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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Pat Murphy during his tractor trek on the Wild Atlantic Way on his restored 1962 David Brown
A teacher who drove a vintage open-top tractor along the Wild Atlantic Way has raised over €25,000 for the people of Gaza. Wesley College Dublin woodwork teacher Pat Murphy spent two weeks driving at a top speed of just 24km…
A newbuild hybrid survey /ROV support ship for Mainport will be used on a long-term charter when completed by a Dutch shipyard and be operational within the first quarter of 2026. AFLOAT has examined the newbuild specifications, with the vessel to be 498 gross tons and accommodation for 26 of which 7 are crew members.
Cork based Irish Mainport Holdings have signed a long term charter with a new customer, N-Sea for the provision of a newbuild hybrid survey and ROV support vessel, writes Jehan Ashmore. Ongoing discussions of recent months between Mainport and N-Sea…
Greek Sails flotilla holiday yachts moored in Órmos Zoyioryia (Zogiria Bay), north western Spetses, during a flotilla holiday in the Argolic Gulf, Greece
Greek Sailing Holiday talks will be held on either side of Dublin Bay this weekend, covering all aspects of flotilla and yacht charter. The evenings, including Greek snack tasting, will be held on Friday, 7th November, at 8 pm in…
The indicative map of the first Marine National Park announced on the Kerry coastline
Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan is inviting members of the public, groups and organisations across the country to have their say on the future of Ireland’s first marine park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí. The marine park is…
Channel Islands ferry contract: Deputy Neil Inder said if Jersey chose a different ferry firm to Brittany Ferries, the islands would work together to put a
Following last week’s ferry contract decision by the States of Guernsey, a committee says it is looking at a "Guernsey-only approach" proposal from Brittany Ferries to run its sea links with the UK and France. The islands’ government confirmed that…
Following cuts to jobs in Stena Line, the transport union, TSSA, said they had not been informed of the redundancies in advance. Above: Stena Edda one of two E-Flexer class which operates the Belfast-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route.
The Irish Sea operator with the largest network, Stena Line, has ignored normal industrial processes, a transport union representative claimed, by not notifying unions about the proposed axing of 80 jobs. The claim from the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA)…
Sennen Cove in Cornwall
The British Royal Family is charging RNLI lifeboats in south-west England to launch their vessels, it has emerged. The London Economic reports on an investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches which has revealed that the Duchy of…
Welsh Sailing take delivery of a brand new fleet of ILCA dinghies
Welsh Sailing has taken delivery of a brand new fleet of ILCA dinghies to support its performance pathways thanks to a major grant from Sport Wales. A total of £131,325 (€156,459) was awarded by Sport Wales to RYA Cymru Wales…
ISORA Champions 2024 -  The Ruth crew skippered by Tom. Shanahan
ISORA applauded its 2024 overall champion Tom Shanahan and his National Yacht Club 'Ruth' crew at the association's annual sell-out black-tie dinner at the National Yacht Club on Saturday, November 2nd. The winning J109 crew and many other prizewinners were saluted…
The 2024 Rolex World Sailor of the Year awards were presented to Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist Marit Bouwmeester, the most successful female sailor at the Olympics in the sport, and the Spanish duo of Diego Botin and Florian Trittel, gold medallists in the men’s skiff at Paris 2024 and winners of SailGP season 4
After a stunning year on the water, sailing’s highest achievers were honoured at the World Sailing Awards ceremony at Singapore’s historic CHIJMES Hall.The 2024 Rolex World Sailor of the Year awards – the 30th year of the awards – were…
Two operators have recently withdrawn ferries from routes involving Dover-Calais (Irish Ferries) and Rosslare-Cherbourg (Stena Line). A third operator, Brittany Ferries, has responded by boosting sailings on the connecting EU member states route, with sailings starting tomorrow, Monday, 4 November. Above the Breton company’s ropax Cotentin at Rosslare Europort.
Both operators Irish Ferries and Stena Line have withdrawn vessels, the former involved a UK-France link and the latter between Ireland and France; however, Brittany Ferries has stepped up by boosting capacity, writes Jehan Ashmore. Irish Ferries: Dover-Calais One of Irish…
Aran Islands Severn class lifeboat David Kirkaldy 17-06. Aerial shot taken from Irish Coastguard helicopter
The Aran Islands RNLI carried out a double medical evacuation off islands Inis Mór and Inis Oírr yesterday (Monday 4 November). The volunteer crew were requested to launch the RNLB David Kirkaldy (17-06) all-weather lifeboat at 11.25am following a request…
The classic IDRA 14s at Clontarf start their 2024 Santa Series with Dublin Port in the background continuing its process of
The Irish Dinghy Racing Association and other clubs may have made some of the significant input into the formation of the IDRA 14 Class way back in 1946. But these days Clontarf is the class's spiritual home, and it was…
What a curious sailing dinghy is the successful Melges 15. Every time you see it from a fresh angle, it looks like some completely different boat. Be that as it may, the Melges 15 is trending big time in Howth – this is top racers Clan McMahon on their way to victory on Sunday
The word is that the Golden Jubilee of Howth's legend-laden Frosbite Series is going to be marked by having its 50th Anniversary next year, when the 2024-25 winter programme morphs into the sparkling new season of 2025 with the Round…
Stena made the announcement of redundancies in an internal email, which will mainly affect up to 80 shore-staff as the company said they were facing “challenging times.
Stena Line, the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, is set to axe up to 80 of its staff following an internal review. This review found the passenger and freight company’s current set-up was “too big and expensive” in…
Attending the Deele River event in Donegal were Ralph Sheppard, landowner, Damien Devine, FROG, Lisa McDaniels, LAWPRO representative, Liz Sheppard, Landowner , Kelsie Geddis, Loughs Agency, Vasiliki Katsorida, Loughs Agency , Martin Scanlon, Contractor, Shane Gallagher, Loughs Agency, Dave Scott, Deele Anglers
Loughs Agency has completed an innovative fisheries improvement project along the Deele River in Donegal to enhance biodiversity, support water quality improvements, and maintain sustainable fish populations. In collaboration with local stakeholders, including landowner Ralph Sheppard, the Local Authority Water…
Superyacht Bayesian off Sicily in 2024
A New York Times investigation into the sinking of superyacht Bayesian off Sicily claims its extra-tall mast may have contributed to the capsize. At 72 metres (237 feet) high, the mast was one of the tallest in the world. The…
Tom Purdon and Olivia Hayes competing at the 18th RS 400 Winter Series at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
The Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club kicked off the 18th year of the RS 400 Winter Series, welcoming back class veteran Dave Cheyne alongside Susan McKnight. The event featured a growing fleet, including newcomers Patrick Hamilton with Sam Kelly…
Blazing the trail – an ILC 37 with Anthony O'Leary on the helm setting the pace for the Royal Cork YC in the NYYC Invitational
The New York Yacht Club's biennial Invitational Inter-club series at Newport RI has seen Royal Cork and Howth campaigning in the sporty Mark Mills-designed ILC 37 One Designs, and they'll be racing again in September 2025. But the closed-shop generally…
The well-campaigned Corby 25, Impetuous, owned by Fergal Noonan of Howth Yacht Club, is ICRA's ECHO handicap Boat of the Year
wFollowing the conclusion of Howth and Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Autumn Leagues, ICRA has finalised scores for the season for its ECHO Boat of the Year competition. The well-campaigned Corby 25, Impetuous, owned by Fergal Noonan of Howth Yacht Club, has emerged…

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