Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) recently published new accessibility guidelines designed as a support to all those involved in providing maritime passenger transport services. This includes passenger vessel owners and operators, port operators and local authorities, as…

The Laser Radial Youth World Championship at Kingston, Ontario in Canada was something special as Laser designer Bruce Kirby, the man who transformed the world’s solo dinghy sailing, is Canadian. But it was also something special for Eve McMahon of…

Seven volunteer lifeboat crew members from Ballyglass RNLI came to the rescue of a large juvenile dolphin which became stranded at Bundúla, in Blacksod Bay, just outside Belmullet this morning. The alarm was raised by concerned former RNLI crew member…

Very few sailors can ever have experienced anything comparable to the elation of discovering that their racing pride-and-joy has been declared “Boat of the Week” from within the 498-boat fleet at Ireland’s biggest regatta. But this is what happened to…

Cruiser 0 IRC: 1. Wow, 2. Lively Lady, 3. Tsunami Cruiser 0 Echo: 1. Wow, 2. Lively Lady, 3. Tsunami Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. Bon Exemple, 2. Something Else, 3. Juggerknot 2 Cruiser 1 Echo: 1. Bon Exemple, 2. Juggerknot…

There were perfect sailing conditions for the first-ever Mermaid National Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club this afternoon. After an upsetting start to the championships this morning, three races were completed in flat water and great Cork Harbour breezes. Overall, defending champion…

A large multi agency operation was launched after a kayaker was reported missing after a 2 man kayak capsized between Fountainstown and Myrtleville. The volunteers of Crosshaven RNLI were tasked at 1.37pm to attend the area after one of the…

A man whose leg got trapped on the Connemara shoreline during a rising tide was brought to safety in a multi-agency rescue on Thursday evening writes Lorna Siggins The incident occurred when a couple were out walking at Slackport on…

The RV Celtic Voyager departed early this morning (Thursday 1 August) from the Port of Cork on a multidisciplinary marine wildlife survey investigating the biological and oceanographic features of the 100m contour line between Cork to Galway. The survey team…

Marine Institute chief executive Dr Peter Heffernan has been selected as a member of the European Commission’s Mission Board for Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters. He is one of two Irish appointees to the Mission Boards of Horizon…

Marine scientists from University College Cork have discovered plastic at the bottom of a deep submarine canyon while investigating cold-water coral habitats. UCC’s Marine Geology Research Group has been investigating cold-water coral habitats in the Porcupine Bank Canyon, some 320km…

On Tuesday evening (30 July), Lough Derg RNLI launched to the aid of an 18ft boat with engine failure by Mountshannon Harbour on the Clare shore. On arrival at the reported location, the volunteer lifeboat was directed by Valentia Coast…

Union Hall RNLI rescued a family of four this morning after they issued a Mayday when their 15m cruiser struck rocks and started to rapidly take on water off Glandore Harbour in West Cork. The volunteer crew were requested to…

Fifteen angling vessels will soon be granted authorisation to participate in Tuna CHART (Catch and Release Tagging), a pilot Bluefin Tuna Data Collection Programme. As previously reported for Afloat.ie by Lorna Siggins, the programme will see the 15 authorised vessels…

The 2019 ILCA Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Kingston, Canada concluded with a win for Howth Yacht Club’s Eve McMahon in the U17 division of the Girls fleet. As Afloat previously reported, McMahon entered the final day in second…

North Connemara’s Clifden has become the first west coast RNLI station to receive a new Shannon-class lifeboat writes Lorna Siggins. The all-weather Shannon, which was designed by an Irish engineer and is the first RNLI class to be named after…

Having sailed in several WIORA regatta’s in the past, One Design Expert and founder of North Sails Ireland, Nigel Young looked forward to getting back into the fleet this year in Foynes on the Shannon Estuary last week and took…

The traditional 56ft Limerick trading ketch Ilen will shortly begin her long return voyage from west Greenland to the Shannon Estuary, following the successful completion of the several strands of research and exploration in the Ilen Project’s Salmons Wake programme writes…

The eagerly-awaited national Mermaid Championship getting underway today in Crosshaven with the Royal Cork YC has experienced two shoreside setbacks which have served to underline what a close-knit community is to be found this very special class. Senior skipper and…

Jim McColl has failed to convince the Scottish Government to take a stake in the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde. The near-billionaire, The Herald writes, was understood to be ready to take a multi-million-pound “hit” on his investment at…