouse, marking a wonderful conclusion to the season. Commodore Bev Lowes presented the Club Person of the Year trophies to two very deserving recipients, Patricia…
Competitive Dun Laoghaire Harbour Racing Kicks Off Winter Series for RS Aero and Neo Fleets
19th November 2024 RS Aero
The first of six Saturdays delivered six short sprint-style races in the harbour for nine RS Aeros and five RS Neo. There is no better way to spend a mild Saturday morning sailing fast and fun little boats. The concept…
Shipyard Harland & Wolff’s Botched Venture With Isles of Scilly Ferry Subsidiary Collapsed Owing £3m
19th November 2024 Ferry
Shipyard group Harland & Wolff’s botched venture into the ferry sector, reports CityFM, showed it owed more than £3m to creditors after it collapsed earlier this year into administration, filings have revealed. Its subsidiary, Harland & Wolff (Scilly Ferries) Ltd,…
First "Seasonal Sunday" of the Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
19th November 2024 DMYC
Met Eireann forecast – light to moderate westerlies, "check". Small craft warning – Yes, but from Wicklow Head southwards, "check". Marine warnings – None, "check". XCWeather – 9/10 knots gusting 18 – 20knots, westerly………small seed of doubt! Projected temperature –…
A Government of Jersey cabinet minister is today (19 Nov.) set to face questions over negotiations to find a ferry operator to serve the largest of the Channel Islands with the UK and France. It has been announced by the…
First Irish Port to Use HVO for Maintenance Dredging takes Place at Waterford
19th November 2024 Dredging
A first for Irish ports has begun at the Port of Waterford, where a dredger currently involved in maintenance operations is being fuelled by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), writes Jehan Ashmore. The Port of Waterford, along with Dutch dredging company…
Bob Espey Dominates Day 3 of RS400 RNIYC Frostie Series Despite Chilly Conditions
19th November 2024 RS Sailing
On Sunday, November 17th, the RS400 Frostie Series continued at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club (RNIYC) with challenging conditions on Belfast Lough. A cool northwest wind ranging from 13 to 18 knots set the stage for three exciting…
Afloat.ie regrets to record the death of Brian Buchanan, for many years a leading figure in the offshore racing scene in Northern Ireland and internationally. Although he became best-known as the owner of "The Special One", the remarkable Frers 49…
Bundoran Lifeboat Responds to Report of Kitesurfer Missing Off Streedagh Beach
19th November 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Bundoran RNLI responded to a call-out on Saturday evening (16 November) following a report from the Irish Coast Guard of an overdue kitesurfer. The volunteer crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 6.26pm following reports of a missing kitesurfer who had…