Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Sailing Professional Mark Mansfield, who is a Racing Consultant with UK Sailmakers Ireland, goes through the different spinnaker sail options and how to set and control each of them. This is the latest in a series of information articles produced…

After the success of the inaugural Beaufort Cup for Military and Emergency teams in 2016, this year's entries are approaching 20 boats already, including no less than eight J109's for the Cork Week event. There's an excellent line up of…

In his first article in the ICRA /  UK Sailmakers Series, Racing Consultant Mark Mansfield wrote about tuning a fractionally rigged mast. His second article featured changing gears in different wind conditions while racing. In this final article, the four time Olympic helmsman…

Sovereign's Cup winner Fools Gold skippered by Rob McConnell from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club will contest the first IRC European Championship ever to be held on the Solent in mid-June. The Irish boat will be hoping for a repeat of the…

There's good news for Irish cruiser–racers after a graph of International Rating Certificates (IRC) published by Irish Sailing administrators reveals a lift in certs issued so far this season. It's an indication that more boats will be racing in a season…

Wind and sun provided champagne sailing on day three of Kinsale Yacht Club's Spring Sailing Series 2018. It was a perfect day for the windward leeward course with a blustery 20–knot breeze blowing from Bullen’s Bay. The 1055 first gun…

Frank Whelan's well sailed Eleuthera, a Grand Soleil 44, was the winner of ISORA's Viking Marine Coastal Series first race in ideal sailing conditions on Dublin Bay this afternoon.  An exotic mix of new and nearly new entries into the 2018…

There has been controversy and disagreement in cruiser racing about crews ‘hiking out’ through lifelines on deck to get more upper body weight extended to help boat balance and performance … Rule changes have now come to “sitting on the…

Sailors in the UK are enjoying spring racing and looking forward to the summer season, including the varied selection of International Rating Certificate (IRC) Championships that includes sailing events in the Irish Sea that attract interest from the Irish Cruiser…

The Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour has decided on a change in the format of racing for the coming season which will reduce the number of starts and re-define the sailing classes. In cruiser racing out…

In recent years, asymmetric sails have become much more popular. If you have a boat with a sprit you will likely have 100% asymmetric downwind sails. If you have a boat with a pole, it is likely you will (or…

A North Sails Ireland 'Sail Trim simulator' will be used during post race de–briefings at the ICRA Nationals this August in Galway. The new tool helps to 'make sense of sail trim, fundamentals of sail shape, and understand how these variables impact…

With under a week remaining before the early bird entry deadline for Howth Yacht Club's Wave Regatta 2018, the latest entry for the June Bank Holiday weekend regatta at the north Dublin venue is planning a highly competitive campaign including…

Last night's ICRA egm has removed a lot of uncertainty for the future direction of the cruiser racer body that was formally recast under new officers and an 'interim' constitution at its Portlaoise pow wow. After months of turbulence for…

Following its debut as part of Cork Week in 2016 and a stand-alone event held in Marseille in 2017, the IRC European Championship this year will take place out of one of its spiritual homes. Coming to Cowes for the…

ICRA Commodore Simon McGibney has issued the agenda for tonight's EGM to be held at 7.30pm Maldron Hotel in Portlaoise. The meeting will vote on new candidates for the ICRA executive and will also vote on a new constitution.  The final…