Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
![Paul O’Higgins JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (RIYC) has taken the lead on the water and IRC](/media/k2/items/cache/ef5f2e111b7dcb279c5a376a41d43307_L.jpg)
Rockabill VI Leads as Dingle Race Leaders Hard on the Wind After Tuskar
15th June 2017 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Although a fairly consistent southwest breeze gave the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race fleet a useful slant from Arklow southwards through the night, they’re currently rounding the Tuskar with the expectation of a dead beat most of the way to…
![The recently refurbished HMS Caroline the only survivor of the Battle of Jutland 1916 has returned from H&W to her neighbouring berth in the Alexandra dry-dock, Belfast](/media/k2/items/cache/dfc49c3b014595a53a50b20876fad901_L.jpg)
All Shipshape: HMS Caroline Greets Tourists Again After Major Refurbishment
15th June 2017 Historic Boats
#HMScaroline - An historic ship with a wartime past that is a modern day Belfast tourist attraction has had its future secured thanks to a major programme of innovative repairs, safety upgrades and improvements. As the Belfast Telegraph writes, HMS…
![Sea Cadets Jack Petchey at Monkstown Marina in Cork Harbour](/media/k2/items/cache/753b93dc0325fa30a2df4648094f83b8_L.jpg)
A Tall Ship For Ireland: Is There a Lack of Joined–Up Thinking in Sail Training?
15th June 2017 Island Nation
Hello and you’re welcome to my weekly podcast on Afloat, based on my This Island Nation radio programme. While debate continues – and so do efforts – to get another Tall Ship for Ireland – that would provide sail training…
![Martin Byrne's, Jaguar Sailing Team, are the defending Dragon champions and are seeking their fifth national title](/media/k2/items/cache/0be9d305e24a1ee9b3fd5b69d5c5ccbb_L.jpg)
Byrne Seeks Fifth Title At Royal St. George Dragon Nationals, Dillon Up to 15th at World Champs
15th June 2017 Dragon
The Dragon National Championships start today at the Royal St George Yacht Club with teams from Dublin Bay, Glandore, Kinsale, Abersoch & Cowes making up a smaller than usual fleet. Martin Byrne's, Jaguar Sailing Team, are the defending champions and…
![Ian Hickey’s veteran Cavatina makes the perfect start, bang on the gun and full speed on the line. However, Stephen Quinn’s little J/92 Lambay Rules (left) had been about to do the same, but a bigger boat (invisible behind Cavatina’s sails) just rolled over her, and then ran across her bow](/media/k2/items/cache/0a714ba73400fddcbcdc7245b14bb286_L.jpg)
If anyone is thinking of producing the Very Rough Guide to Making a Start in a Yacht Race, this evening’s opening episode in the continuing drama which is the 275-mile Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2017 produced Rules 1,…
![Steve Wickham and his band brought his unique style of music and fiddle playing on board on Saturday night](/media/k2/items/cache/ddcd2a49f821aad87e70bf46bb002b8e_L.jpg)
One of the musical highlights of the recent Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda were the two unique sold out concerts held on the deck of the Tall Ship Earl of Pembroke on the historic River Boyne. The idea for the…
![Mark O'Donovan and Shane O'Driscoll with European Gold.](/media/k2/items/cache/ccd093f66ea6ccdfc0aef63b652e659b_L.jpg)
#Rowing: The 2017 World Cup series heads to Poznan, Poland for the second of three regattas in 2017. Almost 500 athletes will compete from 39 countries with several countries, including Australia, China and New Zealand, arriving on the international scene…
![Shannon One Designs at sail on the river from which they took their name](/media/k2/items/cache/460aa0385bd137c9bce1059126a5764a_L.jpg)
#SOD - The Shannon One Design Association (SODA) has announced its latest Long Distance Race for the weekend of Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June. First raced in 1953, the Shannon One Design (SOD) competition is the longest inland dinghy…
![The J Class at sail off Bermuda for the America's Cup Superyacht Regatta](/media/k2/items/cache/6197e6dd6d78884845b30e45fa120eb7_L.jpg)
#AmericasCup - Hanuman rebounded from a false start to claim victory in the first round of the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda yesterday (Tuesday 13 June). Optimised for expected light conditions, the J Class fleet leader was quick despite…
![ISA Board Member Sarah Byrne (left) racing her RS200 dinghy with her daughter off Greystones in County Wicklow](/media/k2/items/cache/a637fdedca22c8694f9e6a6b8b9722fd_L.jpg)
One of Jack Roy’s priorities for his presidency of the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) is to get more women involved in sailing. As he wrote for Afloat.ie in April, the ISA wants to encourage greater female participation via a two-pronged…
![As ISORA fleet leader after five races, Mojito (Peter Dunlop & Vicky Cox) has to be a favourite in tonight's 2017 D2D race](/media/k2/items/cache/1aa30d2668587ef70e2d9eacead081ff_L.jpg)
Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Form Guide: D2D Could Be Another J/Boats Triumph
14th June 2017 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Even with leading contenders Aurelia (J/122) and Jacana (J/115) scratching (the former with rigging problems, the latter with logistics difficulties), J/Boats still might have it all the way in the remaining fleet of 43 boats in the National YC’s 275-mile…
![The custom-built Spirit of Rathlin has finally entered service on the route linking Church Bay,Rathlin Island to Ballycastle, Co. Antrim,](/media/k2/items/cache/db4663ee656e5756a5738ca3867ddf74_L.jpg)
#EntersService – The new custom-built car ferry Spirit of Rathlin has finally entered service with a first scheduled sailing today on the Rathlin Island link with Ballycastle on the Antrim mainland, writes Jehan Ashmore. Spirit of Rathlin built by Arklow…
![The D2D fleet assembles at the National Yacht Club this morning. The Arklow J122 Aquelina is pictured foreground with other competitors also arriving for tonight's start](/media/k2/items/cache/930a34d0527d3991733ec1925798ec28_L.jpg)
National Yacht Club's Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Ready for 7pm Start
14th June 2017 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
A 43–boat fleet are expecting an upwind start and winds gusting to 25–knots for tonight's 7pm Dun Laoghaire–Dingle Race at the National Yacht Club. At start time, winds are expected to shift from a southerly to a south westerly direction…
![Inner city school kids from the Greig City Academy in Hornsey, east London take on their greatest challenge in the 605nm Rolex Fastnet Race in August](/media/k2/items/cache/8a87a9c3b273e92b063a7b94c715a85c_L.jpg)
While everyone who enters the Rolex Fastnet Race dreams of winning or doing well, the event's stature as the world's largest offshore yacht race, means this is often not the only reason for taking part writes James Boyd. Around 400…
Visit to Dublin of Spanish Navy Tallship Open to Public Likewise of Former Fleetmate In Glasgow
14th June 2017 Tall Ships
#OpenTallships - As one of the world’s largest tallships from the Spanish Royal Navy is visiting Dublin Port, Afloat also highlights a former sail trainee from the Iberian nation that is the centrepiece of a Scottish museum, writes Jehan Ashmore.…
![The Volvo Ocean Race will switch from a 3-year to a 2-year cycle after the upcoming 2017-18 edition](/media/k2/items/cache/99d030140583c21194f7058381087c5f_L.jpg)
The Volvo Ocean Race will switch from a 3-year to a 2-year cycle after the upcoming 2017-18 edition, a change that will provide more continuity and more commercial value for professional sailing teams, sponsors and Host Cities. It's the latest…
![MS Prinsendam of Holland America Line at anchor off Bantry House & Garden, West Cork. The call of the 37,000 tonnes cruiseship was the first in almost 30 years to the stunning location of Bantry.](/media/k2/items/cache/b7315b1a0376a2fd8a1e51fa9e68db2d_L.jpg)
#BantryBay - MS Prinsendam of Holland America Line made her maiden call to Bantry Bay Harbour writes West Cork Times on what was to be the first visit of a cruise liner to Bantry in almost 30 years. Carrying more…
![Howth Yacht Club's Laura Dillon negotiates a crowded mark rounding at the Dragon World Championships](/media/k2/items/cache/d536293ca8a45ad55d8ac352d1be9cb1_L.jpg)
As Ireland's sole representatives, Howth Yacht Club's Laura Dillon with Jonathan Bourke, Rita Gonçalves, Antonio Gois lie just outside the top third of the Dragon World Championships after three races sailed in Cascais, Portgual. As Afloat.ie noted in its daily e–news…
![The J109 Jalapeno (Paul Barrington) was second in DBSC combined cruisers](/media/k2/items/cache/aa6e9cfb79a63b9e8464746afa1738ab_L.jpg)
B21S - 1. ISOLDE (B MULKEEN & J MARTIN), 2. BILLY WHIZZ (P SHANNON), 3. VENTUNO (R FOGARTY) COMBINED CRUISERS TUESDAY - 1. D-Tox (P McSswinet et al), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Windjammer (L Casey & D…
![Margaret Cremen](/media/k2/items/cache/30f84d4cbf8982fd6038996e07000a16_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Margaret Cremen and Aoife Casey have been chosen to represent Ireland at the World Junior Championships in August in Lithuania. The junior double, which took silver at the European Junior Rowing Championships in Germany last month, tops the list…