Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Marine life in Irish waters, from watching whales and dolphins in Donegal Bay to studying the underwater soundscape of the Irish coastline, is among the themes covered in the new series of RTÉ television's 10 Things to Know About. Presenters…
Protecting Our Seas and Oceans: Authors Mark Mellett and Michael Cronin Debate At the Dublin Book Festival
31st October 2026 Book Review
Two authors whose books explore how protecting our seas and oceans is so vital in the response to climate breakdown will speak at the Dublin Book Festival on Sunday November 8th. Michael Cronin’s Ireland: Why It Matters to Be an Island…
Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has taken issue with Sinn Féin’s stance over the allocation to fisheries and aquaculture in the 2027 EU budget. As Afloat has reported, Sinn Féin claimed that only three Irish MEPs, all from the Left,…
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group's new passenger ferry, Scillonian IV, has departed Vietnam to begin her journey to the UK, ahead of entering service in March 2027. The 75-metre vessel left Ho Chi Minh City at 06:00 local time (23:00…
The long-awaited Howth Harbour dredging project is moving through procurement following the granting of environmental approvals, with the Government targeting a start to works in 2027, subject to a successful contract award and an agreed programme. In a written Dáil…
Europêche, the leading representative organisation for commercial fishing enterprises in the European Union, has called on the European Commission to include a targeted revision of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in its 2027 Work Programme, expressing disappointment with the EU’s…
Rutland Sailing Club invites international teams to compete in its Inclusive Keelboat Championship on Rutland Water, England, from 19 to 22 November, with eight teams already entered. The championship will use six supplied RS21 keelboats, with crews of four or five…
The AIB DBSC Turkey Shoot is heading for another substantial turnout on Dublin Bay, with 65 boats entered for Sunday's opening race on 1 November. Organiser Fintan Cairns hopes late additions will bring the fleet up to, or beyond, the…
There’s Much More to St Malo Than Being a Transatlantic Race Startpoint
31st October 2026 La Route du Rhum Race
With Pamela Lee preparing to race across the Atlantic in the Route du Rhum, WM Nixon explores the remarkable maritime history of St Malo, from corsairs and giant tides to its connections with Irish sailors and St Brendan the Navigator.…
North Sails Ireland is reminding sailors that its seasonal savings offer ends tomorrow, Saturday, 31 October, with savings available on new sails for April delivery. Final Days to Secure Your Savings Don't miss this opportunity to lock in savings and…
French skipper Armel Le Cléac’h believes Sunday’s Route du Rhum could produce one of the fastest Atlantic crossings in the race’s history, with weather routing suggesting the Ultim multihulls may approach the record of six days, 19 hours, 47 minutes…
Boris Herrmann's Route du Rhum May Take IMOCA Fleet Near Ireland
30th October 2026 La Route du Rhum Race
German offshore sailor Boris Herrmann is preparing for his first solo race aboard the new IMOCA Malizia 4 in Sunday's Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, as an unusual Atlantic weather pattern could push the fleet south of Ireland and Fastnet Rock. The…
Essential maintenance works are under way at two Cork Harbour piers, with temporary restrictions on access to the water at Currabinny and Monkstown. The Port of Cork's Notice to Mariners No. 20 of 2026 outlines a programme to replace access…
Both spinnaker and non-spinnaker (whitesail) divisions will be available in Royal Cork Yacht Club's November/December Winter League, which starts at Crosshaven on Sunday, 1 November. In recent years, the league has been whitesail-only. The change follows a poll of interested…
Dún Laoghaire Watersports Campus Surveys Enter Public Consultation
30th October 2026 Dun Laoghaire Watersports Campus
Plans for marine site investigations associated with the proposed National Watersports Campus at Dún Laoghaire Harbour have entered a statutory public consultation stage, according to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA). The regulator lists Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's maritime usage…
Ireland's fishing fleet faces a projected net loss of €65.8 million in 2026 as sharply reduced quotas, falling catches, and higher fuel costs further pressure fishing businesses and coastal communities, according to a new report from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).…
Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites Fleet Hits 81 Boats for Dun Laoghaire Harbour Opener
30th October 2026 DMYC
The Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites fleet has surged to 81 boats ahead of the opening races of the 2026/27 winter dinghy sailing series on Dublin Bay this Sunday, 1 November. The latest entry figures, confirmed by the Dún Laoghaire Motor…
Irish Coast Guard Awards Contracts for 38 New SAR Vessels under Major Fleet Renewal Programme
29th October 2026 Coastguard
The Irish Coast Guard has awarded two contracts to French boatbuilder Zodiac Milpro for the design, construction and delivery of 38 new-generation search and rescue vessels as part of a major fleet renewal programme. The contracts will provide 21 new…
The 2027 IRC Rule has been published following this month's international IRC Congress, with changes focused on clarifying existing requirements rather than making major alterations to yacht ratings. For Irish cruiser-racing sailors, the publication is particularly relevant to fleets competing…
America's Cup sailor Francesco 'Checco' Bruni has made an immediate impact at the RS21 World Championship in Cannes, helping Italian entry Torpyone win the opening race just two days after his move from Luna Rossa to Tudor Team Alinghi was announced. The seven-time world champion…
