#INLAND WATERWAYS - Waterways Ireland is currently undertaking two new public consultations on improving safety standards for children, the elderly and people with disabilities on our inland waterways.

Details for the consultation exercise on Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Policy & Procedures and the Draft Disability Action Plan 2011-2013 are available from the Waterways Ireland website.

Comments may be submitted via e-mail to [email protected] or by post to Waterways Ireland, Strategy & Policy Section, 2 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh BT74 7JY.

The closing date for comments is Tuesday 21 February 2012.

#ANGLING - Carlow Coarse Angling Club chair Gerry McStraw was presented last week with a special bursary by Carlow Sports Partnership for the club's efforts in helping disabled anglers to participate in the sport.

According to the Enniscorthy Guardian, McStraw was joined by Carlow CAC PR officer Ian Warburton and treasurer George Quinlan in receiving the money from Carlow Sports Partnership chair Tracey Byrne and Carlow County Council's Thomas Kinsella.

McStraw was recently highlighted on Afloat.ie for his spearheading of the revival of coarse fishing in Ireland.

The bursary will be used to buy equipment essential to running more coarse angling programmes in 2012.

Carlow CAC will also host three of the six weekends for the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland's qualifiers next spring and summer.

The Disabled World Waterski Championships attracted 38 of the World's top athletes from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of South Africa, Sweden, USA – and Ireland.

These World Championships included Slalom, Tricks and Jump. The most coveted award is for the Overall title, the triathlon of Waterskiing. This involves competing in all three events and outscoring all others in the combined calculations.

Success for Eamonn stateside. Photo: Des Burke Kennedy

In both Slalom and Tricks, Eamonn Prunty took the Bronze Medal. Finally, in Jump he took 5th place. When all the sores were totaled, his 2670 Overall points were 49 ahead of his nearest rival, Darryl Hoyle of Australia, who was hotly tipped to take the World Overall title this year. Although Hoyle broke the World Jump record, his combined scores still could not beat Eamonn Prunty. Joe Rae of USA took the Overall Bronze medal. This was the second time that Prunty has succeeded in taking the World Overall Gold Medal, a feat never equaled.

Des Burke-Kennedy, President of the Irish Waterski & Wakeboard Federation stated " This was a very well deserved victory for the enormous talents of Ireland's Eamonn Prunty and taking the gold medal at the World Championships for the second time is almost impossible – but Eamonn is no stranger to doing the impossible"

World Champion Eamonn Prunty trains at the family owned Irish Aqua Sports Centre in Summerhill, Meath,a short distance west of Blanchardstown. The man-made lake is widely regarded as one of the most perfect Waterski and Wakeboard training Centres in Europe. Having a two-time World Gold Medalist on site will certainly focus the international spotlight on this impressive facility. The Website is at : http://www.wakeboardingwaterskiing.com

Belfast Lough Sailability recently introduced the latest addition to its fleet - thanks to the generosity of the Northern Irish public.

The Sea Rover was funded with £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund's People's Millions award, as voted for by the general public last year.

The unique vessel features a drop-down bow to enable direct access for wheelchair users, as well as an integral crew hoist to assist boarding.

The charity said: "Belfast Lough Sailability continues to push the boundaries to offer people with a disability, their families and carers the opportunity to get out on the water and enjoy a range of activities, which would not normally be available to them."

Monaghan's Elaine 'Shooter' Alexander will soon begin her challenge to be come the first Northern Irish woman to circumnavigate the island of Ireland by kayak, the OutdoorNI Adventure Blog reports.

On 3 May she will set off from the newly refurbished County Antrim Yacht Club at Belfast Lough on a 1,000-mile trek that's expected to take two months to complete.

Alexander will be paddling clockwise around Ireland, taking on tides, cliffs, headlands - and Ireland's unpredicable weather.

The Ulster woman has been training since last year for the challenge, which is intended to raise funds for the Fermanagh-based SHARE, a charity that brings together disabled and non-disabled people in arts and outdoor-based activities.

“Last year I paddled around Ulster which took 26 days and prepared me for some of what to expect for this expedition," says the competitive kayaker, who represented Northern Ireland twice at the Surf Kayak World Championships.

'Shooter' will also be posting regular updates of her trip on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Details on this as well as how to donate are available on her website www.canoearoundireland.com.

The OutdoorNI Adventure Blog has more on the story HERE.

Leitrim Guardian Person of the Year Brendan Harvey was on hand to launch Lough Rynn's new Wheelyboat last weekend, the Leitrim Observer reports.

The boat is specially designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities in the area, giving them greater access to Leitrim's lakes and inland waterways for fishing or pleasure trips.

Built in England by registered charity the Wheelyboat Trust, the project was initiatied the Leitrim Association of People with Disabilities (LAPWD), with help from the Rinn-Shannon Agling Club.

The boat, named Ernest's Pride, is so called in tribute to Ernest Catherines, a "driving force" behind the scheme who passed away last month.

Sailforce is a new campaign established by the Irish Disabled Sailing Association (IDSA) to highlight the achievements and activities of their current membership and to introduce members of the general public to the concept of sailing as a viable sport for the disabled.

The IDSA was established in the early 1980s to introduce and encourage people of all ages with physical disability to take up sailing. Funded by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) and with the assistance of the Irish Naval Service and a select number of yacht clubs, the Association developed to provide centres in Kinsale, Crosshaven, Monkstown, and Howth.

Twenty years later, IDSA members are involved in all levels of the sport, from regular club racing, through international championships, to Paralympic campaigns.

The objectives of Sailforce are initially to provide information on the current activities of the IDSA and to make contact with members of the general public interested in getting involved in the sport. With this feedback, the IDSA intend to accommodate newcomers in Introduction Days whenever practicable.

To encourage other yacht and sailing clubs to take example from the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Kinsale Yacht Club, Howth Yacht Club and Monkstown Bay Sailing Club and provide facilities for disabled sailors to participate in the sport, the Sailforce Burgee will be awarded to clubs showing a positive and tangible commitment towards access for persons with a disability. By expanding the facilities countrywide, the IDSA will be able to accommodate larger number of potential sailors.

The main source of communication for Sailforce is this disabled user friendly website: www.sailforce.ie. This website has a contact us facility for would-be sailors to get in touch. In addition, the IDSA will operate a support telephone Information Request service for those without access to the Internet: 021 438 3228.

If you are interested in becoming involved in Sailforce, either to try out sailing or to help us introduce others to your favourite sport, please do get in touch with us. We look forward to welcoming you to the team.

To quote one disabled sailor: 'Sailing is the only sport I've ever tried which actually makes me feel less, rather than more disabled.'

Irish Disabled Sailing Association (IDSA) – Sailforce

Paul Ryan, tel: 087 230 6352, email: [email protected]

Kevin Downing, tel: 087 254 6880, email: [email protected]

Afloat posts on the IDSA:

Kinsale rows in behind children with disabilities  

There is a space for Irish boating clubs and racing classes to use as their own bulletin board and forum for announcements and discussion. If you want to see a dedicated forum slot for your club or class, click here