Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Final Dingle Race Beat Along the West Cork & Kerry Coasts Sees Rockabill VI, Aurelia & Hot Cookie Take the Honours
14th June 2019 West Cork
Day #3 - 8am We concluded last night’s closing roundup of the continuing drama which is the 270-mile Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2019 by noting that for some crews, the race only seemed to become serious once they’d put…
When a Vimy Vickers bi-plane made a crash landing in Connemara a century ago, it not only marked the first transatlantic flight – but also the first such airmail delivery writes Lorna Siggins Aviator John Alcock, who flew with Arthur Whitten…
Despite 11 DBSC boats competing in this week's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race, there was a fantastic turnout of 120 boats this evening, for Thursday night's DBSC racing on Dublin Bay including a 100% turnout of all twelve Beneteau 31.7s. Results are…
Interesting Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race is Now Utterly Fascinating
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Day #2 10 pm – The Line Honours winner, the 94ft Windfall (Mick Cotter) may be finished with a new course record established, but for many boats you get the impression that the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race is only…
Day #2 - 7 pm While the current boat is bigger, everyone on the 94ft Windfall knew that the conditions were exceptionally favourable when Mick Cotter’s 78ft Whisper established the 1 day and 48 minutes course record for the Dun…
Day #2 - 6 pm Mick Cotter’s gallant tilt at getting the 270-mile Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race time through the 24-hour barrier by finishing before 6.0pm has been frustrated by a very few miles writes W M Nixon Earlier…
Windfall’s Race Against The Clock Winds Up the Tension in Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Fixture
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Day #2 - 2 pm Mick Cotter’s 94ft Windfall has to average “only” 11.25 knots over the shortest course from Dun Laoghaire to Dingle if she is to break the 24-hour barrier for this classic 270-mile race writes W M…
Rosslare RNLI Lifeboat Assists Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Yacht in Difficulty off Tuskar Rock
13th June 2019 RNLI Lifeboats
Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat came to the aid of eight people whose 10m yacht got into difficulty off the Wexford coast in the early hours of this morning (Thursday 13 June). The Rosslare Harbour volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat…
Howth Yacht Club's 'Outrajeous' in Fourth Place Leads J109 Charge to Dingle
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Howth Yacht Club J109 Outrajeous skippered by Johnny Murphy leads the potent J109 designs in fourth overall on IRC rating in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race this morning with 122 miles left to sail to the County Kerry finish line. Her crew…
Determined Irish Sailors in the Tough Professional World of La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro
13th June 2019 Tom MacSweeney
“You need to be mentally strong for this type of sailing. You have to make tough decisions when you’re tired.” “Being by yourself, sailing solo, depends very much on the person and how you use your own resources,” The first…
Kerry County Council is once again warning pet owners to be vigilant around Lough Leane in Killarney after the detection of blue-green algae, as RTÉ News reports. Samples taken in recent days show the presence of the algae, which has the…
RYANI Says Volunteers Are Helping To Sustain Sailing & Boating Clubs Across Northern Ireland
13th June 2019 RYA Northern Ireland
More than 960 volunteers are helping to sustain sailing and boating across Northern Ireland each year, according to the RYA Northern Ireland. In 2017, over 91,000 people took part in a sailing or boating activity. And with 9,600 club members,…
Big Wave Surfer Al Mennie Talks Health, Fitness & Being ‘Full On All The Time’
13th June 2019 Surfing
Big wave surfer Al Mennie talks to the Belfast Telegraph about how he keeps fit and healthy between his challenging surfing experiences. In a candid Q&A, the Portrush surfer — who features in BBC Two NI show Tide this Sunday…
In Kilkenny Port of Waterford Begins Public Consultation on 25-year Master Plan
13th June 2019 Irish Ports
On the southern tip of County Kilkenny is located the Port of Waterford which is beginning a public consultation process seeking inputs from all stakeholders on a proposed master plan setting out how the port could develop over the 25-year…
Two Irish international maritime law experts have said that Scotland is within its legal rights to place a 12-mile territorial limit around Rockall writes Lorna Siggins. Statements made by Government ministers over the past week have been “incorrect”, as Rockall is…
Improved Weather Welcomes Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Fleet to the South Coast
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Day #2 - 9am The Volvo Dun Laoghaire Dingle racers have left the murkier weather of the east coast astern, and this morning finds them reaching along the south coast in what could best be described as serviceable northerlies writes W…
Ferries from Galway City to the Aran Islands will after a lenghtly absence make their return to Galway Docks – with the announcement that Island Ferries will begin operating the service from next year. According to the Connacht Tribune from…
It has been confirmed by Brittany Ferries that its Cork-Roscoff route will resume service this Friday as expected. The announcement reports EchoLive.ie comes three weeks after the Pont Aven ferry suffered a hydraulic failure impacting thousands of people expecting to…
Freya Unsnags But Lobster Pots Are Hazard for Dun Laoghaire Dingle Racers
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Kenny Rumball on the Kinsale Yacht Club XP50, Freya, currently in third place for line honours, reports snagging a lobster pot overnight in the Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race. Conor Doyle's crew successfully disengaged themselves from the potline with some quick thinking and 'backing…
Steering Problems Puts Grand Soleil 34 'Justina' Out Of Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race
13th June 2019 Dun Laoghaire Dingle
Johnny Treanor and the crew of his Grand Soleil 34 Justina from the National Yacht Club have retired from the Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race. The crew are safe and heading to Kilmore Quay in County Wexford having suffered 'a total loss of…