Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
The expedition cruise ship World Voyager is pictured outward bound on Wedenesday, September 30th from Cork Harbour following a visit to the city quays. The 126-metre vessel called to Cork during a cruise itinerary around Ireland and the North Atlantic…
Cian Guilfoyle of Dun Laoghaire is “Sailor of the Month (World Championship)” for September
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
A top pro-sailor of the calibre of Cian Guilfoyle of Dun Laoghaire will inevitably find his name linked with several high-profile boats as his career progresses, but Guilfoyle and the RC44 Aleph go back quite a long way. Indeed, Afloat’s…
Irish Ports Handled 13.6m tonnes in Quarter 2, 2026 - Drop of 1% of Q2 Last Year
1st October 2026 Irish Ports
Irish Ports handled 13.6 million tonnes of goods in Quarter 2 (Q2) 2026, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) latest Statistics of Port Traffic results. Commenting on the published data released today, Damien Lenihan, Statistician in the Transport Division,…
CalMac’s ‘Surplus’ Old Ferries to be Sold off by London-Based Broker in £200k Deal
1st October 2026 Ferry
The Government of Scotland-owned ferry operator has hired a ship broker to assist in selling veteran vessels that its fleet-replacement programme will render surplus to requirements. Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has appointed a London-based shipbroker, H. Clarkson and Co…
Roger Craig of Dun Laoghaire is “Sailor of the Month (Solo International)” for September
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
It was a matter of celebration for Irish sailing when Dun Laoghaire’s Roger Craig snatched gold in the final race of the fiercely-contested Masters division at the 2026 ILCA Masters European Championships in La Baule, France, on September 25th. Craig,…
Daniel Copithorne of Schull and Matt Mapplebeck of Crosshaven are “Sailors of the Month (Junior Nationals)” for September.
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
Daniel Copithorne of Schull and Matt Mapplebeck of Crosshaven are Afloat.ie’s “Sailors of the Month (Junior Nationals)” for September. Autumn sailing and the Irish Sailing Junior Champions’ Cup at the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre in Schull are now neatly…
The Isle of Man government has criticised the Isle of Man Steam Packet (IOMSPCo) over its handling of communications during the flagship ferry Manxman's dry-docking disruption. Following a freedom of information (FoI) request, documents showed that the Isle of Man…
Con Murphy & Brian Craig of Dun Laoghaire are “Sailors of the Month (Services to Sailing)” for September
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
Con Murphy and Brian Craig of Dún Laoghaire are Afloat.ie’s “Sailors of the Month (Services to Sailing)” for September. It would be well-nigh impossible to list everyone who makes a significant input into the process of converting Dún Laoghaire into…
Eve McMahon of Howth is “Sailor of the Month (Olympic)” for September
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
There was enormous expectation surrounding Eve McMahon when the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship came to Dublin Bay in September. The Howth Yacht Club sailor arrived on home waters after a season which had already established her among the leading…
Irish offshore sailor Pamela Lee will be the focus of a special Dún Laoghaire gathering next Tuesday (October 6) as she prepares for her historic solo challenge in November’s Route du Rhum. As first reported by Afloat last month, Lee…
Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) Honorary Secretary Stephen Tudor is stepping down as Chair of the GBR IRC Committee after five years in the role, saying the time is right to end more than a decade of service on…
Simon Knowles of Howth is “Sailor of the Month (Offshore)” for September
1st October 2026 Sailor of the Month
In the hyper-busy contemporary sailing programme available to cruiser-racers, it can be something of a jigsaw puzzle putting together your optimal crew in order to hit top form just when it is needed. Simon Knowles of Howth, with the J/109…
Brittany Ferries Second English Channel Route to End Early with Ropax Relocating to Rosslare
1st October 2026 Brittany Ferries
A Brittany Ferries English Channel route linking Normandy is to be shut down earlier than planned following a technical problem with a ropax, reports BBC News. The final sailing of the 1992-built Barfleur between Poole and Cherbourg was scheduled for…
Tributes Paid To Bravery Of Rescue 118 Winchman and Fire And Rescue Crew Over Poll na bPéist Incident
1st October 2026 Coastguard
Tributes have been paid to the bravery of a Rescue 118 winchman and members of the Aran Fire and Rescue for their safe recovery of a man swept off the cliff at Poll na bPéist on Inis Mór last weekend.…
France’s Damien Guillou, racing the Rustler 36 Solarem, was the first of the Golden Globe Race 2026 fleet across the Equator during Wednesday night. Logging 6.4 knots, Guillou was close-reaching south in a good east-sou’easterly breeze and continuing to extend…
Twelve of the world’s leading women’s match racing teams will line up on San Francisco Bay this week for the 2026 World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club from September 30 to October 4,…
Ireland’s increasing exposure to “shadow fleet” shipping is among the risks prompting a review of the State’s preparedness for a major marine pollution incident. The Irish Coast Guard has opened a five-week public consultation on a review of Ireland’s National…
A number of animal welfare groups have issued Irish Ferries, the operator of the Dublin to Cherbourg, France, route, with a legal notice. The groups allege breaches of animal welfare legislation in the transportation of unweaned calves from Ireland to…
Removal of Dams from US River Leads To Return of Thousands of Salmon
30th September 2026 Marine Wildlife
Removal of four dams from a north American river has led to such large runs of salmon that they have exceeded researcher expectations. The findings published in the journal Scientific Reports say that thousands of chinook salmon have been recorded…
Irish Mainport Survey Research Ship on Project within the Eastern Canadian Arctic
30th September 2026 Marine Science
Cork-based Irish Mainport Holdings research vessel Mainport Geo, in recent weeks, arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, from where it set off to embark on a project survey of approximately 60 days, writes Jehan Ashmore. The former offshore supply vessel (OPV)…
