Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
![Mark O'Donovan and Shane O'Driscoll.](/media/k2/items/cache/bb1e898f138c52371bf26e33a19a9bd3_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan finished well to take second in their lightweight pair exhibition race at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne today. Britain’s Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour took over at the head of the field Ireland…
![Shipping & Maritime Transport ‘Driving Ireland’s Blue Growth’](/media/k2/items/cache/fec9f40a648c4ef51eca615fedb3aee8_L.jpg)
#Ports&Shipping - Ireland’s shipping and transport sector was the largest contributor in terms of turnover to the growth of the country’s blue economy’ in 2016. Shipping is also responsible for the FTE employment of 4,666 people, an increase of 6.7%…
![The WIORA fleet assembled in the Aran Islands this week](/media/k2/items/cache/4e7c85a590cb32f224350b822682defc_L.jpg)
#WIORA - With the forecast of light winds looming over the weekend, PRO Alan Crosbie opted to run three races on the second day of the Volvo WIORA Championships. Racing started at a steady 10 knots which built to a…
![Paul and Gary O'Donovan](/media/k2/items/cache/f6476e0923bfee994ad063b0b46cce08_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan and Gary O’Donovan finished third in their heat and must come through a repechage if they are to qualify for the semi-finals of the lightweight double sculls at the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne. Just two…
![Victoria Thornley of Britain and Sanita Puspure race at Lucerne today](/media/k2/items/cache/30d04f407087f94f57f311f71a04d682_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Monika Dukarska and Sanita Puspure both qualified for the quarter-finals of the women’s single sculls at the World Cup regatta in Lucerne today. Dukarska drew Magdalena Lobnig, the holder of the world’s best time in the event, in her…
![Dr.Michael Kennedy speaking to the UCC conference about the South Arklow lighthship](/media/k2/items/cache/397ae9d69f63148d8a85f619df160376_L.jpg)
The disappearance of the South Arklow Lightship during World War One when it was sunk by a German submarine has been highlighted at a maritime conference in University College Cork, as an example that the First World War was fought…
![The Howth Yacht Club Try Racing Team – Ciara Hennessy, John McNaboe, Orla Blake, Leah-Ann McHenry, Noel Davidson and Liz McNulty](/media/k2/items/cache/00b833ff8f4286d2c1fe055808a7c0a0_L.jpg)
Howth Yacht Club 'Try Sailing' Team Learn the Ropes at Dun Laoghaire Regatta
7th July 2017 Volvo Regatta
One of the teams taking part in their very first regatta at today's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta are Howth Yacht Club's “Try Racing” team competing in the north Dublin Club's recently purchased J80 keelboats. This time last year none of…
![Not hangin' around – The SB20 Sea Biscuit (Marty Cuppage) is racing for Southern Championship honours as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta](/media/k2/items/cache/42f140944069040a413dec1c9971e88d_L.jpg)
Maybury's Joker II Out in Front As Dun Laoghaire Regatta Kicks off in Style
6th July 2017 Volvo Regatta
It was business as usual for John Maybury's J109 Joker II in this afternoon's opening races of the 2017 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta. The triple class one ICRA national champion has moved to the top of the leaderboard in Ireland's…
![Two new Stormforce 1650s like one above are now in service in Belfast Harbour](/media/k2/items/cache/e78f3100c8f3716e4409399debd3d5c2_L.jpg)
#PilotBoats - Belfast Harbour has completed its £2 million deal with Redbay Boats for two new pilot boats to service the city’s busy waterfront, as The Irish News reports. Already on service is the Captain Michael Evans named after the…
![Larne RNLI's all-weather lifeboat](/media/k2/items/cache/dd149176a58a646ce4f9a5b9d86868be_L.jpg)
Larne Lifeboat Rescue Two After Yacht Becalmed With Tangled Propeller Off Antrim Coast
6th July 2017 RNLI Lifeboats
#RNLI - Larne RNLI rescued two men yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 5 July) after their yacht got into difficulty off the Antrim coast. The all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 1.46pm following a report from Belfast Coastguard that a 30ft…
![Kilronan on the Aran Islands is hosting the WIORA Championships for the first time](/media/k2/items/cache/22435fe4b1de63940b419e02f6c52b6a_L.jpg)
Day one of the Volvo WIORA Championships dawned with a final entry of thirty nine boats and was to begin with one race and an afternoon start to facilitate crews arriving to the island of Inishmore on the morning ferries.…
![Arklow Clan on sea trials in the North Sea is a sister of the Arklow Cliff which was launched in recent days](/media/k2/items/cache/117e8e8f96f6d0f998dcc24e8b5785a7_L.jpg)
#Ports&Shipping - The latest newbuild multipurpose cargoship for Arklow Shipping was launched in the Netherlands, writes Jehan Ashmore. Arklow Cliff (yard No 428) was launched at Ferus Smit's Westerbroek yard on Friday last week as the fifth of 10 on…
![It was an arduous programme of pre-testing at this level which ensured that Thunderchild was fit and ready for her Round Ireland & Rockall Record challenge which concluded successfully last night.](/media/k2/items/cache/c949fbb608c03a10047b76092152b2c2_L.jpg)
The Safehaven Marine team led by Frank Kowalski on Thunderchild were safely home in Cork Harbour last night with job done, and the Round Ireland & Rockall Record set at 34 hours 01 minute and 47 seconds writes W M…
Large Scale Cruise Ships Plan in Dún Laoghaire Harbour ‘Back on the Agenda’
6th July 2017 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
#CruiseLiners - Plans for large scale cruise ships to be accommodated in Dun Laoghaire Harbour are back on the agenda after Bord Pleanála relisted the application on Wednesday writes The Irish Times. The original planning application to accommodate cruise ships…
![Declan McDonald, Partner, PwC presents the Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year award to Pat Keating, CEO, Shannon Foynes Port Company.](/media/k2/items/cache/82ff50b0111d2c3811f4524a39ac232e_L.jpg)
#ShannonEstuary - Shannon Foynes Port Company was announced as the winner of Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year at the Marine Industry Awards 2017. In the third annual hosting of the event (click here), SFPC – which oversees commercial…
![The Irish Laser Youth Championships was decided in Wexford](/media/k2/items/cache/e0ecd0f221f777a8a60304954cd19e5f_L.jpg)
Laser Youth, Ladies & Connaught Titles Decided at Wexford Boat Club: O'Sullivan, Quinn, Hopkins, Fahy are Winners
6th July 2017 Laser
North Dublin sailors were top of the fleet at the Irish Laser Youth Radial Championships at Wexford Boat Club last weekend, a fixture that clashed with the second Dinghy Fest at Royal Cork Yacht Club. The event was sailed as…
![Rosslare RNLI lifeboat](/media/k2/items/cache/f5a7790905253b0b41515e3d7704b099_L.jpg)
Rosslare Harbour RNLI has rescued three men this afternoon after their motorboat encountered mechanical problems and broke down off the Wexford coast. The volunteer crew was requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 3pm following a report from the Irish…
![Otherworldly – Thunderchild at Rockall](/media/k2/items/cache/4eaab62df6a22ab5c19269ea9d0a384c_L.jpg)
Apart from two essential stops at Portrush in County Antrim and Ballyglass on Broadhaven in County Mayo to take on fuel, Safehaven Marine’s challenge for a viable record for the 2000 kilometres round Ireland and Rockall, powering on with their…
![Traditional Water Wags Number 41 Mollie (Claudine Murphy) and Number 45 Mariposa, (Cathy MacAleavey) sail past the assembled Classic boat fleet at the Carlisle Pier adjacent to the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire](/media/k2/items/cache/650db4afaac5ddc447d6e362f238625e_L.jpg)
Cotton Topsails Hoisted as National Yacht Club Welcomes Classic Boat Fleet for Kingstown 200 Cup
5th July 2017 National YC
It could be over 50 years since a cotton topsail has been seen from the National Yacht Club and this afternoon as the classic fleet arrived "Peggy Bawn", a GL Watson 36–ft Cutter, built in 1894, hoisted her cotton suit…
![Minister Michael Creed and the winners of the third annual Marine Industry Awards held as part of the recent Seafest event in Galway](/media/k2/items/cache/0f95ca7e547d839b9acc05f72a46e92d_L.jpg)
#MarineAwards - The winners of The Marine Industry Awards 2017 were revealed at the gala awards ceremony which took place as part of SeaFest in Galway. In total 16 categories were announced at the premier event in Ireland for showcasing…