Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
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Vendee Globe Leaders Pass The Azores, 1100 Miles to Round the World Finish Line
24th January 2021 Vendee Globe
As the Vendee Globe leaders pass the Azores the leading skippers are starting to play different options. Behind the top group, Yannick Bestaven and Damien Seguin were first to gybe and are heading north in search of the stronger breeze.…
Ocean Cruising Club Award for Solo One-Armed Sailor Gary Crothers of Derry
24th January 2021 Cruising
The Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) has awarded Northern Ireland one-armed solo sailor Garry Crothers its 2020 Seamanship Award. Despite a pandemic raging throughout the year, the OCC found numerous achievements to recognise in the cruising world including the Derry sailor's summertime transatlantic…
This year’s OSTAR and TWOSTAR races are going ahead as planned, the Royal Western Yacht Club of England has confirmed. Organisers say that after consultation with finishing hosts Newport Yacht Club in Rhode Island, they are “confident that we can…
2000 Miles To Go: Three Solo Sailors Strike Out For Vendée Globe Victory?
23rd January 2021 Vendee Globe
With just five days or under 2000 miles to go until the first skippers finish the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe the outcome still hangs in the balance. Today and tonight Charlie Dalin and Louis Burton of France and…
Irish Laser & 49er Sailors Continue to Train for Tokyo 2021 as Olympics Cancellation Report is Denied
24th January 2021 Tokyo 2020
The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) continue to plan for a “very different type” of Olympic and Paralympic Games experience in Tokyo this summer. The OFI released a statement on Friday night after hosts Japan and the International Olympic Committee…
INEOS TEAM UK stays unbeaten after what was probably the closest race seen so far on the AC75s, with nine lead changes throughout the nail-biting race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. With that result, Sir Ben Ainslie’s team won their…
The Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour will host the IODAI Optimist dinghy Trials on the May Bank Holiday Weekend, 1st – 3rd May 2021. The trials event is a great opportunity for younger sailors to compete…
After a year in the planning, Royal Cork Yacht Club has launched a new offering for its youth sailors for 2021. The pathway is intended to complement our existing entry points into sailing in the club across dinghies and keelboats.…
Dublin Port Chief Executive Eamonn O'Reilly told RTE One's Nationwide programme this week that the capital's port will reach capacity in 2040. The CEO said the port, that handles almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland, faces a…
‘Ireland’s Blubber Book’ — A New Educational Resource for Young & Aspiring Marine Biologists
21st January 2021 Marine Science
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has announced a new educational resource for young and aspiring marine science experts. Ireland’s Blubber Book: Flukes Junior Vol 1 is a comprehensive workbook on cetaceans – the marine wildlife family comprising whales, dolphins and…
Fisheries Officers Investigate Pollution Incident in Westport River Known for Brown Trout
21st January 2021 Angling
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) investigated a pollution incident that occurred last weekend on the Carrowbeg River in Westport, Co Mayo. IFI received a number of calls to the hotline number and had a report from the landowner where the pollution…
‘Istanbul Convention’ Should Apply for UK Boats With Red Diesel Cruising in EU Waters, CA Says
21st January 2021 Cruising
Marine red diesel is still on sale to leisure vessels in the UK despite Westminster’s pre-Brexit plans to phase it out, the Cruising Association says. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the British Government made clear its intention to legislate for…
Jim Dempsey, one of the sailing greats from Skerries passed away last night. He had been unwell for the last few years but he did not allow his illness to adversely impact on his good humour and his ability to…
The 2021 eSailing World Championship will be launched today as the race to win this year’s title – and a prize of USD $10,000 – officially begins. Launched in partnership between World Sailing, the International Federation for the sport, and…
New Boat Models Can be Viewed in Ireland, Boot Dusseldorf Cancellation 'Not Unexpected', Says Irish Marine Trade
21st January 2021 Boot Düsseldorf
The Irish Marine Trade has been giving its reaction to today's cancellation of the giant German Boat Show, Boot Dusseldorf that was scheduled for April and a key show for the Irish industry. As Afloat reported earlier, the world’s largest…
Minister Ryan has announced significant funding of €1,764,000 for the Irish Environmental Network and its members in 2021. This is an increase of €704,000 on the level of funding provided in 2020. The Irish Environmental Network is made up of…
The Marine Institute’s 2020 Stock Book is now available online and via an interactive online application. Every year the Marine Institute produces an overview of scientific assessments and advice on 74 key fish stocks of interest to Ireland. The Stock…
Germany's Boot Dusseldorf that originally postponed from January to April due to COVID-19 has now been called off for 2021. The world’s largest indoor boat show fell due to the ongoing high infection numbers across all of Europe. The massive…
Youghal RNLI Volunteer lifeboat crew were paged and tasked at 5.57 am this morning by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to a report of a missing person in Youghal Harbour. Launching at 6.08 am in freezing conditions, the lifeboat…
The race at the front of the Vendée Globe Race is electrifying. None of the eight previous editions has ever witnessed a race finish as open and intense. Right now the leading skippers are trying to get their heads around…
