Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Be sure to put down 23-25 May 2020 in your diaries as the International Paint Poole Regatta returns next year for three days of racing and social events on the Dorset coast. The British Nationals in the J24 and J80…
Locals in Whitehead, Co Antrim have been vocal in their opposition to plans that would see the oil terminal at Cloghan Point upgraded to a large-scale distribution hub, as Belfast Live reports. LCC Group, the company behind the Go petrol…
Skerries RNLI towed two adults and two teenagers to safety on Saturday afternoon (25 May) after their motorboat broke down east of Rockabill Lighthouse. Shortly after 5.30pm, Skerries RNLI were tasked by Dublin Coast Guard to assist a 21ft motorboat…
Andrew Craig's J109 'Chimaera' Wins Overall at the Scottish Series as Irish Boats Win All IRC Classes
28th May 2019 Racing
Dublin Bay J109 Class Captain Andrew Craig of the Royal Irish Yacht Club emerged the overall winner of the 2019 Scottish Series in Tarbert yesterday in a clean sweep of IRC prizes by Irish cruiser racers after the series was…
The rapid swimming migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna may be targeted by a limited number of Irish recreational craft under a pilot scientific research programme run by several State agencies writes Lorna Siggins. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the Marine Institute are…
Ireland's Donal Ryan & John Coffey Onboard Farr 42 Redshift for RORC Myth of Malham Race Win
27th May 2019 RORC
The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Myth of Malham Race, with 138 boats competing, produced a thrilling finish for overall victory. Botin IRC52 Tala took up the early running, but having led for much of the race on corrected time, the…
Four wins from six sealed victory for the Royal Irish Yacht Club team Bád/Kilcullen at last weekend's Strangford Lough-based SB20 Northern Championships. Jerry Dowling, RIYC's Rear Commodore Sailing, and fellow RIYC Members Stefan Hyde and Jimmy Dowling were in top…
Clogherhead RNLI to Welcome State-of-the-Art Lifeboat Home to Serve on the East Coast
27th May 2019 RNLI Lifeboats
The community of Clogherhead is set to welcome the latest RNLI lifeboat to be based in Ireland, to their town on Sunday 2 June. This Shannon class lifeboat is unique in the RNLI’s fleet as it has been funded by…
Ireland Collaborating With Cyprus On Centre Of Excellence For Marine & Maritime Research
27th May 2019 Marine Science
A new joint initiative between Ireland and Cyprus for a Centre of Excellence for Marine and Maritime Research has been awarded a €15 million grant from the European Commission. The funding under Horizon 2020: Widespread’s Coordination and Support Action call…
Rosslare-Fishguard Ferry Arrives to Welsh Port Where Cruiseship Total Doubles At Short Notice
27th May 2019 Cruise Liners
On Monday of last week Afloat tracked a ferry arriving in the Port of Fishguard, Wales where two cruiseships one scheduled the other totally unexpected called to the scenic north Pembrokeshire port, writes Jehan Ashmore. The ferry Stena Nordica (deputising…
Returning to Dublin for the second year running, the 14th annual Paddling Film Festival, in association with the RNLI, will drop in on Dublin’s Light House Cinema on Thursday 30 May. Audiences will see exciting whitewater action, sea kayakers exploring…
A former member of the Garda Water Unit who died on a diving excursion at the weekend has been remembered by colleagues as “a really popular guy who had won several awards for water rescues”. The Irish Times reports that…
Jeanneau development chief Hervé Piveteau is answering questions in a YouTube live chat today (Monday 27 May) about the new Sun Fast 3300 as its latest video hyping the new craft is premiered. Described by the French yacht builder as…
UK Ports Group Expands Logistics Service With Acquisition At Port Close to River Mersey
27th May 2019 Ports & Shipping
A UK ports operator, Peel Ports Group which includes the Port of Liverpool, has announced it has acquired Quality Freight (UK) Limited for an undisclosed amount. The company acquired provides chartering and a range of port services operating from a…
Larne RNLI launched to search for a paddleboarder who was reported overdue from Whitehead yesterday afternoon (Sunday 26 May). Larne RNLI's all-weather and inshore lifeboats launched at 4.55pm following a request from Belfast Coastguard to assist in the search. Donaghadee…
More Ireland-France Sailings Cancelled As Brittany Flagship Is Off Service for Repairs
27th May 2019 Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries have been forced yet again to cancel sailings on its Cork-Roscoff route due to operational reasons as flagship Pont-Aven continues to be beset with technical issues, writes Jehan Ashmore. Currently Pont-Aven remains in dry-dock at Damen Shiprepair, Brest,…
Campaign By Crowdfunding to Reopen UK Shipyard (that Built Final Ship for Irish Navy)
27th May 2019 Ports & Shipping
A Plymouth businessman Connor Johnson reports North Devon Gazette has launched a critical campaign through crowdfunding to raise £400,000 by the end of May to seed the revitalisation of the Appledore shipyard which closed in March. Mr Johnson says he…
Andrew Craig's J109 Chimaera from the Royal Irish Yacht Club continues her lead in the Scottish Series but a penultimate day challenge for the RC35 title has emerged from Strangford Lough's Hijacker, a former Irish Commodore's Cupper. Irish boats hold…
The J24 Southern Championships were held at Tralee Bay Sailing Club over the weekend of 24/25 May. Fifteen boats travelled from all over Ireland for the event including four local boats. Racing was scheduled at 1125 on Saturday but contrary to…
Panoramic Views on Offer as Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse Opens to the Public for the Weekend
26th May 2019 Lighthouses
The Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse, made famous for being the nearest point of land (11 miles/18 km) to where the RMS Lusitania was sunk in 1915, was open to the public this weekend writes Bob Bateman. Under the supervision of a…