Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.
Mermaid Week 2009 concluded today at Sligo Yacht Club, with the final race being abandoned due to lack of wind. Paddy Dillon, Johnny Dillon and Rory Grimes sailing No. 131 Wild Wind are the new National Champions. This is Paddy’s…
Today's final race at the Star World Championship in Sweden has been cancelled due to lack of wind. Two Irish boats are competing in the event at Varberg. The race will be held tomorrow at 12hrs, using one of the…
This Sunday ICAP Leopard, the 100ft super-maxi racing yacht owned by Helical Bar PLC chief executive Mike Slade, will set sail in the prestigious Rolex Fastnet race. This biennial race is famous for fierce conditions, however forecasters are predicting a…
A rare opportunity to own a prize possession-the legendary HMS Bounty is available. She was built by MGM Studios for the classic Mutiny on the Bounty starring Marlon Brando. When the movie was completed MGM was going to salvage the…
With the next Fastnet Race getting closer, Tom MacSweeney and his crew on Seascapes look back (Friday, August 7th, 2009) at the Fastnet of 30 years ago, when a storm wreaked havoc and caused 15 fatalities. Also on the show,…
Paddy Dillon, sailing No. 131 Wild Wind (formerly Paula) is now certain to win the Mermaid Trophy. With a first, three seconds and a third in the first five races, Paddy and his crew Johnny Dillon and Rory Grimes don’t…
The DBSC Thursday sailing (6th August 209) experienced very light winds and flooding tide, where sailors hugged the coast in Scotsmans Bay. However, patience is a virtue and there were plenty of results to bring home – see over. DUBLIN…
A record entry of 300 boats will each carry an OC Tracker for the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race, which starts from Cowes on Sunday, 9th August. The Fastnet Race is a 608 nautical mile offshore classic which sees boats ranging…
The Figaro fleet is expected to arrive in St. Gilles Croix-de-Vie tonight, and the finish line won’t come a moment too soon for the 52 skippers. This second leg has been one long drag race since the fleet escaped the…
Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks move up to 17th after finishing the fifth race of the Star worlds in Sweden in 13th place this afternoon. Peter O'Leary and Tim Goodbody are in 22nd overall after a disappointing drop from second…
One man is missing, feared dead, and another drowned after they attempted to rescue three people whose boat had capsized on Gallon Lake, midway between Virginia and Bailieborough in Co. Cavan, writes Conor Lally and Pat Tierney in today's Irish…
Royal Cork's Cian McCarthy will not start in this weekend's Fastnet race because his brand new Class 40 yacht 'Cinnamon Girl ' is still to hit the water. The solo sailor is focused instead on October 18th, the date for…
The continuation of the unseasonal weather conditions forced the postponement of the Friday night Crosshaven–Schull raceas part of Calves Week , which eventually started at 8pm on Saturday morning, with a slight improvement in conditions. Eight boats came to the…
RTÉ and Met Éireann have joined forces for a new weekly Marine Outlook weather broadcast on RTÉ television. Friday night is the timeslot, after the Late News on RTÉ 1 and will be useful to the recreational boating community in…
James O’Callaghan, High Performance Director of the ISA reported Wednesday evening (5th August) from Lake Garda, where he was supervising and helping with the loading of equipment following the conclusion of the 420 World Championships which was attended by a…
Two boys aged 13 and 14 were rescued last night (Wednesday 5th August) after becoming stuck in a cave near Castlerock, Co. Londonderry, reports the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency. Coast Guard Rescue Teams from Castlerock and Ballycastle worked alongside…
The historic first Asgard which was involved in the gun-running to the Irish Volunteers at Howth in 1914 is to be restored after a long controversy, reported Tom MacSweeney on the RTÉ News on Sunday, the 2nd of August. Raghnall…
Wednesday Series saw Breen and company in the Beneteau 34.7 Flashback continue their run of successes in Class 1 IRC and HPH, while Superhero (Banahan/Byrne) and Impetuous (Noonan/Chambers) took firsts in Class 2 IRC and HPH respectively. Toughnut was first…
After four races in the Star Worlds in Sweden Irish crews are placed 18th and 24th overall. In a reversal of fortunes for Peter O'Leary and Tim Goodbody the Eastern European champions crashed out of the top ten after two…
Three Norwegians – Trond Aasvoll, Hans Fredrik Haukland and Finn Andreassen – have begun their attempt to circumnavigate the North Pole in a 1977 36-foot sailing yacht. Global warming can, strangely enough, contribute to their success in their endeavour to…
