Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
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Ian Croxon in SOD 121 won the six-race Shannon One Design Championship at Lough Ree Yacht Club, topping a 38-boat fleet after racing from Saturday, 1 August to Friday, 7 August. Croxon completed the championship with an impressive 10 points…
The British Royal Fleet Auxiliary replenishment tanker RFA Tideforce (A139) has made a striking appearance in Cork Harbour, berthing at Passage West. The 200.9-metre vessel is the fourth and final ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Tide-class fast fleet tankers…
The SB20 UK Class Association has paid tribute to Katie Jackson (née Ashworth), one of the driving forces behind the growth of the SB20 class, following her death after a battle with cancer. Katie played a pivotal role in developing…
Fennel Bay Finns emerged as the overnight leaders of the Elmo Trophy after a marathon opening day of 64 team races in highly changeable conditions. Four of the 28 teams remained unbeaten at the end of Saturday's racing, with Fennel…
A south-easterly breeze of up to 20 knots produced a full afternoon of Dublin Bay Sailing Club racing on Saturday (August 8), with White Mischief and Windjammer among the cruiser winners and two races completed for the Flying Fifteens and…
Ireland's ILCA 4 sailors endured another demanding day at the Youth World Championships in Aarhus as the Final Series got underway, with mixed fortunes across the Irish team ahead of Sunday's finale. After three races in lighter but highly variable…
Nearly 600 young sailors from 44 nations took to the water on Saturday as the 2026 Ora Cup Ora got underway on Italy's Lake Garda. Hosted by Circolo Vela Arco under the authority of the Italian Sailing Federation, the international…
Justin Burke’s JPK 10.30 ReQuest overcame a last-minute propeller drama to win Saturday’s Viking Marine 25-mile ISORA coastal race from Dún Laoghaire, taking overall IRC honours in a race that ranged from a timid five-knot start to a testing southerly…
NI 49erFX Duo McElwaine and Barbour Launch Crowdfunding Drive for LA 2028 Olympic Campaign
9th August 2026 LA 2028
Northern Ireland youth sailing duo Erin McIlwaine and Ellen Barbour have launched a crowdfunding drive for their campaign to compete in the 49erFX class at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The pair were added to Irish Sailing’s senior squad…
Shannon-Erne Waterway Boaters Advised of Low Water Levels on Lough Scur
9th August 2026 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels navigating the Shannon–Erne Waterway that an extended section of low water exists between Lock 8, through Lough Scur in Co Leitrim, and onwards to Lock 9. Additional inspections have confirmed that there are a…
The RS21 International Class has marked its first appearance at the 200th edition of North Sails Cowes Week, joining more than 600 boats racing at one of sailing's most prestigious regattas. Eleven teams competed on the Solent, with the opening…
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and statutory partners are continuing to investigate a significant fish kill in Co Meath where some 900 fish had died. The incident occurred on the Boycetown River, a tributary of the Boyne River near Trim. Staff…
Junior racing made a successful return to Kinsale Yacht Club this July, with more than 20 boats taking to the water each Tuesday evening. The series was coordinated by Bill Appelbe, with Tim Cronin serving as Race Officer and supported…
A rare waterfront property in the heart of Glandore has come to the market, offering sailors an opportunity to live beside one of Ireland's premier cruising and racing destinations. Seabreeze occupies an elevated position overlooking Glandore Pier and the harbour,…
Ballycotton RNLI rescued four crew members from a 14-metre fishing vessel that began taking on water some three miles south of Ballycotton Island on Friday afternoon (7 August). The lifeboat crew were requested to launch shortly after 4pm by Valentia…
Twenty-eight youth team racing squads will converge on Dún Laoghaire this weekend for the 11th edition of the Elmo Trophy, with organisers predicting one of the most open contests in the event's history. With no clear favourite, the championship is…
The Royal Irish Yacht Club will host its annual Sail for Cancer fundraiser on Friday, 21 August, with all proceeds supporting the Irish Cancer Society. The evening event combines racing, fundraising, and social activities on Dublin Bay, with the first gun…
Royal Highland YC Summer Muster and West Highland Week Highlight Busy Season
8th August 2026 Scottish Waters
The Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC) has reflected on a busy summer programme, with its annual Mid-Summer Muster, West Highland Week, and the arrival of the Clipper Round the World Race fleet all contributing to a successful season. The club's…
Finbarr O'Regan's J/109 Artful DodJer powered to IRC 1 victory as Kinsale Yacht Club's La Bougie Midweek Series 2 concluded in ideal sailing conditions. The final evening delivered the breeze crews had been waiting for. A south-westerly in the mid-teens,…
Waterfront, Prima Forte, Rockabill VI, Artful Dodjer, Swuzzlebubble, Illegal, Bon Journo Part Deux, Rosmarina and Tuco were among the boats collecting silverware as Quintas Capital Calves Week concluded in Schull on Friday after four days of varied racing across IRC,…
















































