Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Wicklow RNLI brought three fishermen to safety on Saturday afternoon (29 May), after their vessel developed mechanical problems three miles east of Greystones Harbour. The all-weather lifeboat RNLB Joanna & Henry Williams slipped its mooring at 3.43 pm to reports…
Abhilash Tomy’s Remarkable Comeback: From Broken Back to Second Place in the Golden Globe Race
30th April 2023 Golden Globe Race
Retired Navy commander, 43-year-old Abhilash Tomy, the renowned sailor and first Indian to complete a solo non-stop voyage around the world in 2013, made history on Saturday by securing an outstanding second-place finish in the gruelling 2022 Golden Globe Race.…
RNLI Asks: 'Put your Best Foot Forward this May and Help Keep People Safe this Summer'
30th April 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
With demand for its lifesaving services at a high, the RNLI is putting out its own Mayday call ahead of May Day (tomorrow, Monday, 1 May) as it prepares to face another busy summer. Usually, it is the RNLI’s volunteer…
Challenging Times for the GP14 O’Tiarnaigh Challenge at Blessington Sailing Club
30th April 2023 GP14
The O’Tiarnaigh GP14 Challenge event was conceived almost 25 years ago with two goals. An open meeting with many short races rather than the normal 2 per day, and secondly to have many smaller flights containing a mix of Gold,…
Former Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett of the Irish Naval Service, who retired as head of the Defence Forces in September 2021, has been saluted by Kinsale Yacht Club at the weekend for his distinguished award from the French Government of 'Commandeur de…
Moderate easterly trade winds have provided a speedy 24 hours of racing for the four IMOCAs charging north towards the doldrums in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race. Twenty-four-hour distance runs have nearly doubled — although are still far off…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists Two on Fishing Vessel Aground at Castlelough
30th April 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
On Friday afternoon (28 April), Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to launch following a report from a member of the public that a vessel was aground at Castlelough below Parker’s Point. The inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched at…
Shannon Navigation: Drumleague Lock Open for May Bank Holiday Before Closing for Further Emergency Gate Repairs
30th April 2023 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users that Drumleague Lock on the Shannon Navigation’s Lough Allen Canal has been reopened for the May Bank Holiday as of Saturday 29 April but will close again from Tuesday 2 until…
Addition of Phosphorous Extraction Plant in Ringsend Could Help Improve Water Quality in River Liffey and Dublin Bay
30th April 2023 Dublin Bay
Europe’s largest phosphorus extraction reactor has been installed at the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant in Dublin, as RTÉ News reports. Úisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) says the reactor — which is extracting phosphorous to be turned into agricultural fertiliser —…
Holcim-PRB Arrives in Rio and Announces Plan to Rejoin The Ocean Race for Leg 5
30th April 2023 Ocean Race
Skipper Kevin Escoffier stepped off his jury-rigged boat in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday afternoon (29 April) local time and announced Team Holcim-PRB would abandon Leg 4 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 to focus on being able to rejoin the…
Port of Cork Announce Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement
30th April 2023 Port of Cork
A commitment to developing the diversity of the Port of Cork Company(PoCC)'s workforce is central to the PoCC's Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Policy Statement which was launched this week. The policy statement, devised by the Port, outlines its commitment to…
IMRF Launches #FutureSAR Climate Change Initiative in Collaboration with Lloyd's Register Foundation
30th April 2023 Rescue
The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has launched its #FutureSAR initiative that will look to identify the key challenges the global maritime search and rescue (SAR) industry will face as a result of climate change. The IMRF will also propose…
Ferry fares to Rathlin Island off Co. Antrim are set to increase for the first time in 10 years. The announcement was made by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) which stated that a standard single passenger fare on the Ballycastle-Church…
Kinsale Yacht Club Celebrate Axiom Spring Series Prizewinners after Four Races Sailed
30th April 2023 Kinsale
Royal Cork Yacht Club Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble was the Spinnaker 1 - IRC fleet overall winner after four races sailed at Kinsale Yacht Club's Axiom Spring Series. After a fortnight of cancellations due to big winds and fog, the KYC league concluded on Saturday,…
Dail Approves Naval Ship to Enforce Arms Embargo against Libya In Spite of Concerns
29th April 2023 Navy
The Dáíl has voted in favour of deploying a Naval Service patrol ship to the Mediterranean to enforce an arms embargo on Libya. Before the vote on Wednesday, Opposition TDs raised concerns about whether the Naval Service would be working…
An Achill currach built by artist Mark Redden is part of a project on display for the next fortnight in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Redden says the project began as a conversation about how a damaged two-handed Achill currach, An Trá…
The Ocean Race IMOCA Fleet Desperately Seeking Trade Winds for Relief as Return to Doldrums Looms
29th April 2023 Ocean Race
The four boats racing north in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 are in a challenging position on Saturday (29 April). The wind is very light and unstable. The result? 24-hour runs of less than 180 nautical miles. That…
Simon Knowles and Colm Buckley's J109 Indian appeared out of the Dublin Bay mist to win ISORA's Race Five of the Viking Marine Coastal Series on Dublin Bay today. The Howth crew wrestled the lead from Paul O'Higgins in the JPK10.80…
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North Sails - From On Screen Winter 3D Design Renderings to Race Wins and Happy Outings
29th April 2023 North Sails Ireland
I always find it almost magical (I never exaggerate!) that what was a 3D spinning rendered live model on our screens in darkest November 2022 becomes a fully-fledged physical aero-foil generating upwind lift and downwind power in April 2023! So,…
Michael Cutliffe's Ruffles from the DMYC leads the DBSC Ruffian 23 class after the first two Saturday Series races of 2023. Race Officer Barry O'Neill completed both races in sub-ten knot south easterlies on Dublin Bay. Cutliffe was the first…