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Displaying items by tag: Ferry disruption

Sailings to and from the Isle of Man will be disrupted at the end of the month as the ferry Ben-my-Chree undergoes repairs.

The ferry operator, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company said the (fastferry) Manannan would undertake daytime crossings between Douglas and Heysham from 30 October.

Due to the "scope and complexity" of the work needed, the Ben-my-Chree would be at Cammell Laird's (shipyard) facility for six days, the firm added.

Overnight freight sailings would be carried out by MV Arrow.

The vessel, which had been held on a long-term lease, was recently bought by the ferry firm as Afloat previously reported on the 84 trailer unit capacity freighter.

As a result of the changes, usual evening passenger sailings from the island to Lancashire, and the overnight return will not take place.

More from BBC News including an apology from the ferry operator due to the disruption.

Published in Ferry

As Afloat reported this afternoon the impact of Storm Barra on shipping included Stena Estrid which finally entered Dublin Port albeit some 3 and a 1/2 hours late, ironically the same time it takes to sail from Holyhead, writes Jehan Ashmore

When the Wales-Ireland ferry could not enter the port at around 12 noon due to the heavy gusts, Stena Estrid had to ride out the storm during the Orange status weather warning. This led to the ferry head as far off the Co.Wicklow coast before returning to Dublin Bay.

It transpires the ferry did not enter Dublin Port as previously envisaged, has as soon as Afloat reported, the leadship E-flexer class ferry was observed heading back out into Dublin Bay. The ferry then circled around the bay's north and south Burford buoys, before returning again to the north Burford bouy off the Baily Lighthouse to begin finally an inbound sailing

This took place from mid-afternoon, however likewise of fleetmate Stena Adventurer which too was disrupted this morning until tugs arrived to enable a departure, the Stena Estrid had a pair of tugs to assist arrival when berthing in the port.

Note on this occasion of the DPC tug pair, only Beaufort resumed further duties as the second tug required this time involved the Giano. The ASD excort tug is operated by Purple Water Towing with an address in Mary's Abbey, Dublin 7.

Giano handled towing operations on the starboard side of Stena Estrid with Beaufort attended at the stern with moorings in place at the berth conducted around 15.50hrs. Following the exchange between discharge and loading of vehicles and passengers, the ferry is according to the Dublin Port website to depart at 1800hrs.

Noting, Irish Ferries chartered in ropax Epsilon had departed Dublin since 0740hrs, having had sailings cancelled. The ropax though vacated its berth which are at premium in the port and continues to ride out the storm offshore of north Co. Dublin. On the other side of the Irish Sea, Ulysses having previously been reported when sailing to the port in Anglesey, was completed when berthing adjacent to Stena Adventurer. 

Another Dublin ferry albeit mostly dedicated to the continental link to Cherbourg, in the form of W.B. Yeats which resumed sailings late last night. The 17-19 hour crossing to France has still yet to be completed with an ETA of 20.00hrs tonight, but not as impacted to the Dublin Bay scene.

The Irish Ferries cruiseferry is fresh from a routine winter dry-docking which took place at the Harland & Wolff Group's Belfast facility.

Published in Dublin Bay

Howth Yacht Club information

Howth Yacht Club is the largest members sailing club in Ireland, with over 1,700 members. The club welcomes inquiries about membership - see top of this page for contact details.

Howth Yacht Club (HYC) is 125 years old. It operates from its award-winning building overlooking Howth Harbour that houses office, bar, dining, and changing facilities. Apart from the Clubhouse, HYC has a 250-berth marina, two cranes and a boat storage area. In addition. its moorings in the harbour are serviced by launch.

The Club employs up to 31 staff during the summer and is the largest employer in Howth village and has a turnover of €2.2m.

HYC normally provides an annual programme of club racing on a year-round basis as well as hosting a full calendar of International, National and Regional competitive events. It operates a fleet of two large committee boats, 9 RIBs, 5 J80 Sportboats, a J24 and a variety of sailing dinghies that are available for members and training. The Club is also growing its commercial activities afloat using its QUEST sail and power boat training operation while ashore it hosts a wide range of functions each year, including conferences, weddings, parties and the like.

Howth Yacht Club originated as Howth Sailing Club in 1895. In 1968 Howth Sailing Club combined with Howth Motor Yacht Club, which had operated from the West Pier since 1935, to form Howth Yacht Club. The new clubhouse was opened in 1987 with further extensions carried out and more planned for the future including dredging and expanded marina facilities.

HYC caters for sailors of all ages and run sailing courses throughout the year as part of being an Irish Sailing accredited training facility with its own sailing school.

The club has a fully serviced marina with berthing for 250 yachts and HYC is delighted to be able to welcome visitors to this famous and scenic area of Dublin.

New applications for membership are always welcome

Howth Yacht Club FAQs

Howth Yacht Club is one of the most storied in Ireland — celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2020 — and has an active club sailing and racing scene to rival those of the Dun Laoghaire Waterfront Clubs on the other side of Dublin Bay.

Howth Yacht Club is based at the harbour of Howth, a suburban coastal village in north Co Dublin on the northern side of the Howth Head peninsula. The village is around 13km east-north-east of Dublin city centre and has a population of some 8,200.

Howth Yacht Club was founded as Howth Sailing Club in 1895. Howth Sailing Club later combined with Howth Motor Yacht Club, which had operated from the village’s West Pier since 1935, to form Howth Yacht Club.

The club organises and runs sailing events and courses for members and visitors all throughout the year and has very active keelboat and dinghy racing fleets. In addition, Howth Yacht Club prides itself as being a world-class international sailing event venue and hosts many National, European and World Championships as part of its busy annual sailing schedule.

As of November 2020, the Commodore of the Royal St George Yacht Club is Ian Byrne, with Paddy Judge as Vice-Commodore (Clubhouse and Administration). The club has two Rear-Commodores, Neil Murphy for Sailing and Sara Lacy for Junior Sailing, Training & Development.

Howth Yacht Club says it has one of the largest sailing memberships in Ireland and the UK; an exact number could not be confirmed as of November 2020.

Howth Yacht Club’s burgee is a vertical-banded pennant of red, white and red with a red anchor at its centre. The club’s ensign has a blue-grey field with the Irish tricolour in its top left corner and red anchor towards the bottom right corner.

The club organises and runs sailing events and courses for members and visitors all throughout the year and has very active keelboat and dinghy racing fleets. In addition, Howth Yacht Club prides itself as being a world-class international sailing event venue and hosts many National, European and World Championships as part of its busy annual sailing schedule.

Yes, Howth Yacht Club has an active junior section.

Yes, Howth Yacht Club hosts sailing and powerboat training for adults, juniors and corporate sailing under the Quest Howth brand.

Among its active keelboat and dinghy fleets, Howth Yacht Club is famous for being the home of the world’s oldest one-design racing keelboat class, the Howth Seventeen Footer. This still-thriving class of boat was designed by Walter Herbert Boyd in 1897 to be sailed in the local waters off Howth. The original five ‘gaff-rigged topsail’ boats that came to the harbour in the spring of 1898 are still raced hard from April until November every year along with the other 13 historical boats of this class.

Yes, Howth Yacht Club has a fleet of five J80 keelboats for charter by members for training, racing, organised events and day sailing.

The current modern clubhouse was the product of a design competition that was run in conjunction with the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland in 1983. The winning design by architects Vincent Fitzgerald and Reg Chandler was built and completed in March 1987. Further extensions have since been made to the building, grounds and its own secure 250-berth marina.

Yes, the Howth Yacht Club clubhouse offers a full bar and lounge, snug bar and coffee bar as well as a 180-seat dining room. Currently, the bar is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Catering remains available on weekends, take-home and delivery menus for Saturday night tapas and Sunday lunch.

The Howth Yacht Club office is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Contact the club for current restaurant opening hours at [email protected] or phone 01 832 0606.

Yes — when hosting sailing events, club racing, coaching and sailing courses, entertaining guests and running evening entertainment, tuition and talks, the club caters for all sorts of corporate, family and social occasions with a wide range of meeting, event and function rooms. For enquiries contact [email protected] or phone 01 832 2141.

Howth Yacht Club has various categories of membership, each affording the opportunity to avail of all the facilities at one of Ireland’s finest sailing clubs.

No — members can join active crews taking part in club keelboat and open sailing events, not to mention Pay & Sail J80 racing, charter sailing and more.

Fees range from €190 to €885 for ordinary members.
Memberships are renewed annually.

©Afloat 2020