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Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Under construction the New Ross (Co. Wexford) bypass including above a new bridge to cross the River Barrow. Afloat adds on the right side of the river (used by ships to reach the inland Port of New Ross) is Pink Rock on the Co. Kilkenny side.
#InlandWaterways - The scale of the New Ross bypass project for the layperson is as dizzying as its bridge over the River Barrow is going to be high. For starters, the Killkenny People writes the scheme is 26 years in…
DFDS closed the only Scotland-Belgium 'ro-ro freight-only' route last month. Afloat adds that the original service began in 2002 with 'passenger' and freight sailings served by Superfast's Blue Star Ferries whose Blue Star 1 passes under the Forth Bridge en-route for Zeebrugge. This port is where 'Brexit-Buster' ro-ro only vehicle giant Celine (operated by CLnd)  has a direct service to Dublin and Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
#FerryNews - Scottish M.P. for Dunfermline and West Fife, Douglas Chapman has held "positive" talks about a new passenger and freight ferry service between Rosyth and Belgium. As the Dunfermline Express writes the M.P. believes Brexit could actually enhance the…
Young Kayakers Set For Tomorrow’s Junior Liffey Descent
#Kayaking - The Irish Times has a preview of Ireland’s largest junior kayaking race — and one of the biggest events in some time for Canoeing Ireland — which takes place on the River Liffey tomorrow (Saturday 19 May). The…
Chris Johnston's blue hulled Beneteau 31.7 Prospect was the winner of Thursday night's DBSC one design race for the class that boasts 15 entries
Cruiser 0 IRC: 1. D-Tox, 2. Wow, 3. Lively Lady Cruiser 0 ECHO: 1. D-Tox, 2. Wow, 3. Lively Lady Cruiser 1 IRC: 1. Juggerknot, 2. Bon Exemple, 3. White Mischief Cruiser 1 ECHO: 1. Boomerang, 2. Platinum Blond, 3.…
#FerryNews - In south-west Scotland, the Arran Ferry Committee has urged the powers that be to keep the ferry travelling to Ardrossan during the planned upgrades at the Harbour. The committee met on Monday, May 14 and numerous groups, businesses…
With eight F18’s, two Hurricane 5.9’s and one F16 in attendance there was a great turnout for Mitch Booth's training session
Swords Sailing Club (SSC) hosted Australian multihull sailor Mitch Booth who competed at no less then four Olympics in the Tornado class, medaling twice. Here Patrick Wodhams of SSC describes the training weekend with the sailor who has competed in 64…
Thousands of visitors are expected to attend this weekend the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival (19-20 May) to see TS Royalist and other Tall Ships lining Donegall Quay and elsewhere in the harbour.
#MaritimeFestivals - Sea cadets have navigated as the first of the Tall Ships to dock in Belfast Harbour ahead of the annual Maritime Festival (19-20 May) which gets underway on Saturday and Sunday.  With the wind in its sails, ITV…
Fastnet Rock in calm waters at the start of the 109–day voyage on 12m Pylades
Cruising sailors Fergus and Katherine Quinlan were presented with an international sailing award by the Ocean Cruising Club in April in recognition of their voyage from Galway Bay to Russia and back in one season. The couple sailed Pylades, a 12m…
A new Irish Sailing 'Performance Headquarters' (areas in blue) is to be located in the Commissioners of Irish Lights, Dun Laoghaire
Irish Sailing has announced plans for a new €300k 'Performance Headquarters', funded entirely by the Irish Sailing Foundation and located on the grounds of the Commissioners of Irish Lights, Dun Laoghaire. As reported in this morning's Irish Times Sailing Column here,…
Water Wag Number 34, Chloe was helmed by Amy O'Leary
In contrast with many one design classes, the Water Wags hold regular handicap races during the sailing season. On 16th May the first handicap race was held with 24 boats competing. The plan for the evening was for Division 2…
In a troika involving Irish Shipping Ltd, M.V. Leopard (originally in all white livery) began the first ever direct Ireland-mainland continental Europe passenger/car ferry service 50 years ago this month between Rosslare and Le Havre, France. In addition to running later in the winter of 1968 a UK-Iberia-Africa service. Above: the 6,000 tonnes French flagged ferry is seen in 1979 with pale blue colours of P&O Normandy Ferries which acquired the ship three years previously and still operated on the English Channel. Before the ship left northern Europe, she spent a stint on the North Channel for Townsend Thoresen.
#FerryNews - The first ever direct Ireland-mainland continental Europe ferry service began on this date 50 years ago when on 17 May, 1968, M.V. Leopard made a historic crossing from Rosslare to Le Havre, France, writes Jehan Ashmore. The pioneering…
Merrion Strand: good for walking, not recommended for bathing
#CoastalNotes - Seven beaches in Dublin and Galway have failed to meet the EU’s minimum standards for bathing water quality. That’s according to the latest Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which identifies Sandymount…
Cruiser 250, available in five colours in 3L and 750ml sizes, will help you get back on the water sooner
If you’re refreshing your boat for the summer sailing and cruising season, look no further than Viking Marine and their new range of paints, varnish and antifoul treatments. AkzoNobel’s International Cruise 250 is a polishing antifouling gloss paint providing quality…
It is the class’s first visit in a long time to the club that had a thriving Flying Fifteen fleet in days gone by
Excitement is building for the first regional event of the season for the ever popular Flying Fifteen class. With good numbers turning out at club level in Dublin and Strangford Lough in particular they now take to the road and…
GP14 Silver fleet runners-up Josh Porter & Andrew Corkill at the Ulster Championships in Donaghdee
The Irish GP14 dinghy fleet returned to Donaghadee in County Down, Northern Ireland for the 2018 Ulster Championships on a sunny Saturday afternoon last weekend. The OOD Ruan O’Tiarnaigh got the first race off at 12pm in a moderate breeze. Ger…
The Sandpiper jack-up barge is being used to conduct the survey from three locations in East Cork
#MarineNotice - The Sandpiper jack-up platform is conducting nearshore geotechnical survey operations associated with the proposed Celtic Interconnector on behalf of EirGrid south of East Cork. Similar to last autumn’s nearshore survey, the operations are taking place at three coastal…
The woman and her dog brought to safety by the crew of Rescue 116
#Coastguard - Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard was alerted at 10am yesterday morning (Wednesday 16 May) to respond to a woman and her dog who were cut off by the tide on Merrion Strand, near the seaward side of the Dublin…
Superimposed image of the proposed €100 million office development in Galway City located at Bonham Quay alongside Dun Aengus Dock. Afloat adds the basin of the Port of Galway is where the Irish Lights aids to navigation tender ILV Granuaile is docked.
#WaterfrontProperty - Mayor of Galway councillor Pearce Flannery, says the proposed €100 million development at the Docks would be a major step forward for the city. His observation writes Galway Bay FM, was made at day two of the oral…
Manx politician Lawrie Hooper, MHK wants islanders to have a stake in the government's approval to acquire the IOM Steam-Packet
#FerryNews - The Manx public should have the chance to share in the fortunes of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company in the years to come. That's the view of Ramsey Member of the House of Keys (MHK) Lawrie…
Silver Cloud at anchor (note: chain over bulbous bow) in Galway Bay with the backdrop of Co. Clare. A zodiac is alongside to tender guests ashore to the 'City of the Tribes'.
#CruiseLiners - Ultra-luxury expedition cruiseship, Silver Cloud anchored in Galway Bay recently as part of clockwise tour of Ireland and where today the ship is docked in Killybegs, writes Jehan Ashmore. The call off the Port of Galway on Tuesday was…

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