Afloat.ie Team
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ILCA Sailors Compete in Munster Championships with Over 100 Boats Represented in Baltimore
4th April 2024 Laser
For ILCA sailors Easter always means the Munster Championships in Baltimore Sailing Club in West Cork. Despite the early Easter this year the Munster Championships lived up to all expectations, with nearly a hundred boats travelling from around the country,…
Over 170 Young Sailors Compete in Ireland's Largest Youth Regatta in Cork Harbour
4th April 2024 Youth Sailing
Over 170 young sailors are set to compete in Ireland’s largest youth regatta, which starts today, April 4th at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour. The 2024 Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, which will be hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club…
ISORA Sailors Braced for First Coastal Race Cancellation at Dun Laoghaire Unless Forecast Improves by Friday Lunchtime
3rd April 2024 ISORA
ISORA's first Dublin Bay Coastal race of the season is in doubt due to this Saturday's forecasted strong southerly winds. A new JPK design is set to challenge reigning ISORA champion Rockabill VI in the Viking Marine-sponsored race to and…
Storied North Wales Marina Sold to Local Investors After Going Into Administration
4th April 2024 Irish Marinas
Marine Industry News reports that a company providing berthing and marine services at a storied North Wales marina has been sold after going into administration last year. Port Dinorwic Marina, on the Menai Strait south-west of Bangor, is now in…
Arklow RNLI in Co Wicklow were requested to launch early on Tuesday morning (2 April) following reports of a large yacht with four crew onboard in difficulty near the Arklow Bank. Shortly after 6.30am, Arklow volunteers launched the station’s all-weather lifeboat…
Irish Sailors All Racing in Gold Fleet at Trofeo Princesa Sofía Trophy in Mallorca
3rd April 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
Another sea breeze day kept the giant 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by Iberostar rolling through a demanding schedule of races. Across the classes are some marked, understandable differences between the mindsets of those who are in the throes of…
Met Eireann Issues Small Craft Warning for All Coasts of Ireland as Breezy Weekend is Forecast
3rd April 2024 Weather
Ahead of a forecasted breezy weekend, Met Eireann has issued a small craft warning for all coasts of Ireland valid from Thursday afternoon. Easterly winds, veering southwesterly in southern sea areas, will reach force six or higher, the State forecaster…
Ballycastle to Host Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2024
3rd April 2024 Northern Ireland Waters
Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, is all set to host a leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2024. This July, the global event will witness the world’s best cliff divers competing against each other on the beautiful Causeway Coast.…
Finn Lynch Moves Up to 11th in ILCA 7 Dinghy on Day Two of Trofeo Princesa Sofía Trophy in Mallorca
2nd April 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
Great Britain’s Olympic hopeful Micky Beckett took advantage of a dramatic change of conditions at the 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca on the second day of the World Cup Series event. Ireland's Finn Lynch also made good on a lighter…
Cork Sailor and Former Marine Minister Simon Coveney Announces Surprise Step Down From Cabinet
2nd April 2024 Cork Harbour
Former Marine Minister Simon Coveney announced his surprise step down from Cabinet on Tuesday (2 April). The Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central said his tenure in Cabinet “has been an amazing experience for 13 years” but that “the…
Double-Handed Offshore Duo Cian McCarthy and Sam Hunt Saluted by Kinsale Yacht Club
3rd April 2024 Kinsale
Cian McCarthy and Sam Hunt were honoured at home on the Easter weekend by Kinsale Yacht Club, the West Cork club joining a long list of organisations that saluted the duo's Christmas 2003 achievements competing in Australia's Sydney Hobart Race.…
Met Éireann has indicated that last month was among the “top ten” wettest months of March on record. Sea surface temperatures over the North Atlantic have also been at record high levels now for over a year. As RTÉ News…
Irish Government Criticised by Fair Seas for Missing Deadline on Marine Protected Areas Bill
2nd April 2024 Marine Planning
The Irish government has come under fire from environmental groups for failing to introduce the Marine Protected Areas Bill, which would commit to effectively protecting 30% of Ireland's seas by 2030, as promised since July 2023. The Fair Seas coalition,…
Strong Turnout of Cruisers for Axiom Spring Series at Kinsale (Photo Gallery)
2nd April 2024 Kinsale
The Axiom Private Clients Spring Series 2024 at Kinsale Yacht Club got underway on Easter Monday with a fine turnout of over 30 cruisers and 1720 sportsboats in both the Spinnaker and Whitesail divisions. The racing lived up to its…
Finn Lynch 20th, Eve McMahon 19th as 'Extreme' Monday Opens 53rd Trofeo Princesa Sofía Regatta in Malllorca
1st April 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
With gusts to over 30 knots at times and a big, untidy swell which has been built up by nearly two weeks of strong winds in the Balearica Islands, of the ten Olympic scheduled events only the Formula Kite Men…
The annual Brassed-Off Cup for Optimists which has been running in Howth for 21 years, was held on Sunday in breezy south easterly conditions over a relatively flat sea with some strong gusts to test the boat handling of the…
The final day of the RORC Easter Challenge produced yet another variation in conditions with a medium-strong easterly breeze piping up to nearly 20 knots. The sturdy easterly going tide, built during the day, to create classic Solent chop. After…
It is with deep sadness that we heard of Johnny Robinson's passing on Thursday at the age of 87. He had been involved with Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club for over 70 years and was its longest-serving member. Johnny was known…
Archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric fort in Clew Bay which has been described as “very significant”. As The Irish Independent reports, the fort has been identified on Collanmore island, Co Mayo, which was once one of the Glenans Franco-Irish sail…
Michael O’Suillebhain & University College Cork are “Sailors of the Month (Intervarsity Keelboats)” for March
1st April 2024 Sailor of the Month
It’s more than 18 months now since Michael O’Suillebhain did some skilled helming to bring Kinsale YC’s J/24 Kinsailor onto the podium in the J/24 Europeans at Howth. But his skills were as sharp as ever as he led the…