Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

The intergovernmental marine science organisation which advises the European Commission on fisheries regulations has been told by the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation that it has got its data wrong in recommending major fishing closures. The Killybegs Organisation has challenged the International…

The Howth 17s are sailing amongst Carbery’s Hundred Isles. The oldest classic sailing boats in the world are in West Cork waters to mark their 125th year and intend to sail around the iconic Fastnet Rock.  The photo above is…

Jakub Ziemkiewicz tells me he was “born to sail but forced to work.” He is working as I talk to him - on the yacht he is building in a shed at Aghada in the northeast corner of Cork Harbour…

Captain Jacek Berenek of the container ship, ‘Independent Horizon,’ on its regular monthly call to the Port of Cork’s Deepwater Berth at Ringaskiddy, explained to the pupils of Barryroe National School from West Cork where he would launch their mini-boat…

The Government’s promise of consultation and involvement of the fishing industry in the development of offshore wind farms is not being delivered on according to South East Coast fishermen, who claim that consultation and discussion, which was promised, has turned…

The inaugural World Ocean Conference has been told that three-quarters of the Irish public believe that marine ecosystems and the protection and restoration of marine species should be Government policy. This claim was made by the conference organisers, the Fair…

The Royal Cork Yacht Club cancelled its regular Thursday night league racing this week and called members to a meeting instead to discuss an incident between some boats in the racing fleet on the previous week’s Thursday and a tanker…

“A great Rankin day,” said Tommy Dwyer describing the annual Ballinacurra Race from Cove Sailing Club to the former port in East Cork. “It is the first time the Rankins have done so well in the race. We ghosted along…

Wooden boats will dominate Baltimore Harbour this weekend when the West Cork village welcomes back the annual gathering of traditional vessels. Like many other events the Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival, which had been held annually for seventeen years from 2002,…

The De Wadden, the historic schooner which sailed out of Arklow, the County Wicklow town once described by maritime historian Dr John deCourcy Ireland as the “most maritime town in Ireland”, is to be demolished at the Merseyside Maritime Museum…

The current Commanding Officer of the Naval Service ship, L.E. James Joyce, Paul Hegarty, has been appointed the new Head of the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour. He has extensive experience in the Naval…

Irish Mainport Holdings, Cork marine services company, has appointed the former Head of the Defences Forces, retired Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, as its Strategic Director. "With over 40 years working in the Maritime Sector, Mark will bring new knowledge and fresh…

The ‘spatial squeeze’ is an issue that has been coming increasingly to the fore in recent months as more concern is expressed about the pressure being exerted by offshore wind farm developers for planning approval of their proposals. There are…

As the 2023 sailing and boating season gets into full swing, I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the past week getting my boat ready for launching and discussing safety on the water with fellow boat owners. A safety…

Kinsale Yacht Club will begin midweek sailing for cruisers on Wednesday, May 3. One Design keelboats Squibs and Dragons will start their evening sailing on the following evening, Thursday, May 4. The club’s Keelboat Regatta, sponsored by the Kingston Kinsale…

The Irish fishing Industry is making gains in Europe, a meeting of fishermen in Killybegs, County Donegal, has been told. They were assured by Fine Gael MEP, Colm Markey that the voice of the Irish fishing and seafood industry is…

Modifying vessels, including making changes to a vessel’s engine, without proper evaluation of the consequences, is very dangerous, the Marine Casualty Investigation Board has warned. It has urged the Minister for Transport to introduce rules for open commercial fishing boats,…

The first annual Seafood Trade Report of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has a few interesting statistics about how Ireland’s fishing industry is doing outside of the European Union. Three countries account for 63% of Irish seafood exported to…

The Irish Defence Forces have issued photos taken by the Air Corps of the Russian ships which have been off the West Coast for several days. Three have been spotted. Only two were earlier reported. As Afloat reported previously, the…

The Mixed dinghy fleet will be returning to the water at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, Cork Harbour, in April. The club wants to encourage boat ownership, and “this fleet is all about fun while learning to sail with…