Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#NavalService - Previously on Afloat, the Irish Naval Service P60 class LÉ James Joyce was featured conducting 'Friendly Approaches', this time the OPV is seen pictured above undergoing a replenishment at sea (RAS) exercise. The Offshore Patrol Vessel, LÉ James…

#FerryNews - It may be the summer recess at the Tynwald, the Isle of Man's parliament, but questions are still being asked about the Steam Packet. As IOMToday reports there are 12 separate questions surrounding the ferry company (see acquired…

There are three days to go to the Watersports Inclusion Games in Galway this weekend, 25th and 26th August. The Games provide a chance for participants with various abilities on the physical, sensory, intellectual and learning difficulty spectrums to try…

The Chairman of the Galway Hookers Association says that these iconic boats deserve support to ensure their future as part of Ireland’s maritime heritage. Dr.Michael Brogan told me in an interview which you can hear on this week’s Podcast (below):…

Joan Mulloy, a pioneering solo sailor from Clew Bay in County Mayo has reached the target of her ambitious #FirstIrishWoman funding effort four days ahead of schedule. Just two weeks ago, Joan launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise €15,000 before…

Light airs continued to plague the Half Ton Classics Cup 2018 on day two of the regatta where, in spite of the often extremely fickle conditions, Race Officer Paul Charlier and his team did a superb job to achieve races…

Cruiser 3 Tuesday ECHO: 1. Cacciatore, 2. Grasshopper 11, 3. Papytoo Combined Cruisers Tuesday ECHO: 1. Elandra, 2. D-Tox Sportsboat: 1. RSGYC 1, 2. NYC2 Ruffian: 1. Carmen, 2. Alias, 3. Different Drummer Glen: 1. Glendun, 2. Glencoe, 3. Glenroan…

County Tipperary Olympic trialist Aisling Keller, fresh from this month's Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, must be a favourite in the 50–boat Radial fleet – especially on her home waters – when the Irish Laser National Championships begin tomorrow at…

#Trade - European importers of pleasure craft from the US have already been impacted by new EU tariffs that add an average of €20,000 per boat. According to Boating Business, dealers across Europe have been placing orders for new boats…

The buoyant Dublin yacht racing scene moves en masse to County Wicklow this weekend as two of the country's leading yacht racing organisations prepare separate feeder races for the Taste of Greystones Regatta on Sunday afternoon.  A 25–boat ISORA fleet will…

Ross and Jane Kearney may be based in England these days, but the former Mirror multiple champion and sail-maker is always happy to reaffirm his connections with the Royal North of Ireland YC at Cultra on Belfast Lough as he…

#Laser - A 12-strong team is representing Ireland at the Laser Radial Youth Worlds in Kiel, Germany which kicked off over the weekend. Best of the bunch thus far is Nell Staunton of the National Yacht Club, fresh off her…

#RNLI - Courtown’s RNLI lifeboat volunteers feature in the new series of Saving Lives at Sea on BBC Two this week. Now on its third year, Saving Lives at Sea puts the spotlight on the RNLI’s army of unpaid volunteers around…

#Cruiseliners - Anchored off Dunmore East, Waterford Estuary this morning is the 'Solstice' class Celebrity Silhouette, which had sailed overnight from Cork (Cobh) Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore. Dunmore East, a fishing harbour village set in beautiful surroundings is a gateway…

UK Sails Ireland sailmaker Graham Curran who competed on 'Fools Gold', Ireland's sole entry at the Offshore Sailing World Championships 2018, reviews the event that was truly the pinnacle of cruiser racing in Europe and concludes IRC and ORC need to…

Nicola and Fiona Ferguson from the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, competed in the 420 World Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, from 10th-15th August. 167 boats from 18 countries competed in this event. Sailors travelled from all parts of the…

Dave Cullen's Checkmate XV from Howth Yacht Club lies second after the opening day of the Half Ton Classics Cup in Nieuwpoort, Belgium brought overcast skies, fickle light winds and a big challenge for both the competitors and the Koninklijke…

The historic 12-foot class will hold its fourth championship of recent years in Dun Laoghaire for both International 12 foot Dinghies and Dublin Bay Sailing Club 12 footers. Racing will take place in Dun Laoghaire hosted by the Royal St…

The Mayor of Drogheda, Frank Godfrey, yesterday took to the waters of Drogheda Port to take part in the traditional ‘Hoisting the Captains Clam Diggers’ ceremony. The ‘Hoisting the Captains Clam Diggers’ is a tradition dating back centuries, certainly predating…

An Irish team of four boats departs these shores today for the French Fireball Nationals and Fireball Worlds in Carnac, north-west France writes Cormac Bradley. The combined regatta, with the French Nationals acting as a warm-up for those who want…