Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Castletownbere RNLI will today officially open its new lifeboat station in west county Cork. Afloat.ie correspondent Tom MacSweeney will declare the building open at a special ceremony beginning at 2.30pm which will include a service of dedication where the boathouse…

#Pollution - Three dead calves found in a stream that flows into one of Roscommon town's main water sources have been alleged as the source of two outbreaks of the parasitic disease cryptosporidiosis that have seen 13 people treated for stomach-related complaints,…

#GrandCanal - Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that navigation on the Grand Canal from the mouth of the Tullamore branch line to Kilbeggan Bridge will be restricted from this Tuesday to Thursday 21-23 May. This is to…

#Laser - The designer of the iconic Laser is putting pressure on the boat's manufacturer for the UK, Europe and North America to halt all production of the vessel, as Marine Business World reports. Bruce Kirby has previously filed a…

#oga50 – The continuing harsh weather has made it rugged going for vintage boats and veteran owners as they get themselves together for this year's Old Gaffers Association 50th Anniversary cruise, which started on April 21st in a brief spell…

Some of the country's biggest yacht clubs have yet to enter ICRA's cruiser national championships due to get underway in less than a month's time (June 13th to 15th). The country's biggest club Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun…

#MarineWildlife - Young and old alike are invited to join a 'beach safari' from the lifeguard hut Grattan Beach in Salthill at 11.30am on Sunday 26 May, ahead of the first Galway Sea Festival. Marine wildlife experts such as Amy…

  Recognising excellence in Irish marine communications in the digital age.   Awards will be made for websiteexcellence in the following categories:SailingWatersportIndustryClubsClassesSafetyInlandPortsEnvironment We want you to nominate your favourite marine based website to be included in the awards. You can…

Two Class B Tall Ships will arrive in Dublin Port today as part of a "Gathering Ireland 2013" project organised by Sail Training Ireland and their Liverpool Based partner "Merseyside Adventure Sailing Trust".  The first ship, Irene of Bridgewater, sailed…

#KillCord - An official report into the tragic speedboat accident in Cornwall earlier this month that killed a father and daughter says that the driver was not attached to the boat's 'kill cord'. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, BSkyB executive…

#QM2Farewell– Queen Mary 2 under the command of master Kevin Oprey, weighed anchor in Dublin Bay yesterday evening after her historic maiden visit off Dun Laoghaire Harbour and from where a flotilla set out to take a final close-up view…

Sunday June 9th sees the return of the popular and novel Kish lighthouse Solo/Two Handed Race on Dublin Bay aimed at both the regular Bay racers and non racers alike. The race is run by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht…

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 16 MAY 2013 BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et al), 2. Fiddly Bits (Timmins/Quigley/Murray/Breen), 3. Prospect (Chris Johnston) BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Prima Nocte (Patrick Burke et…

#VOR - North Sails has revealed its sail wardrobe for the new one design VOR 65 with less than 18 months to go before the latest Volvo Ocean Race sets sail. As The Daily Sail reports, the sails will be…

#MarineNotice - CGG, on behalf of Fastnet Oil & Gas, is scheduled to carry out a full 3D seismic survey at Mizzen Basin in the Celtic Sea off the south-west coast beginning this month. Details of this survey - as…

#MarineWildlife - A gray whale has been sighted many thousands of miles from its usual Pacific swimming grounds in the South Atlantic. As Pádraig Whooley writes on the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) website, the whale was spotted in…

#CruiseLiners – The dual serving liner and cruiseship Queen Mary 2 was not the only passenger vessel visiting Dublin Bay today, as the Serenissima docked within Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Artania called to Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore. The contrast…

Francis Joyon is in North Cove Marina in New York taking care of his maxi trimaran IDEC. Today, the official stand-by began as he awaits a weather opportunity to tackle the North Atlantic record between Ambrose Light and the Lizard.…

Irish Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) builder Red Bay Boats is exhibiting one of its giant 16–metre Pilot Boat Stormforce RIBs at next month's Seaworks commercial exhibition in Southampton. Intended for a variety of commercial applications including Pilot, Patrol, and passenger…

100 yachts are expected in Le Havre from 3 to 9 June for the eighth running of Normandy Sailing Week. Around ten series will be racing during the week-long competition in Baie de Seine, North-East France. A number of events…