Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.
Over the past few seasons the use of lifejackets by crews on racing yachts has increased. There was a time when jackets were bulky, awkward and difficult to use in racing situations. The arrival of lighter, collar-type jackets, with built-in,…
We'd like to say a big welcome to all of you who have joined us recently and are keeping up to date with Irish boating and maritime news on Afloat.ie. 4,500 get our biweekly newsletter, over 1,000 are registered on…
Ireland is well placed in the latest world cup standings issued by ISAF this week. After two events Peter O'Leary and David Burrows are ranked 13th in the Star and Annalise Murphy who finished fourth in Miami last week is…
The possibility of an Open 40 entry plus a new white sail division are just some of the developments for the tenth Dingle Skellig Hotel Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race. Over 50 (SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CHESTER) gathered…
September 09th - 15th 2011. Hot on the heels of running the Etchells Worlds this year, Howth Yacht Club is already well advanced in its planning for the 2011 European Championship of the J/24 Class. With over 5,000 boats in…
August 14th - 19th 2011. The National Yacht Club beat off stiff competition from around Europe to secure the Topper World Championships. It follows the successful 2010 Topper Worlds held at Lake Garda last August. The news was confirmed by…
In a major coup for Dun Laoghaire and for the National Yacht Club, a top French fixture involving 50 single-handed yachts will visit the east coast port next Summer. Dun Laoghaire will be the only stop-over outside France for next…
July 29th - August 07th. Calves Week organisers have left leaving nothing to chance next year. They published the entry form and notice of race for the 2011 West Cork regatta in November 2010! The event runs from July 30th…
Billed as the biggest sailing event in Ireland in 2011, the return of the Waterford Tall Ships Festival is set to see over 70 majestic tall ships provide a significant morale boost to the nation. The four-day sailing spectacle will…
July 13th - 16th 2011. Four days and seven races, in IRC and ECHO 1, 2, 3 and White Sails classes, is the menu for excitement in Clifden this year. Last hosted by this club in 2007, when the West…
The Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta takes place from July 7th - 10th 2011. Below is an event preview, click here for the latest news on the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta. There's a new helmsman at the wheel of Volvo Dun…
June 22nd-25th 2011. The outer harbour at Kinsale will present excellent sailing conditions and a beautiful backdrop for visitors to the Sovereign's Cup in late June. The hugely popular bi-annual cruiser regatta hosted by the Kinsale Yacht Club prides itself…
The Cruiser Racer sailing event of the season is on June 17th - 19th. There is already overseas interest from Wales and the UK for the ICRA Nationals, and this year the event is also being promoted in France. The…
ISORA has published its race schedule for 2011 and to win the overall sailing series next year boats must complete four of the six 'qualifying' events. Points for the overall series will then be taken from the best five results…
The Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race takes place from June 11th - 14th. When the race participants head off from the harbour arms of Dun Laoghaire and head along the Leinster coast, they will be celebrating the tenth such race…
June 11th - 24th. Ireland's recent sailing success in attracting international events continues in 2011 with the hosting of the Fireball Worlds by Sligo Yacht Club from June 11th to 24th. Awarded to Ireland by Fireball International, this regatta will…
April 28 - May 01. As part of the build up to the Dublin Bay 2012 sailing competition, the ISA and Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs are combining to create a new exciting youth championship to be hosted at the 2012…
The Irish Cruiser Racing Association is getting behind Kinsale's Sovereign's Cup to promote the fact that for Cruiser sailing racer fans there will be two great regattas in a 10 day period on the South coast in June. The ICRA…
A search coordinated by Belfast Coastguard that was prompted by several reports of sightings of red flares at the mouth of Carlingford Lough was stood down last evening after nothing was found. The first sightings of the red flares came…
July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta has taken in 22 entries six months ahead of the first race. It's an encouraging figure that's on a par with the 2009 VDLR, the biggest regatta in Irish sailing that year.The positive early response…