Blogs

#islandnation –In your maritime 'This Island Nation' column this week. Ireland will lead the world in maritime research ...Will you help to survey the coastline? The Titanic Captain had trouble with his navigation ... Extreme trapezing ... A new cruise…

#sailing – Time was when mid-September saw sailing clubs making the final arrangements for their special end-of-season events, while boats based in the less-sheltered anchorages were already being hauled out to comply with insurance restrictions in face of the approaching…

Silver Millions, Piracy Hostage Couple & World Cup Sailing Students
14th September 2012 Island Nation
In this week's This Island Nation Column, millions in silver to be recovered off Cork, a piracy hostage couple sailing again, five million dollars to recover a schooner and reports about world cup students and an offer to survey whales.…
Selection for All Ireland Sailing Competition Leaves 20 Classes Fighting for 3 Places
11th September 2012 Water Rat
It is important that all classes can aspire to participate in the All Ireland Championships but it needs to be seen to be fair and equitable. Giving pre-emptive qualification rights purely on the basis of numbers attending a class's championships when…

#mod70–When Steve Fossett's 60ft trimaran Lakota came into Dun Laoghaire Harbour after setting a well nigh unbeatable Round Ireland record in September 1993, it was Dublin Bay's first introduction to the new generation of ultra-light speed machines, which were sweeping…

The Future of Shipping Fuels, Ireland's last Engineless Sailing Schooner & Lots More
7th September 2012 Island Nation
#thisislandnation – The future of shipping fuels, Ireland's last engineless sailing schooner, galley slaves in Russia, locating the newest lifeboats and GPS disruption all in This Island Nation this week. A FUTURE IN ALGAE The United States Navy uses 80,000…

#sailor of the month – Annalise Murphy of the National YC in Dun Laoghaire is the Irish Afloat.ie/Irish Independent "Sailor of the Month" for August following her outstanding performance in the London Olympics. The talented and dedicated 22-year-old had the…

An amazing sea rescue, NAB-ing change, UK politicians support what Ireland’s will not, sailing in Galway and Mayo and much more in your TIN this week…
31st August 2012 Island Nation
An amazing sea rescue, NAB-ing change, UK politicians support what Ireland's will not, sailing in Galway and Mayo and much more in your TIN this week..... AMAZING SEA RESCUE A 31-year-old seafarer has survived ten hours of swimming after ships…

An unforgettable experience on a tall ship, Galway and the Volvo Race, the MOD70 European Tour in Dublin, protection for seafarers after 92 years, Wi-Fi and sharks, topics in your TIN this week. Read on .... UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE" ON A TALL…

Rambler Crew Thankful, A Story of Two Vessels, Our Paralympians and Cork's New Pilot Boat
17th August 2012 Island Nation
The Rambler Crew thank Valentia Radio for saving their lives in the Fastnet Race, but Coast Guard management wants to shut the station .... My story of two vessels ... John Twomey's Parlaympian achievements ... Cork gets a new Pilot…

The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on. Most of us would probably have thought this was an item of pseudo philosophy which has been no nearer the sands of the desert than the beach at Tramore. But it will…

ASGARD rises again .. Can you help to find goose barnacles? ... Irish brothers wrap up the 18s in Scotland... Commercial fishermen want bass fisheries re-opened.... The weather hasn't really been so bad – do you believe that? The Channel…

The Cool Captain from Carlow is Sailor of the Month, Meanwhile Ainslie is at it Again
4th August 2012 W M Nixon
#sailingonsaturday – Captain Cool of Carlow is the Afloat.ie/Irish Independent "Sailor of the Month" for July. Captain Cool is Finn Lynch, winner of the Silver Medal at the Youth Worlds 2012, and he's just sixteen. So maybe it would be…

Another attempt is being made by Coast Guard management in Dublin to close the coastal radio stations at Valentia and Malin Head and centralise operations in Dublin. That, the poor quality of television coverage of sailing at the Olympics, the…

#olympicsailing – There's a hierarchy in Olympic sailing which reflects the pecking order in the shoreside athletics. In the stadium, the various specialities will stake their claims for attention. The further down the scale they are, the more vigorously they'll…

Six Thousand Milk Bottles, Barryroe Oil Progress & What Ships Might Look Like in 2020
27th July 2012 Island Nation
#thisislandnation – Six thousand milk bottles in Bantry's inner harbour, Barryroe Oil progress, what will ships look like in 2020, disappearing manta rays, a new book scheme for seafarers, emotion in Union Hall, and the future of navigation and visual…