Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

“The Freedom of the Seas” is a grand hifalutin notion altogether, particularly when you try to explain the special joys of cruising to a sailing enthusiast who can only measure pleasure afloat through successful racing results. But as the exchanges…

Afloat.ie regrets to announce the death of Peter Gray of Dun Laoghaire, one of the most talented and widely-experienced sailors of his long-lived and active generation. Initially a dinghy sailor across a wide range of classes, he represented Ireland in…

A group of Irish polar circumnavigators held a silent vigil today outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin in protest over the imprisonment of Russian historian Yuri Dmitriev. As Afloat reported earlier this week, the crew of yacht Northabout, which successfully…

The crew of Jarlath Cunnane’s expedition yacht Northabout which sailed expeditions to the Northwest and Northeast Passages is to protest outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin on Wednesday at 2 pm for one hour to highlight the plight of a…

Despite another year of pandemic challenges, the Ocean Cruising Club Awards Subcommittee has found numerous achievements to recognise in the cruising world. Nominations are made by Full Members of the OCC, winners are selected by a highly experienced team of…

For the first time, Gran Canaria bid farewell to an ARC fleet in the new year as ARC January 2022 set sail from Las Palmas today, Sunday 9 January. The new route has brought together an eclectic fleet of cruising…

Conor Haughey of Malahide admits to an addiction. It’s to saltwater and long-distance voyaging. But though he has made several transoceanic passages, it wasn’t until he bought the comfortable yet swift Moody 54DS Hibernian that he reckoned he could take…

Following reports earlier this month of the UK Government’s intention to waive the three-year condition for Returned Goods Relief, it’s now been confirmed that from 1 January 2022 new legislation will give certainty to UK-based recreational boat owners post-Brexit. Boat…

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ ARC, and 2021 proved again why sailing the same route at the same time of year can produce so many different experiences. The ingredients of the ARC, the boats and nationalities, ambitions…

In a reprieve for many UK-based private boat owners, the British Government intends to waive the three-year condition on Returned Goods Relief, as Yachting Monthly reports. Pending changes to legislation will mean that vessels that have been based in the…

For the sailors of ARC+ 2021, last Friday's prizegiving ceremony in St. George's, Grenada marked the end of their Atlantic cruising adventure that began in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on the eastern side of the Atlantic six weeks ago. The…

Conor Haughey of Malahide’s handsome Moody 54DS Hibernian swept into the finish of the ARC 2021 in Grenada this morning to chalk up a notable international success for Ireland. Hibernian - which sailed the longer ARC + course to take…

Grenada has welcomed the first arrival of ARC+ 2021 as Pierre De Saint-Vincent’s Outremer 51 Piment Rouge (FRA) claimed line honours in the second leg of the cruising rally from Mindelo, Cape Verde. As Afloat reported yesterday, Malahide's Conor Haughey's…

Conor Haughey of Malahide’s handsome silver-liveried Moody 54DS Hibernian is having a very good Transatlantic race with the ARC+ division of 70 boats, which has taken in the transoceanic hop in two stages with a stop in the Cape Verdes.…

The circumstances surrounding the death of a crew member on ARC yacht Agecanonix at the weekend are not yet known, according to rally organisers the World Cruising Club. Late on Friday 26 November, a Mayday call was made from Agecanonix…

Two Irish yachts were among a big fleet departing Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to start the 36th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) yesterday. Cruisers, racers, and multihulls; sleek ocean racing machines alongside comfortable family cruisers; superyachts with professional crews,…