Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Four-time Olympic Helmsman, Sailing Coach and Agent/Consultant for UK Sailmakers Ireland, Mark Mansfield explains how the Helm and Trimmers on larger keelboats and cruisers should be in continual communication to go fast on the race course Following on from the…

West Cork native Barry Hayes took over the UK Sailmakers Ireland loft a year ago From Des McWilliam, having returned to Crosshaven from an international career in sailmaking. Afloat.ie asked him about his own sailing background and the changes he has…

UK Sailmakers Ireland agent and sailing professional/coach Mark Mansfield brings his Top Tips for Fast Sailing talk to Howth Yacht Club from 8pm tomorrow (Tuesday 12 March). Mansfield and professional sailmaker Graham Curran will share their tips for getting the…

Recent orders from some of Ireland’s largest racing yachts have made for a busy winter period for the UK Sailmakers Ireland team writes Mark Mansfield. Last year the Farr 43 “WOW” and the new J121 “Jackhammer” were feature boats for UK Sailmakers Ireland;…

The headsail trimmer is a crucial member of a boat’s “speed loop” along with the mainsheet trimmer and the helm. But often headsail trim is overlooked and is reduced to “pull it in and hike” mentality. Without good headsail trim,…

IRC is an ever-changing rule, adapting as our sport evolves at both the Grand Prix and club racing level. At UK Sailmakers Ireland we are always searching for advantageous gains for our customers. With a new year comes an amended…

Transition Year students in Cork have found an inspiringly artistic and fashionable way of repurposing used sailcloth into something completely new. Sally O’Flynn, daughter of Baltimore 1720 sailor Peter O’Flynn, has teamed up with friend Hanna D’Aughton for the all-Ireland schools…

Rob Taylor from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) was at UK Sailmakers Ireland loft in Crosshaven yesterday (Wednesday 23 January) for the refreshing of its In-House Certification (IHC). UK Sailmakers in Crosshaven is the only IHC loft in Ireland –…

Following on from his top tips articles for upwind and downwind helming techniques, UK Sailmakers Ireland agent and sailing professional/coach Mark Mansfield gives tips for prepping your race boat for the sailing season ahead. Tip #1—Improve Bottom Finish So many…

Olympic Helmsman Mark Mansfield, who is a Consultant for UK Sailmakers Ireland, gives his ten top tips on sailing fast – and in control – downwind. This article follows his previous tips on upwind helming Tip #1 Downwind steering in strong winds, while running,…

With Winter setting in and the Turkey Shoot over, it is just about time to begin making plans for the 2019 cruising season. In this article Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland provides some tips and options to make your…

Continuing their 2018 development programme UK Sailmakers Ireland are working with John Murphy and Richard Colwell’s new J109 which arrived into Howth last month. After successful development and testing of the ‘JX’ headsail design on Dublin Bay the UK Sailmakers…

In Grand Prix classes throughout the sport of sailing, it is well known that sheeting angles are becoming tighter and tighter – modern TP52s have jib sheeting angles as close as 4 degrees off the centreline. The J109 class in…

Mark Mansfield, racing consultant and agent for UK Sailmakers Ireland, gives Afloat.ie readers ten top tips on helming techniques. It's an area where he has extensive experience, having competed in four Olympic Regattas, over 30 World and European Championships in various…

Your mainsail vang (or kicker) is the sail control all of us know. For those of us who grew up sailing from a young age, we’ve had it from Optimists to Lasers, to keelboats and beyond. But do you know…

With the DBSC Turkey Shoot Series starting soon on Dublin Bay and Autumn Leagues in full swing in Crosshaven, Howth, Kilrush and elsewhere, Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland gives some tips on how to effectively handle your boat in…