Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#Ferry&Freight -The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's latest investment in freight services will begin operating on 28 April, the new service Afloat.ie previously reported on last Autumn, will see ro-ro vessel Arrow introduced. The 84 trailer Arrow is on…

#FerryRepairs – The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has been informed by Italian shipbuilders, Fincantieri, manufacturers of the fin stabiliser which was damaged and removed in January, will be completed and ready for re-fitting for ro-pax Ben-my-Chree in June.…

#isafworldrankings – The latest world ISAF sailing rankings published this morning show improvements for Ireland's three Olympic squad members even after last week's 'rusty' performance at the penultimate round of the ISAF World Cup in Palma. Ireland's Annalise Murphy moves into…

#LongestShip - At over 420ft long, the Russian cargship Pycny-5 (Rusich-5) became the longest ever vessel to pass under the Dublin-Belfast railway viaduct that looms high above the River Boyne at the town quays of Drogheda Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.…

#UCD – University College Dublin (UCD) sailing team won the five race Student Yachting Nationals title in Howth at the weekend to qualify for the Student Yachting World Cup (SYWoC) in France and represent Ireland in La Rochelle later this year. …

#1720 – You're in good time for the 1720 National Championships or any of this year's 1720 fixtures (see comment below from the class association) if you opt for this fun one design sports boat that the seller, MGM Boats, says…

#49erfx – In this six minute video production former British Laser ace Andrea Brewster reveals how with no option to further her sailing career in the UK she has opted to sail for Ireland with new crew Saskia Tidey and…

#kyc – Kinsale Yacht Club got the 2014 sailing season off to a dramatic start today for the first two races of its MMD Construction sponsored Spring Series for cruisers. It was John Godkin's Dufour 44 Godot that took advantage of the big…

#rnli – Portrush RNLI volunteer All Weather Lifeboat Crew got their first service of 2014 today, after receiving reports of two jet skiers in difficulties at Benone Beach near Magillian. The RNLI were alerted by a friend of the two…

#isora – As the leading Irish offshore series gets ready for a coastal race in a fortnights time, ISORA series sponsor, Kona, marked its third year of sponsorship with a new trophy presentation for the Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli ISORA…

#ROWING: Kenny McDonald, who is the world champion indoor rower in the 40 to 49 lightweight category, today set a new Irish record in this class. The Shannon Rowing Club man clocked six minutes 20.7 seconds in a special test…

#ROWING: The proposed calendar for 2015, adopted by the Rowing Ireland annual general meeting, will see Cork hold a two-day Grand League regatta, becoming the second event of this size. Skibbereen has moved to a day-two event each year, with…

#rescue – An elderly man with a walking aid was rescued from soft sand just 50 metres off the prom in Morecombe today after he sank up to his knees. At just before 11.30 this morning Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination…

#ROWING: The annual general meeting of Rowing Ireland at Garda Boat Club today was told my Morten Espersen, the High Performance Director, that he expected to send at least three women’s boats to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro…

#MaritimeFestivals - It's April, which means it's almost time for the annual Dublin Bay Prawn Festival - running this year from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 April. Whatever way you like your prawns – barbecued, whole, shelled, fried, skewered, marinated…

#RNLI - Arklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchelaar was launched yesterday afternoon (Saturday 5 April) to a report of a sailing vessel in danger of sinking off the Wicklow coast. With challenging seas and with visibility deteriorating, the lifeboat proceeded…

#LoughRee - A body has been found in the search for a Northern Irish angler missing for more than two weeks in Lough Ree, according to TheJournal.ie. As reported four days ago on Afloat.ie, Daryl Burke had not been seen…

#Rescue - Two tourists have been rescued after falling from cliffs at Howth Head yesterday afternoon (Saturday 5 April). Howth Coast Guard Cliff Rescue volunteers immediately reported to the scene at Lion's Head after 5pm, where they found a teenage…

#NaomÉanna – Following last week's meeting between Irish Ship & Barge Fabrication Co and Minister for Heritage, over a €1.85m plan to restore former Aran Islands ferry Naom Éanna, in which campaigners described the meeting "as not constructive" however a…

#ROWING: A Commercial/Old Collegians composite eight beat Trinity to win the men’s senior eights title at the Neptune Regatta at Islandbridge today. The winners had just half a length to spare at the end of a good race. Michael Maher,…