Historic Boats
Russ Kramer Lecture on Historically-Correct Recreations of Famous Yacht Races
19th July 2021 Historic Boats
Acclaimed American artist Russ Kramer, who specializes in historically-correct dynamic recreations of famous yacht races and turn-of-the-century yachting society, will give a presentation surveying his oil paintings, inspirations, methods and techniques in a Virtual Lecture by zoom on Thursday as part…
The Resurgent Glen Keelboat & Why Local One Design Sailing Classes Have Never Been More Relevant
17th July 2021 W M Nixon
The cherished local One-Design classes of Ireland have never been more relevant than they are now, in these crazy times of soaring-graph numbers when local is good. The expectation of staying local, while making do with fairly modest socialising and…
The restored 56ft Limerick ketch Ilen of 1926 vintage is such an eye-catcher - when you can get a proper view of her - that she immediately arouses, in both young and old, the secretly cherished dream of running away…
A Galway hooker restored with the support of a city publican has joined the local traditional fleet on Galway bay. Réalt na Gaillimhe or Star of Galway was built in Indreabhán, south Connemara, by the Cloherty boat builders in 1910.…
The 18-foot Waverley open racing yacht has for many years been a Ballyholme Yacht Club class, and those which are still sailing have been berthed in Bangor Marina, which from when it was opened in 1989 proved to be something…
In the recent spell of northerly winds, the 56ft restored Limerick trading ketch Ilen had some superb sailing from a successful civic visit to Galway (where she was much admired) back to her alternative summer base of Kinsale, with two…
The River Class is the oldest class racing on Strangford Lough and the past weekend saw a notable celebration of its 100th Anniversary – notable because all 12 boats which first raced at Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough,…
Several Galway hookers will join a fleet of finely tuned sailing dinghies on Lough Corrib for Europe’s longest and oldest inland yacht race this weekend. The Anam Cara and Lon Dubh gleoiteogs which have been restored by the Galway Hooker…
Galway's 96-year old gleoiteog Loveen has marked a key stage in its restoration with the nailing of its "whiskey plank". At a "low key" ceremony, the final plank was secured and the occasion was marked with a "modest" round of…
On the 16th June each year people come from far and wide dressed in Edwardian attire to walk, talk and perform around Dublin in commemoration of James Joyce's famous modernist novel "Ulysses". You see lots of bowler hats, parasols and…
Limerick City Reclaims Ancient Maritime Rights in Shannon Estuary From Deck of the Ketch Ilen
15th June 2021 Ilen
It has emerged there was much more to the diplomatic voyage of Limerick’s 56ft trading ketch Ilen to Galway at the weekend with the Mayor of Limerick. Councillor Michael Collins, on board. Officially, it was to launch the Ilen Marine…
Bray Droleens to Join the International 12 Foot Dinghies & Dublin Bay 12 Foot Dinghies for the First Time at Royal St George Yacht Club Event
15th June 2021 Historic Boats
The Royal St George Yacht Club have agreed to hold the Irish 12 Foot Championships in 2021. In a remarkable development, The Bray Droleen 12 Foot Class will join the International 12 Foot Dinghies and their sisters the Dublin Bay…
The Limerick Trading ketch Ilen has reached Galway in the first stage of a programme which will eventually see her call at all the Irish ports which, in Mediaeval times, were a remarkable mixture of defensive walled towns and actively-functioning…
Former 'Galway Bay' Liner Tug Tender Calshot Begins New Owner's Plan of Restoration
9th June 2021 Historic Boats
In the UK plans to save a "unique" D-Day historic vessel moored in Southampton have been unveiled - ending years of anxiety over its future, having as Afloat reported also spent a career tending to trans-Atlantic liner passengers in Galway…
The Island of Ireland has twelve medieval walled towns with sea harbours on Atlantic and Irish Sea waters writes Gary McMahon of the Ilen Project The historic Irish sailing ship Ilen will voyage this summer between some of these towns…
If you were to bring together even half of the boats built with the involvement of the late great George Bushe of Crosshaven, you'd have the makings of a fascinating maritime museum. The master boatbuilder – whose skills live on…