Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland is at the Royal St George Yacht Club on Dublin Bay to talk about sail trim and boat optimisation for cruiser-racers on January 30th. Hayes worked as a sailmaker in Ireland for five years under…

The art of sail design has come a long way since the days of hand-dawn files and even rudimentary CAD design programmes. Today, UK Sailmakers Ireland uses SAILPACK which, in our opinion, is the best sail design program on the…

UK Sailmakers Ireland are looking forward to seeing current and prospective customers at boot Düsseldorf this week. If you want to see what the latest sail technology in Ireland, be sure to drop by UK Sailmakers on stand D 10 in…

Determining just how much lead is required depends on what type of yacht you have. Here, Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains what lead is and why it is so important to sailmaking. In sailmaking terms, the ‘Lead’ is…

Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland begins a new series of talks with Top Tips For Sailors next Thursday 16 January at Howth Yacht Club from 7.30pm. Members and guests alike are welcome to attend the two-part session which will…

The Winter period is the best time for getting your sails serviced writes Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland. Whether it’s your car, your own health, or your sails, it is no secret that an annual check-up and service is…

A perfect Christmas gift for the sailor in your life - the McWilliam bag is the ideal bag to take on your boat, as it is rugged and water-resistant. This Black Friday we’re offering 10% off everything in our McWilliams…

The pit or “strings” is a vital role aboard any boat; but not just mechanically, explains Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland. A good pit person is involved in everything. Every sail manoeuvre, the start, on the rail, aiding communication…

Tacking is likely the most common manoeuvre we execute on our boats. It is pretty hard to avoid in fact writes Graham Curran of UK Sailmakers Ireland. Every second lost while tacking is multiplied 3, 4, 5, 6 times when…

It is approaching the time of year where we make the most of what is left and prepare for the off-season pack up writes Graham Curran of UK Sailmakers Ireland. The Autumn/Winter period is the best time for buying new…

Although the offshore sailing season is drawing to an end; it is never too early to look to your 2020 sailing season. Offshore racing, both crewed and shorthanded, is one of the biggest growth areas of sailing domestically and internationally.…

In early 2019 the news broke that there was a new “WOW” on the way to Ireland from Lisbon. George Sisk had added a new XP44 to his line of successful racing yachts named “WOW”. Barry Hayes reports on the…

We all know sailing fast in a straight line is very important. That is where, as sailmakers, our products shine and our technical background can be leveraged for your benefit writes Graham Curran. But races are won and lost at…

Olympic sailor Mark Mansfield who is an agent for UK Sailmakers Ireland offers his five top tips for those looking at buying new sails this year. 1. Correct Size Sails Make sure the new sails are the correct size. IRC…

Returning from (attempted) racing last night on Dublin Bay, one of the crew reminded us all that there are only two Thursday evening races left in the DBSC season writes Graham Curran of UK Sailmakers Ireland. Summer 2019 has gone by…

Olympic keelboat helmsman Mark Mansfield of UK Sailmakers Ireland discusses headsail options  If you go back 20 years, or even 15, most designs coming out had large overlapping (headsail goes outside the shrouds) headsails to give them power in the light airs.…