Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The history of sailing in Belfast Lough became so hectic in the 1890s, with the pioneering development of One-design keelboat classes and the first of Thomas Lipton's five America's Cup challenges going forth from Royal Ulster Yacht Club in 1899,…

Although we’re all under Level 5 restrictions, Irish Sailing is kick-starting its Wednesday Winter Talk Series again with the aim of providing some fun and knowledgeable speakers to get you thinking about being active on the water — even though…

Tributes have been paid to Corraquill Cruising owner Sean Drumm who died in a tragic accident in Co Fermanagh at the weekend. As BelfastLive reports, it’s understood the 69-year-old slipped on an icy jetty and fell into the freezing water…

Of the world’s top 12 container shipping carriers, 8 of them increased overall capacity in 2020 despite all 12 making stinging capacity cuts in the first half of the year as Covid-19 lockdowns hit demand. As LloydsLoadingList reports, the carriers…

The Irish Fireball Class Association held its AGM a few weeks back, and we had one individual who chose to take a break from the committee but compensated for that with the addition of a number of new members. Hermine…

With the triennial elections for Fireball International now completed and all the Executive positions currently filled, FI is once more ready to chart a way forward for the Class. This year's elections saw a number of stalwarts of the Class…

The chartered Visby became the first freight-ferry of DFDS new Ireland-mainland Europe ro-ro route to operate the inaugural 'inbound' sailing from Dunkirk in France with an arrival in Rosslare Europort last night, writes Jehan Ashmore. As Afloat previously reported, the…

The Irish National Sailing School has produced end of the year summary of its sailing highlights at Dun Laoghaire Harbour in County Dublin, a season like no other due to COVID-19. "We don't want to forget 2020, the goodwill, support and friendship…

Organised by COR 36, Challenger of Record, the PRADA Cup - the Challenger Selection Series - will be held from January 15 to the end of February 2021: the last day depends on the number of races that will be…

A teenage boy has died in a tragic accident after a fall from a coastal cliff on the Dingle Peninsula, as RTÉ News reports. It’s understood that the 17-year-old slipped and fell while out walking with his family at Cinn…

Charlie Dalin (Apivia) became the second Vendée Globe skipper to round Cape Horn at 0439hrs early this Sunday morning, the 36-year-old French skipper who originates from Le Havre, passing much closer than leader Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq IV) did some…

Stena Line’s newest ferry addition to its fleet, the brand-new Stena Embla has arrived in Belfast. As Afloat reported earlier, Stena Embla is the third E-Flexer ferry to be commissioned for Stena Line’s Irish Sea routes in the last 12…

Dublin Port Company has issued its 2021 Notices to Mariners.  The well-presented page on the Dublin Port website here provides links to over 40 different notices covering all aspects of Dublin Port activity in 2021 at Ireland's busiest port in a bay…

Stena Embla the latest Chinese newbuild 'E-Flexer' class ropax completed a month-long delivery voyage to Europe where the ferry is to join sisters on the Irish Sea, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 40,050 gross tonnage newbuild built in Weihai, was tracked…

Lifeboat crew at Castletownbere RNLI were launched yesterday afternoon (Saturday 2nd January) at 15:30 to assist an 11-metre fishing boat which had lost power 18 miles south west of Castletownbere Harbour in West Cork. The lifeboat, under coxswain Aaron O’Boyle,…

The Courtmacsherry All-Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out at 7 am this Sunday morning to go to the aid of a 50 ft-yacht with three people on board which had got into difficulties four miles east of the…

Two of 2021's early-season cruiser-racer sailing fixtures on Dublin Bay are up in the air due to January's lockdown restrictions.  A new ISORA 'Early Season Series' originally planned for this month was to continue the offshore's body's successful 2020 coastal…

Alone, surfing north eastwards in the grip of stormy winds and seas, passing 85 miles south of the famous solitary rocky islet, the huge whoop of delight from 48 years old Vendée Globe leader Yannick Bestaven when he finally passed…

Lough Erne Yacht Club on the Lower Lough is situated about six miles north of Enniskillen on Goblusk Bay and occupies a former WW2 RAF site built in 1941 for Catalina Flying Boats. It has the enviable facility of being…

Waterways Ireland advises masters of all craft that diving operations will take place at Lough Erne Yacht Club on Lower Lough Erne from Monday 4 January for around seven days. A diving alpha flag will be present at the location…