Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Fred Olsen Cruise Line will open the Port of Cork’s cruise liner season with the arrival of MV Balmoral and her 1800 passengers and crew to Cobh Cruise Terminal on Friday 1st April. This is the first of 58 liners…

#DiverConcerns - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been called upon by divers to withdraw a permit issued to Dublin Port which allows it to dump “dredge spoil” off Dublin Bay, writes The Irish Times. The Irish Underwater Council said…

#NewPilotCutters -The first of three 19m pilot boats built by Mainstay Marine Solutions, St. Brides, has been delivered to the Port of Milford Haven in south-west Wales. The new craft was officially blessed last Thursday by Father Harri Williams of…

#RepairDelays - The damaged Isle of Man Steam Packet fastferry Manannan has not returned to service as planned this morning - and will remain out of action until Sunday at the earliest. According to IOM Today, the fastferry is to…

Waterways Ireland has announced its 2016 inland waters boating season with the winter mooring period ending on the Shannon and Shannon-Erne Waterway. Boaters are invited to shake off the winter blues, refloat their boats and plan ahead to get the…

Mark Turner has been appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO, stepping down after 23 years at the helm of global sports marketing company OC Sport. The Briton, who competed in offshore sailing’s leading international event as a Whitbread Round-the-World sailor in…

An Oyster LD43 powerboat is listed on Afloat boats for sale. Ever since viable powercuisers first cut their way confidently across the sea, yacht designers and quality boatbuilders have aspired to create a dreamship which has all the attributes of a…

Dubarry of Ireland will be returning for the fifth year as title sponsor of the Women’s Open Keelboat Championships.The Dubarry Women’s Open Keelboat Championships is an all-female keelboat regatta taking place in the Solent on 4-5 June 2016 and the…

Sunny Palma laid on some of its best conditions for the third day of the 47th Trofeo Princesa Sofia IBEROSTAR today but it all started with a lengthy delay as a weak south-westerly eventually gave way to a moderate southerly…

#Rower of the Month: Gary O’Donovan is the Afloat Rower of the Month for March. The Skibbereen man had to compete in the lightweight single scull at the Ireland trials after his brother and crewmate, Paul, pulled out ill. Gary…

Despite mustering a fleet of 120 dinghies for the first regional championships of the year there was no Laser racing at all last weekend at Baltimore Sailing Club due to gale force winds. Winds were never less than 20–25 knots with…

Not sailed in Ireland but looking remarkably similar to our own sadly depleted Dublin Bay Mermaid class, the Essex based Brightlingsea One Design (BOD) Class – a classic 18-foot three-man clinker dayboat which has been sailed continuously at Brightlingsea since…

#RNLI - Bangor RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew were requested by Belfast Coastguard to help two fishermen on a 17ft motorboat with engine failure. Although conditions were calm and the crew were in no immediate danger, the westerly wind was extremely…

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI's volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 2am this morning (Wednesday 30 March) on request by the Irish Coast Guard to attend an injured man who was working on the Tuskar Rock lighthouse. Once on…

Ireland stays in contention at the GP14 worlds in Bardbados this week but the lack of official results from the Barbado Yacht Club is possibly best explained by today's layday after last night's Rum party. The overall position after race…

I am a passionate believer in the concept that sailing is ‘a sport for all and a sport for life’. I took to heart a slogan to this effect promoted by the Irish Sailing Association a few years ago. I…

The world's longest ocean race is seeking 12 extraordinary Skippers to lead its crews around the globe in the next edition of the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race. Are you good enough to take on the job? Founded…

#Rowing: Ronan Byrne has retained his title on the Cork Sculling Ladder 2015/2016. The Shandon man was the overall winner, and also topped the junior and intermediate sections. Margaret Cremen from Lee was not only the top woman, but also…

None of the Irish contenders for the mens Laser berth slot have made the gold fleet cut today at the important Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Palma. The result, however disappointing in the build up to Rio, intensifies the three…

#Navy@1916 – Representing the Naval Service at the 1916 Easter Rising centenary parade held in Dublin were personnel from the navy and a related fishery patrol aircraft, writes Jehan Ashmore. In a rare Air Corps Fleet Fly Past display totalling…