Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
![Incoming Chairman Michael Boyd (centre) with Peter Wykeham-Martin and Alp Doguoglu pictured at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire](/media/k2/items/cache/3b62db0d3af8cb0823d8332edb5e29b0_L.jpg)
International IRC Congress Meets at the Royal Irish Yacht Club
15th October 2018 Royal Irish Yacht Club
Representatives of the International Rating Certificate (IRC) met in Dun Laoghaire for two days of debate and discussion at the beginning of October. The IRC Technical Committee agreed on a number of developments for 2019 as a result of research…
![Irish sailor Gregor McGuckin with his father Randal McGuckin and his mother Lynne McGuckin in Dublin Airport](/media/k2/items/cache/fa6c5cc67dcfe84e7dff41562e0105d2_L.jpg)
Heroic Irish solo sailor Gregor McGuckin arrived back in Dublin today to a rapturous welcome in Dublin Airport from his family, friends and members of the sailing community. It is Gregor’s first time on Irish soil since embarking on his…
![Bray 'Helmsman' Trophy winners Philip and Mick O'Reilly](/media/k2/items/cache/db4b09bbc3319f534b70c3c0d46b7456_L.jpg)
Bray Sailing Club reintroduced one of the club’s longest standing trophies this weekend as its first 'Senior Helmsman’s' Championship in fifteen years was sailed. The trophy was put on ice when dinghy sailing declined in the early 2000’s but the…
![Shannon Estuary Cutter 'Sally O'Keeffe' in winning mode](/media/k2/items/cache/bc5fde339d7b8fa33f77c7d20e4a9fe5_L.jpg)
Shannon Estuary Cutter 'Sally O'Keeffe' Leads Non-Spinnaker Class in Combined Clubs October Series in Kilrush
15th October 2018 Shannon Estuary
The largest fleet to have gathered for an October Series along the west coast in a number of years came together this Sunday on the Shannon Estuary in the Combined Clubs October Series being hosted by the Royal Western Yacht…
Promoted
![Heavy weather sailing is safe and easy when you set your sails correctly for the conditions and the ability of your crew says Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland](/media/k2/items/cache/89ad053b92ad952cde2398c650725c46_L.jpg)
With the DBSC Turkey Shoot Series starting soon on Dublin Bay and Autumn Leagues in full swing in Crosshaven, Howth, Kilrush and elsewhere, Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland gives some tips on how to effectively handle your boat in…
![Royal Cork's Davy Kenefick in action at the Moth Nationals in Dun Laoghaire Harbour](/media/k2/items/cache/8954244387a7e9278227f112e43768ac_L.jpg)
Ten boats were entered for this year's International Moth National Championships, held at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay. Starting with three races on a chilly Friday afternoon, in light, north to northeast winds…
![Yachts wait for wind on the third Sunday of RCYC's Autumn League](/media/k2/items/cache/76f1b7770bbf9f8f8f376fd888e7fd3d_L.jpg)
Royal Cork Yacht Club Racing Abandoned Due to Lack of Wind for Third Day of Autumn League
14th October 2018 Royal Cork YC
In contrast to last Sunday where Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League featured the heavy weather drama of broken spars, a grounding and a crew in the water, today's race was an airless one and racing for classes 1,2,3 and 4 (the…
![Jack Dorney, the fastest sculler at Cork Head of the River.](/media/k2/items/cache/513754b0bfa350a98b6c946c79f0eb1c_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Shandon amassed a big set of wins at the Cork Head of the River at the Marina on Saturday. Their men’s senior quadruple, competing in the fourth head, set the fastest time of 12 minutes 3.4 seconds, while their…
![Turlough Hughes](/media/k2/items/cache/7c8aa7eedefe91fdc4efe9bc91a8adcf_L.jpg)
#Rowing: Turlough Hughes won the Dublin Sculling Ladder Time Trial. The Dublin University Boat Club man had just under a second to spare over Niall Beggan of Commercial on Saturday. One of the masters of the event, multiple winner Sean…
![The Clann Lir was blessed in a service of dedication](/media/k2/items/cache/686b0ce347f045bffe3572511293057b_L.jpg)
At a special naming ceremony and service of dedication held yesterday (Saturday 13 October), Ballyglass RNLI officially named its new D class lifeboat, Clann Lir, in the Mayo coastal town. The honour of naming the lifeboat went to Derek Moran,…
Myross Quad and Donegal's Boomer Place Well at World Coastal Rowing Championships
14th October 2018 Coastal Rowing
#Rowing: Ireland crews reached multiple A Finals and had two fifth-place finishes at the World Coastal Rowing Championships in Sidney, Victoria in Canada. The Myross men’s coxed quadruple of Kenny McCarthy, Vincent Browne, Andy O’Sullivan and James Lupton, with cox…
![Alex & Daria Blackwell’s Bowman 57 Aleria enjoying the best of Galician summer weather in the midst of the ICC’s July 2017 Rally to Northwest Spain. Although normally based in Clew Bay, Aleria elected to stay on in Galicia, where she was recently hauled for her second winter in Spain](/media/k2/items/cache/a42efbc7ca9b535069b0d170358741c8_L.jpg)
Is Irish sailing heading south? Are significant sectors of the national fleet heading for new home berths in the Lotus Lands asks W M Nixon. Every Autumn, we hear of boats which have headed down to southern Brittany or southwest…
![Launch of Migrant–Built Traditional Currach in Cork](/media/k2/items/cache/a268e1dcc02ec68357e82ebed11cdca7_L.jpg)
In July of this year, a group of adults arrived in the boatyard at Meitheal Mara in Crosses Green in the heart of Cork City to learn about a proposed new boat-building programme. For 25 years now Meitheal Mara has…
![Unite says UK shipyards like Belfast's Harland & Wolff should get work otherwise cranes could “end up as tourist attractions” if MoD contracts go overseas](/media/k2/items/cache/64ff8a86461fe6582bd7b1d36d5f5836_L.jpg)
Belfast's Iconic Shipyard Cranes Could “End up as Tourist Attractions” If MoD Contracts Go Overseas
12th October 2018 Belfast Lough
#BelfastLough - Belfast's iconic cranes of Samson and Goliath could “end up as tourist attractions” if military shipbuilding contracts are awarded overseas, it has been warned. As Belfast Live reports the union UNITE made the claim as they launched a…
![Women taking part in a Try Sailing event during this year’s SeaFest in Galway](/media/k2/items/cache/53f4c75799430ce2b19b650b00d40413_L.jpg)
Irish Sailing Seeks Expressions Of Interest For First ‘Women At The Helm’ Regatta
12th October 2018 ISA
Irish Sailing is seeking expression of interest from Irish sailing clubs to host the inaugural Women at the Helm Regatta next summer, as well as subsequent events in 2020 and 2021. The debut regatta is set for two days in…
![Howth/NYC sailor Rocco Wright was one of the stars of this year’s Oppy Nationals in Kinsale](/media/k2/items/cache/962803bca3f86d7a53350b5f102ec811_L.jpg)
#Optimist - Howth Yacht Club will host the 2019 Optimist National and Open Championships between 15 and 18 August, the International Optimist Dinghy Association Ireland has announced. The association added that it is still in the process of finalising dates…
Large Containership MSC Ela Finally Arrives to America Following Dublin Bay Anchorage Diversion
12th October 2018 Ports & Shipping
#Ports&Shipping - MSC Ela, the large containership which due to engine-problem was forced to divert to Dublin Bay last week while on a voyage from UK to the USA, has finally arrived in New York Port today, writes Jehan Ashmore.…
![Nicolas Troussel sailing his Class 40 Corum in the 2018 Round Ireland race off Wicklow in July. No single ocean race has seen so many entries in one class as next month's Route du Rhum Class 40 fleet in which Troussel's Corum is a front-runner](/media/k2/items/cache/afa87f7fa15ad883d7e1089ca3dc35b9_L.jpg)
Route du Rhum Boasts Record Class 40 Fleet including Round Ireland Race Competitor Nicolas Troussel
12th October 2018 Class40
The largest fleet in the Route du Rhum 2018 – the solo transatlantic race that starts from St Malo on November 4th – is the Class 40 monohull division with 53 sailors taking part that includes Nicolas Troussel, the French entrant…
![This weekend's SB20 Midland Championships have been cancelled due to a low number of participants](/media/k2/items/cache/1e273c42b049fc09a6f6de7df440fd7b_L.jpg)
The SB20 class has cancelled its Midland Championships due to the very low number of boats signed up for this weekend's scheduled event. Class President Colin Galavan says 'This is due, in part, to damage incurred to some of the boats…
![Annalise Murphy gave a first-hand account of her experience in the Volvo Ocean Race at the NYC](/media/k2/items/cache/4ef55fa3225dcd7abdb50958c9171af3_L.jpg)
Annalise Murphy Tells National Yacht Club Members About Volvo Ocean Race Experience
12th October 2018 Annalise Murphy
At last night's popular 'Speakers Supper' at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, the club's own Olympic Silver Medalist Annalise Murphy gave a first-hand account of her personal experience and reflections in the Volvo Ocean Race that she completed in…