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Irish Powerboat News. RIB's, Motor Yachts and Cruiser Updates
The new all–white Red Bay RIB bound for County Kerry. With 1200Lt Fuel Tanks the RIB has a 400–mile range
John Brennan of Dromquinna Manor in County Kerry took delivery of a new 11.5 metre rib from Irish RIB manufacturer Red Bay Boats last month. On its maiden voyage, it travelled 440 miles from the boat builders yard in County…
Thunder Child II Taking Shape At Safehaven Marine
Thunder Child II is finally taking shape at Cork-based performance boatbuilders Safehaven Marine, with “another couple of more months” go before launch for sea trials in the New Year. As previously noted on Afoat.ie, the XSV20 design developed over the…
Allblack Racing at sea in January 2017
#Power - Irish powerboat racing team Allblack Racing claimed a new record on the Cork-Fastnet-Cork route this past summer. The team’s Allblack SL44 powerboat set a time of two hours, six minutes and 47 seconds, with an average speed of…
An artist’s impression of Thunder Child 2 in Arctic waters next summer
#WorldRecord - Safehaven Marine has announced a new powerboat world record attempt — this time across the Atlantic. Frank Kowalski, managing director of the Cork Harbour boatyard, has developed what the Irish Examiner is calling a “radical” new hull for Thunder…
Marc Lyne and Dean Watson mid challenge on board the Scorpion RIB Ocean Devil on Friday 13 July
#Record - Marc Lyne and Dean Watson have smashed the longstanding under-30ft Round Ireland powerboat record by almost half an hour, pending UIM ratification. On Friday 13 July last the duo set a provisional time of 18 hours and 12…
Paul Finnett, his son Toby and two brothers had been exploring the island of Mogonisi near Paxos before the tragedy
#Greece - A British oil executive has spoken of his heartbreak over the loss of his 15-year-old son in a freak boating accident in Greece last weekend. As Mail Online reports, Toby Finnett died after falling overboard into the propellor…
The W1da off Roches Point during this week's Cork Week
My main interest at Cork Week was the red yacht moored at the marina, making its first appearance in Ireland and described as ‘a sailor’s yacht.’ Several years ago I met the man who is proud of that description, though…
A slick new 11m Red Bay arrives in the Isle of Man
County Antrim RIB builder Red Bay Boats Ltd has disptached its latest 11m RIB to a new home in the Isle of Man. The slick black Stormforce 11–metre has twin Yanmar 370z inboard diesels, a joystick control system and two…
The Arklow–based team headed by John Ryan also won the best–placed non UK–crew and the best placed diesel Powered Powerboat
Irish powerboat racing team Allblack Racing were third overall at the Cowes Torquay Cowes 2017 UIM Marathon Powerboat. The Arklow–based team headed by John Ryan also won the best–placed non UK–crew and the best placed diesel Powered Powerboat. It was…
The Instructors RIB involved in the fatal accident in Centerport, NY
We know that RIB crews and Instructors in our Junior Sailing Programmes are given the most rigorous training in safety writes W M Nixon. Yet over the years who hasn’t occasionally seen an outboard-driven RIB being treated as though it’s…
RIBs rounding the Bull Rock in last year’s Bull Run for Fun
#BullRunForFun - Dromquinna Manor’s annual Motor Boat Weekend, featuring the Bull Run for Fun, takes place this coming Sunday 16 July. Europe’s most westerly RIB rally kicks off at 10am on the day when boats depart from Dromquinna pier in…
It was an arduous programme of pre-testing at this level which ensured that Thunderchild was fit and ready for her Round Ireland & Rockall Record challenge which concluded successfully last night.
The Safehaven Marine team led by Frank Kowalski on Thunderchild were safely home in Cork Harbour last night with job done, and the Round Ireland & Rockall Record set at 34 hours 01 minute and 47 seconds writes W M…
Otherworldly – Thunderchild at Rockall
Apart from two essential stops at Portrush in County Antrim and Ballyglass on Broadhaven in County Mayo to take on fuel, Safehaven Marine’s challenge for a viable record for the 2000 kilometres round Ireland and Rockall, powering on with their…
Even after the wind has eased, the leftover sea will frequently have Thunder Child airborne as she strives for maximum speed.
Safehaven Marine’s Frank Kowalski and his team on the Rockall-rounding challenger Thunder Child are closing in on their vital refuelling pit-stop at Broadhaven in Mayo, and expect to be at Ballyglass Pier about now, as their speed has gone up…
Rockall Well Astern as Safehaven’s Thunder Child Heads for Mayo Re-Fuel
Frank Kowalski’s team from County Cork’s Safehaven Marine with their futurstic record-maker Thunder Child now have Rockall well astern in their counter-clockwise Round Ireland and Rockall Record bid writes W M Nixon. After their first re-fuel on Ireland’s north coast…
Thunder Child is attempting to set a new Round Ireland & Rockall powerboat speed record
Safehaven Marine began a speed record attempt around Ireland and Rockall this morning, starting from the Old Head of Kinsale writes Tom MacSweeney. The Cork company designs and builds naval and military craft, pilot and patrol boats and has been…

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