Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
November 8 -14 – An Irish world title in Melbourne, an argument over what it means to be Corinthian, and another busy week across Ireland’s harbours and seas: the stories that shaped the maritime week. The contrast was irresistible. At…
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said in a Facebook post that the New Year’s Eve fireworks display at Dún Laoghaire Harbour will not go ahead on 31 December 2026. The harbour display was staged in partnership with Fáilte Ireland as part…
Brittany Ferries 'Seasonal' Route Closes Leaves Hibernia Line to Soldier On Single Ship Service
14th November 2026 Ferry
Armorique was unusually left to close the Brittany Ferries seasonal Cork-Roscoff route this year, as flagship ferry Pont-Aven was required for a special spectator cruise off Saint-Malo for the start of the recent La Route du Rhum Race, reports Jehan…
A strengthening north-westerly is forecast for the third race of the AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot on Dublin Bay on Sunday, 15 November. Ger Dempsey’s Royal Irish Yacht Club SB20 Venuesworld leads the series by three points after two races and…
Dr Joan O’Doherty, who spearheaded the campaign to improve search and rescue services on the west coast in the late 1980s, is keynote speaker at the Irish Ocean Literacy Network (IOLN) regional community event in Derry on Friday, 20 November.…
The smallest of the Aran Islands, Inis Oírr, is the focus of a new TG4 documentary profiling Europe's most westerly arts centre. Located in a former weaving factory, Áras Éanna has become a centre for creativity and connection. The new…
John Bassadone’s Peninsula Racing remains at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the 44Cup Cartagena, despite a challenging second day of racing in Spain. The breeze eased compared with the opening day, but a large, lumpy swell continued…
It was a significant occasion for one of the Liverpool City Region’s most iconic attractions when the £26m new build Mersey ferry, Royal Daffodil, officially entered service. The stylish Royal Daffodil, the first ferry to be built for the service…
Anthony Bell has made a winning return to top-level offshore racing, skippering his 100-foot maxi Tribeca LOYAL to a line-honours victory in Saturday's 83-nautical-mile Bird Island Race off Sydney, ahead of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The two-time Sydney Hobart line-honours winner…
New Zealand's Black Foils are heading to the Dubai Sail Grand Prix on 21–22 November following a seven-day training camp in Pensacola, Florida, designed to sharpen boat handling, develop new crew members and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the final two events…
CalMac’s considerably long-awaited and over-budget new ferry MV Glen Rosa has begun shipbuilder trials on the Firth of Clyde, marking a “pivotal moment” in its path towards joining the company network. The much-delayed, 102-metre-long ferry is to undergo rigorous specialist…
John Bassadone’s Peninsula Racing made a flying start to the 44Cup Cartagena in Spain, winning two of the opening three races as the RC44 fleet battled some of the most severe conditions in the class’s history. Following Storm Charles’ passage across Spain’s…
The vast majority of club sailing enthusiasts need never trouble themselves with the ins and outs of the various levels and definitions of Corinthian and Amateur sailing. It’s basically simple enough at our home-port level. Most Corinthians pay to sail,…
Stephen Lysaght's Elan 333 Reavra Too has retained its IRC 1 title in Kinsale Yacht Club's Victoria's Antiques Autumn White Sail Series, winning four of the five races in the 2026 championship. The final race took place on Sunday, 8…
A metocean monitoring buoy and an underwater instrument frame are to be deployed 36km south of Carnsore Point, County Wexford, according to Marine Notice No. 55 of 2026 issued by the Department of Transport on Thursday (12 November). TechWorks Marine…
Spanish Port of Tarragona Wins ESPO Award 2026 with Special Mention for Dublin Port Greenway
13th November 2026 Ports & Shipping
The Spanish Port of Tarragona on the Meditteranean Sea was announced as the winner of the ESPO Award 2026 during a special ceremony held at the Vanhaerents Art Collection in the capital of Belgium, Brussels. Around 200 guests gathered on…
The IRC Rating Authority has published a major rewrite of its Measurement Manual, providing more detailed guidance on yacht weighing, hulls, appendages, rigs and sails ahead of the 2027 racing season. The update is relevant to Irish owners competing under…
The 2026 ARC+ transatlantic cruising rally has departed Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with 78 yachts and 355 sailors from 30 nations beginning the first stage of their Atlantic voyage to Cape Verde. Among the entries is Ireland's Cara of the South, a…
As several efforts are made in Ireland to restore native oyster reefs, a new report finds where large-scale restoration could be most feasible and beneficial in England. The findings echo initiatives in Dún Laoghaire Harbour and elsewhere in Dublin Bay.…
John Paul Baska, chairman of the Burtonport Harbour Committee, is seeking letters of support from yacht clubs and individual boaters who would consider using the Donegal harbour as a stopover if plans for improved shelter and visitor berthing go ahead.…
