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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
She’s been round the block and then some, but she’s still winning. The newly-acquired Ker 46 Searcher (Pete Smyth, RIYC) won the Round Ireland Race from Wicklow every which way as Tonnere de Breskens for the late great Piet Vroon in 2010, and with her return for 2024’s race as Searcher, she is immediately among the favourites
With recent additions to the entry list including such glitterati as Pete Smyth of the Royal Irish YC with his newly-acquired Ker 46 Searcher (she was formerly Tonnere de Breskens to give the late great Dutch skipper Piet Vroon his…
A strong Irish rowing team is off to a good start at World Cup II
World Cup II is off to a good start for Irish rowing. The weather stayed good in the morning for the majority of the racing. However, the Rotsee saw a big change in the afternoon, with strong winds, rain, and…
Line ahead towards the misty Hill of Howth on Day One of Wave,with the Dun Laoghaire-based ultra-black First 8 Allig8r chasing towards success in class
From a selective look at the damp and occasionally drizzly weather stats issued from Howth today (Friday, May 24th), you might be tempted to talk of “hot racing on a soft day” to describe the first outing in the Porche-sponsored…
Central to the Foyle Maritime Festival in Derry will be the impressive fleet of Tall Ships, including the Irene (above)
The much-anticipated Foyle Maritime Festival is set to return to the historic walled city of Derry in Northern Ireland from Thursday, June 27th to Sunday, June 30th. This vibrant festival is expected to attract over 150,000 visitors from around the world…
A liferaft is launched during sea survival pool drills at the the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal
The Minister for Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D, has officially opened the new €2.16 million national sea survival training pool at the Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), National Fisheries College of Ireland (NFCI) in Greencastle, Co. Donegal. Minister McConalogue expressed his delight…
Trainee tall ship: An amazing opportunity for young sailing enthusiasts is to take place on board the schooner Spirit of Falmouth with ‘training voyages’ based out of Cork Harbour. In addition, there will be a second similar voyage for adults. Both voyages take place in July.
Here’s a chance for teenagers in Cork with an interest in life at sea to give it a go on board and experience a replica of a 19th-century sailing tall ship. As CorkBeo writes, the youth sailing charity Sail Training…
The TechWorks Marine Oceanographic Survey for Clogherhead Wind Park for ESB and Parkwind involved the deployment of three metocean data buoys within the wind park area and along the export cable route. These buoys provided high-resolution data on sea state (currents and waves) and water quality
Metocean company TechWorks Marine has successfully completed a 12-month oceanographic campaign in the North Eastern Irish Sea for ESB and Parkwind at Clogherhead. The marine tech campaign involved the deployment of three metocean data buoys within the wind park area…
Squib racing at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on the southern shore of Belfast Lough
Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on the southern shore of Belfast Lough has a long-established Squib fleet, and this weekend (25th/26th May), will host the Northern Championships. The entry list (download as a PDF below) is a respectable 22…
In a nod to the original Pickie to Pier Swim race, which ran from 1910 until the mid-1980s, the 200 participants will now swim an 800-metre course from Skippingstone Beach on the west side of the Bangor Bay to Pickie, the site of a Fun Park at Pickie to the tip of the Eisenhower Pier, and then loop back to the starting point at Skippingstone
On the North Down coast there are among the many open water swimming groups, the Chunky Dunkers at Donaghadee and the Brompton Beaus and Belles near Carnalea and no doubt some of them plus dozens of other will be part…
A new titanium Carbon Main sail IRC optimised on the Dublin Bay yacht Wow, an X-TREME 37
With the racing season underway, UK Sailmakers Ireland looks forward to this season's big events, such as the Round Ireland Race, Cork Week and the IRC European Championships. We have had a super busy start to 2024, and we're keen to…
Ryan Wilson’s Mat1010 Elixir from Quoile YC and Carrickfergus SC competed in May's Killyleagh Open Event on Strangford Lough
Last Saturday (18th), thirty turned out in six classes at Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough for the Keelboat event, which incorporates the Crooks Cup and Westward Trophy. A steady Northerly breeze and sunshine made for…
John Minnis' A35 Final Call II, pictured above competing at the Howth Yacht Club hosted ICRA National Championships in 2023, returns to Fingal waters this morning (Friday, 24th May) for the first races of HYC's Porsche Wave Regatta
Howth's three-day Wave Regatta 2024, the biennial seafest with Porsche as lead sponsors, rolls into action this morning (Friday, May 24th) with a total of 104 entries, ranging from the veterans of the 1898-founded Howth 17 class to many of…
Denis Bergin's  Dublin Bay Dragon crew head upwind off the Old Head of Kinsale. Kinsale Yacht Club will host the 2024 Dragon Gold Cup this September
The anticipation for the 2024 Dragon Gold Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club is building as some of the biggest names in Dragon sailing have already confirmed their participation in the upcoming event, sponsored by Astra Construction Services Ltd. With almost…
Sean Lemass's First 40 Prima Forte of the Royal Irish Yacht Club was the winner of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's fifth AIB-sponsored Thursday evening race of the 2024 season
Sean Lemass's First 40 Prima Forte was the winner of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's fifth AIB-sponsored Thursday evening race of the 2024 season as Royal Irish Yacht Club boats took the Cruisers Zero IRC podium. The Lemass boat took the victory in a…
Erne Boat Rally boats
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on the Erne System that the 2024 Erne Boat Rally will be taking place from Friday 24 to Monday 27 May. Boaters taking part with gather at Lisnaskea Boat Club on Friday evening for…
A curlew wading in shallow water
A landmark new project has been launched to protect Ireland’s most vulnerable group of birds, breeding waders, at Shannon Harbour. The €25 million Breeding Waders EIP is funded jointly by the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of…
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak spoke of its government’s commitment to supporting the shipbuilding sector across the nation. At Harland & Wolff, Belfast is where facilities are in preparation for the company’s Fleet Solid Support (FSS) sub-contract. Afloat adds on Monday, H&W hosted members above of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of its inquiry into defence spending levels throughout the UK.
Across the Irish Sea, the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has said his government is committed to supporting the shipbuilding sector right across the nation. Speaking on the sector at Westminster, during Prime Minister's Questions, he said,"I've seen first hand…
Rail-Freight: Track-laying for the reopening of the Foynes Port- Limerick freight line has started, and it's expected freight services will be operational by early 2026. AFLOAT highlights the proposed project contributes to objectives of the EU’s TEN-T guideline, promoting intermodal transport and environmental protection by strengthening rail and sea transport rather than reliant on roads.
New railway tracks have been laid for the reopening of the Foynes Port-Limerick City freight line, marking a major milestone of the project, with phase one progressing well, reports the Limerick Leader. Works begin in November, 2022, as Afloat previously…
New York Yacht Club's Maggie Shea and Stephanie Roble (above, left to right) who will compete in the 49erFX at the  Paris 2024 Olympics
The New York Yacht Club has added another facet to its diverse support of high-performance sailing by unveiling the Club’s Performance Sailing Fund, which has announced its first six grants. “We are so proud of the six Club members who…
New overall leader - Hap Fauth's Bella Mente competing at the IMA Maxi European Championships in Capri, Italy
Starting an hour early, two coastal courses, including the popular lap of Capri, were completed on the third and penultimate day of the IMA Maxi European Championship. The 20 maxi yachts faced a sub-10 knot southwesterly. At Wednesday’s conclusion, the…

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