Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

#Killybegs - Various news outlets are reporting that a man has died after a freak accident at a fish processing plant in Killybegs in Co Donegal yesterday afternoon (10 January). The Irish Independent has named the deceased as Kara McCole,…

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has published his priorities for 2014 with a number of marine targets on his list. Varadkar wants to transfer of some ports to local authority control, and in changes to the Merchant Shipping…

#boatregistration – Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD has announced the publication of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013. The Bill is one of the Minister's legislative priorities and is part of an overall objective…

#Missing - The search was set to resume this morning for a man who fell into the sea off Co Clare yesterday afternoon (15 December). As The Irish Times reports, the missing man, a Latvian national, is one of two…

#LauraDekker - A new documentary is bringing the inspirational story of young Dutch circumnavigator Laura Dekker to the big screen. As Scuttlebutt News reports, Maidentrip was produced by a team of female filmmakers who followed the teenager over two years…

#Sailing - "Sailing as we know it is officially over" is the strongest message to emerge from the two-day World Yacht Racing Forum and Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium held earlier this week (10-11 December) in Gothenburg. But as…

#sailingannual – Afloat's packed 80–page 2014 Irish Sailing Annual hits the news stands next weekend (Saturday, 14 December) with all the latest Irish sailing news and reviews. It's got great photo spreads from the 2013 season including that trimaran capsize…

#Philippines – According to the Royal Navy, HMS Illustrious (RO6) the helicopter-carrier as previously reported has arrived in the Philippines today to bring a further boost in the humanitarian relief effort. The 22,500 tons 'Invincible' class carrier will take over…

Following recent reports in the media regarding the use of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport wishes to clarify the position regarding the approval and use of EPIRBs in Ireland. Fishing vessels in…

#Philippines - Howth Coast Guard will be hosting a donation drive for clothing and other items needed by people in the Ajuy area of the Philippines currently recovering from the recent Typhoon Haiyan disaster. The coastguard station on the West…

#Philippines – The Royal Navy's helicopter-carrier HMS Illustrious (R06) which visited Dublin Port in April is heading for the Philippines to bolster efforts to help those in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. UK Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday ordered that…

#EmerNIGERIA – The former Naval Service OPV L.E. Emer took the short journey between the Naval Base on Haulbowline Island to Cork Dockyard Ltd today for upgrading work for her new owners, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 65m vessel was brought…

#QEaircraftcarriers - On Armistice Day the massive hull of the Royal Navy's newbuild 65,000 tonnes aircraft-carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, was finally completed with the 'ski-ramp' slotted into place at Rosyth Dockyard, writes Jehan Ashmore. The facility on the Forth of…

#YellowSub - It's recently charmed the denizens of Belfast - and now the famous Yellow Submarine is making its way from the Lagan to the Liffey to mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first and only performances in Ireland.…

#UKyardClosure - Shipyard workers at BAE Systems, numbering 1,775 jobs are to lose their jobs in Scotland and England and end shipbuilding altogether at Portsmouth, writes BBC News. The firm said 940 staff posts and 170 agency workers will go…

#budget – In a week that saw Sports Council Grants hit in the budget, it is still unlcear as to how this might affect Irish sailing, a sport that benefitted from a range of state support to the tune of…