Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Johnny Flynn is the best-placed Irish sailor after the opening phase of racing at Foiling Week 2026 in Malcesine, Italy. The Howth Yacht Club sailor sits 31st in the highly competitive WASZP fleet after the opening series on Lake Garda,…
More than 150 young sailors competed in the 2026 Munster Optimist Championships at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club in Dunmore East on 13–14 June. Competitors and their families enjoyed two days of varied racing conditions, excellent race management and a lively…
Johnny Murphy of Howth YC is June’s “Sailor of the Month (Offshore)”
1st July 2026 Sailor of the Month
In what was probably the most competitive Round Ireland Race from Wicklow in the event’s 46-year history, Johnny & Suzie Murphy’s immaculately prepared and presented J/109 Outrajeous from Howth lived up to her name by spending an outrageous amount of…
Mark Lyttle of National YC is “Sailor of the Month (Solo Dinghies)” for June
1st July 2026 Sailor of the Month
With the world-beating Laser/ILCA Class’s recent much-celebrated achievement of its Golden Jubilee, there is now very serious competition in the various Masters Divisions, with the main focus on the Grand Masters. Mark Lyttle of the National YC – a sailor…
It can take a bit of effort to find the intensely local Rush Sailing Club in its secluded location beside the small area of deep water at the entrance to Rogerstown Estuary in the heart of Fingal. And it would…
A Howth Yacht Club crew will represent Ireland in the 2026 Aegean 600 when the international offshore race starts from Athens, Greece, on Sunday, 5 July. Skipper Darren Wright leads Xcalibur Team HYC in the 605-nautical-mile race, which begins at…
The world's largest replica Spanish galleon, Galeón Andalucía, is due to arrive in Sligo for a two-week public visit from 30 June to 13 July, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step aboard one of Europe's most distinctive historic ships.…
Irish Olympian Mark Lyttle of the National Yacht Club has reflected on his Atlanta 1996 campaign as part of ILCA's 30 Years of Olympic ILCA Sailing series, marking three decades since the Laser class made its Olympic debut. The series features…
Howth Yacht Club's Peter Freyne and Tris Nelson claimed victory in the Classic & Vintage International 14 POW Cup Race at Largs after the fleet finally enjoyed racing following two weather-disrupted days. Old Meets New — A classic International 14…
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet has departed Washington, DC on its final ocean crossing, setting course for Oban, Scotland, as the 2025-26 edition enters its closing stages. The 3,115-nautical-mile Atlantic Homecoming Leg is the final transatlantic challenge…
At the Port of Liverpool there has been a recorded sharp increase in fertiliser import enquiries as UK supply chain operators reassess routing and port strategies amid ongoing global trade uncertainty. The Merseyside port operated by Peel Ports Group has…
Home favourite Johnie Berntsson made a flawless start to the 2026 GKSS Match Cup Sweden, winning all three of his opening matches as the world's leading match racing teams began competition in Marstrand, Sweden. Fresh winds, sunshine and large crowds…
Niall O'Brien and Dermot Flaherty claimed the Irish Flying Fifteen East Coast Championship after a dramatic weekend of racing in Carlingford. The fleet returned to Carlingford for the championship for the first time in many years. Strong south-easterly winds delayed…
John Malone's Loinnir Girl will sit out this Friday's (July 4th) K2Q (Kingstown to Queenstown) Race after an intensive month of offshore competition that included success in both the Round Ireland Race and the Inishtearaght Race. The red and white-hulled…
Open-water swimmers from Ireland and overseas will return to Drogheda on Saturday, 1 August, for the 2026 Boyne Swim. Now in its 12th year, the event has become one of Ireland's best-known river swims, attracting participants seeking competition, personal achievement…
The first Cape 26 has been launched in Cape Town, marking the debut of a new sportsboat designed by Cape Performance Solutions. Named Ciao, Hull 01 takes inspiration from the successful Cape 31 while introducing several new design features aimed…
After sailing around the world single-handed Cork’s Polish/Irish sailor, Jakub Ziemkiewicz, has decided to change his mind from never racing alone again on such a voyage. He is starting a four-year campaign to enter the McIntyre Golden Globe Race, also…
The 2026 Musto ISORA Championship resumes this Friday with one of the series' classic fixtures as the fleet races from Dún Laoghaire to Cork in the 160-mile Kingstown to Queenstown (K2Q) Offshore Race. Race 13 of this year's championship starts…
Belfast Harbour has reported another year of strong financial performance and major investment, according to its 2025 Annual Report. Turnover increased by 10.2% to £97.1 million, while underlying profit before tax rose 21% year-on-year to £44.4 million. The Trust Port…
Recreational and commercial vessels operating in the Irish Sea have been advised that a major Maritime Security Operation will take place from Tuesday, 30 June, until Thursday, 2 July. The operation, announced in a Department of Transport Marine Notice, will…
