Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
![The National Yacht Club's Franco Cassidy and Stephen Oram were the overall winners of the Fireball Ulster Championships at Newtownards Sailing Club The National Yacht Club's Franco Cassidy and Stephen Oram were the overall winners of the Fireball Ulster Championships at Newtownards Sailing Club](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000HTnJCawHXxA/s/767/I0000HTnJCawHXxA.jpg)
National Yacht Club's Franco Cassidy & Stephen Oram Win Fireball Ulsters at Newtownards
29th May 2023 Fireball
Fireballs enjoyed a fantastic two days of racing during their Ulster Championship at Newtownards SC at the weekend. Day one proved light as per forecast, but the wind steadily improved throughout the afternoon. The first race took place in quite…
![Pippa's runners Craig Waterhouse (right) and Oleg Chapelin in the in the Scottish Islands Peak Race Pippa's runners Craig Waterhouse (right) and Oleg Chapelin in the in the Scottish Islands Peak Race](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ltAg9HZMF.M/s/635/I0000ltAg9HZMF.M.jpg)
Martel's Pippa IV from Royal Ulster Takes Second in the Scottish Islands Peak Race
27th May 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Gareth Martel from Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough, and his crew and runners on the Beneteau 40.7 Pippa VI had a very successful Scottish Islands Peaks Race finishing second overall. Gareth was delighted with the result “It was…
![Heather Kennedy (right) daughter of Billy Brown, with Karen Brown (daughter of Dickie Brown) and John McAlea Portaferry Sailing Club Race Officer for the event with the new trophy Heather Kennedy (right) daughter of Billy Brown, with Karen Brown (daughter of Dickie Brown) and John McAlea Portaferry Sailing Club Race Officer for the event with the new trophy](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000rWXsL2WZmjc/s/767/I0000rWXsL2WZmjc.jpg)
Shipbuilding was a major industry in Portaferry on Strangford Lough in the 1800s. Jump forward until 1973 when the Ruffian 23 was designed by the late William P Brown in 1972/73 and primarily built by his brother, the late Dickie…
![North Channel Wind proposes floating wind farms on two sites: North Channel Wind 1 is off the coast of east Antrim, and North Channel Wind 2 is off Antrim's south-east coast and County Down's northeast coast North Channel Wind proposes floating wind farms on two sites: North Channel Wind 1 is off the coast of east Antrim, and North Channel Wind 2 is off Antrim's south-east coast and County Down's northeast coast](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000JckCGc8wpZk/s/767/I0000JckCGc8wpZk.jpg)
North Channel Wind to Consult With Local Communities on Offshore Wind Farm Proposals
27th May 2023 Power From the Sea
Communities along the coast of East Antrim and North Down in Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to learn about proposals for the installation of floating wind turbines in that part of the Irish Sea, commonly known as the North…
![Race four's downwind to the finish in the Antrim Boat Club 2023 Summer Series Race four's downwind to the finish in the Antrim Boat Club 2023 Summer Series](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000QGcz7zxK_vQ/s/767/I0000QGcz7zxK_vQ.jpg)
Antrim Boat Club’s Summer Series is halfway through and enjoying good turnouts in a variety of conditions, with the courses being set using the club marks. Charlie McAllister and Jeff Harrison’s Limbo 6.6 F A 2 lead after four races.…
![Cliodhna Matthews and Rory Tweed from Seaview Primary School join Dr. Dave Wall, Senior Marine Conservation Officer with Ulster Wildlife at the launch of the new native oyster nursery at Glenarm Marina. The restoration initiative is set to release 800 million oyster larvae to boost biodiversity and clean up local waters Cliodhna Matthews and Rory Tweed from Seaview Primary School join Dr. Dave Wall, Senior Marine Conservation Officer with Ulster Wildlife at the launch of the new native oyster nursery at Glenarm Marina. The restoration initiative is set to release 800 million oyster larvae to boost biodiversity and clean up local waters](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000xg2XxF4Lwug/s/767/I0000xg2XxF4Lwug.jpg)
New Glenarm Nursery Set to Release 800 Million Oysters To Clean Up Local Waters
25th May 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Native oysters are set to flourish once more along the Glenarm coast with the creation of a new native oyster nursery at Glenarm Marina. The restoration initiative, led by Ulster Wildlife, could see up to 800 million oyster larvae released…
![Waterways Ireland logo Waterways Ireland logo](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000DTYTkD7Uumo/s/500/I0000DTYTkD7Uumo.jpg)
Upper Lough Erne: Crom Jetty Closed Until Further Notice Due to Fire Damage
24th May 2023 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterways users on the Erne System in Northern Ireland that Crom jetty on Upper Lough Erne is closed until further notice. This is due to fire damage being sustained at the jetty, while…
![Bangor RNLI lifeboat towed the yacht to Bangor Marina Bangor RNLI lifeboat towed the yacht to Bangor Marina](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Rb5micZIXhE/s/767/I0000Rb5micZIXhE.jpg)
Bangor RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Two Men on Broken Down 8m Yacht on Ballyholme Bay
23rd May 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
Bangor RNLI lifeboat came to the aid of two people on Sunday after their 8m yacht broke down in Ballyholme Bay on Belfast Lough. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard at 1.21 pm…
![Daniel Nelson and Ross Kearney were overall winners of the GP14 Ulster Championships at East Antrim Boat Club Daniel Nelson and Ross Kearney were overall winners of the GP14 Ulster Championships at East Antrim Boat Club](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000M0FNZtWAMps/s/767/I0000M0FNZtWAMps.jpg)
While most of the country seemed to have little or no wind, with many races and events cancelled, East Antrim Boat Club managed to get all six races of this year's GP14 Ulster Championship completed. The event attracted 30 GP14s…
![Leisure 17s on the first East Down Yacht Club cruise of the 2023 season Leisure 17s on the first East Down Yacht Club cruise of the 2023 season](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000suHK2NqXVFo/s/767/I0000suHK2NqXVFo.jpg)
Leisure 17s to Celebrate Fifty Years of Sailing at East Down Yacht Club on Strangford Lough
10th May 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Leisure 17s form a sizeable fleet at East Down Yacht Club, which is tucked away on a nine-acre site on the western shore of Strangford Lough, with an anchorage in Holm Bay between Island Taggart and the coast. It is…
![The start of race six of the RS400 Northern Championships at Strangford Sailing Club The start of race six of the RS400 Northern Championships at Strangford Sailing Club](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00009Zy7Zmgj8Ik/s/767/I00009Zy7Zmgj8Ik.jpg)
McLernon and Ternan are RS400 Northern Champions at Strangford Sailing Club
18th May 2023 RS Sailing
On the weekend of 6/7th May, a total of 28 RS400s and RS200s gathered at Strangford sailing club in Co. Down for the RS Northern Championships, the second event of the year on the calendar with the furthest travelled from…
![Bangor RNLI inshore lifeboat Bangor RNLI inshore lifeboat](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000McmDor3BGC0/s/767/I0000McmDor3BGC0.jpg)
Bangor RNLI crew launched their lifeboat yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, 17 May) when a man fishing in a motor vessel became stranded after his engine failed at Briggs Buoy in Groomsport. The inshore lifeboat was launched at 1.36 pm with Helm…
![Carrybridge RNLI inshore lifeboat assisted six people onboard a broken down vessel on Lough Erne. Carrybridge Lifeboat Station was established in 2002 on Upper Lough Erne. It currently operates an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat and a Rescue Water Craft Carrybridge RNLI inshore lifeboat assisted six people onboard a broken down vessel on Lough Erne. Carrybridge Lifeboat Station was established in 2002 on Upper Lough Erne. It currently operates an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat and a Rescue Water Craft](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000gd90rzwIXCM/s/767/I0000gd90rzwIXCM.jpg)
Carrybridge RNLI on Lough Erne Assist 6 People Onboard a Broken Down Vessel
16th May 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
At 2.09pm on Saturday, 13 May, Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore relief lifeboat, Roy Snewin was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard, to assess a vessel with six people on board, which had run broken down close to Corradillar jetty at…
![Emily (left) and Annabel Ridout with the Royal Irish Yacht Club's Stephen Breen Emily (left) and Annabel Ridout with the Royal Irish Yacht Club's Stephen Breen](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000uHYNqszT_24/s/767/I0000uHYNqszT_24.jpg)
Ballyholme Sailors Enjoy Excellent Results at Royal Irish Hosted RS Feva Easterns
14th May 2023 Royal Irish Yacht Club
The long trail from Ballyholme to the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire for the RS Feva East Coast Championships was worthwhile for the three crews from the North who dominated the result sheet, with the Ridout family taking…
![Bangor RNLI lifeboat Jessie Hillyard Bangor RNLI lifeboat Jessie Hillyard](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Rb5micZIXhE/s/767/I0000Rb5micZIXhE.jpg)
Bangor RNLI Comes to the Aid of Lone Sailor after 35ft Yacht Breaks Down
8th May 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
Bangor RNLI came to the aid of a lone sailor yesterday morning (Sunday, 7 May) after his 35ft yacht broke down east of Carrickfergus Castle on Belfast Lough. The volunteer crew had just assembled at the station for a routine…
![File image of the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast File image of the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000f_IK5s9HdcA/s/500/I0000f_IK5s9HdcA.jpg)
Judgment Reserved in ‘Complex’ and ‘Significant’ Review of Larne Lough Gas Caverns Licence
7th May 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Judgment has been reserved in the judicial review into the granting of a marine licence for the excavation of gas storage caverns under Larne Lough. After four days of submissions at Belfast High Court, on Friday (5 May) Justice Michael…