Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) has confirmed its 2027 National Championships will be staged in Dún Laoghaire, bringing Ireland's cruiser-racer championship to the Royal St. George Yacht Club.. ICRA Commodore John Leech announced the venue for the 2027 championships at the…
The National Yacht Club will open the decks of its newly acquired committee boat to members on Saturday (18 July), offering the first opportunity to view the vessel that is set to become the cornerstone of the club's race management…
Irish Lights Showcases Shannon Estuary Safety Work During Ministerial Visit
17th July 2026 Lighthouses
Marine Minister Timmy Dooley has visited the Irish Lights vessel ILV Granuaile during its annual programme of aids to navigation maintenance on the Shannon Estuary. The visit provided an opportunity to see at first hand the specialist work undertaken by…
La Solitaire du Figaro is to undergo one of the biggest changes in its 50-year history when the solo offshore classic switches from the Figaro Bénéteau 3 one-design to the Ocean Fifty multihull class from 2028. The move will bring…
Clare Water Safety Suspends Use Of "Pinger" To Protect Trainees From Dolphin
17th July 2026 Water Safety
Clare Water Safety has decided to suspend the use of a device to protect participants in its lifesaving programme from Dusty the resident dolphin. As The Clare Champion reports, the decision was confirmed the day after a public meeting at…
Patrick Hassett Wins Two World Championship Silver Fleet Titles in the Netherlands
17th July 2026 National YC
National Yacht Club sailor Patrick Hassett has returned from the 2026 2.4mR World Championship in Sneek, the Netherlands, with two international class titles after topping both the Silver Fleet Youth and Silver Fleet Para divisions. Hassett, from Enniskerry, competed in…
Ireland's most successful Olympic sailor, Annalise Murphy, is set to return to top-level international dinghy competition with an application to compete at the 2026 ILCA 6 Women's World Championships on her home waters of Dublin Bay. The Rio 2016 Olympic…
Jeff Kay emerged as overall winner of the 2026 Ramor International One Metre Open after 12 closely fought races at Ramor Watersports Club in Virginia, Co Cavan. Eight radio-controlled International One Metre yachts from clubs across Ireland and Northern Ireland…
Irish sailors and several familiar Irish Sea offshore campaigns will be on the start line when the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 50th anniversary Round Britain & Ireland Race gets under way from Cowes on Sunday 9 August. Fenit's Eimer McMorrow-Moriarty…
The long-awaited departure of the MV Matthew from Cork Harbour has been postponed by a further 24 hours after a minor technical issue developed on one of the tugs assigned to the tow. The Port of Cork has confirmed that…
Dublin Bay Sailing Club has cancelled Thursday evening's AIB racing (July 16) after forecast light winds were deemed insufficient to complete the scheduled programme. The cancellation affects all Thursday evening cruiser and one-design racing scheduled for Dublin Bay. Wednesday night's…
A striking photograph (above) of an otter carrying a crab along Cork city’s River Lee has been named the overall winner of the 2026 Love Your Coast Photography Competition. Cork photographer Chris Martin’s image, A Bit of a Pinch, was…
Cocaine Smuggling Bulker MV Matthew Finally to Depart Port of Cork Today
16th July 2026 Port of Cork
The bulk-carrier ship MV Matthew, at the centre of the infamous €157 million drug smuggling bust off the south coast nearly three years ago, is finally to depart the Port of Cork this evening. It was in September 2023 when…
Water Safety Ireland has announced the athletes selected to represent Ireland at two major international lifesaving events in 2026, with teams named for the Lifesaving World Championships in South Africa and the European Youth Lifesaving Championships in Donegal. Among those selected…
The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) has called on the Government to phase out open-net salmon farming in Ireland, arguing the practice is incompatible with protecting wild fish stocks, marine biodiversity and water quality. Launching a new aquaculture policy and public…
Two people died after a rigid inflatable boat travelling at unsafe speed struck a navigation beacon in Portsmouth Harbour while its driver was under the influence of alcohol, a UK accident investigation has found. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said…
The full-scale replica of Christopher Columbus's flagship, the Nao Santa María, will make its first-ever visit to Drogheda this week, opening to the public at Fiddle Case Pier from Thursday 17 July to Saturday 26 July. The 200-ton wooden sailing…
Aran islanders demonstrated their skills when they won a lobster pot making contest at a new maritime festival on Inis Meáin. The first Féile Farraige Inis Meáin,drew a “fine field” of eight handmade pots for Comórtas an Phota Gliomach or…
Irish Sailing has renewed its appeal for sailors to report sightings of floating or poorly marked fishing gear as part of an ongoing campaign to improve safety afloat. The governing body is asking racing, cruising and recreational sailors to report…
Three people were brought safely to harbour after their 19ft boat suffered engine failure off Blackrock, Salthill, on Wednesday afternoon. Galway RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched shortly before 4pm at the request of the Coast Guard after a call for…
