Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#RNLI - Some 46 people completed the 750m course on Lough Erne in the revived Castle Island Charity Swim recently - including three Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat crew in full kit! As reported last month on Afloat.ie, the swim traditionally took…

#RNLI - The RNLI has posted video to YouTube of the Bangor lifeboat crew's rescue of two canoeists from the water at Belfast Lough last Monday 12 August. The two paddlers were reported to be suffering from the cold and…

#CorkHarbour - Many thanks to the Hurdy Gurdy Museum in Howth (@HurdyGurdyRadio on Twitter) for tipping us off to this fascinating radio documentary on the history of the port of Cobh in Cork Harbour, first broadcast all the way back…

#Oil&Gas - Fastnet Oil & Gas has published its first set of annual results as a public company, declaring its intention to develop an offshore well drilling programme for Ireland by 2015. Earlier this summer the company was awarded a…

#IFDS - With only six days to go until the start of the Cork County Council IFDS World Championships for disabled sailors, Kinsale is already buzzing with excitement as teams from 18 nations arrive to practice in the venue for…

#lifesaving – Ireland has won a silver and bronze medals in the European Lifesaving Championships in the towns of Noordwijk and Den Haag, Holland. The Team Bronze was won in the Simulated Emergency Rescue Competition by Triona Mc Menamin from…

#DublinsSister – Cielo di San Francisco a 37,000 dwt 'Handysize' dry-bulker docked in Cork's Ringaskiddy Deepwater Terminal from New Orleans, she is operated by Dublin based d'Amico Dry, writes Jehan Ashmore.  She along with a sister Cielo di Dublino, as…

#fireball – With the double-header of the Fireball European and World Championships just over three weeks away, the International Fireball Class is in countdown mode to the pinnacle of the 2013 international regatta season in Portoroz, Slovenia writes Cormac Bradley.…

#BelfastCruises – This Autumn Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is 'bringing the world closer' to the people of Belfast, with three exciting cruise itineraries on board the 880-guest Boudicca. According to Breaking Travel News, guests will have the opportunity, for the…

#halftonclassics – Howth's Dave Cullen sailing King One along with Nigel Biggs steering Volvo Dun Laoghaire Boat of the Week Checkmate is competing in this week's Half Ton Classic Cup this week at the Yacht Club Boulogne (YCB), France from 19…

#29er – Irish 29er skiff pairing were fifth overall at the Zhik UK 2013 29er Class National & Open Championships at Hayling Island SC last week. Sean and Tadhg Donnelly of the National Yacht Club, who disappointed at the Cyprus ISAF Youth…

#oppienationals– British Optimist champion Milo Gill Taylor produced another string of consistent scores in blustery conditions to win the ten race Irish Optimist Open Series in Dun Laoghaire at the weekend. The Spinnaker Sailing Club visitor from Hampshire was 12–points clear in…

#420 – Building on the experience of this summer's 420 Worlds in Valencia, Howth pairing Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove feature in the top 20 of a 96-boat 420 Youth European Championships in Pwllheli, Wales this morning. The leading Irish…

#melges – Disappointing and fractious first day of racing in San Francisco, we were OCS (over the line at the start meaning we had to go back and re-start) in one race and had a fight with another boat resulting…

#J24 – Britain's Ian Southworth totally dominated the J24 National Championships at Howth over the weekend, with five race wins in the 8-race series, while the Howth U-25 Keelboat team, as the highest placed Irish boat in the event in 6th…

#ShackletonShips – Sir Ernest Shackleton who led the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1918 is remembered and honoured in different forms, writes Jehan Ashmore. Notably, three vessels of which two are named after the Irish-born explorer and the other is named…

#WorldCoastalRowing: Three boats from Arklow Rowing Club competed in B Finals at the World Coastal Rowing Championships at Helsinborg in Sweden. In the men’s single, Cormac Kelly placed fourth of 10, while in the women’s single Jeanne Ní Ghormáin also…

#AIDAcruises - AIDAcara (1996/38,000grt) with her bold livery of colourful facial features splashed over the hull, is more easily recognisable to cruise-goers and enthusiasts alike as a fleet member of AIDA Cruises, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Rostock based operator's 196m…

#melges – More practice today, not quite as foggy as yesterday and probably a bit more windy. More boats have arrived for the Pacific Coast Championships so the Hedgehog and Embarr teams (new bff’s) had some new people lining up with…

#CanoeSlalomTacen: Ireland’s Ciarán Heurteau came within 1.24 seconds of qualifying for the final of the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen in Slovenia this morning. In an exciting semi-final, the 26-year-old had a clear run in 107.22 seconds. This slotted…