Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine

ESPO Welcomes EU Parliament's TRAN Report on More Efficient & Cleaner Maritime Transport
25th February 2021 Ports & Shipping
In a response the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has supported the main outcomes of a vote on the own-initiative report on technical and operational measures for more efficient and cleaner maritime transport (Delli Report) in the European Parliament’s Transport…

Barton Marine’s Laser dinghy kits have now been approved as class legal for the Laser class, providing an option for sailors looking for lightweight, free-running gear to upgrade their one-design Laser. Extensively tested, sailors across the globe can train and…

Royal Ulster's John Taylor Presents the Sir Thomas Lipton Memorial Cup in Auckland
25th February 2021 America's Cup
Since 1970 it has been the tradition that Royal Ulster Yacht Club in Bangor on Belfast Lough, presents the Sir Thomas Lipton Memorial Cup to the America's Cup Challenger's Yacht Club. When the first Challenger series was run in that…

Following a 12 month Media blackout with respect to the Global Pandemic, The 2022 Golden Globe and 2023 Ocean Globe Races are now back in the news with a permanent office opened in Les Sables d’Olonne, France and a major…

Opposition Calls to Introduce Mandatory Hotel Quarantine for All Arrivals to State's Ports & Airports
25th February 2021 News Update
Political parties from the opposition have called for the introduction of mandatory hotel quarantine for all arrivals into the country’s (ferry)ports and airports. Mandatory hotel quarantine legislation, which would see passengers from 20 countries stay in facilities for two weeks…

Quite a few of us still think of Yannick Lemonnier as the keen young French guy who came to Galway by way of Dingle, and in time became the Irish branch of Quantum Sails, with a new loft in the…

Lee Early, deputy coxswain of the RNLI’s Arranmore lifeboat in Donegal lost his life in 2019, but his name is one of 10,000 which will be inscribed on the hull of the new Shannon class lifeboat bound for Clifden, Co…

RNLI are Recruiting Lifeguards for the Causeways Coast & County Down Beaches
25th February 2021 Northern Ireland Waters
RNLI Portrush has posted that RNLI Lifeguards are recruiting and applications are open for 2021. If you have a National Vocational Beach Lifeguard qualification and are interested in joining a dynamic, well-trained team responsible for keeping beach users safe around…

National Yacht Club Circumnavigator Conor O'Regan Talks on Planning a Round the World Voyage; Tonight on Zoom!
25th February 2021 Cruising
The National Yacht Club U25/U30 Speaker Series continues this evening with the Dun Laoghaire Harbour club's very own Vice-Commodore Conor O'Regan who circumnavigated the globe in his 38-foot yacht 'Pamina'. O'Regan will walk attendees through everything from preparation and planning…

Irish Coast Guard Says Training Needs ‘Will Be Addressed’ as Some Units Claim Members Haven’t Trained in Six Months
24th February 2021 Coastguard
Irish Coast Guard training needs “will be addressed” after units expressed concerns about their safety with exercises suspended under lockdown, as TheJournal.ie reports. While limited coastguard training resumed earlier this month, the likes of cliff units have not been able…

Both Portrush RNLI lifeboats were launched within an hour of each other to separate incidents on Northern Ireland’s North Coast this afternoon (Wednesday 24 February). Initially, the volunteer crew were requested to launch the all-weather lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard at…

Irish rower Alex Byrne has won the Under 23 Men’s 2,000-metre race at the World Indoor Rowing Championships. Alex won the Gold Medal with a time of 5.55.3 Last week, Alex was on training camp with the Senior High-Performance Team in…

Rowing Ireland has announced a new partnership with the National University of Ireland Galway. NUI Galway is now an official ‘Rowing Ireland Partner Pathway University’ which will help develop the high-performance programme at the University. This partnership builds on the…

Visitors to the Suzuki booth at this weekend's RYA online dinghy show will find out more about why this brand of outboard engine is proving so popular for use on club safety boats, coaching/chase boats and, of course, leisure craft…

An abandoned lighthouse on the largest Aran island off Galway bay is for sale for over half a million euros. As Times.ie reports today, the lighthouse and ruined buildings command a view of the Atlantic from the island’s highest point.…

'Med' Ferry Faced Foul Irish Sea Weather to France But Returned On Calmer Seas
24th February 2021 Ferry
Afloat tracked Mega Express Four, which normally serves in the Mediterranean Sea is currently on charter to Irish Ferries, however strong gale force winds required towage assistance prior to a debut Ireland-France crossing, writes Jehan Ashmore. The towage scene last Saturday…

Cruise Ship Jetty at Holyhead Undergoes Upgrade Will Make it 'More Attractive' for Passengers
24th February 2021 Cruise Liners
Cruiseships that had used the deep water jetty at the Port of Holyhead, NorthWalesLive reports, is now receiving an upgrade that will make it more attractive for passengers and prepare it for a new use. Work has begun on the…

Irish Exporters Association Welcomes Renewed & Sustainability Focused EU Trade Strategy
24th February 2021 Ports & Shipping
The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) has welcomed the publication of the European Commission’s renewed trade strategy which puts sustainability central stage in the EU trade agenda. The Commission’s renewed strategy comes at a crucial time for businesses throughout the EU…

Two months after Brexit, there's no doubting the new seascape for importing boats into Ireland. VAT and tariffs' imposition means it is now a costly exercise to either buy or sell a boat in the UK, traditionally a big marketplace for…

Islands Fishing Group Gets Recognition as EU Seafood Producer Organisation
23rd February 2021 Fishing
In what’s expected to be a significant boost to offshore communities, the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation (IIMRO) has been officially designated an EU Producer Organisation. The IIMRO is based on Arranmore Island in Co Donegal and represents the interests…