Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Belfast Lough Seal Spotted With Can Stuck on Jaw Rescued in Scotland
19th October 2021 Marine Wildlife
A young harbour seal spotted in Belfast Lough earlier this month with an aluminium can stuck on its lower jaw has been rescued by police in Scotland. The Irish News reports that the juvenile marine mammal had swum across the…
Global Marine SubSea Cable Laying in Scottish & Northern Irish Waters
18th October 2021 Northern Ireland Waters
The Essex based subsea engineering company, Global Marine, is planning to install the Scot-NI 3 and Scot-NI 4 Telecommunications cables in Scottish and Northern Irish waters on behalf of British Telecommunications plc, between November 1st and December 20th this year.…
As with so many events over the last 18 months, East Antrim Boat Club's annual Hot Toddy GP 14 event suffered the effects of the pandemic but next weekend (23rd/24th October) the class will take to the waters of Larne…
What Northern Ireland Boaters Need to Know About Red Diesel Ban
15th October 2021 Northern Ireland Waters
As reported earlier this year on Afloat.ie, the ban on the use of red diesel to propel private pleasure craft in Northern Ireland has come into effect. As of 1 October 2021, following an extension from this past summer, private pleasure…
Islandmagee Gas Storage Project Gets Green Light off Antrim Coast
13th October 2021 Power From the Sea
A gas storage project, located off the coast of Northern Ireland, has been awarded a Marine Construction Licence, giving it the green light to proceed towards construction. Islandmagee Energy’s gas storage project will initially unlock seven much-needed gas storage caverns.…
The Formula Kite World Championships will take place in Torregrande, Sardinia, from October 13 to 17. The event is part of the Open Water Challenge, which celebrates board sports including kite, wing foil and SUP. A whole host of British…
Busy Sunday for Portrush Lifeboat With Callouts to Kayakers & Paddle Boarders
11th October 2021 RNLI Lifeboats
Portrush RNLI has had a busy Sunday launching to separate reports of kayakers and paddle boarders in difficulty yesterday (10 October). In the first callout, the all-weather lifeboat crew were paged just after 10am to reports of kayakers in difficulty…
Michael Beckett has become the third Brit in as many years to claim the ILCA 7/Laser class European title. Beckett, who has twice come runner up at the Euros, in 2018 and 2020, led the week-long regatta in Varna, Bulgaria,…
Ireland & Ballyholme's Sailing History – Memories, Myths, & Matters of Fact
9th October 2021 W M Nixon
Coming as it does from David Tasker - an Afloat.ie reader from the Isle of Wight - a typically Autumnal query received a day or two ago from this new owner of an interesting and much-loved vintage boat is one…
Portaferry Lifeboat Launches to Report of Paddle Boarder in Difficulty
6th October 2021 RNLI Lifeboats
The volunteer crew at Portaferry RNLI launched at the request of a stand-up paddle boarder in difficulty on Guns Island in Co Down yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 5 October). Launching at 3.14pm in sunny weather with good visibility and a Force…
After a hiatus of two years, Northern Ireland's RS400 Winter series is back. The Belfast Lough sailing event will kick off on Sunday 31st October for eight consecutive weeks up to 19th December. This event was the last run in…
Donaghadee RNLI Comes to the Aid of Seven People onboard 18ft Boat that Breaks Down off Ballyhalbert
4th October 2021 RNLI Lifeboats
Donaghadee RNLI came to the aid of seven people onboard an 18ft Bayliner boat that broke down a mile off Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula yesterday afternoon (Sunday 3 October). The volunteer crew were requested by Belfast Coastguard to launch…
In the early evening of Saturday, 2nd October, Belfast Coastguard put out a MAYDAY in response to a 20ft yacht with four people on board reportedly taking on water and without power, a mile north of Corsewall Point, at the…
Young Sailors Participate in RYA Northern Ireland's Youth Forum
1st October 2021 RYA Northern Ireland
A group of enthusiastic young sailors have come together for the first meeting of RYA Northern Ireland's Youth Forum at Ballyholme Yacht Club. RYA Northern Ireland identified youth engagement as a key area for the organisation, and this strand of…
Scottish Author's New Books 'Harbouring-My Desire' Raises Funds for the RNLI
28th September 2021 Scottish Waters
My name is Kevin Scott (58) from Newton Mearns, Glasgow. Married, two children. Lockdown for me provided the ideal opportunity to fulfil one of my earliest retirement goals. And that was to complete my journey around the Scottish mainland, once…
One person was airlifted to hospital after a personal watercraft ran aground on the River Foyle, as the Belfast Telegraph reports. The Irish Coast Guard’s Sligo-based helicopter Rescue 118 was dispatched to the incident in Lisahally, Co Derry last night…