Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Warrenpoint to Welcome World’s Last Seagoing Paddle Steamer With First Carlingford Lough Cruise
8th May 2023 Historic Boats
PS Waverley, the World’s last seagoing paddle steamer will for the first time, it has been announced set sail for a cruise from Warrenpoint Harbour, Co. Down on Tuesday, 30th May. Waverley will offer local people the unique opportunity to…
Irish fishing boats will tomorrow (9th May) join an EU-wide protest about plans to restrict bottom fishing further. The protest is being organised by the European Bottom Fisheries Alliance (EBFA), which says 28% of the fishing fleet has disappeared in…
Bangor RNLI Comes to the Aid of Lone Sailor after 35ft Yacht Breaks Down
8th May 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
Bangor RNLI came to the aid of a lone sailor yesterday morning (Sunday, 7 May) after his 35ft yacht broke down east of Carrickfergus Castle on Belfast Lough. The volunteer crew had just assembled at the station for a routine…
Swim Ireland says it aims to develop “an island of swimmers” as part of its open-water training programmes at many coastal and inland locations this year. New and seasoned open water swimmers are invited to participate, and “all levels and…
Community Project "Exclusion" From New Offshore Energy Support Scheme Criticised
8th May 2023 Power From the Sea
An Aran islands energy co-op has criticised a decision by Minister for Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan to exclude community projects from a new offshore wind support scheme. The policy change has also been criticised by Ireland South MEP Seán…
Financial Costs of Invasive Alien Species Equivalent To Natural Disasters- QUB-led Research
8th May 2023 Marine Wildlife
Financial losses caused by invasive species have been equivalent to the cost of natural disasters over the past 40 years, according to an international study involving Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). The study analyses how “invasive alien species” such as zebra…
In April 1898 the little gaff sloop Rita came sailing into Howth Harbour, the first of the five new inaugural Howth 17s built by John Hilditch of Carrickfergus on Belfast Lough to reach their home port. The 90-mile open-water voyage…
Tom Slingsby’s Australia has reasserted its league-defining dominance by winning Season 3 in spectacular style and securing the SailGP three-peat on San Francisco Bay. The Aussies claimed the one-million-dollar prize in a nail-biting sprint to the finish after going head-to-head…
The Ocean Race: 11th Hour Racing Team and Team Malizia Continue Their Cat-and-Mouse Duel in Leg 4
7th May 2023 Ocean Race
The competition level is high on day 14 of Leg 4 of The Ocean Race as 11th Hour Racing Team and Team Malizia continue their duel towards the finish. “11th Hour Racing Team is just a few miles away and we’re…
Judgment Reserved in ‘Complex’ and ‘Significant’ Review of Larne Lough Gas Caverns Licence
7th May 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Judgment has been reserved in the judicial review into the granting of a marine licence for the excavation of gas storage caverns under Larne Lough. After four days of submissions at Belfast High Court, on Friday (5 May) Justice Michael…
Seagrasses "the Serengeti of the Seas" - Galway Atlantaquaria Public Talk
7th May 2023 Marine Wildlife
“The Serengeti of the seas” is how seagrasses are described by a North American scientist who is concerned about the future of a “forgotten” coastal ecosystem. Katie May Laumann of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is one…
No Record but Tom Dolan Completes Round Ireland Challenge at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
7th May 2023 Tom Dolan
(Day Four 1600hrs) - Tom Dolan sailed back to Dun Laoghaire this evening, having completed the Round Ireland speed record course but without breaking any records, as Afloat reported earlier here He arrived back at the Dun Laoghaire finish line of…
The mixed crew of Alana Twomey and Chris Bateman of the host club clinched the 29er Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club. The Crosshaven pair's one-point overnight lead was swallowed up when they posted a third in the first…
Carrybridge RNLI in Northern Ireland were delighted to receive a generous donation of £1,500 from the Erne Boat Rally committee at the lifeboat station this past Thursday evening (4 May). The money was raised following the annual boat rally gathering…
The RNLI has been chosen as one of six charity partners for Ireland West Airport this year. Funds raised for the RNLI by the airport in Knock, Co Mayo will be donated to and shared by the two lifeboat stations…
Explorers Education Programme Tops Outreach Category in The Education Awards 2023
7th May 2023 Marine Science
The Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme won the Best Education Outreach Award in The Education Awards 2023, announced at a gala event in Dublin recently. “We are delighted that the Explorers Programme’s outreach module Healthy Ocean Project and Ocean Champions…
Class One competitor J109 'Mojito' (Peter Dunlop & Victoria Cox, Pwllheli Sailing Club) won Saturday's 90-mile cross-channel ISORA race from Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli. This first win of 2023 for the Welsh is a continuation of last year's strong form, which…
(Day four, 0800) Light winds - mostly from ahead - and adverse Spring tides in the most tide-riven part of the unforgiving North Channel, have seen Tom Dolan's clockwise Round Ireland solo/duo challenge evaporate through the night. By midnight, he…
Timothy Goodbody's J109 White Mischief was the winner of the second Saturday race of the DBSC AIB summer sailing season in a fine 12-boat turnout in Cruisers IRC One. Race Officer Barry MacNeaney, who officiated at 0800 hours for the first…
Gap Between Weather Forecast and Reality Brings Challenges to The Ocean Race Fleet on Leg 4
6th May 2023 Ocean Race
While the IMOCA fleet is making progress towards the Leg 4 finish line at Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday (6 May), it hasn’t all been smooth sailing in The Ocean Race this weekend. 11th Hour Racing Team has now grabbed…
