Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Strangford Lough Yacht Club that celebrates its 85th anniversary this weekend is celebrating its shortlisting as a finalist in the 2020 RYA Club of the year competition writes Betty Armstrong. As Afloat reported earlier, two northern clubs have been selected as…

A group of seven men from the North Coast hatched a novel way to carry out some fundraising for the Portrush and Islay RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews recently. As a group of keen sailors and avid supporters of the RNLI…

Residents around Strangford Lough were baffled at the weekend of a mysterious ‘humming’ sound heard around its waters, as the Belfast Telegraph reports. The droning noise can be faintly detected in a video posted by Ian McConnell on Twitter, who…

Strangford Lough Yacht Club and East Antrim Boat Club in Northern Ireland have been named among the 10 finalists selected for the RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Award for 2020. East Antrim Boat Club is also…

Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 12 November) to a vessel adrift close to an island in Upper Lough Erne north-east of Knockninny Marina. Winds were north-westerly Force 2 when the lifeboat Douglas Euan & Kay Richards arrived…

Just as well Ballyholme Yacht Club is at present extending the south dinghy park and widening one of the launching slips because next July an entry of over 300 is expected for the Laser Youth Radial European Championships which will…

Over the weekend of 29 February- 01 March, double Olympic Gold Medallist Sarah Ayton OBE will be joining forces with British Sailing Team’s Sam Whaley at Alexandra Palace to host a fantastic range of expert speakers on the Great Hall…

After 14 days at sea and with the IMOCA podium decided, PRB and Charal are fighting for 2nd and 3rd place in the Imoca category of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019. It's a race with continuing Irish interest as two…

Following a very successful year in 2019 where almost all events saw increased numbers and an overall increase of almost 10% from 2018, Topper Ireland will be returning to some of our regular locations for racing in 2020, but have…

Now that the city of Derry’s legendary Halloween celebrations are over, all eyes are on July 2020 which will be a key date in the Derry/Londonderry calendar when, on Saturday 25th, the eleven 70-ft yachts in the Clipper Round the…

As Afloat's WMN Nixon reported at the weekend, Wicklow Sailing Club has confirmed that SSE Renewables will be the new title sponsor for the 704-mile Round Ireland Race that gets underway on Saturday 20th June 2020. The biennial race is…

Carrybridge RNLI is looking for new volunteer crew members to join its search and rescue service on Lough Erne. The station, on the River Erne between the upper and lower loughs, is now calling on potential recruits to come forward…

Belfast used to turn its back on the River Lagan. Not anymore writes Betty Armstrong. Within the city much development, both commercial and urban, has taken place around the river – a weir, Belfast Harbour Marina, riverside walks, a new…

RYA Northern Ireland is celebrating the achievements of a successful year, following its AGM on Monday 28 October. During the event, Jackie Patton was re-elected as chair and elected directors were appointed. Susan McKnight was appointed as vice chair, David…

A septuagenarian yachtsman has scooped the top award at the recent East Antrim Boat Club prize-giving event, writes Tom Jobling. Maurice Adams, who has Parkinson’s, received the solid silver trophy — presented to EABC by the Gingles family in the…

Tributes have been paid to Northern Ireland sailing stalwart Doug Smyth OBE who passed away this summer writes Betty Armstrong. Doug, a member of Carrickfergus Sailing Club and former Chair of The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYANI) died on 21…