Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

As reported earlier this year on Afloat.ie, the ban on the use of red diesel to propel private pleasure craft in Northern Ireland has come into effect. As of 1 October 2021, following an extension from this past summer, private pleasure…

So much happened so quickly in Galway Bay SC’s 46-boat Lambs Week cruise to the Aran islands and Connemara (as reported in Afloat.ie) that it took a day or two for a more formal presentation to take place with the…

With an impressive and eclectic fleet of 46 boats from West Coast ports which ranged from Clew Bay to the north to Kilrush in the Shannon Estuary to the south - in addition to the many harbours and anchorages within…

Portuguese-based cruising enthusiast John Duggan of Cascais and originally Malahide has been monitoring the continuing situation with orca attacks on the rudders of cruising boats off the Iberian coast, and has posted this update today: "Anyone with a boat in…

Galway Bay Sailing Club is expecting 50 boats or more to participate in the club's August's Lambs Week event that features sailing around the Aran Islands with stopovers in Rossaveal, Kilronan and Roundstone. The event runs from August 19th to…

Lough Derg RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (Thursday 24 June) to assist a family of five on a 30ft cruiser in difficulty by navigation mark G on the eastern shore of the lough. At 2.20pm the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched…

The Cruising Association of Ireland's Whistle Stop Cruise of the east coast of Ireland overnighted at Wicklow Harbour. The association says the cruise has attracted a fleet of 23 boats since it commenced on Tuesday 22nd June.  The Cruising Association also intends to visit…

Lough Derg RNLI launched to assist 12 people on a 52ft cruiser aground inside the Goat Road at navigation mark E on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. At 6.15pm on Tuesday evening (22 June), Valentia Coast Guard called on…

Lough Derg RNLI launched on Thursday afternoon (17 June) to assist two people on a 28ft cruiser aground inside the G navigation mark, north of Drominagh Point on Lough Derg. The inshore lifeboat Jean Spicer arrived on scene at 12.50pm,…

As skipper of second-placed overall Derry/Londonderry/Doire in the 2015/2016 Clipper Round the World Race, the Atlantic Ocean to the west of the British Isles probably wouldn't have thrown anything worse at the crew of Sailing InTuition on the Rathlin to…

Lough Derg RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was requested by Valentia Coast Guard to launch to assist four people on a 35ft cruiser with fuel problems yesterday evening, Friday 11 June. The vessel was reported to be near Navigation Mark F, north…

HMRC has issued Excise Notice 554 which contains details about fuel used in private pleasure craft. For Northern Ireland (NI), private pleasure craft users will no longer be able to use red diesel to propel their craft, but the deadline…

The Cruising Association, through its local representatives, has helped to make cruising to France easier, post-Brexit. Since leaving the EU, boats arriving in France from the UK or Channel Islands are required to sail to one of a small number…

There are several organisations in Ireland's varied maritime life that don't need a high profile to do good and useful work by stealth, and you'll find Jack O'Keeffe of Carrigaline in Cork is involved with several of them. But his…

Stornoway Port Authority, the primary port for the Outer Hebrides on the West coast of Scotland, will significantly increase the number of available berths for visiting leisure craft. As part of the wider £11 million Newton Basin/Goat Island development, the…

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and British Marine have welcomed HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announcement of a six-month extension to the one-year grace period for Returned Goods Relief (RGR) previously put in place by the British Government. The news…