Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine

Thursday sailing at Dublin Bay took place in 12–15kt easterlies, with Avalon, Contango and Supernova taking two firsts in their respective classes. Please note: the final dinghy sailing supper of the season will take place in the DMYC immediately after racing…

Now that we have your attention, we should point out that it's Galway's lovely, creaking red-sailed ladies of the sea we're talking about. Not the other kind. The annual Cruinniu na mBad begins this evening in Kinvara, with racing on…

Dun Laoghaire sailor Francis Rowan and his helm Tom Gillard took third place at the Fireball European championships in La Rochelle today, finishing with a lacklustre 28th and 25th, but doing enough to hold off the British sailing pairing of…

Two seconds and a first gave Cork sailor Seafra Guilfoyle the lead at halfway stage of the Mitsubish Optimist National Championships today. The Crosshaven teen, who still has two years left in the Optimist, discarded his jittery 26th from the…

On Saturday August 8, 25 people from Ireland, UK, and Germany arrived in Cork in advance of the biggest challenge of their lives. They will sail onboard the Cork Clipper boat in the Clipper 09–10 Round the World Yacht Race…

Éamon Ó Cuív TD, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, has sanctioned a grant of €35,000 for Sherkin Island Development Society to provide a freight service for Oileán Cléire, Long Island, Sherkin Island and Hare Island. This funding will…

It's well known that Dun Laoghaire Sailing School is one of the country's busiest teaching establishment but news that August tuition reached 300 children per week must be one of the marine industries best recession busting stories of the summer.…

A west of Ireland company, Aiseanna Mara Teoranta (trading as Sail West), has been appointed to carry out a maintenance programme on the Jeanie Johnston this autumn. The Jeanie Johnston is owned by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) and…

Howth sailor Tara Flood leads the Mitsubishi Motors Optimist National Championships after a blustery day one, with three races sailed in an 18-knot southerly. The 243-boat fleet was split, with the main fleet racing in Dublin Bay and the regatta…

The latest analysis of 2009 shipping traffic data published by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) indicates that the rate of decline of shipping on the island of Ireland eased during the 1st half of 2009. However the overall volume…

Dun Laoghaire sailor Francis Rowan, sailing with UK helm Tom Gillard, goes into the final day of the Fireball Europeans in second place today. A win in race five cemented their position in the top three, and just two races…

Perfect conditions prevailed on Dublin Bay yesterday for the Howth Yacht Club Wednesday series. Tiger and Joslim were first in Class 1 IRC and HPH respectively, Superhereo and Impetuous in Class 2 IRC and HPH, and Alliance in Class 3…

Drogheda Port Company (DPC) has reported a decrease in the number of containers passing through: from a peak of 1.4 million per year to 660,000 in 2009. DPC's accounts – which have not yet been filed but were accessed by…

Inland waterways news has heard that, works to install a new railway bridge east of Pakenham Bridge on the Royal Canal begins on August 20th from 6am until 6pm. This means three lifts during the course of the operation and…

Inland waterway news has heard that Waterways Ireland would like to advise all masters and owners of vessels that a Bailey Bridge will be installed upstream of the 26th Lock on the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal on 21st September…

Users of the Barrow Navigation on the inland waterway will be pleased to learn that the works at Ballytiglea Lock have been completed and the lock is now fully navigable again (Marine Notice 72). However, works to replace the deep…

Following on from last years successful event, the Irish 1720 Association has again decided to return to Baltimore for the 2009 National Championships from August 27th to the 29th. The event this year will once again be sponsored by CH…

The sun appeared several times during Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Tuesday racing, with the usual suspects doing well in their respective sailing classes. Full results overleaf. DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 18 AUGUST 2009 Cruisers 2 –…

Tuesday's racing at Howth Yacht Club in south-easterly winds and pleasant conditions resulted in Oona number 1 in 17 Footer Scratch and Bobolink in 17 Footer Handicap; while Sharkbait (SB3 Scratch) and Puffin (Squib H'Cap) came first in their sailing…

The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire are looking forward to extending a warm and celebratory welcome to Ostar single-handed transAtlantic race winner Barry Hurley on Sunday the 23rd of August. Barry and his boat Dinah plan to sail…