Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Grand Canal

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that it will be carrying out maintenance works on the waiting jetty on the upstream side of the 35th Lock in Shannon Harbour.

Works will begin on Monday 29 January and will last for four weeks, from 9am to 5pm each day. The jetty will be closed during this time, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that the Barrow Line from Lock 24 (McCartney’s) to Lock 25 (Moores) will reopen to navigation on Thursday 28 March following essential quay wall refurbishment at Bell Harbour in Monasterevin.

Localised quay wall restrictions will remain within Bell Harbour to facilitate ongoing paving and landscaping works, and vessels navigating within the harbour are asked to proceed with caution, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that the water level in the Grand Canal between Locks 13 and 14 in north-east Kildare will be reduced by around 18 inches (450mm) with immediate effect.

The reduced water level will be in place until 1 February 2024.

The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways advises masters of vessels to check mooring lines regularly throughout this period.

Navigation in this section will be restricted and only possible by first contacting the area foreman on 087 359 9072.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessel on the Grand Canal that due to the ongoing works at Shannon Harbour, passage through Locks 35 and 36 will only be possible by prior arrangement with the Waterway Patroller.

This system will be in place until Tuesday 21 November, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Operation of the locks will be controlled by the Waterway Patroller and only during working hours, as follows:

  • Until 31 October: 9.30am to 4.45pm (lunch break 1-1.30pm).
  • 1 November to 15 March: 9.30am to 2pm (lunch break 1-1.30pm).

To arrange passage through Locks 35 and 36, use the following numbers:

  • For passage from Monday to Sunday (excluding Friday), call 087 245 6587.
  • For passage on a Friday, call 087 245 6609.

Waterways Ireland thanks its customers for their cooperation.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that the Barrow Line will be closed to vessel traffic from McCartney’s (Lock 24) to Moore’s (Lock 25) to enable essential quay wall refurbishment at Bell Harbour in Monasterevin.

This closure will commence on Wednesday 1 November for a period of around 18 weeks, until early March 2024.

Mooring in Bell Harbour and through navigation will not be possible in this area for the duration of the works. Vessels moored in Bell Harbour will be accommodated on the 24th and 26th levels during this period.

Vessels in Bell Harbour are requested to vacate the harbour and 25th level by Tuesday 31 October.

Any craft remaining in this area on 1 November will be removed to alternative mooring on the 26th level by the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that culvert replacement works will be commencing on the summit level from Thursday 2 November.

These works — some 450 metres east of Lock 19 in Lowtown, Co Kildare — are to replace a damaged culvert under the canal and are expected take around 10 weeks.

Navigation will not be possible in this area for the duration of the works, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that essential repair works will be taking place at Lock 22 at Cappyroe Bridge in Co Offaly until this Friday 6 October.

Due to these works, navigation will not be possible through the area during this time, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that Offaly Rowing Club will be holding time trials between Locks 23 and 24 this Saturday 30 September.

The event will take place between 8am and 4pm. The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways asks users of the navigation and adjacent greenway to follow the directions given by the event marshals on the day.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Grand Canal that as part of the Green WIN project (more HERE), new deep well and flow devices are to be installed at Locks 35 and 36 at Shannon Harbour.

These works are due to begin Monday 25 September and will continue for around eight weeks, until mid-to-late November.

The works are land-based and navigation through the locks will not be affected, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Grand Canal that it will be carrying out maintenance works on a damaged section of the north quay wall in Shannon Harbour.

Works will begin on Monday 25 September and will last around seven weeks until mid November, from 9am to 5pm each day.

A section of the harbour wall will be closed off to boat users during this time.

The access road to the north of Shannon Harbour will also be closed to public traffic and only local traffic will be permitted access.

Water levels in Shannon Harbour may have to be lowered for a time to allow these works to be completed, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways
Page 1 of 18

Round Ireland Yacht Race Information

The Round Ireland Yacht Race is Ireland's classic offshore yacht race starts from Wicklow Sailing Club (WSC) and is organised jointly with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC). This page details the very latest updates from the 2008 race onwards including the race schedule, yacht entries and the all-important race updates from around the 704-mile course. Keep up to date with the Round Ireland Yacht Race here on this one handy reference page.

2020 Round Ireland Race

The 2020 race, the 21st edition, was the first race to be rescheduled then cancelled.

Following Government restrictions over COVID-19, a decision on the whether or not the 2020 race can be held was made on April 9 2020 to reschedule the race to Saturday, August 22nd. On July 27th, the race was regrettably cancelled due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19.

Because of COVID-19, the race had to have a virtual launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club for its 21st edition

In spite of the pandemic, however, a record entry was in prospect for 2020 with 50 boats entered with four weeks to go to the race start. The race was also going big on size and variety to make good on a pre-race prediction that the fleet could reach 60. An Irish offshore selection trial also looked set to be a component part of the 2020 race.

The rescheduling of the race to a news date emphasises the race's national significance, according to Afloat here

FAQs

704 nautical miles, 810 miles or 1304 kilometres

3171 kilometres is the estimate of Ireland's coastline by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland.

SSE Renewables are the sponsors of the 2020 Round Ireland Race.

Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London and The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin.

Off Wicklow Harbour on Saturday, August 22nd 2020

Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs

Leave Ireland and all its islands (excluding Rockall) to starboard.

It depends on the boat. The elapsed record time for the race is under 40 hours but most boats take five or six days to complete the course.

The Race Tracker is https://afloat.ie/sail/events/round-ireland/item/25789-round-ireland-yacht-race-tracker-2016-here.

The idea of a race around Ireland began in 1975 with a double-handed race starting and finishing in Bangor organised by Ballyholme Yacht Club with stopovers in Crosshaven and Killybegs. That race only had four entries. In 1980 Michael Jones put forward the idea of a non-stop race and was held in that year from Wicklow Sailing Club. Sixteen pioneers entered that race with Brian Coad’s Raasay of Melfort returning home after six days at sea to win the inaugural race. Read the first Round Ireland Yacht Race 1980 Sailing Instructions here

 

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7 s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

George David’s Rambler 88 (USA) holds the fastest monohull race time of two days two hours 24 minutes and 9 seconds set in the 2016 race.

William Power's 45ft Olivia undertook a round Ireland cruise in September 1860

 

Richard Hayes completed his solo epic round Ireland voyage in September 2018 in a 14-foot Laser dinghy. The voyage had seen him log a total of 1,324 sea miles (2,452 kilometres) in 54 sailing days. in 1961, the Belfast Lough Waverly Durward crewed by Kevin and Colm MacLaverty and Mick Clarke went around Ireland in three-and-a-half weeks becoming the smallest keelboat ever to go round. While neither of these achievements occurred as part of the race they are part of Round Ireland sailing history

© Afloat 2020

At A Glance – Round Ireland Yacht Race 2024

Race start: Off Wicklow Harbour on Saturday, June 22 2024

There will be separate starts for monohulls and multihulls.

Race course:  leave Ireland and all its islands (excluding Rockall) to starboard.

Race distance: is approximately 704 nautical miles or 1304 kilometres.

Featured Sailing School

INSS sidebutton

Featured Clubs

dbsc mainbutton
Howth Yacht Club
Kinsale Yacht Club
National Yacht Club
Royal Cork Yacht Club
Royal Irish Yacht club
Royal Saint George Yacht Club

Featured Brokers

leinster sidebutton

Featured Webcams

Featured Associations

ISA sidebutton
ICRA
isora sidebutton

Featured Marinas

dlmarina sidebutton

Featured Chandleries

CHMarine Afloat logo
https://afloat.ie/resources/marine-industry-news/viking-marine

Featured Sailmakers

northsails sidebutton
uksails sidebutton
watson sidebutton

Featured Blogs

W M Nixon - Sailing on Saturday
podcast sidebutton
BSB sidebutton
wavelengths sidebutton
 

Please show your support for Afloat by donating