Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
![Alfie Mayrs' H Boat Final Fling competing in Antrim Boat Club's Winter Series Alfie Mayrs' H Boat Final Fling competing in Antrim Boat Club's Winter Series](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000lOdNA7LXcJg/s/767/I0000lOdNA7LXcJg.jpg)
With Antrim Boat Club on the north west corner of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland nearing the end of the second half of its Winter Series it will be a close gallop to the final result. There is little between…
![Participants of all background and experience in a previous Women On Water Festival hosted by RYA Northern Ireland Participants of all background and experience in a previous Women On Water Festival hosted by RYA Northern Ireland](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00005rtIsxAoT6w/s/500/I00005rtIsxAoT6w.jpg)
RYA Northern Ireland’s Women On Water Festival will take place at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club in Cultra on Sunday 12 May and online sign-ups are now open to women across Northern Ireland and the wider island of…
![Chief Executive Officer of Loughs Agency, Sharon McMahon, welcomes Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir to Loughs Agency Chief Executive Officer of Loughs Agency, Sharon McMahon, welcomes Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir to Loughs Agency](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ZheIZv_FOsk/s/767/I0000ZheIZv_FOsk.jpg)
Northern Ireland's New Minister of Agriculture Visits Loughs Agency to Learn About Environmental Preservation Efforts
8th March 2024 Loughs Agency
Northern Ireland's new Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, recently paid a visit to the Loughs Agency Headquarters in Prehen, gaining first-hand insights into the organisation's essential work. The visit was warmly welcomed by Sharon McMahon, Chief…
![Finished job - Quarter tonner Purple Haze' Arrives on Strangford Lough with (from left to right) yacht designer John Corby, skipper Stuart Cranston and Will Watson, Head Painter Finished job - Quarter tonner Purple Haze' Arrives on Strangford Lough with (from left to right) yacht designer John Corby, skipper Stuart Cranston and Will Watson, Head Painter](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000PwjjUsANcuc/s/767/I0000PwjjUsANcuc.jpg)
'Purple Haze' Arrives on Strangford Lough: Vintage Quarter Tonner Will Contest 2024 ICRA Nationals and IRC Europeans on Dublin Bay
6th March 2024 Quarter Ton
The Ker 32 Hijacker was a popular competitor owned by Stuart Cranston of Strangford Lough YC at Whiterock and the nearby Down Cruising club, but he was struggling to get enough regular crew (eight) so downsizing was the answer, and…
![Martin and Victoria Dews' Sigma 33 Elandra from Belfast Lough Martin and Victoria Dews' Sigma 33 Elandra from Belfast Lough](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000a3pbha4uaNY/s/767/I0000a3pbha4uaNY.jpg)
Four of the first 46 entries for the 2024 Scottish Series this season are from Northern Ireland. They received a 15% discount on their entries, which has now been extended to the end of March at 10%. The event will…
![John Hubbocks, Tessa Fleming and Irial Ó Ceallaigh approach Gola Island with a fishing boat behind them in episode one of Kayak-Ó-Thuaidh John Hubbocks, Tessa Fleming and Irial Ó Ceallaigh approach Gola Island with a fishing boat behind them in episode one of Kayak-Ó-Thuaidh](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000UMc0TVplI7M/s/500/I0000UMc0TVplI7M.jpg)
New Irish-Language TV Series Follows Epic Kayaking Adventure Along North Coast
2nd March 2024 Kayaking
A new TV series as Gaeilge follows presenters Tessa Fleming and Irial Ó Ceallaigh as they embark on an epic adventure paddling their way along the North Coast. Together with kayaking expert John Hubbocks, the novice kayakers brave the unpredictable…
![Andy Thompson on the wire and helm Tom Gillard after their convincing win in the Fireball Worlds 2024 in Australia Andy Thompson on the wire and helm Tom Gillard after their convincing win in the Fireball Worlds 2024 in Australia](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000c7TcmUBbLYY/s/767/I0000c7TcmUBbLYY.jpg)
Andy Thompson of East Antrim BC is “Sailor of the Month (Worlds)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
We’ve become accustomed to veteran dinghy racing superstar Andy Thompson of Larne suddenly emerging into the spotlight again at some world championship, and he has already made his annual mark for 2024 by brilliantly crewing for Tom Gillard at Geelong…
![Man in charge – in addition to long distance cruising, Ed Wheeler has given years of service to the Irish Cruising Club and the Royal Ulster Yacht Club Man in charge – in addition to long distance cruising, Ed Wheeler has given years of service to the Irish Cruising Club and the Royal Ulster Yacht Club](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Bm_E7dA1L3c/s/767/I0000Bm_E7dA1L3c.jpg)
Ed Wheeler of County Down is Afloat.ie “Sailor of the Month (Voyaging & Services to Sailing)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
Ed Wheeler’s extraordinary career in sailing has ranged from racing the first International Cadet dinghy to be seen on Belfast Lough in the early 1950s (he won Ballyholme YC’s famous Lufra Cup for the big-fleet end-of-season pursuit race) to solo…
![Double jobber…..Colin Leonard of Strangford Lough and Ballyholme won Silver at the ILCA Masters in Australia in February, and also collected an Irish Cruising Club award Double jobber…..Colin Leonard of Strangford Lough and Ballyholme won Silver at the ILCA Masters in Australia in February, and also collected an Irish Cruising Club award](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000nKBjHWSi5v0/s/767/I0000nKBjHWSi5v0.jpg)
Colin Leonard of Strangford Lough and Ballyholme is “Sailor of the Month (International & Cruising)” for February
1st March 2024 Sailor of the Month
There seem to be two Colin Leonards prominent in the sailing scene in the north, but in fact, it’s one and the same man making the best of several possibilities. Colin Leonard of Ballyholme was tops in the medal stakes…
![Alison Young, seen here competing in Tokyo 2020 Alison Young, seen here competing in Tokyo 2020](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000lu5qd00RJ3g/s/500/I0000lu5qd00RJ3g.jpg)
Olympian Alison Young to Coach Northern Ireland Sailors at ‘Female-Focused Camp’
28th February 2024 RYA Northern Ireland
Three-time Olympian and 2016 ILCA World Champion Alison Young will provide coaching for Northern Ireland sailors at RYA Northern Ireland’s ‘Female Focused Camp’ at Ballyholme Yacht Club on the weekend of 27-28 April. The camp is specifically targeted for junior…
![Charlie McAllister’s newly acquired Jacques Fauroux Quarter Tonner, called SKB, will compete at Bangor Regatta in June Charlie McAllister’s newly acquired Jacques Fauroux Quarter Tonner, called SKB, will compete at Bangor Regatta 2024 in June](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000LQGN2yFkQY8/s/767/I0000LQGN2yFkQY8.jpg)
Royal Ulster Yacht Club has launched Bangor Regatta 2024 with the publication of the Notice of Race and Entry Form for the event, which will be run in Belfast Lough out of Bangor from 27th till 30th June. Sixty boats…
![RS Feva sailing on Strangford Lough RS Feva sailing on Strangford Lough](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000oNR0VotIRIc/s/635/I0000oNR0VotIRIc.jpg)
Ben Greenhalgh comes from a Bangor Co Down sailing family, and he races an RS Feva at Port Dinorwic SC near the Welsh Bangor on the Menai Straits. Ben is the joint winner with Topper sailor, Jess Powell, of the…
![Marine flares Marine flares](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000ZKjQ.YjwVqo/s/500/I0000ZKjQ.YjwVqo.jpg)
RYANI Discussing Options for Safe Disposal of Out-of-Date Flares
25th February 2024 RYA Northern Ireland
RYA Northern Ireland says it has been in discussions with British Marine and other stakeholders regarding the safe disposal of out-of-date flares. Marine flares have become increasingly difficult to dispose of in Northern Ireland in recent years, which RYANI recognises…
![DAERA Minister Andrew Muir pictured with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority and local fishers during a visit to Portavogie Harbour on Wednesday 21 February DAERA Minister Andrew Muir pictured with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority and local fishers during a visit to Portavogie Harbour on Wednesday 21 February](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000UTGTIThyqxU/s/500/I0000UTGTIThyqxU.jpg)
Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir met with members of the Northern Ireland Fishing Harbour Authority (NIFHA) and local fishers during a visit to Portavogie Harbour in Co Down this week. The visit on Wednesday…
![Ballyholme Bay looking southeast – it is ideally located between town and country, and used to be within handy bike free-wheel distance of Bangor Grammar School Ballyholme Bay looking southeast – it is ideally located between town and country, and used to be within handy bike free-wheel distance of Bangor Grammar School](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000Ay0gDFR9AkY/s/767/I0000Ay0gDFR9AkY.jpg)
Back in the day, Bangor Grammar School was seen by a small but significant sector of its pupils as a sailing school with a grammar problem. This was in a time when it was an establishment of friendly size, located…
![Satellite image of Lough Neagh Satellite image of Lough Neagh](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00003pd3DzunStQ/s/500/I00003pd3DzunStQ.jpg)
Earl ‘Open to Options’ Regarding Future of Lough Neagh as Toxic Blue-Green Algae Returns
23rd February 2024 Environment
The owner of Lough Neagh’s lakebed has said he is “open to exploring options” amid reports of the return of toxic blue-green algae blooms. But as BBC News reports, the Earl of Shaftesbury has refused to budge on suggestions that…