Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
French solo sailor Tom Laperche is closing in on a potentially record-breaking victory in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, with his Ultim trimaran SVR-Lazartigue approaching the finish off Pointe-à-Pitre. According to Saturday morning's race bulletin, the 29-year-old held…
Irish offshore sailor Pamela Lee has reached the Azores for a technical pitstop during the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe solo transatlantic race. Lee, racing her Class40 yacht EmpowHer, arrived in the Atlantic islands on Saturday morning (7 November)…
Saturday, 8 November 2026 — The first week of November brought a stark reminder that the sea does not distinguish between the fastest racing machines and the smallest coastal craft. In the Atlantic, the Route du Rhum turned from a contest…
Ireland's defending J/24 world champions Headcase have made a flying start to their title defence in Melbourne, topping the 38-boat fleet after two opening races at the Epigen J/24 World Championship on Saturday (7 November). Skippered by Cillian Dickson, the…
The AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot has reached 70 entries for its second race on Dublin Bay on Sunday, 8 November. The latest addition is a Beneteau First 36.7. Series organiser Fintan Cairns said he was pleased to see so many…
Rick Tomlinson's RIYC Evening Raises Nearly €4,000 for Sailability
7th November 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club
Marine photographer Rick Tomlinson took an audience of more than 90 sailing enthusiasts on a photographic journey from the Southern Ocean to the Arctic at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on Thursday evening (5 November). The sold-out…
Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC), Ireland’s largest yacht racing club, celebrated the achievements of its 2026 season at the AIB DBSC gala prizegiving at the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire on Friday, 6 November. Sailors, families and prizewinners filled…
Green Ocean Oyster Trail Opens on Dún Laoghaire Breakwater
7th November 2026 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
Dún Laoghaire Harbour’s East Marina Breakwater is now the location for a new oyster trail walk initiated by Green Ocean, the volunteer-led Irish marine charity. The Green Ocean Oyster Trail Walk comprises a series of four signs, each linked by…
More Than Half of Irish Wastewater Plants Fail Pollution Standards
7th November 2026 Marine Wildlife
More than half of wastewater treatment plants in Ireland discharged wastewater that failed to meet national standards designed to prevent pollution over the past year. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in its Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2025 report, says failures…
On the eve of the fourth Saturday of the five-Saturday Flying Fifteen Frostbite Series at the National Yacht Club, five of the scheduled ten races have been completed. The fleet enjoyed sunshine on the first and third Saturdays, with racing…
Route du Rhum: Tom Laperche Leads Ultim Fleet Towards Finish
7th November 2026 La Route du Rhum Race
If you’re based in Northwest Europe and want to give your new long-distance super-boat the best chance of success, then it’s a fact of life beyond superstition that - as soon as possible - you sail out to southwest Ireland…
It has been a difficult Friday for several skippers in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, with Italian skipper Ambrogio Beccaria forced to abandon after a fall aboard his IMOCA, while Francesca Clapcich has lost her bowsprit in punishing…
Three Races Open DMYC Viking Marine Frostbite Series at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
6th November 2026 DMYC
After the howling gales of the previous weekend, the opening Sunday of the Viking Marine-sponsored Frostbites at Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club was an absolute pleasure, with sunshine and genteel northerly winds that peaked at 13–14 knots. And the Frostbite…
ExploMar to Preview 400HP Electric Outboard at METSTRADE
6th November 2026 Electric Outboard Engines
Electric marine propulsion specialist ExploMar will unveil plans for a new 400HP electric outboard at METSTRADE 2026 in Amsterdam from 17–19 November, as the company expands its range of high-performance marine engines. The Shanghai-based manufacturer will present the concept and…
Plans to improve shelter and provide additional berthing facilities for fishing boats, pleasure craft and visiting yachts at Burtonport Harbour in County Donegal are being promoted by a local harbour committee. The Burtonport Harbour Committee says it is advancing proposals…
The 2026 ILCA World Championships, hosted by the National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, have been shortlisted for Event of the Year at the Olympic Federation of Ireland's 2026 Olympic Sport Awards. The international…
The IRC Rating Authority has published updated Race Management Guidelines to help yacht clubs, organising authorities and race committees prepare for the 2027 sailing season. The revised guidelines provide practical advice on organising IRC racing, covering everything from drafting Notices…
A new documentary tells the extraordinary story of British Army veteran Craig Wood, who became the first triple amputee to sail solo across the Pacific Ocean, setting two Guinness World Records. The film, Single Handed, was released exclusively on YouTube on Tuesday,…
Promoted
North Sails Ireland Highlights Sail Inspection and Repair Service
6th November 2026 North Sails Ireland
North Sails Ireland is highlighting its sail inspection and repair services, encouraging boat owners to identify wear and address minor defects before they develop into more costly problems. The company's North Certified Service programme begins with a detailed 10-point inspection,…
Royal Cork YC To Celebrate 1924 World Champions James & Aileen Payne
6th November 2026 Royal Cork YC
The first international sailing win for Ireland as an independent state in 1924 will be celebrated in the Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven on the evening of Thursday 19th November. The presentation will feature a newly-digitised historic film of…
