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The Cork-based successful cruiser-racer Elan 333 Artful Dodger is up for sale priced at €59,500.

This could be one of the best combination cruiser-racers around.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, this top racer has a great racing record, including a class win at Sovereign's Cup 2017, beating the competitive top half tonners.

The 2006 launched boat is also a lovely cruising boat with teak decks and a very spacious interior in great condition. If you like to cruise in comfort and race competitively, this one is hard to pass this one on Afloat's Boats for Sale listing here. The inventory includes a hot water system, stern shower, autopilot, roller headsail and cruising main with stack pack and a very spacious and luxurious interior.

2006 Elan 333 - A new owner from 2015 has used Artful Dodger to combine racing and cruising and upgraded all the racing equipment with better deck gear and very recent high tech sails, including a Code 0 and reaching Asymmetric spinnaker with bowsprit2006 Elan 333 - A new owner from 2015 has used Artful Dodger to combine racing and cruising and upgraded all the racing equipment with better deck gear and very recent high tech sails, including a Code 0 and reaching Asymmetric spinnaker with bowsprit.

See advert here.

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There are as many people down-sizing boats these days as there are those who are trading up, with it becoming more difficult to get regular crew as modern family life makes time demands on people who, in a previous age, would have regarded proper sailing time as a sacred right. But let’s assume that you’ve such a wide maritime social circle and thriving bank balance that boat size is only dictated by what you fancy, rather than what’s manageable.

In those circumstances, my own inclination would be towards a boat around the 38 to 40ft mark. A properly-designed boat of this size should have everything for a crew of 4-6 to live together for an annual cruise and the occasional extended weekend venture, and of course, it’s easily manageable if there’s just the two of you.

But what if you plan to live on board for a much longer period, or even are determined to see the boat as a floating home first, and a sailing vessel second? In that case, a serious size increase is needed, with a readiness to accept that you may not have a very lively sailing performance, but you certainly have a solid home base.

The hefty Dutch steel cruisers of the 1960s and ‘70s tick many boxes in this department, and this Jongert 59 currently on Afloat Boats for Sale is a classic of the type. She has a clipper bow which really looks as though it’s meant to be there, and at the other end there’s the great aft cabin which is the very epitome of the leisurely waterborne life. Admittedly 1972 is now quite a long time ago for year of construction, but she has been well looked after since, and if you have your life balance in equilibrium with a clear view of the times ahead, Samara could well be the way to go.

Read the full advert on Afloat here

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Afloat.ie reader Gerald Heffernan is seeking advice on buying a house boat to live on over the summer with the option of renting it out also. He asks 'Where is a good spot to park moor it and what sorry of costs are involved? I love Crookhaven,Valentina, Knightstown etc'.

Other than on the inland waterways, houseboats are virtually unknown in Ireland, and in some cases there may actually be harbour and marina bye-laws banning them. In most ports including those you mention, the rise and fall of tide has to be taken into consideration unless you can get a marina berth, and then you have to be prepared to go ashore to use the ablutions facilities. As to berthing costs, we suggest you contact the Harbour Master or Marina Manager at the port of your choice.

Published in Boat Sales

The designs of John Corby are a fascinating area of study in many ways, as is the man himself writes W M Nixon. His father invented the eponymous trouser-press which saved so many of us from looking scruffy when we were on business trips relying on properly-equipped hotels to freshen up the trews as one day followed another, and the crisp look with which the tour had started was disappearing in a grubby wave of trousers creased every which way except the right one.

Young John could well have followed into a profitable empire of handy gadget invention, but maybe there’s room in England for only one James Dyson…..Whatever, racing yacht design has been John Corby’s passion from a very early age, and some extremely successful front-rank owners – Peter Wilson, Roy Dickson and Anthony O’Leary of Ireland being notable among them – have been more than ready to go along with his enthusiasm for what some people deride as narrow wedge-shaped boats carrying an awful lot of keel ballast in extreme torpedo-shaped bulbs of lead.

For others, there was and is only one boat worth racing, and that’s a Corby, although so far none of them has yet taken up my suggestion that a suitable name for a Corby would be Hosenbugler. It has a certain ring to it, even if it is no more than the German for trouser-press, as we’ve discovered from reading the label while getting the press-setting just right in some distant hotel room.

So maybe if you go after this Corby 25 in North Wales and feel the need to give her a new name, you’ll find some attraction in that moniker. But be warned. This is not a forgiving boat. The problem with a Corby is that she’s a boat for real experts. There’s not even a wafer-thin margin for error between doing what’s needed to get a winning performance, and putting on a show which has you in the crab grass. Yet when everything’s in tune, a Corby really sings as she buzzes along, giving a very hard time to boats twice her size.

Although this Corby 25 for sale on Afloat.ie boats for sale is 2010-built, she’s as good as new. Her history is interesting. Will Partington of Partington Marine in Pwllheli in North Wales, a keen racer when he could get the time, had been thinking Corby for a while. He got to hear that the Corby 25 moulds in Latvia – where most of the boats had been built – might be for sale. He got hold of those moulds, and built what may well be the most closely-monitored Corby 25 ever constructed, with everything possible done to optimise weight distribution.

The results were more than encouraging, with success recorded on both sides of the Irish Sea. But with Pwllheli developing rapidly as a sailing centre, the demands of his business were such that Will simply didn’t have the time to campaign the boat nearly as often and as totally as he would have wished, so now he’s looking for a new owner who can do the job properly.

The Corby 25 is of particular interest to time-starved Irish owners, as she’s conveniently trailerable, and once you’ve previously had the rig set up in optimum tune, it takes only a couple of hours to rig her again when you’ve handily trailed to some new regatta. Yet as she’s IRC offshore compliant, this year’s big logistics challenge of doing the ICRA Nationals in Crosshaven from June 9th to 11th or the Sovereign's Cup from June 21st.

All the data on this particular Corby 25 is here on Afloat.ie

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It could well be that anyone from the coastal districts of Scandinavia has had more than enough of people making silly stereotyped comments about the Vikings writes W M Nixon. But the reality is that when it came to boats, the Vikings really were in a league of their own. And when that Viking maritime heritage has been transferred down the ages into a modern powercruiser which is well able for the challenging waters off the west coast of Norway, we in Ireland should take notice.

For although there’s no lack of sunny images projecting a picture of Norway with a gentle sea, we know in Ireland that such photos will be readily available from the usual sources to portray our own waters too. Yet on our home waters, we know fine well that any serious boat going along the Irish coast has to be ready to take the rough with the smooth. And that’s also the way it can be in Norway, even with all those sheltered leads inside the myriad islands.

So a 26ft powercruiser from a solid Norwegian family firm based on an island off Bergen, with a tradition going back to 1966, for sale on Afloat Boats for Sale, deserves favourable attention. And this Viksund St Cruz 260 for sale in Wexford (yes I know the place has a Viking name, but even BoatBlogger has his limits) becomes more interesting the more we look at her.

(Above) The Viksund 260 off the ancient Viking port of Wexford.

Sea-keeping ability is a Viksund priority, and that is emphasised in the hull design, which can reach 18 knots when the 150hp Volvo diesel is flat out, but a cruising speed of 14 knots keeps things manageable, and the good sense of the hull shape is well able for a variety of conditions.

That said, the boat will blossom in good weather, and the cockpit/accommodation layout leans towards this, while providing overnight accommodation for three. The Viksund 260 is a sensible compromise between the needs of seaworthiness and the hope that the weather Gods are going to send a day reminiscent of the Mediterranean at its sweetest. This well-equipped 2002 model is priced at €49,000 through Leinster Boats.

See the full advert here.

If you have a boat for sale make sure it is listed on Afloat boats for sale site

Published in Boat Sales

It tells us much about the intrinsic quality of a boat if her looks don’t seem to date writes W M Nixon. The debut of the Dufour 40 Performance in 2002, as the result of an interesting design linkup between Umberto Felci and Patrick Roseo, drew a telling level of interest from discerning sailors. They saw a carefully-planned boat which didn’t look outrageously modern, yet had a certain quality which suggested she still wouldn’t look dated twenty years hence.

Fifteen years ago, one of the most experienced and thoughtful sailors in Cork decided that here was the dreamship, and by 2003 his new boat was in Crosshaven. She demonstrated with a lively mixture of family sailing, white sail racing and cruising, that she was everything the pundits expected, and more.

Sadly, that first owner, one of Irish sailing’s great life-enhancers, was taken from us all too young. It was felt that selling his beloved boat away from Crosshaven would ease the pain. Yet such had been the friendly effect that this boat had made on everyone with her first owner that, as a mark of respect, the new buyer on the East Coast retained the track on the chart plotter of his final year in his beloved Cork Harbour.

Now, that second owner has realised that the years are passing, and he has a fascinating new line in boat ownership in mind, a completely new track to mark the passing of a landmark birthday. So this dreamship is for sale for only the second time, and at the very sensible price of €89,500.dufour 402The layout allows for the forward stateroom to be completely en suite.

I’ve had the pleasure of going to sea on her, and she’s as good-natured a boat as you’ll come across in many a day’s sailing, while having an unexpected yet very real oomph in her performance, which makes a spot of racing unexpectedly rewarding. But in the bigger picture, undoubtedly she’d give of her best with well-planned and maybe extensive cruising based on a judiciously-balanced programme between longer hops and detailed visits to intriguing ports.

She handles a treat under sail or power, and has enough assisted gizmos to make the prospect of a quick evening jaunt after a harassing day at the office just the ticket to revive the spirits. As I said, that much-missed first owner was a noted life-enhancer. I think this boat is too. She comes very highly recommended, full details on Afloat.ie's Sailing Cruisers for Sale here.

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The five–times National Championship winning clinker–built Mermaid Zuleika is for sale. Built in 1996 by Des Tyrrell the Derek Joyce owned and skippered dinghy was fitted with a new deck last season.

Priced at €16,500 the boat comes with many extras including a trailer.

See the full advert for Zuleika on Afloat boats for sale here. Contact: Derek Joyce. Ph: 087 2533085. E: [email protected]

 

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The boat community has a significant proportion of formerly hundred-per-cent sailing enthusiasts who have reached the stage in life where they accept that their needs might be better met by an able motoryacht writes W M Nixon

But it mustn’t be a glossy and bulbous machine which critics – themselves included – would dismiss as a gin palace. On the contrary, their ideal is a boat with a discreetly workaday character, a boat clearly related to pilot boats and patrol vessels and the like.

At the upper end of the size scale, the pace was and still is set by the Keith Nelson type. But the Nelson boats seem to work best when they’re more than 30ft long. Below that size, however, it’s the Seaward range which increasingly dominates, and the Seaward 23 has carved out her own niche in this very positive segment of the market.

So much so, in fact, that it’s almost enough to say that a Seaward 23 is the pet boat of one of Ireland’s most distinguished senior sailors, a nonagenarian who in his peak sailing days was several times Helmsmans Champion in addition to winning many major titles inshore and offshore.

If the Seaward 23 is good enough for him, then she should be good enough for the rest of us. His particular model is twin-engined, but this 1986 version for sale via Afloat.ie in Mullingar at €17,000 through Leinster Boats is single-screw with a 45hp BMW D-50 diesel, which is more than adequate power for most uses.

And having one engine makes the cockpit much more commodious. In a boat just 23ft long, the fact that there’s a substantial coachroof/wheelhouse already taking up much of the hull gives added importance to any extra space which can be provided by the cockpit. While the demo boat whose photo heads this article had not yet been fitted with a proper cockpit tent, the one in Mullingar comes with it in place, and it means the roomy cockpit is in effect a third cabin.

She’s a notably seaworthy boat, she provides full overnight accommodation for two with a proper separate toilet/washroom, in good summer weather you might even be able to set up an extra bunk or two in the cockpit, so she offers the best of both worlds between day cruiser and weekender - and all in a very manageable size package.

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This is the time of year when boat-owners can no longer push to the back of their minds the thought that some bits of equipment aren’t working quite as well as they should, while others maybe aren’t working at all writes W M Nixon.

It’s amazing how much cruising or day sailing you can do with some item of gear not doing its fair share of the work. But against that, there’s nothing which quite compares with the quiet satisfaction of knowing that everything has been serviced as and when it should be, where renewal was required the job was done on time, and that this is how it has always been with the boat involved.

Clearly, the private vendor of this Bavaria 36 yacht for sale in Dun Laoghaire understands this mind-set very well indeed, for as he says himself, this boat is well-presented. In fact, you could take it all as the very model of how a boat should be offered for sale at this time of the year, as the first hint of a stretch to the evenings starts to get those sailing juices flowing again.

bavaria 361A handy size – the Bavaria 36 for sale in Dun Laoghaire is the three-cabin version.

The Bavaria 36, when it appeared in 1998, virtually defined an unmistakably German brand. Sensible, no nonsense boats which offered oodles of room, yet they can turn in a surprisingly nippy performance with genuine pleasure in the sailing.

She’s priced at €58,500, and there’s no doubt you could find seemingly comparable boats on offer for less. But this Bavaria 36 has had only two owners since she was built in 2004, and they’ve lavished regular attention on a boat which arrives into 2017 with everything working a treat, complete with new standing rigging fitted within the past year, together with recent stack pack, spray hood and a complete cockpit cover with all the goodies. Definitely worth a look. Read the advert on Afloat boats for sale here

Published in Boat Sales

There’s something about the Westerly Griffon 26’s determined dedication to simplicity which gives this little sloop designed by the late Ed Dubois a certain style writes W M Nixon. For starters, describing her as “little” seems immediately inappropriate, for if ever the phrase “big-hearted” was on target, it’s right here on a 26-footer which proves to be a genuine family cruiser, yet with a surprisingly zippy performance. An example of this sailing cruiser is currently for sale on Afloat.ie here.

But then, that’s what you’d expect from a designer of wide-ranging talents who went on to include the overall winner of the 1987 Fastnet Race, the Dubois 40 Irish Independent, among his many successful creations. For the Dubois 40 was yet to come when he first sketched out the lines for the Westerly Griffon in 1979. Yet at a time when boats were tending to become larger, this gallant craft punched above her weight to such good effect that the Westerly Griffon 26 Mark I stayed in production for three years with 329 boats being built, following which the Mark II was introduced with an up-graded interior.

The real Griffon aficionados tend to reckon there’s something more genuine about the Mark I, so this boat will be to their taste - as a 1980 boat, she’s plumb in the middle of the initial production line. However, dedication to having everything original has its limits, and your Mark I devotee will be pleased to note that this dark blue version had a new more powerful 20hp Beta Diesel fitted in 2009, which makes sense in every way.

She’s realistically priced at €9,950 with Crosshaven Boatyard. And for those with pre-conceived notions about a 26-footer being a decidedly small boat, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

Read More on Westerly Griffons here.

Published in Boat Sales
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General Information on using Waterways Ireland inland navigations

Safety on the Water

All users of the navigations are strongly recommended to make themselves aware of safety on the water for whatever activity they are involved in and to read the advice offered by the various governing bodies and by:

The Dept. of Transport, Ireland: www.gov.ie/transport and The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, UK, The RNLI – Water Safety Ireland for information in terms of drowning prevention and water safety.

Registration of Vessels

All vessels using the Shannon Navigation, which includes the Shannon-Erne Waterways and the Erne System must be registered with Waterways Ireland. Only open undecked boats with an engine of 15 horsepower or less on the Shannon Navigation, and vessels of 10 horsepower or less on the Erne System, are exempt. Registration is free of charge.

Craft registration should be completed online at: https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/craft-registration

Permits for use of the Grand and Royal Canals and the Barrow Navigation

All vessels using the Grand and Royal Canals and the Barrow Navigation must display appropriate valid Permit(s) i.e A Combined Mooring and Passage Permit (€126) and if not intending to move every five days, an Extended Mooring Permit (€152).

Permit applications should be completed online at: https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/canal-permits

Passage on the Royal and Grand Canals – Dublin Area

For boat passage through the locks east of Lock 12 into / out of Dublin on either the Royal or Grand Canals, Masters are requested to contact the Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (M-F 9.30am-4.30pm) on tel: +353(0)1 868 0148 or email [email protected] prior to making passage in order to plan the necessary lock-keeping assistance arrangements.

On the Grand Canal a minimum of two days notice prior to the planned passage should be given, masters should note that with the exception of pre-arranged events, a maximum of 2 boats per day will be taken through the locks, travelling either east or west.

Movements in or out of the city will be organised by prior arrangement to take place as a single movement in one day. Boaters will be facilitated to travel the system if their passage is considered to be safe by Waterways Ireland and they have the valid permit(s) for mooring and passage.

Newcomen Lifting Bridge

On the Royal Canal two weeks’ notice of bridge passage (Newcomen Lifting Bridge) is required for the pre-set lift date, and lock assistance will then also be arranged. A minimum of 2 boats is required for a bridge lift to go ahead.

Waterways Ireland Eastern Regional Office (Tel: +353(0)1 868 0148 or [email protected] ) is the point of contact for the bridge lift.

A maximum number of boats passing will be implemented to keep to the times given above for the planned lifts (16 for the Sat / Sun lifts & 8 for the weekday lifts). Priority will be given on a first come first served basis.

On day of lift, boaters and passengers must follow guidance from Waterways Ireland staff about sequence of passage under bridge & through Lock 1, and must remain within signed and designated areas.

Events Held on the Waterways

All organised events taking place on the waterways must have the prior approval of Waterways Ireland. This is a twelve week process and application forms must be accompanied with the appropriate insurance, signed indemnity and risk assessment. The application should be completed on the Waterways Ireland events page at :

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/event-approval

Time Limits on Mooring in Public Harbours

On the Shannon Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway craft may berth in public harbours for five consecutive days or a total of seven days in any one month.

On the Erne System, revised Bye Laws state that: No master or owner shall permit a vessel, boat or any floating or sunken object to remain moored at or in the vicinity of any public mooring, including mooring at any other public mooring within 3 kilometres of that location, for more than 3 consecutive days and shall not moor at that same mooring or any other public mooring within 3 kilometres of that location within the following 3 consecutive days without prior permission by an authorised official.

Winter Mooring on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon Erne Waterway

Winter mooring may be availed of by owners during the period 1 Nov to 31 Mar by prior arrangement and payment of a charge of €63.50 per craft. Craft not availing of Winter Mooring must continue to comply with the “5 Day Rule”. Winter Mooring applications should be completed online at : https://www.waterwaysireland.org/online-services/winter-moorings-booking

Owners should be aware that electricity supply and water supply to public moorings is disconnected for the winter months. This is to protect against frost damage, to reduce running costs and to minimise maintenance requirements during the winter months.

Vessel owners are advised that advance purchasing of electricity on the power bollards leading up to the disconnection date should be minimal. Electricity credit existing on the bollards will not be recoverable after the winter decommissioning date. Both services will be reinstated prior to the commencement of the next boating season.

Smart Cards

Waterways Ireland smart cards are used to operate locks on the Shannon Erne Waterway, to access the service blocks, to use the pump-outs along the navigations, to avail of electrical power at Waterways Ireland jetties.

Berthing in Public Harbours

Masters are reminded of the following:

  • Equip their vessel with mooring lines of appropriate length and strength and only secure their craft to mooring bollards and cleats provided for this purpose.
  • Ensure the available berth is suitable to the length of your vessel, do not overhang the mooring especially on finger moorings on floating pontoon moorings.
  • Ensure mooring lines, electric cables and fresh water hoses do not create a trip hazard on public jetties for others users.
  • Carry sufficient fenders to prevent damage to your own vessel, other vessels and WI property.
  • Allow sufficient space between your vessel and the vessel ahead /astern (c.1m) for fire safety purposes and /or to recover somebody from the water.
  • Do not berth more than two vessels side by side and ensure there is safe access/egress at all times between vessels and onto the harbour itself.
  • Do not berth in such a way to prevent use of harbour safety ladders, slipways or pump-outs.
  • Do not allow the bow of your vessel to overhang the walkway of a floating mooring thus creating a hazard for others with an overhanging anchor or bow fendering.
  • Animals are not allowed to be loose or stray at any time.
  • Harbour and jetty infrastructure such as railings, power pedestals, fresh water taps, electric light poles, safety bollards, ladders etc are not designed for the purpose of mooring craft , they will not bear the strain of a vessel and will be damaged.
  • At Carrybridge on the Erne System, Masters of vessels are not permitted to use stern on mooring. Masters of vessels must use the mooring fingers for mooring of vessels and for embarkation / disembarkation from vessels.

Passenger Vessel Berths

Masters of vessels should not berth on passenger vessel berths where it is indicated that an arrival is imminent. Passenger vessels plying the navigations generally only occupy the berths to embark and disembark passengers and rarely remain on the berths for extended periods or overnight.

Lock Lead-in Jetties

Lead-in jetties adjacent to the upstream and downstream gates at lock chambers are solely for the purpose of craft waiting to use the lock and should not be used for long term berthing.

Vessel Wake

Vessel wake, that is, the wave generated by the passage of the boat through the water, can sometimes be large, powerful and destructive depending on the hull shape and engine power of the vessel. This wake can be detrimental to other users of the navigation when it strikes their craft or inundates the shoreline or riverbank. Masters are requested to frequently look behind and check the effect of their wake / wash particularly when passing moored vessels, on entering harbours and approaching jetties and to be aware of people pursuing other activities such as fishing on the riverbank.

Speed Restriction

A vessel or boat shall not be navigated on the Shannon Navigation at a speed in excess of 5 kph when within 200 metres of a bridge, quay, jetty or wharf, when in a harbour or canal or when passing within 100 metres of a moored vessel or boat.

Vessels navigating the Shannon-Erne Waterway should observe the general 5 kph speed limit which applies along the waterway. This is necessary in order to prevent damage to the banks caused by excessive wash from vessels.

Vessels navigating the Erne System should observe the statutory 5kt / 6mph / 10kph speed limit areas.

A craft on the Royal and Grand canals shall not be navigated at a speed in excess of 6km per hour.

A craft on the Barrow Navigation shall not be navigated at a speed in excess of 11km per hour except as necessary for safe navigation in conditions of fast flow.

Bank Erosion

Narrow sections of all the navigations are particularly prone to bank erosion due to the large wash generated by some craft. Masters are requested to be vigilant and to slow down to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage when they observe the wash of their craft inundating the river banks.

Unusual Waterborne Activity

Unusual waterborne vessels may be encountered from time to time, such as, hovercraft or amphibious aircraft / seaplanes. Masters of such craft are reminded to apply the normal “Rule of the Road” when they meet conventional craft on the water and to allow extra room to manoeuvre in the interest of safety.

Sailing Activity

Mariners will encounter large numbers of sailing dinghies from late June to August in the vicinity of Lough Derg, Lough Ree and Lower Lough Erne. Sailing courses are marked by yellow buoys to suit weather conditions on the day. Vessels should proceed at slow speed and with due caution and observe the rules of navigation when passing these fleets, as many of the participants are junior sailors under training.

Rowing

Mariners should expect to meet canoes and vessels under oars on any part of the navigations, but more so in the vicinity of Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon, Coleraine, Enniskillen and Limerick. Masters are reminded to proceed at slow speed and especially to reduce their wash to a minimum when passing these craft as they can be easily upset and swamped due to their very low freeboard and always be prepared to give way in any given traffic situation.

Canoeing

Canoeing is an adventure sport and participants are strongly recommended to seek the advice of the sport’s governing bodies i.e Canoeing Ireland and the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland, before venturing onto the navigations.

Persons in charge of canoes are reminded of the inherent danger to these craft associated with operating close to weirs, sluice gates, locks and other infrastructure particularly when rivers are in flood and large volumes of water are moving through the navigations due to general flood conditions or very heavy localised precipitation e.g. turbulent and broken water, stopper waves. Shooting weirs is prohibited without prior permission of Waterways Ireland.

Canoeists should check with lockkeepers prior entering a lock to ensure passage is done in a safe manner. Portage is required at all unmanned locks.

Canoe Trail Network – "Blueways"

Masters of powered craft are reminded that a canoe trail network is being developed across all navigations and to expect more organised canoeing along these trails necessitating slow speed and minimum wash when encountering canoeists, rowing boats etc

Rockingham and Drummans Island Canals – Lough Key

It is expected that work on Rockingham and Drummans Island Canals on Lough Key will be completed in 2021. Access to these canals will be for non-powered craft only, eg canoes, kayaks, rowing boats.

Fast Powerboats and Personal Watercraft (Jet Skis)

Masters of Fast Powerboats (speed greater than 17kts) and Personal Watercraft (i.e.Jet Skis) are reminded of the inherent dangers associated with high speed on the water and especially in the confines of small bays and narrow sections of the navigations. Keeping a proper look-out, making early alterations to course and /or reducing speed will avoid conflict with slower vessels using the navigation. Personal Watercraft are not permitted to be used on the canals.

Towing Waterskiers, Wakeboarders, Doughnuts etc

Masters of vessels engaged in any of these activities are reminded of the manoeuvring constraints imposed upon their vessel by the tow and of the added responsibilities that they have to the person(s) being towed. These activities should be conducted in areas which are clear of conflicting traffic. It is highly recommended that a person additional to the master be carried to act as a “look-out” to keep the tow under observation at all times.

Prohibition on Swimming

Swimming in the navigable channel, particularly at bridges, is dangerous and is prohibited due to the risk of being run over by a vessel underway in the navigation.

Age Restrictions on operating of powered craft

In the Republic of Ireland, Statutory Instrument 921 of 2005 provides the legal requirements regarding the minimum age for operating of powered craft. The Statutory Instrument contains the following requirements:

- The master or owner of a personal watercraft or a fast power craft shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years does not operate or control the craft

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft powered by an engine with a rating of more than 5 horse power or 3.7 kilowatts shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 12 years does not operate or control the craft.

Lifejackets and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)

Lifejackets and PFD’s are the single most important items of personal protective equipment to be used on a vessel and should be worn especially when the vessel is being manoeuvred such as entering / departing a lock, anchoring, coming alongside or departing a jetty or quayside.

In the Republic of Ireland, Statutory Instrument 921 of 2005 provides the legal requirements regarding the wearing of Personal Flotation Devices. The Statutory Instrument contains the following requirements:

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall ensure, that there are, at all times on board the craft, sufficient suitable personal flotation devices for each person on board.

- A person on a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) of less than 7 metres length overall shall wear a suitable personal flotation device while on board an open craft or while on the deck of decked craft, other than when the craft is made fast to the shore or at anchor.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years complies with paragraph above.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft), shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person who has not attained the age of 16 years wears a suitable personal flotation device while on board an open craft or while on the deck of a decked craft other than when it is made fast to the shore or at anchor.

- The master or owner of a pleasure craft (other than a personal watercraft) shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a person wears a suitable personal flotation device, at all times while – (a) being towed by the craft, (b) on board a vessel or object of any kind which is being towed by the craft.

Further information is available at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/si/921/made/en/print

Firing Range Danger Area – Lough Ree

The attention of mariners is drawn to the Irish Defence Forces Firing Range situated in the vicinity of buoys No’s 2 and 3, on Lough Ree on the Shannon Navigation. This range is used regularly for live firing exercises, throughout the year, all boats and vessels should stay clear of the area marked with yellow buoys showing a yellow "X" topmark and displaying the word "Danger".

Shannon Navigation, Portumna Swing Bridge Tolls

No attempt should be made by Masters’ of vessels to pay the bridge toll while making way through the bridge opening. Payment will only be taken by the Collector from Masters when they are secured alongside the jetties north and south of the bridge.

Navigating from Killaloe to Limerick on the Shannon Navigation

The navigation from Killaloe to Limerick involves passage through Ardnacrusha locks, the associated headrace and tailrace and the Abbey River into Limerick City. Careful passage planning is required to undertake this voyage. Considerations include: lock passage at Ardnacrusha, water flow in the navigation, airdraft under bridges on Abbey River in Limerick, state of tide in Limerick

Users are advised to contact the ESB Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station (00353 (0)87 9970131) 48 hours in advance of commencing their journey to book passage through the locks at Ardnacrusha. It is NOT advised to undertake a voyage if more than one turbine is operating (20MW), due to the increased velocity of flow in the navigation channel, which can be dangerous. To ascertain automatically in real time how many turbines are running, users can phone +353 (0)87 6477229.

For safety reasons the ESB has advised that only powered craft with a capacity in excess of 5 knots are allowed to enter Ardnacrusha Headrace and Tailrace Canals.

Passage through Sarsfield Lock should be booked on +353-87-7972998, on the day prior to travel and it should be noted also that transit is not possible two hours either side of low water.

A Hydrographic survey in 2020 of the navigation channel revealed that the approach from Shannon Bridge to Sarsfield Lock and the Dock area has silted up. Masters of vessels and water users are advised to navigate to the Lock from Shannon bridge on a rising tide one or two hours before High Tide.

Lower Bann Navigation

The attention of all users is drawn to the “Users Code for the Lower Bann”, in particular to that section covering “Flow in the River” outlining the dangers for users both on the banks and in the navigation, associated with high flow rates when the river is in spate. Canoeists should consult and carry a copy of the “Lower Bann Canoe Trail” guide issued by the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland. Users should also contact the DfI Rivers Coleraine, who is responsible for regulating the flow rates on the river, for advisory information on the flow rates to be expected on any given day.

DfI Rivers Coleraine. Tel: 0044 28 7034 2357 Email: [email protected]

Lower Bann Navigation – Newferry – No wake zone

A No Wake Zone exists on the Lower Bann Navigation at Newferry. Masters of vessels are requested to proceed at a slow speed and create no wake while passing the jetties and slipways at Newferry.

Overhead Power Lines (OHPL) and Air draft

All Masters must be aware of the dangers associated with overhead power lines, in particular sailing vessels and workboats with cranes or large air drafts. Voyage planning is a necessity in order to identify the location of overhead lines crossing the navigation.

Overhead power line heights on the River Shannon are maintained at 12.6metres (40 feet) from Normal Summer level for that section of navigation, masters of vessels with a large air draft should proceed with caution and make additional allowances when water levels are high.

If a vessel or its equipment comes into contact with an OHPL the operator should NOT attempt to move the vessel or equipment. The conductor may still be alive or re-energise automatically. Maintain a safe distance and prevent third parties from approaching due to risk of arcing. Contact the emergency services for assistance.

Anglers are also reminded that a minimum ground distance of 30 metres should be maintained from overhead power lines when using a rod and line.

Submarine Cables and Pipes

Masters of vessels are reminded not to anchor their vessels in the vicinity of submarine cables or pipes in case they foul their anchor or damage the cables or pipes. Look to the river banks for signage indicating their presence.

Water Levels - Precautions

Low Water Levels:

When water levels fall below normal summer levels masters should be aware of:

Navigation

To reduce the risk of grounding masters should navigate on or near the centreline of the channel, avoid short cutting in dog-legged channels and navigating too close to navigation markers.

Proceeding at a slow speed will also reduce “squat” effect i.e. where the vessel tends to sit lower in the water as a consequence of higher speed.

Slipways

Reduced slipway length available under the water surface and the possibility of launching trailers dropping off the end of the concrete apron.

More slipway surface susceptible to weed growth requiring care while engaged in launching boats, from slipping and sliding on the slope. Note also that launching vehicles may not be able to get sufficient traction on the slipway once the craft is launched to get up the incline.

Bank Erosion

Very dry riverbanks are more susceptible to erosion from vessel wash.

Lock Share

Maximising on the number of vessels in a lock will ensure that the total volume of water moving downstream is decreased. Lock cycles should be used for vessels travelling each way.

High Water Levels:

When water levels rise above normal summer level masters should be aware of:

Navigation

Navigation marks will have reduced height above the water level or may disappear underwater altogether making the navigable channel difficult to discern.

In narrow sections of the navigations water levels will tend to rise more quickly than in main streams and air draft at bridges will likewise be reduced.

There will also be increased flow rates particularly in the vicinity of navigation infrastructure such as bridges, weirs, locks etc where extra care in manoeuvring vessels will be required.

Harbours and Jetties

Due care is required in harbours and at slipways when levels are at or near the same level as the harbour walkways' as the edge will be difficult to discern especially in reduced light conditions. It is advised that Personal Flotation Devices be worn if tending to craft in a harbour in these conditions.

Slipways

Slipways should only be used for the purpose of launching and recovering of water craft or other objects from the water. Before using a slipway it should be examined to ensure that the surface has sufficient traction/grip for the intended purpose such as launching a craft from a trailer using a vehicle, that there is sufficient depth of water on the slipway to float the craft off the trailer before the concrete apron ends and that the wheels of the trailer do not drop off the edge of the slipway. That life-saving appliances are available in the vicinity, that the vehicle is roadworthy and capable of coping with the weight of the trailer and boat on the incline. It is recommended that slipway operations are conducted by two persons.

Caution to be Used in Reliance upon Aids to Navigation

The aids to navigation depicted on the navigation guides comprise a system of fixed and floating aids to navigation. Prudent mariners will not rely solely on any single aid to navigation, particularly a floating aid to navigation. With respect to buoys, the buoy symbol is used to indicate the approximate position of the buoy body and the ground tackle which secures it to the lake or river bed. The approximate position is used because of the practical limitations in positioning and maintaining buoys in precise geographical locations. These limitations include, but are not limited to, prevailing atmospheric and lake/river conditions, the slope of and the material making up the lake/river bed, the fact that the buoys are moored to varying lengths of chain, and the fact that the buoy body and/or ground tackle positions are not under continuous surveillance. Due to the forces of nature, the position of the buoy body can be expected to shift inside and outside the charted symbol.

Buoys and perches are also moved out of position or pulled over by those mariners who use them to moor up to instead of anchoring. To this end, mariners should always monitor their passage by relating buoy/perch positions with the published navigation guide. Furthermore, a vessel attempting to pass close by always risks collision with a yawing buoy or with the obstruction that the buoy or beacon/perch marks.

Masters of Vessels are requested to use the most up to date Navigation guides when navigating on the Inland Waterways.

Information taken from Special Marine Notice No 1 of 2023