Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Foynes Yacht Club will welcome J/24 crews from across Ireland to the Shannon Estuary for the 2026 J/24 National Championships. The event will bring together some of the country’s leading J/24 crews for what is expected to be a highly…
World Premiere of the Beneteau Swift Trawler 43 World Premiere at Cannes with BJ Marine
4th September 2026 BJ Marine
BJ Marine has confirmed it will be in attendance for the world premiere of the new Beneteau Swift Trawler 43 at the Cannes Yachting Festival, running next week from Tuesday 8th to Sunday 13th September. As Afloat reported yesterday, the 2026…
Former and Current Inishbofin Ferries Meet in Dun Laoghaire
4th September 2026 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
Former and current Inishbofin Island serving ferries have met in Dun Laoghaire Harbour this week, and both have been involved in charter roles to tender passengers of cruise ships anchored in Dublin Bay, writes Jehan Ashmore. The St. Bridget of Dublin…
The racing hull that powered Géry Trentesaux's Courrier to one of the standout performances of the 2026 Round Ireland Race is being developed into a new racer-cruiser by French boatbuilder Pogo Structures. As Afloat reported following June's 704-mile race, Trentesaux's…
Real Cost of Living On Offshore Islands Theme of Irish Islands Federation Conference On Cape Clear
4th September 2026 Island News
The actual cost of living on Ireland’s offshore islands will be one of the topics discussed at the rescheduled annual general meeting (AGM) of the Irish Islands Federation/Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann. The AGM and forum will take place on Oileán…
Last Sunday (August 30th), the normally quiet and secluded shore of Dromaan on the west side of Lough Derg witnessed a Pink invasion. The Women on Water group from Lough Derg Yacht Club hosted a spectacular floating celebration, raising awareness…
Seafood businesses across Ireland are being encouraged to strengthen their competitiveness and prepare for future challenges through BIM’s Seafood Business Advisory Programme. The programme provides tailored support to improve profitability and long-term sustainability, with an estimated 85% of Irish seafood…
Olympic Medallist Kontides Says Irish Sailing Culture Is a Model for Cyprus
3rd September 2026 ILCA Worlds 2026
Cypriot Olympic medallist Pavlos Kontides says the sailing culture he witnessed in Dún Laoghaire during the ILCA 7 World Championships is something he dreams of developing in his home country. Writing on LinkedIn after the championships concluded on Sunday, Kontides…
Irish sailor Tom Dolan and co-skipper Gildas Mahé finished fourth in Lagos on Monday evening after an intense 1,600-mile opening leg of L’Aventura, missing the podium by just two minutes. The result provided an encouraging return to racing for Dolan…
An Irish-flagged yacht was forced to abandon a passage to Portugal's Algarve after its rudder was damaged during an encounter with orcas off the coast of Galicia in north-west Spain. The 11-metre yacht Minerva, with four crew aboard, had departed…
Iceland’s narrow vote against reopening talks on joining the EU has been interpreted by experts as being more to do with the impact on its marine resources than on a “Brexit factor”. The referendum result was 52.8% to 47.2% against…
Passengers of P&O Ferries Hit by Data Breach During Strait of Dover Sailing
3rd September 2026 Ferry
Ferry passengers on a P&O sailing have been hit by a data breach, as it transpires personal information of customers was shared during a crossing of the Strait of Dover, the operator has said. Commenting on the data breach, P&O…
One of the odder stories to emerge from the weird and wonderful history of Dublin port is the near-legend of the Ouzel galley. It seems that in 1695 a group of the city’s merchants funded a sailing cargo ship called…
Promoted
Here at UK Sailmakers Ireland, we are busier then ever. With new sails and sail orders still being filled. We are still delivering sails well into the Autum, but as the season comes to a close. We are getting ready…
Sharp Increase In Russian Shadow Fleet Transits Off Irish West Coast Recorded
3rd September 2026 Navy
The Naval Service has recorded a 189 per cent increase in transits off Ireland’s west coast by the Russian shadow fleet. The Sunday Times reports that 132 transits occurred between January and September last year. It says the figure rose…
The 2026 Herreshoff Classic Yacht Regatta brought classic yachts back to Rhode Island waters at the weekend, with racing between Newport and Bristol producing a mix of light-air patience, historic boats and close competition. The opening Newport-to-Bristol feeder race produced…
Rising Costs of Around £20m for CalMac’s New Ferries for Islay & West Coast
3rd September 2026 Shipyards
Construction costs for Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) three ferries being built in a shipyard inTurkey, have risen by around £20 million, the Scottish Transport Secretary has said. Stephen Flynn had said ministers have approved the additional project costs to complete the…
Austen, Evelyn, Kilian and Miriam are among the seven storm names which Met Éireann nominated for the 21 names released for 2026/2027. Heather, Laoise and Phelim were also nominated by Met Éireann, drawn from a public campaign run last year.…
Howth Yacht Club’s Adrenaline, skippered by Darren Wright, is seventh overall after six races at the Melges 24 European Championship in Tønsberg, Norway, following a demanding four-race programme in winds reaching 36 knots. Wright is sailing with Hannah Morris, Jack…
The Cannes Yachting Festival 2026 will put motor boats firmly in the spotlight, with nearly 535 new models from three to 50 metres expected and almost 120 world premieres among them. Spread between the Vieux Port and Port Canto, the…
