Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The first County Wicklow designed Melges IC37 designed by Mark Mills, Afloat.ie's Sailor of the Year in 2009, arrived at New England Boatworks last Monday afternoon, and was out sailing Tuesday afternoon after fitting keel, rudder and rig. Three days…

#VOR - The Volvo Ocean Race teams were enjoying full-speed trade wind sailing on Wednesday (2 May) as they knocked off the miles to the Leg 8 finish in Newport, Rhode Island. Stage leaders Team Brunel continue to set the…

#ClipperRace - There’s been an early win for the Clipper Race teams that opted to stay inshore after the Le Mans start to the 4,100-nautical-mile Race 10: The Garmin American Challenge from Seattle to Panama. After choosing to head south…

#FerryNews - Scandinavian operator, Viking Line based in Finland, has announced that its LNG fuelled cruiseferry M / S Viking Grace has become the first passenger ship in the world to utilize wind power through mechanical rotor driving. The rotor sail…

#InlandWaters - Masters and owners of vessels on the Killaloe Canal are advised that the section between Killaloe road bridge and the control gate structure upstream will be closed for six weeks from later this month.  The 450m long section…

#FerryNews - Ulysses, Irish Ferries cruiseferry on the Dublin-Holyhead route has sailings cancelled today (2 May) and up to Friday (4 May).  According to the operator's website this is due to technical reasons. All of the cruiseferry's operated sailings in…

This biennial tri-club team racing event championed by the late Harry Maguire for many years was run over the weekend in the Gareloch, Scotland and hosted by the Royal Northern and Clyde YC. The holders Royal St George YC travelled…

#BelfastLough - Chief Executive Robert Cooper has stepped down from his position in Harland & Wolff Group after a 44-year career at the shipyard, where he has been replaced by Jonathan Guest. As The Irish News reports, he began his…

At the International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC) World Forum 2018 in San Francisco, the Royal Cork Yacht Club was selected to host the ICOYC World Forum in September 2019. Vice Admiral, Colin Morehead, and Club General Manager, Gavin Deane,…

In his first article in the ICRA /  UK Sailmakers Series, Racing Consultant Mark Mansfield wrote about tuning a fractionally rigged mast. His second article featured changing gears in different wind conditions while racing. In this final article, the four time Olympic helmsman…

The first annual 'Royal Sprints Regatta' will be held in just two weeks on May 19th & 20th at the Royal Cork Yacht Club. Featuring three double-handed dinghy classes, the event will provide the sailor with numerous short, fun, sprint…

Away back in 1997 I stood on the quayside at Alexandra Basin in Dublin Port, watching a very old boat being unloaded from a freighter … I was the only reporter there. The media generally weren’t interested in the story…

At 1.20pm on Tuesday May 1, Lough Derg RNLI launched following a request by Valentia Coast Guard to assist a fisherman in an 18ft lake boat reported aground by the Goat Road on the north eastern shore of Lough Derg.…

IDRA 14: 1. Doody J.Fitzgerald/J.Byrne, 2. Dart P Long 3. Dunmoanin F Hamilton Laser R1: 1. S Craig, 2. R Wallace, 3. R O'Leary Laser R2: 1. S Craig, 2. R Wallace, 3. R O'Leary

#Microplastic - The Volvo Ocean Race Science Programme has found the highest levels of microplastic in the South China Sea during Leg 6 from Hong Kong to Auckland this past spring. Preliminary results show a whopping 360 particles of microplastic…

The National Yacht Club's Tom Dolan has gambled on a southerly route being the fasted as he attempts to climb up the leaderboard in the Transat AG2R La Mondiale. The 30-year-old from Kells, Meath, is currently in 12th position with co-skipper…

#Youghal - The components for Youghal’s new marina pontoon have arrived, and the amenity is currently being installed in the East Cork town. Preparation for the new embarkation pontoon began last November with pile driving works in the harbour, as…

The 39th Middle Sea Race starts on the 20th October 2018. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of this remarkable offshore race, the Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) is anticipating its highest entry yet. Some 30…

#ClipperRace - Race 10: The Garmin American Challenge from Seattle to Panama is officially underway after the Clipper Race fleet had a successful Le Mans start off the northwest coast of the USA yesterday, Monday 30 April.  A split emerged…

A stellar international performance in the Magic Marine Easter Regatta in The Netherlands, and an overall victory in the Irish Sailing Youth Pathway Nationals in Dublin Bay in the Optimist, makes Justin Lucas of Tralee Bay SC and Royal Cork…