Betty Armstrong
Betty Armstrong is Afloat and Yachting Life's Northern Ireland Correspondent. Betty grew up racing dinghies but now sails a more sedate Dehler 36 around County Down
In true proverbial fashion, the weather for the races in Part 1 of the Antrim Boat Club Winter Series came in like a lion and out like a lamb. And for the last two races in the series winds were…
East Antrim Boat Club Elect Lucy Whitford as Commodore Again
12th December 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Hot on the heels of several stories in Afloat about women appointed as Club Commodores, East Antrim Boat Club has joined the ranks again for 2023 as Lucy Whitford has been given that position for the third time. When she…
82 Stand Up Paddler Santas Afloat for RNLI Charity on Belfast Lough
11th December 2022 Belfast Lough
It was that time of year again for the keen Stand Up Paddlers to get into the Santa and Elf costumes and take to the water in Bangor Harbour on Belfast Lough. Eighty-two went afloat and raised £600 for the…
County Fermanagh in the west of Northern Ireland is home to a myriad of loughs and lakes, the largest of which is the well-known Upper and Lower Lough Erne, but one you don’t hear much about is Lough Head near…
122-Year-Old Waverley Yacht Class Connects Two Northern Ireland Finalists in the RYA Club of the Year Awards
6th December 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Northern Ireland's Ballyholme Yacht Club and County Antrim Yacht Club have both been announced as finalists in the RYA Club of the Year 2023. Although six miles apart on opposite sides of Belfast Lough, the clubs were formed within about…
Litter is the scourge of many coastlines, and Bangor in North Down in Northern Ireland is no exception. But one person (and there are many) regularly litter picks in an adopted place (#AdoptASpot) on Seacliff Road, near the Long Hole…
McAllister's Limbo 6.6 Takes Charge at Antrim Boat Club Winter Series
2nd December 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
The conditions for Race 3 of the Antrim Boat Club Winter Series were not just as gusty as the previous weeks but nevertheless, it was blowing hard. With its situation on the North shore of Lough Neagh at the mouth…
What do keen big boat and dinghy racers do when they want a rest from the usual inshore and offshore circuits? On the North Down coast, they gather twice a week with their one-design radio-controlled model yachts either in Groomsport…
Searching online for B&B by the Sea more than likely brings up a list of Bed and Breakfasts, but there is soon to be aired a 15-part series of BBC programmes with that title. It is billed as “ A…
Portush Yacht Club: A Warm and Welcome Place for the Local Community During the Cost of Living Crisis
19th November 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Portrush Yacht Club on the Causeway Coast in North Antrim in Northern Ireland, has taken the initiative of providing a warm and welcoming place for members of the public and community groups who may be feeling the pinch of the…
Limbo 6.6, 'F.A.Too' Wins Antrim Boat Club's Shane Memorial Cup
16th November 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Antrim Boat Club on the northeast shore of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, welcomed the start of the winter series on 6th November, the 51st year of the two-part series. Now, after…
After Four Years Work, Restored Swan 36 Lofna Sails Again in Northern Ireland
16th November 2022 Historic Boats
A Swan 36 from the famous Nautor yard in Pietarsaari, Finland was the type of boat that Del Fairley had set his heart on, but the one he found in 2018 on the hard at East Down Yacht Club on…
Ballyholme Bay Livened up by Colourful Windsurfers at October's Ulster Championships
11th November 2022 Kitesurfing
That Scottish word dreich aptly described the weather at Ballyholme Bay on Belfast Lough the last weekend in October – wet, dull and dreary – but livened up by the colourful windsurfers and wingfoils.They were there for the Ulster Windsurfing…
Upon Reflection is an appropriate name for another resurrected Mirror dinghy which has found a new home at Lough Erne Yacht Club. It’s not often boats are the subject of an exchange deal, but that is what happened when Paul…
IRC One Victory for Final Call II at Royal Ulster Yacht Club Autumn Series on Belfast Lough
2nd November 2022 Belfast Lough
Some would say that there were better racing conditions at the end of the 2022 season for the Royal Ulster Yacht Club Autumn Series than during the summer. A total of 13 boats in two classes competed over nine races…
'Ghost' Net Identified at Donaghadee Beach by Marine Conservation Charity Sea Shepherd NI
1st November 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been abandoned, lost, or discarded in the ocean. They are a major environmental hazard to marine and other wildlife, contributing to an estimated 10% of all marine plastic as well as causing harm…
SUPhub NI is well known for its Santa SUP but this year the Halloween Social paddle in Bangor Harbour on Belfast Lough exceeded expectations as it was slotted in at short notice, taking advantage of a weather window on the…
Gavin Watson has recently been appointed Vice Chair of RYA Northern Ireland. He is the Honorary Sailing Secretary of Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough, and it is believed that he is the first RUYC member to take on…
Strangford Lough Yacht Club Frostie Series Class One Tie Break in Favour of J109 'Going to Red'
25th October 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
The long-running popular Strangford Lough Yacht Club Frostie Series ended last weekend with the 42-boat fleet having enjoyed a complete ten-race programme in varying conditions over five weekends. Competitors came from clubs around the Lough and from Belfast Lough. The…
Northern Ireland Sailors Find it Better Not to Argue with Lough Derg Gusts at Freshwater One Design Regatta
19th October 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
The Lough Derg Freshwater One Design regatta last weekend was, for most, a two-day event reduced to one, and for the Northern Ireland sailors who made the long journey to Dromineer somewhat disappointing, especially for the Belfast Lough Flying Fifteen…
