Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#GALWAY BAY - Organisers of the Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Galway next weekend have given assurances that no competitors are at risk from E.coli contamination - despite concerns over elevated levels of the bacteria in Galway Bay. The Evening Herald…

#COASTGUARD - A new smartphone app from the Irish Coast Guard could save dozens of lives, as the Irish Independent reports. The new technology allows the coastguard to track vessels at sea, and automatically prompts a search and rescue effort…

#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - The next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will feature an all-woman crew for the first time since 2002, the Galway Advertiser reports. The first team to declare for the race - which kicks off in…

#TALL SHIPS - The chairman of the group that brought the Volvo Ocean Race to Galway this summer has urged Ireland's maritime interests to take stock as the Tall Ships Races Festival takes over Dublin this weekend. In a letter…

#COASTAL NOTES - The bathing ban imposed last week on seven Cork coastal beaches has been lifted, according to RTÉ News. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the seven beaches had been closed to swimming over concerns at elevated E.coli levels…

#JOBS & CAREERS - The Royal Cork Yacht Club is currently recruiting for a 'Membership Administrator' with responsibility for overseeing the club's front of house operations and administering its social media presence. Based at Crosshaven in Co Cork, the club's…

#NEWS UPDATE - RTÉ News reports that a body found in the Avoca River in Co Wicklow yesterday is that of James Sheehan. The 18-year-old from Arklow went missing in the early hours of Sunday 19 August after a night…

#TALL SHIPS - Howth Yacht Club has announced that its vessels and race management teams have been asked to provide the official send-off for the Tall Ships Races fleet, which will take place in the centre of Dublin Bay at…

#LIFEBOAT - The Galway Advertiser reports that the Galway RNLI lifeboat came to the rescue of a mother and child from a small dinghy near Kinvara in the south-eastern corner of Galway Bay yesterday. High winds and an offshore breeze…

#LASER - The Irish Laser National Championships begin today in Dun Laoghaire running till Sunday 26 August, and the National Yacht Club has posted all the details Laser sailors will need regarding their visit for the weekend's competition. Aside from…

#TALL SHIPS - Organisers of the Tall Ships Races Festival - which kicks off today in Dublin's Docklands - have announced visiting hours for members of the public to step on board some of the 43 vessels docked on the…

#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - Organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Galway have questioned the will at political level for support of any future hosting of the event, as the Galway Independent reports. Let’s Do It Global CEO Micheline…

#CORK HARBOUR - Due to the success of previous years’ festivals, Cork Harbour Open Day has now been expanded to a two-day Open Weekend for 2012, with activities for all ages taking place on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 September.…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Irish Examiner reports that samples from the fin whale that stranded and died in Baltimore Harbour last week have been sent to Dublin for analysis. Samples of skin and blubber will be tested by marine science…

#TALL SHIPS - A 15-year-old boy was rescued from the water at Dublin's Grand Canal Dock yesterday after getting into difficulty while swimming. According to RTÉ News, the teenager from Blanchardstown was swimming with a number of friends at Hanover…

#COASTAL NOTES - Cork County Council has announced it will be at least two more days before it knows if its bathing ban at seven beaches can be lifted, according to RTÉ News. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the seven…

#ANGLING - Known as the 'wolves of the sea', blue sharks haven't yet been showing in numbers off Cork Harbour, but a number of them surprised a group of anglers recently. Donie Geary of the angling boat John Boy tells…

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Plans are afoot to sink the carcass of the fin whale that died after being trapped in Baltimore Harbour last week, according to the Irish Independent. It is being proposed that the whale's body can be wrapped…

#LIFEBOATS - The crew of the Sligo Bay RNLI lifeboat rescued two people from a 31ft Norwegian flagged yacht at the weekend. The volunteer lifeboat crew was tasked by Malin Head coastguard shortly after 3.30pm on Saturday 18 August following…

#TALL SHIPS - Preparations are well underway for the arrival of the Tall Ships Races Festival Dublin, one of the most anticipated events of the year which kicks off this Thursday 23 August. Presented by the Polish port city of…