Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The Race Around, Class40’s official round-the-world offshore yacht race, has named La Rochelle in Western France as the host city for its inaugural event in 2023. A location steeped in offshore sailing history, La Rochelle will become the home of…

The Ocean Globe Yacht Race is wearing a red tulip on April 11 to raise awareness of World Parkinson's Day and has announced that Bertrand Delhom will be the first sailor with Parkinson's disease to race around the world in…

The Offshore Racing Academy was not the only organisation to realise the supports needed for newcomers to offshore racing in France and specifically the Figaro circuit. For the first time this year the class association, Classe Figaro Beneteau and Team…

Seventy-five boats are entered for the RORC Caribbean 600 which starts on Monday 21 February in Antigua. The bulk of the astonishing fleet will be racing under IRC for overall victory and the Caribbean 600 Trophy. The glitterati of the…

When they come to write further histories of the Covid Pandemic and the world’s uneven emergence from it, they should call on the many experiences of long-distance sailor Pamela Lee of Greystones. She has somehow managed to keep the development…

A World Sailing re-think is under consideration to exempt Category 3 offshore races from the new requirement for documented structural inspection. Changes to the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) came into effect on January 1 2022, and mean an additional requirement…

A French adventurer who previously crossed the Atlantic in a barrel is missing and presumed dead at sea just weeks after beginning a solo crossing by row boat. Jean-Jacques Savin, who was 75, had set out on 1 January from…

Maiden’s eagerly awaited departure on the 2021-2024 World Tour took place today when the iconic yacht left the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club on her 90,000nm journey, skippered by the 'legendary' Marie-Claude Kieffer Heys. Together with sponsors DP World, Maiden and…

The UK’s Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has launched a new framework of support for yacht racers and owners following a change in World Sailing’s Offshore Special Regulations (OSR). Since 1 January this year, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, yachts competing in…

Romain Pilliard and Alex Pella set off on Tuesday January 4, 2022 on the Round the World Record Upside Down. The trimaran Use It Again !, the former Ellen MacArthur boat, crossed the starting line at 17 hours 36 minutes…

With the three named Atlantic storms of Arwen, Barra and Corrie already logged and leaving behind trails of varying degrees of disruption in Northwest Europe, we in Ireland don’t need to be told that the winter of 2021-2022 has been…

Changes to the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) coming into effect on January 1 2022, will mean an additional requirement for yachts taking part in races of Category 0 to Category 3. In 2022, Irish fixtures such as June's…

As noted recently on Afloat.ie, the historic Kingstown to Queenstown Race will return in 2022 in a modern-day format — reviving the tradition of a race first run in 1860. Hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club, National Yacht Club…

After several days of calm weather that tested everybody’s nerves, the fleet has finally caught the trade winds. The four leading boats are currently leaving the Cabo Verde Islands in their wake while Jim Schofield (Ireland) in his Molly Claire,…

After more than twenty days at sea in the Transat Jacques Vabre Race, the difference between fourth and fifth in the IMOCA class was just 21 minutes 40 seconds between Britain's Sam Davies on Initiatives Coeur and an all-French crew…

Charal's arrival completes the IMOCA podium but the racing rages on, especially for 4th and 5th between Initiatives Coeur and Arkéa-Paprec. The front of the Class 40 remains incredibly close with the current leader now just 600 miles from the…