Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Dublin Bay has been the home of the Mermaid class since 1932 when they were designed by J B Kearney. They race regularly in Dun Laoghaire, Clontarf, Rush, Skerries, Wexford, Foynes, Dungarvan and Sligo. And for the first time ever…

Despite the Yellow Weather warning for County Down last weekend, six Waszp dinghies did turn up at Ballyholme Yacht Club for the first ever Northern Irish championships section of the Four Nations Cup. But with little respite from the North…

If you were wondering why an AC40 was sailing in Belfast Lough in the last few days, here is the answer. About a week ago, the AC40 arrived in Belfast for the Swedish Women's and Youth America's Cup teams for…

The Eagle Wing emigrant ship is reputed to have sailed from Groomsport on the south. shore of Belfast Lough in 1636 with 140 passengers and was the first attempt by Ulster-Scots folks to emigrate to America. At 140 tons, it…

Racing at Bangor Regatta in June promises to be keener than ever with the appearance in the Coastal IRC and YTC class of not one but two Swans. The Swan 40 Sloop John T is better known outside Northern Ireland…

There is not much in the way of shelter when the wind is in the north on Lough Neagh, so the fleet from the Club in the north west corner was greeted for the first race of the second half…

This year’s Women on Water Festival will be held at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club at Cultra on the south side of Belfast Lough near Holywood. The date is 12th May. This event, hosted by the RYANI is…

Now that the Six Nations Rugby is over, the Waszp class is embarking on its Four Nations Cup. For the first time in Northern Ireland, one of the fixtures will be at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough. The others…

Since the doors opened for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club a few weeks ago, 388 applications for 440 places have been received. The club lies on the north shore of County Down near the mouth of…

Word on the grapevine is that Jonathan Anderson's Danish-designed X 4.3 will be among the boats new to Royal Ulster’s Bangor Regatta in June. The new boat is still in the factory so brand new. He was the previous owner…

With Antrim Boat Club on the north west corner of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland nearing the end of the second half of its Winter Series it will be a close gallop to the final result. There is little between…

The Ker 32 Hijacker was a popular competitor owned by Stuart Cranston of Strangford Lough YC at Whiterock and the nearby Down Cruising club, but he was struggling to get enough regular crew (eight) so downsizing was the answer, and…

Four of the first 46 entries for the 2024 Scottish Series this season are from Northern Ireland. They received a 15% discount on their entries, which has now been extended to the end of March at 10%. The event will…

Royal Ulster Yacht Club has launched Bangor Regatta 2024 with the publication of the Notice of Race and Entry Form for the event, which will be run in Belfast Lough out of Bangor from 27th till 30th June. Sixty boats…

Ben Greenhalgh comes from a Bangor Co Down sailing family, and he races an RS Feva at Port Dinorwic SC near the Welsh Bangor on the Menai Straits. Ben is the joint winner with Topper sailor, Jess Powell, of the…

The RS Feva class has been growing steadily in Northern Ireland in recent years, and to the satisfaction of Northern Ireland's Ballyholme Yacht Club, the club will host the Irish Championships, designated a 'GP 1' event, on the weekend of…

Ballyholme Yacht Club's Colin Leonard from Belfast Lough in Northern Ireland achieved a significant milestone in his 23-year journey in the Laser dinghy by winning a silver medal in the Apprentices at the ILCA 7 Worlds in Adelaide this month,…

Northern Ireland's County Antrim Yacht Club has been selected as a finalist for the second year running in the UK-wide RYA Club of the Year Awards. The Club lies on the northern shore of Belfast Lough in the town of…

It's 50 years since the Clyde Cruising Club delivered the first Scottish Series, and it has been run out of Tarbert, Loch Fyne, for the last 40 of those. This year’s event will be held from 24th till 27th May.…

Cockle Island Boat Club may be in the minority in Northern Ireland as it doesn’t have its own clubhouse, but for the 50 years of its existence, it has used the local Council facility, the original lifeboat house on the…