Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
National Yacht Club Pair Lead as Big Fleet of 23 Fireball Dinghies Gather at Monkstown Bay for Munster Title Competition
20th April 2024 Fireball
The National Yacht Club's Nicola Ferguson and Thomas Chaix are leading a record fleet of 23 Fireball dinghies gathered in Cork Harbour for the 2024 Munster Championships this weekend. Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) is hosting the championships after a…
Galway’s new Salmon Weir pedestrian and cycle crossing is to be named “Hope Bridge”. The decision has been criticised by a campaign supported by several historians and writers to have it named after a forgotten Cumann na mBan leader Julia…
Belfast Lough JPK 1030 Arrives on Dublin Bay for Expected Light Airs ISORA Clash
20th April 2024 ISORA
Crews anticipate shortening Sunday's 24-mile course in ISORA's third Viking Marine coastal race due to a light wind forecast, keeping the duration to the promised four-hour time limit. That will be in marked contrast to last Saturday's sail-busting weather that…
There’s something special about a large organisation which is so attuned to the needs of the many services it quietly provides that it can - naturally and confidently and without fuss - move into action each year in a distinctly…
Lough Derg RNLI were requested to launch on Thursday afternoon (18 April) by Valentia Coast Guard to assist two people on a 36ft cruiser reported aground inside Navigation Mark H at Gortmore Point. The inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched at…
Kilmore Quay RNLI launched on Friday afternoon (19 April) to assist five people aboard an angling charter boat southeast of the Saltee Islands when rope had become entangled in the propeller. A number of the responding volunteer lifeboat crew left…
Irish Crew on Volvo 70 Tschuss 2 Break Round Isle Of Wight IRC Speed Sailing Record
19th April 2024 RORC
The Volvo 70 Tschuss 2, skippered by Johnny Mordaunt and with a large Irish crew onboard, has broken the Round Isle Of Wight sailing record with a corrected time of six hours, 22 minutes, and 25 seconds. Wednesday's record bid was…
Royal Cork's Antix Takes Corinthian Win at the Royal Southern Yacht Club's Cape 31 Regatta
19th April 2024 Cape 31
The Irish O'Leary team Antix secured their first win of the Cape 31 Corinthian/1 professional division, emerging as the new champions in what turned out to be a thrilling weekend of racing. The Royal Southern Yacht Club's April Regatta played…
Dublin Bay Mermaids Set to Make Historic First Visit to Belfast Lough for Ulster Championships
19th April 2024 Mermaid
Dublin Bay has been the home of the Mermaid class since 1932 when they were designed by J B Kearney. They race regularly in Dun Laoghaire, Clontarf, Rush, Skerries, Wexford, Foynes, Dungarvan and Sligo. And for the first time ever…
Portaferry RNLI Assists Fishing Vessel with Engine Failure at Strangford Lough Entrance
19th April 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Portaferry RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched on Monday evening to assist a 6-meter fishing vessel which had suffered engine failure close to the Bar Buoy at the entrance into Strangford Lough. Belfast Coastguard requested the launch of the lifeboat at…
Scottish Government Expresses Confidence Rockall Dispute With Ireland Could be Resolved, TG4 Documentary Reports
19th April 2024 Island News
A long-running dispute over fishing rights around Rockall could be resolved following fresh discussions with the Irish authorities, the Scottish Government has told TG4. In a statement to the broadcaster’s investigative series, Iniúchadh TG4, a Scottish government spokesperson said that…
Historic Visit to Harland & Wolff as Shipyard Host Largest Cross-Party Delegation of MPs
19th April 2024 Shipyards
At the iconic Belfast shipyard of Harland & Wolff, a landmark event that symbolised the restoration of devolution in Northern Ireland took place when the yard welcomed last month a cross-party delegation of MP’s. Ben Murray, Chief of Staff and…
British Marine, the membership organisation leading the UK leisure, superyacht, and small commercial marine industry, today released its annual economic report titled "The Economic Benefits of the Leisure, Superyacht & Small Commercial Marine Industry, 2022-23." Building upon its annual KPI…
Irish Sailing Youth Nationals: ILCA 4 Class to Compete for Trophies in Upcoming Event at Lough Ree Yacht Club
19th April 2024 Laser
In the aftermath of Storm Kathleen, the ILCA 4 Class was left without any competitive sailing at the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals held at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in early April. However, ILCA Ireland has stepped up to the…
Jails, Morgues, No Deck 13 - The New York Times on The Hidden Secrets of Cruise Ships
19th April 2024 Cruise Liners
Water parks, tattoo parlours, a jail and a morgue – these are some of the “hidden features” on cruise ships, The New York Times reports. An “entire ecosystem, often below passenger decks” is “shrouded in mystery”, the newspaper reports. “The…
Irish Team Selected From Six Clubs for the 2024 International 420 Open European Championships
19th April 2024 420
The Irish 420 Dinghy Class Association announces the pairings to represent Ireland at the 2024 Open International 420 European Championships. Unlike some other youth boats, the 420 Worlds and Junior Europeans are closed events due to the sheer numbers of boats…
Dubarry Launches New Palermo Range of Trainers for On and Off-Water Performance
19th April 2024 Marine Clothing
Irish outdoor clothing and footwear brand Dubarry has announced the launch of its new Palermo range of trainers, designed to offer both on and off-the-water performance. Dubarry says the Palermo combines the classic sneaker style with modern materials to provide…
Erne System: Closure of Enniskillen’s Henry Street Jetty for Angling Event Next Week
19th April 2024 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on users of the Erne System in Northern Ireland that the downstream section of the Henry Street Floating Jetty in Enniskillen will be closed from this Sunday 21 to next Friday 26 April. This…
MCIB Says Corrib Rowing Training Which Went Wrong Posed "Threat of Death Or Serious Injury"
18th April 2024 MCIB
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has said that a training session which went wrong on the river Corrib and resulted in the loss of two competitive rowing craft “posed a threat of death or serious injury” to those involved.…
New N.I. Research Vessel Sees Stormont Award £28m Contract to Spanish Shipyard Astilleros Armon
18th April 2024 Shipyards
In Northern Ireland a £28 million contract to build a new government-owned research vessel (RV) has been awarded to Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon Vigo S.A. The contract for the 52.8m newbuild comes from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural…