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West Coast Challenge — RHYC yacht Celerity competes during West Highland Week, where Royal Highland Yacht Club crews recorded several strong class results in this year's regatta.
The Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC) has reflected on a busy summer programme, with its annual Mid-Summer Muster, West Highland Week, and the arrival of the Clipper Round the World Race fleet all contributing to a successful season. The club's…
An Irish stand-up paddleboarder on Dublin Bay with yachts sailing in the background.
Sailing clubs around Ireland looking to grow participation may find valuable lessons in a major new UK watersports survey. While the research focuses on Britain, its findings on recruitment, affordability, safety and social participation are likely to resonate with clubs…
Harbour Boost — Work gets under way on Tarbert Harbour's new £2.2 million marina slipway project, delivering improved lifting facilities, extra hard standing and parking to support marine tourism and boating.
Northern Ireland civil engineering contractor Charles Brand has begun work on a new marina slipway at Tarbert Harbour after being awarded the £1.6 million construction contract for the £2.2 million redevelopment project. The project that aims to strengthen marine tourism,…
Home Straight — The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet leaves Oban on the final leg to Portsmouth after almost 11 months at sea and more than 40,000 nautical miles of ocean racing.
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet is on the final stretch home after almost 11 months at sea and more than 40,000 nautical miles of racing. With the overall winner already decided, the battle for the remaining podium…
Rescue Ready — An HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter conducts a winching exercise during a coastal rescue operation, highlighting the vital role of aircrew and volunteer rescue teams.
A controversy has erupted in the UK Coastguard over a decision to drop payments to volunteers involved in emergencies. As The Times UK reports, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) opted to strip volunteers of payments in response to a…
Vintage Start — The Classic & Vintage International 14 fleet gets away cleanly at the start of the POW Cup race off Largs, where the older designs raced on a separate course alongside the modern championship fleet.
Howth Yacht Club's Peter Freyne and Tris Nelson claimed victory in the Classic & Vintage International 14 POW Cup Race at Largs after the fleet finally enjoyed racing following two weather-disrupted days. Old Meets New — A classic International 14…
Steady Hand — A Sea Cadet takes the helm aboard TS Royalist, the charity's flagship sail training vessel, as preparations continue for the 2026 Tall Ships Races, marking 60 years since Sea Cadets first entered the event.
Twenty-six Sea Cadets from across the UK will represent their country in this summer's Tall Ships Races aboard the sail training brig TS Royalist. With an average age of just 17, the crew will be among the youngest in the…
Maggie Helen, the restored 1904 Shetland Zulu fishing boat, anchored in Scotsman's Bay off Sandycove in Dublin Bay
One of Shetland's best-known historic fishing vessels has returned to Dublin Bay, with the restored Maggie Helen currently lying at anchor in Scotsman's Bay off Sandycove. The 42ft wooden Zulu drifter, built in 1904 by Hay & Co. Ltd. at…
Pathway Racing — Youth sailors from across Scotland compete during the 2026 RYA Scotland Pathway Championships at Loch Lomond Sailing Club. The event attracted more than 90 competitors from 22 clubs.
More than 90 young sailors from 22 clubs across Scotland gathered at Loch Lomond Sailing Club on 20–21 June for the 2026 RYA Scotland Pathway Championships. The two-day regatta brought together youth and junior racers from across the country to…
Muster Gathering — Royal Highland Yacht Club yachts lie at anchor in Loch Spelve during the club's 2026 Opening Muster, where 50 boats gathered on the Isle of Mull to launch the new sailing season.
Perfect spring weather provided an ideal backdrop as Royal Highland Yacht Club members launched their 2026 sailing season with two popular gatherings on Scotland's west coast. The season opened with a Social Sailing Network cruise to the annual Mull Music…
Season Start — Royal Highland Yacht Club members gather in Oban for the Fitting Out Supper, marking the transition from winter events to preparations for the 2026 sailing season.
Members of the Royal Highland Yacht Club gathered for a busy winter and spring programme ahead of the 2026 sailing season. Winterfest 2026 took place in Perthshire, with 30 members attending over the weekend at Murrayshall Country Estate. The event…
Forth Ports, operator of the Rosyth facility near Edinburgh, hopes to restore the European link. This would involve the Scottish port and Dunkirk in northern France, from where DFDS runs the continental connection to Rosslare Europort, following the ratification of Brexit. Above: Patria Seaways of DFDS when chartered to Stena at the Irish port.
DFDS, the large Danish ferry company, is working on a new service between Rosyth, east Scotland, and Dunkirk in northern France. The proposed North Sea service, as Afloat previously reported, has since received a boost as a £3m funding pledge…
“Wind
Scotland has increased its targets for offshore wind energy to up to 40GW of generating capacity by 2035 to 2040. This represents a significant increase on the target of 8GW to 11 GW by 2030, which had been identified in…
Forth Legend — Cramond Boat Club volunteer Drew Pratt has received the RYA Scotland Impact Award after more than four decades developing sailing training and mentoring new sailors on the Firth of Forth.
Long-serving Cramond Boat Club volunteer Andrew “Drew” Pratt has been recognised with an RYA Scotland Impact Award. The honour celebrates more than 40 years of service to sailing, training and community development on the Firth of Forth. Pratt has also…
Giant Vision — Scotland’s new marine tourism strategy aims to grow coastal economies, support over 34,000 jobs and increase sector value to £800m by 2030 through sustainable tourism and marine investment.
A new strategy to grow Scotland’s marine tourism sector by a further £100 million by 2030 has been launched. The framework, titled Giant Opportunities (2026–2030), sets out a roadmap to expand the industry while supporting coastal communities and protecting marine…
Safety First — Recreational boaters are being urged to check equipment, plan passages and refresh safety skills as HM Coastguard, RNLI and RYA launch their annual boating safety campaign ahead of the busy season.
UK water safety agencies have launched a new campaign urging recreational boaters to prepare thoroughly before the start of the boating season. HM Coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) are jointly promoting the…