Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Celtic Link Ferries new ro-pax Celtic Horizon made an inaugural appearance as she docked in Rosslare ferryport this morning, having completing her delivery voyage from Sicily, writes Jehan Ashmore. As the 27,552 gross tonnes Celtic Horizon last night headed towards…
A passenger ferry heading to Northrrn Ireland was left adrift off the coast of western Scotland early yesterday after suffering engine failure. http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/ferry-news/ The Press Association reports that the Stena Navigator was en route from Stranraer to Belfast when both…
Dublin Port-Douglas sailings in the winter months are operated by Ben-My-Chree, a conventional ferry that only calls to the Irish capital on a handful of sailings during this period, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (IOMSPCo)…
Both Portrush Lifeboats were in action on Saturday afternoon (15th October) to rescue four people in an overturned boat at the Barmouth at Portstewart. Both boats were launched at 15.50 hours on a wet dark afternoon after reports had been…
With an asking price of just €149,000, the high quality log cabins at River Valley in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan could make the perfect getaway for river boating enthusiasts. Nestled in a scenic forest area just two hours from Dublin on…
Bookings are now available for kayaking trips on the lakes of Killarney over the winter months of 2011-2012. http://www.afloat.ie/watersport/kayaking/ Kayaking on Lough Lein can be done all throughout the winter, the locale providing some great sheltered bays to paddle. Irish…
The Irish Times' Conor Pope jumped in at the deep end when he took part in his first Liffey Descent last weekend (VIDEO BELOW). The first-time canoeist faced his many fears to tackle the challenging course from the K Club…
14 teams have reached the final of the Yachtsman Insurance/ISA RIB Challenge. The competition promotes safety in power boating and it is aimed at training young crash boat drivers. The final round of the competition is being hosted by the…
Laura O'Mahony visited Crosshaven RNLI station during the week to say "Thank You" to the lifeboat crew who rescued her and her Red Setter dog, Sam. In April of last year, Laura was walking her dog near Hop Island, when…
A campaigner on Twitter is encouraging supporters to sign an online petition against the closure of coastguard stations across the UK. http://afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ So far almost 7,000 signatures have been added to the petition started by Twitter user @Coastguard_SOS in protest…
In a bad omen for marinas in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, Italian marina operators are facing a further decline in fortunes, according to boat industry website IBI Plus. http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/irish-marinas/ The site highlights a report in Italian newspaper Il Sole…
Seven dead seals washed up in Donegal are believed to have died of natural causes - but concerns over a pattern of seal deaths nationwide remain. As the Donegal Democrat reports, the seven grey seals - which are a protected…
The 'soft-opening' of the Maritime Institute of Ireland's (M.I.I.) maritime museum in Dun Laoghaire this Saturday is to showcase developments to invited groups. The public will be welcomed to the museum when it is due to officially opened in March…
The Dutch Navy's HNLMS De Ruyter (F804), one of four De Zeven Provinciën-class air-defence and command frigates (LCF) docked in Dublin Port this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore. Displacing 6,050 tonnes the 144m frigate is on a weekend visit to the…
A prestigious appointment to the top of one of the world's biggest sail making firms is a life time reward for a member of a Cork sailing family who built a sail-making business in Ireland. In a major Irish marine…
A 17-strong Ireland team will travel to the World Rowing Coastal Championships in Bari in Italy. John Keohane, the champion in the men’s single last year, and Monika Dukarska, the women’s single champion in 2009 are part of the team.…
Galway Bay Sailing Club has announced details of a new Irish offshore yacht race, the Round Rockall Race 2012 that will start on the same day as Wicklow's biennial Round Ireland race and a week before the Volvo Ocean Race…
The ESB has made an agreement with Shannon Fisheries Preservation and Development Co to establish the new Shannon Fisheries Partnership, The Irish Times reports. http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/shannon-estuary/ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1010/1224305515678.html The new group will comprise representatives from both bodies as well as Inland Fisheries…
Northern Ireland Water has announced that some of its reservoirs will be closed to angling temporarily from next January to facilitate refurbishment work. http://www.afloat.ie/watersport/angling/ The water levels on the reservoirs in the DCAL Public Angling Estate work be lowered on…
A major search for a man thought to have gone missing while kayaking on Carlingford Lough has ended for the night, UTV News reports. http://www.afloat.ie/watersport/kayaking/ http://www.u.tv/News/Missing-person-search-in-weather-delay/40ae194e-1d61-4697-949a-cb73f2919738 Emergency services will decide this morning whether to resume the search for a kayaker…
