Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough has taken a big step and will hold a two-day club regatta this weekend, (1st and 2nd August), for members only, but it will be an adapted ‘regatta’, run to the new normal within…

Cork Harbour Boat manufacturer Safehaven Marine undertook an 800nm four-day cruise in Thunder Child II to Scotland, living off the boat to visit a place called the Gulf of Corryvreckan. A pretty wild yet beautiful place writes Thunderchild's skipper, Frank…

It’s not often a record-breaker visits Bangor but Safehaven Marine’s Managing Director Frank Kowalski, who set the Round Ireland and Rockall Record in the original 17 metre XSV 17 demonstrator Thunder Child in 2017, brought his striking yellow hulled Thunder…

Belfast Lough Sailability was due to host the President’s Cup in August but sadly, due to COVID 19, this event has had to be postponed. This interprovincial regatta was Inaugurated by Paralympian John Twomey, promoted by Sailability Ireland and provides…

Carlingford Lough YC hasn’t been idle during the lockdown as members have enjoyed a Virtual Regatta, starting in early April, thanks to the RYA who arranged for sailing clubs to have a free subscription. To date, the club has had…

The Cadets at Ballyholme Yacht Club in Bangor Co Down on Belfast Lough are split into two sections; the beginners called Dolphins and those who have completed Stage 3 – Sharks. In order to reduce the numbers on the slipway…

After a great deal of work in conjunction with RYA Cymru Wales, and the Royal Dee Yacht Club, the IRC Welsh Championships will go ahead in a “stripped down” fashion but still provide challenging racing. As Afloat previously reported here,…

Stand up Paddleboarding in the mountains? Lough Shannagh (or the Lough of the Fox), is a corrie lake on the southern side of the Mournes in County Down and lies at 390m at the foot of Carn Mountain. It is…

Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough in County Down welcomes visitors from far and wide, but this Mediterranean gull must be one of the most interesting, having travelled from Poland, Spain, and France before flying into Bangor. Berth holder, wildlife expert…

The RNLI lifeboat crew in Newcastle, Co Down rescued three people over two callouts in the space of 24 hours earlier this week. The all-weather lifeboat first launched on Monday morning (13 July) to aid a boat with two people…

It is just over three years since the Cruising Association of Ireland fleet visited Belfast Lough. And now another trip north is planned for the middle week of August. The CAI has managed to keep active through the COVID 19…

RYA Northern Ireland is calling for women across Northern Ireland to give feedback on its Women on Water programme. The governing body hopes to find out what boaters want through a development survey, which will help to shape future programmes.…

The UK’s Cruising Association’s Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) has welcomed the move by the Scottish government to update its rules for marking lobster pots in Scottish waters. The best practice guidance, which came into force on 20 June,…

Neighbouring clubs Royal Ulster and Ballyholme at Bangor in County Down on Belfast Lough are both due back on the water soon. The RUYC sailing committee has decided that in line with further guidance from the RYA that competitive sport…

Discarded plastic is the predominant form of litter on Northern Ireland’s beaches, according to a new survey by a local environmental group. As the Belfast Telegraph reports, the survey by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful estimates that plastic — most of…

Cadet Summer Sailing at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough is proving popular with much interest in the scheme which starts on Monday next (13th July). Rear Commodore Sailing Jonny Millar, Cadet Officers John Driscoll and…