Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

After a number of training races, which were very well attended and received, Mother Nature and Race Officer Jack Roy’s Team conspired most favourably to give the Flying Fifteens a good workout in a brisk breeze last night. Throughout the…

As Afloat previously reported, plans to replace the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company’s veteran Scillionian III, with designs for a new state-of-the-art passenger ferry and cargoship were recently revealed for the first time. Currently the Scillonian III connects Penzance, Cornwall…

Led by Kinsale yacht Freya at 0530, the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race fleet is arriving into the County Kerry marina this morning. A total of 38 boats took part in the 280-mile race from Dun Laoghaire on Wednesday…

“There is a better way” than the present approach taken by government to the fishing industry, according to the Chairperson of Comhdháil Oileán na hEireann, the Islands’ Federation. “This is a matter of huge importance regarding island community livelihoods and…

Day #3 0930 - The Murphy family’s consistently successful Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo (Royal Cork YC) reached Dingle this morning at 09:27 hrs and immediately corrected into an overall lead in the D2D which she is unlikely to lose. Having passed…

Watching this video (below) of a seemingly empty County Wicklow coastline and then seeing a tiny black dot hove into view gives you some idea how fortunate Wednesday's kitesurfer was to be spotted by an eagle-eyed crew onboard a leading…

102 yachts started on a windy evening on Dublin Bay last night for the first Thursday race proper of the 2021 DBSC summer season. Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109, White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club were Cruiser One…

Day #2 2230 - Conor Doyle's Xp50 Freya was leading the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle fleet at the Fastnet Rock at 2147hrs tonight (Thursday), and then with slightly eased sheets eased was starting to make more serious knots – 9 knots…

Day #2 2100 - Royal Cork Yacht Club Oyster 37 Blue Oyster skippered by David Coleman has retired from the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race this evening The boat retired into her home port of Crosshaven due to 'taking on water', according…

Zhik’s new Microfleece Hikers “redefine the traditional hiking wetsuit” for the highest levels of manoeuvrability and comfort while hiking. Combining a revolutionary 3D body-mapped panel design — 1mm thermal Neoprene throughout — with four-way stretch and integrated hiking support, Zhik says…

More than 100 European and American associations have issued a joint statement ahead of the EU-US Summit in Brussels next Tuesday 15 June, calling for the removal of tariffs on sectors unrelated to the ongoing transatlantic trade disputes. For recreational…

Angling clubs, groups and associations all over Ireland are from tomorrow (Friday 11 June) invited to apply for funding under Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 2021 Sponsorship Programme. One of the main funding mechanisms of Inland Fisheries Ireland, the programme awarded funding…

CH Marine has stocked the latest marine clothing ranges from Zhik for the discerning sailor. The Zhik Inshore 100 range (€159.95), featuring Vecta Fabric Technology, is a streamlined garment collection designed for life on and off the water. Featuring fully…

The Royal Ocean Racing Club Season’s Points Championship continues with the Morgan Cup Race, which starts tomorrow, Friday 11 June in Cowes and will finish at the historic town of Dartmouth in Devon. One of the jewels in the crown…

Day #2 1845: If you’d a gloomy outlook on life in general and sailing in particular, you’d readily agree that the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race is just one damned thing after another. No sooner is one challenge sorted than something…

Almost six months after they competed in the world’s most brutal race — the singlehanded non-stop lap of the planet that is the Vendée Globe — many of the IMOCA fleet will be returning to the race course for the…

The greening and digital transitions combined with the changing global political environment and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic create the perfect storm for Europe’s ports and the port industry. Ports are at the crossroads of these transitions and changing…

Northern Ireland yacht eXcession has contacted NYC Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race organisers to advise that the IMX 38 is experiencing electrical problems. The crew reported: "Experiencing electrical problems - making best effort to keep AIS live. NOT Retiring. Just…

It is a well-established principle of the sea that help must be extended to those in distress, a principle that is espoused in Rule 1 of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS): SAFETY 1.1 Helping Those in Danger. A boat,…

Day #2 1330: “Neither fog nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds….”. Okay, so we’ve substituted fog for snow in a misappropriation of the US Mail’s gallant motto in…