Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
![Ballyholme local Liam Glynn racing the RS Aero Ballyholme local Liam Glynn racing the RS Aero](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000LJnsvnxBUpY/s/767/I0000LJnsvnxBUpY.jpg)
It looked as if the RS fleets were in for a drenching on the second day (20th) of the Championship event at Ballyholme with torrential rain for the early part of the morning, then the clouds broke, and the sun…
![William Findlay and Tom McMeekin in an RS400 dinghy William Findlay and Tom McMeekin in an RS400 dinghy](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000kRBdwZ8KU.E/s/500/I0000kRBdwZ8KU.E.jpg)
A lively south-westerly forecast for the start today (19th) of the RS event at Ballyholme should give exciting racing in Belfast Lough for the 48-strong fleet. Racing for the National Championship will be the RS 200s and RS 400s and…
![The J/92 J'zus Outhaul (Brian Dempsey) from Arklow competing on Carlingford Lough at the Moneley Oyster Pearl Regatta The J/92 J'zus Outhaul (Brian Dempsey) from Arklow competing on Carlingford Lough at the Moneley Oyster Pearl Regatta](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000gLUagQw.tN4/s/767/I0000gLUagQw.tN4.jpg)
Moneley Oyster Pearl Regatta Crown Goes to Arklow Sunfast Humdinger
17th August 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
The inaugural Moneley Oyster Pearl regatta was held in 1979 and has been an enduring feature of sail racing in Carlingford Lough ever since, bar the Covid lockdown years. The people of Carlingford have been harvesting oysters since medieval times.…
![Penny Doig, one of four Northern Ireland young competitors at the Optimist Nationals on Dublin Bay Penny Doig, one of four young Northern Ireland sailors that competed at the Optimist Nationals on Dublin Bay](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000C0O7Tcbb_og/s/767/I0000C0O7Tcbb_og.jpg)
Valuable Big Fleet Experience for Four Northern Ireland Sailors at Royal St George YC Optimist Nationals
17th August 2022 Optimist
The four Northern Ireland competitors at the Irish National Optimist championships at Royal St George YC certainly had four days of valuable race experience last week which will stand them well for the future. The four, three siblings from the…
![The four men of Channel 38 who crossed the North Channel on paddleboards The four men of Channel 38 who crossed the North Channel on paddleboards](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000oXR8vuoRHvo/s/635/I0000oXR8vuoRHvo.jpg)
Paddleboarders Cross From Mull of Kintyre to Cushendall on the Antrim Coast for Charity Fundraiser
15th August 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
It’s 38 miles from Campbeltown on the southeastern corner of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland to Cushendall on the Antrim Coast across the North Channel. Four men from Northern Ireland achieved this stamina-sapping feat in a fundraising prone paddle…
![Heidi McIlvenny, Ulster Wildlife Marine Conservation Manager Heidi McIlvenny, Ulster Wildlife Marine Conservation Manager](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000aj8oD4xXmV0/s/635/I0000aj8oD4xXmV0.jpg)
The Oysters growing under the pontoons in Bangor Marina are well hidden, but they still need ongoing attention. To this end, Ulster Wildlife is looking for volunteers to help monitor the native oyster nurseries and record their development. The native…
![Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat on Lough Erne Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat on Lough Erne](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000RM0J8pElRlY/s/500/I0000RM0J8pElRlY.jpg)
Busy Start to Weekend for Carrybridge Lifeboat Assisting 11 People Across Four Boats in One Evening
14th August 2022 RNLI Lifeboats
Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard shortly after 6.33pm on Friday evening (12 August) to a vessel which had got into difficulties in shallow water close to Naan Island.…
![Prizewinners at Killyleagh Open event Prizewinners at Killyleagh Open event](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000jBXwpAu5Z4g/s/767/I0000jBXwpAu5Z4g.jpg)
David Eccles Takes NHCRS Victory at Killyleagh Open Event on Strangford Lough
12th August 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland was pleased to be able to run its annual keelboat event, which incorporates the Bennett and Crooks Cups last weekend after a forced Covid break for two…
![Monica McCard Marine Biologist Monica McCard](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000NKecCgwacBE/s/635/I0000NKecCgwacBE.jpg)
Citizen Sea’s latest recruit left school at 16 with one GCSE (General Certificate of Education) and now she is a Marine Biologist who has just handed in her PhD on Invasion Ecology. Monica McCard is the new Project Co-ordinator for…
![Northern Ireland Topper sailor Luke Simpson Northern Ireland Topper sailor Luke Simpson](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ANo82gr5GJ4/s/767/I0000ANo82gr5GJ4.jpg)
All Change for Northern Ireland Topper Sailors at Weymouth National Championships
10th August 2022 Topper
It’s all change at the UK Topper 5.3 Nationals at Weymouth now that the fleet has been split into Gold and Silver. Some of the Northern Ireland sailors who were making quite an impression in the huge fleet haven’t fared…
![Freddie Doig 1454 Freddie Doig 1454](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000zngEe86i1CA/s/767/I0000zngEe86i1CA.jpg)
Just Four Northern Ireland Entries Competing at 200 Boat Irish Optimist Nationals, Dun Laoghaire
9th August 2022 Optimist
The Irish National Optimist Championships starting on Thursday 11th August at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay is expected to attract 200 entries but it is understood only four of these are from Northern…
![Red Bay RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Red Bay RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000SvPF1AjDmAY/s/500/I0000SvPF1AjDmAY.jpg)
Red Bay Lifeboat Rescues Three From Inflatable Dinghies Swept Out to Sea
3rd August 2022 RNLI Lifeboats
Red Bay RNLI has rescued three people this afternoon (Wednesday 3 August) after their inflatable dinghies were swept out to sea off Cushendall on Northern Ireland’s East Antrim coast. The volunteer crew were requested to launch both their all-weather and…
![Portaferry RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Portaferry RNLI’s inshore lifeboat](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000NRAzL.gpDXs/s/500/I0000NRAzL.gpDXs.jpg)
Portaferry Lifeboat Rescues Teenager Drifting Out to Sea on Inflatable Unicorn
3rd August 2022 RNLI Lifeboats
Portaferry RNLI in Northern Ireland rescued a teenager after he drifted more than half a mile out to sea on an inflatable unicorn on Tuesday afternoon (2 August). The volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat promptly at 3.45pm and made…
![Mark Robinson MBE Mark Robinson MBE](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000HN_s8chg7CI/s/500/I0000HN_s8chg7CI.jpg)
Royal Yachting Association Reveals New Director of Racing and Performance Director
3rd August 2022 RYA Northern Ireland
Heralding a new era for RYA Racing, today sees the announcement that Nick Scott will be taking up the Director of Racing position this autumn and Mark Robinson MBE is assuming a new role as Performance Director following the British…
![Lagan Search and Rescue's new Class 2 Lifeboat Lagan Search and Rescue's new Class 2 Lifeboat](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000HMFtchKxEEc/s/767/I0000HMFtchKxEEc.jpg)
Lagan Search and Rescue has a new Class 2 Lifeboat on station. The independent charity is run by volunteers and based at Belfast Harbour Marina on the River Lagan in the City. It covers all types of search and rescue…
![Eric Cathcart cuts the ribbon as the Lough Erne Cots are launched at Enniskillen Castle Eric Cathcart cuts the ribbon as the Lough Erne Cots are launched at Enniskillen Castle](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000lBZXedrX6PY/s/767/I0000lBZXedrX6PY.jpg)
Newly Built Traditional Lough Erne Cots Launched at Enniskillen Castle
28th July 2022 Historic Boats
The Lough Erne Landscape Partnership focuses on the conservation and promotion of Lough Erne’s landscape character and unique heritage, and it recently celebrated, along with the Belleek Men’s Shed and West Island Cot Heritage Group, the launch of community-built traditional…