Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
The long hot summer may have given sailors an exceptional level of experience in racing in easterly breezes, but in Howth the westerlies of autumn have come in bang on cue for the first three Saturdays of the 2026 Autumn…
Around 250 young surfers from 20 countries are competing in Bundoran, Co Donegal, as the Euro Surf Junior Championships bring 10 days of international competition to Ireland’s northwest coast. The championships, running from 24 September to 4 October, feature more…
The Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) will hold its 2026 Annual General Meeting at the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on Saturday, 14 November at 3pm, with the 2027 race programme and race-management arrangements among the principal items…
Stephen Lysaght’s Elan 333 Reavra Too and David Riome’s Sigma 33 Valfreya were the two ECHO winners at Kinsale Yacht Club’s traditional At Home fixture on Sunday (September 27). The end-of-season gathering was finally sailed after the original August 30…
Royal Irish Ker 46 Searcher 2 Lines Up for Les Voiles Saint-Tropez
28th September 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club
Pete Smyth’s Irish Ker 46 Searcher 2 returns to the Gulf of Saint-Tropez on Monday (September 28) as racing begins at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026, one of the Mediterranean’s largest end-of-season sailing gatherings. The Royal Irish Yacht Club campaign…
Historical Track Records Still Main Influence On Allocation of EU Fish Quotas - Study
28th September 2026 Fishing
A major study has found that historical track records still remain the main influence on allocation of national fish quotas in EU waters. This is in spite of the fact that Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) requires…
CLdN Orders Two New Energy-Efficient Ro-Ro Vessels From HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
28th September 2026 Ports & Shipping
CLdN announced last week that it’s placed an order for two new 6,700 lane-metre Ro-Ro vessels with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Construction of the new vessels is set to begin towards the beginning of 2028, with delivery scheduled for mid-2029.…
The Yacht Club de Porquerolles on France’s Côte d’Azur will host the 2027 IRC European Championship, taking place from 3 to 9 May as part of the Porquerolle’s Race. Sébastien Le Ber, president of the Yacht Club de Porquerolles said:…
Dublin Bay sailor Cian Guilfoyle has completed a remarkable world championship double after helping Aleph Racing win the 44Cup World Championship at Cowes, adding the RC44 title to his TP52 World Championship victory earlier this season. Guilfoyle confirmed to Afloat…
Golden Globe Race leaders Damien Guillou (France) and Pat Lawless (Ireland) made only moderate progress southwestward through Sunday as they struggled with light winds — sometimes from ahead — in order to reach the more favourable southeasterly breezes blowing across…
Luna Rossa has completed a commanding final day on home waters to win the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Naples, defeating Emirates Team New Zealand in the concluding Match Race. The Italian team of skipper Peter Burling,…
Three Irish sailors have secured Corinthian bronze at the Melges 24 World Championship in Harbor Springs, Michigan, after Team Barbarians won the amateur division in the final race of the 49-boat championship. KInsale's Sam Hunt, Bernard Fitzpatrick and Mark Hassett…
A 41-boat fleet racing across 15 classifications opened the Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League on Sunday (September 27), with two races completed outside Cork Harbour in long rolling seas. Kinsale Yacht Club’s Finbarr and Colm O’Regan made the strongest…
La Pericolosa Wins Cape 31 Hyères Finale as Eker Süzme Takes Double Victory
27th September 2026 Cape 31
La Pericolosa has won the final round of the 2026 Cape 31 Mediterranean Series in Hyères, completing three contrasting days of racing at the head of the 20-boat fleet. Turkey’s Eker Süzme provided the final-day fireworks, scoring back-to-back race wins…
Isle of Man Ministers Raise Doubts about 'Long-Term Suitability' of Flagship Manxman
27th September 2026 Ferry
Isle of Man government ministers have sought assurances over the long-term reliability of the flagship Manxman after major propulsion system defects left the ferry facing months out of service. Following a Freedom of Information request from Manx Radio, internal correspondence…
The maritime TV programme follows the Tramore lifeboat crew as they respond to an early-morning pager alert, capturing the reality of a volunteer lifeboat callout. During filming, crew members also shared their rescue experiences and spoke about life at a…
Brittany Ferries Ends English Channel Route Earlier than Planned with Ropax to Return to Rosslare
27th September 2026 Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries has closed one of its English Channel routes earlier than expected this month due to a technical issue with one of its ropax vessels. The Portsmouth-Le Havre route was initially set to end at the start of next…
The final Fireball regatta of the summer season was hosted by Blessington Sailing Club on 19 and 20 September, alongside racing for Mirrors and 420s. Despite the lake level being lower than usual after the summer drought, competitors praised the…
Judy Moynihan and Therese Loesberg claimed Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s September Dinghy League Class 1 after a close final race in Cork Harbour. The Laser II pairing secured overall victory with a final race win on Friday night, 25th of…
Greenore Port in Co. Louth has implemented an advanced camera system to improve safety for its crane operations. The only privately owned commercial Irish port, with its Liebherr Harbour Mobile Cranes (LHMs), now has a new health and safety system across…
