Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

RBC Brewin Dolphin proudly supporting Afloat and Irish Boating

Ruffian 23 Sailing News
“Classic
The Ruffian 23 class has been formally recognised as a classic vessel by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. The Portaferry-built yacht has been accepted onto the UK’s National Small Boat Register. The move follows an application demonstrating the class meets…
Classic Beginnings — A brisk March day in Strangford Narrows in 1973 as Dickie Brown gives the new Ruffian 23 her first test. Photo: W M Nixon.
Owners of Ruffian 23 yachts in Carrickfergus are awaiting a decision on whether their boats will be granted classic status. As Afloat previously reported, the move follows discussions with marina management aimed at easing rising mooring costs for the locally…
Ruffian 23s racing during a championship event as Carrick fleet seeks mooring fee relief
Carrickfergus Ruffian 23 fleet captain Billy Spence will meet Carrick Marina management next Tuesday (January 13th) He is seeking a reduction in mooring fees for Ruffian 23 yachts. Spence says Ruffian 23s should be treated as classic boats. He said…
“Ballyholme's
“I feel sure he's charming potential customers in the River Styx boatyard as we speak!” Tributes are being paid to yacht builder Nick Stratton, following his death at the age of 83. Nick’s interest in sailing was sparked during his…
Bandit, co-skippered by Brian Cullen and Ann Kirwan, clinches victory at the Ruffian 23 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta
While the Ruffian 23 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta turnout was a comparatively small one compared to recent Clew Bay exploits, it was still a competitive one with June's WIORA winner, Bandit (Brian Cullen and Ann Kirwan) of the National Yacht…
Carrickfergus's Stephen Penny sailing Hot Orange (left) and his crew won the Ruffian Nationals 2025 at Mayo Sailing Club
The WIORA championships concluded with the final two races on Saturday, June 21. On Friday evening, Race Officer (RO) Scorie Walls decided that due to Sunday’s forecast, she would try to run four races on Saturday, June 21, and cancel…
An IRC start on day three of WIORA 2025 on Clew Bay
It was a glorious day on Clew Bay for day three of WIORA and day one 1 of the Ruffian 23 National Championships on Friday (June 20). Race Officer Scorie Walls set a windward leeward course with 4 rounds for…
Racing on day two of WIORA 2025 at Mayo Sailing Club was a coastal race for all classes in sunshine on Clew Bay
Local sailor Joan Mulloy now leads a 17-boat Ruffian 23 fleet after a WIORA coastal race victory on Golden Girl, but the Mayo crew are on the same nine points as clubmate David Quinn's Lone Star. Third is the day…
Cunningham Marine and Civil Engineering lift Ruffian 23s Bandit and Siamsa at Dun Laoghaire's Coal Harbour for transport to Westport, County Mayo, on two load loaders for WIORA 2025 and the class National Championships on Clew Bay
The Ruffian 23s are heading to Westport, County Mayo, this week, for WIORA 2025 and the Ruffian National Championships. As Afloat previously reported, Mayo Sailing Club, celebrating its golden anniversary, has pulled out all the stops to help transport visiting Ruffian…
Mayo Sailing Club gears up for the Ruffian 23 National Championship, welcoming a competitive fleet for four days of racing from June 18-22, 2025.
Mayo Sailing Club will host the Ruffian 23 National Championship, which is being held in conjunction with the West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association (WIORA). The WIORA event will run for four days from Wednesday, June 18th, to Saturday, June…
The Ruffian 23 class starts the annual Lambay Races on Saturday, May 31st.
Howth Yacht Club welcomed five boats from the Ruffian 23 class, who travelled from Dun Laoghaire and Skerries to take part in the annual Lambay Races on Saturday, May 31st. Robbie Keys' Siamsa from Skerries SC was the first boat…
The Hot Orange crew, skippered by Stephen Penney, wins Gold Fleet at Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships
The weekend of 24th – 25th May saw the Inaugural Ruffian 23 Ulster Championships hosted by Carrickfergus Sailing Club on Belfast Lough. Saturday morning started an overcast day with the wind 15 kts gusting into the late teens/early twenties. The…
Former Ruffian 23 Bandit is one of a number of Dun Laoghaire boats heading west for WIORA Regatta 2025 at Mayo Sailing Club in June
Up to six Ruffian 23s will be transported from Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay to County Mayo for the 2025 WIORA Regatta, including the Ruffian 23 National Championships, in Westport. The initiative has come about to support the country's…
The 'South' winners celebrate victory at the 2024 All Ireland Ruffian 23 Team Racing Championship at the DMYC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour
The All Ireland Ruffian 23 Team Racing Championship 2024 took place under the burgee of the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) on the weekend of September 7th-8th. Four teams (North, South, East and West) took part in a closely…
Heather Kennedy, daughter of Ruffian 23 designer Billy Brown of Portaferry, with National Yacht Club Commodore Peter Sherry at the presentation of the shared MG Motor “Sailing Club of the Year 2024” award
Friendship, family and sailing enjoyment expressed enthusiastically through quietly efficient organisations - that was the warm theme which dominated Thursday evening’s convivial gathering in the National Yacht Club on Dun Laoghaire waterfront. The successful hosting club and the Golden Jubilee-celebrating…
The MG Sailing Club of the Year Award 2024 - Michael Cutliffe, Heather Kennedy, Eoin O’hEochaidh, Ann Kirwan of the Ruffian 213 class with  Brian Keane, Director MG Cars Peter Sherry, Commodore National Yacht Club, Andrew Johnson, National Sales Manager MG Cars, Eline De Vries, Digital Marketing Exec and Gerard Rice, MD MG Cars
The prestigious MG Sailing Club of the Year Ship's Wheel was awarded to both the National Yacht Club and the Ruffian Association at a presentation ceremony at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Thursday evening, February 29th. As Afloat's WM Nixon announced…