The latest news from Northern Irish waters produced by Yachting Life & Afloat
Broad Welcome for Lough Neagh Action Plan as Stormont Gives Seal of Approval
24 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The long awaited action plan for Lough Neagh that was approved last week by the Northern Ireland Executive has been broadly welcomed, as BBC News reports. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said he would put his “shoulder to the wheel” to…
A Club Transformed as Ballyholme Yacht Club Hosts ILCA 6 European Championships on Belfast Lough
22 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Newbies to the Ballyholme suburb of Bangor on Belfast Lough tend to call the shops at a crossroads The Village, and now there is another village at Ballyholme – at the Yacht Club – the ILCA 6 Euros Competitors' Village…
Newcastle RNLI rescues two sailors after catamaran gets into difficulty
22 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Newcastle RNLI came to the aid of two sailors on Friday afternoon (19 July) after their catamaran got into difficulty in Newcastle Bay. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard at 4.21 pm and…
Northern Ireland Sailor Embarks on Fundraising Circumnavigation of Ireland in Memory of Friend
21 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Gavin Vaughan of Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough has always wanted to sail around Ireland but not in the famous race. So spurred on by the death of his longtime friend and crew Neale McCullough, who…
Five Races Planned at Strangford Lough Yacht Club Two Day Event in August
20 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland's Strangford Lough Yacht Club, on the western shore of the Lough, is looking forward to a big turnout for its two-day event on Saturday and Sunday, August 24th and 25th. The competition is open to IRC and YTC…
Drascombe Raid From Carrickfergus To The Sands Of Solway
18 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The extensive Solway Firth, between Scotland and England in the northeast corner of the Irish Sea, has massive tides that are continually changing the nature of the place. In times past, this worked well for coastal raiders. And none more…
Larne Lifeboat Rescues Man on Inflatable Dinghy Drifting Out to Sea
18 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Larne RNLI came to the aid of a man who was drifting out to sea on an inflatable dinghy on Monday afternoon (15 July). The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore D class lifeboat at 1.15pm at the…
200th Anniversary RNLI Exhibition at North Down Museum
15 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
An exhibition celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the RNLI is currently running in the Long Gallery at the North Down Museum in Bangor on Belfast Lough. Over the years, the charity’s volunteers have answered the call to rescue day or…
Jessika Robson Wins Bangor's Pickie to Pier Swim in Bangor for Third Time
14 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Jessika Robson from Hillsborough has won the annual Open House Festival Pickie to Pier Swim in Bangor on Belfast Lough for the third time. Previously winning in 2022 and 2021, Jessika was pipped to the post at last year's event…
Ballyholme Yacht Club Set to Host ILCA 6 Euros Championship Event
11 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
This week, the football Euros—in two weeks, it will be the ILCA 6 Euros at Ballyholme on Belfast Lough in Northern Ireland on July 27th. The Club on the east side of Bangor on Belfast Lough has hosted many successful…
Foyle Maritime Festival Shines Despite the Showers
7 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
It's been two years since the River Foyle in Ireland's northwest hosted one of the country's biggest nautical celebrations. Traditionally held in July, the Derry festival was brought forward a month to coincide perfectly with the start of the school…
British Marine Announces Robert Parton as New President
2 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
British Marine, the trade association for the UK leisure, superyacht, and small commercial marine industry, has appointed Robert Parton as its new President, effective from 18 July 2024. Having served as President-Elect for the past two years, Robert Parton is…
Belfast Harbour Reports Strong Financial Results in 2023
2 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Belfast Harbour has announced strong financial results for 2023, showing an increase in annual turnover and operating profits despite a challenging global trading environment. The Harbour's annual turnover reached £82.9 million, marking a 7% increase from the previous year, while…
Kearney and Nelson Win Irish GP14 Championship Title at Newtownards Sailing Club
1 July 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ross Kearney and Daniel Nelson (RNIYC) won the 2024 GP14 Championship of Ireland which concluded on Sunday after eight races sailed at Newtownards Sailing Club. Eight races across 3 days and a variety of conditions tested the 45-boat fleet. Friday…
Three in a Row for J109 Storm as Bangor Regatta 2024 Sees Thrilling Finish in Unpredictable Weather
30 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
In like a lion and out like a lamb is said to mean that the month of March should end with quiet weather compared to a lion. But this is June, and the Belfast Lough weather hasn't reached the lamb…
Exciting Finale In Prospect at Bangor Regatta 2024 on Belfast Lough
29 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Patience is a virtue they say and that is what was needed this morning when Belfast Lough was like a mirror and the Bangor Regatta fleet was motionless in the Marina. However word was that this forced stoppage was very…
Kelly Family's J109 Storm Leads at Bangor Regatta 2024
28 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Never mind what's going on elsewhere In Ireland this weekend; with Shania Twain in Belfast's Ormeau Park, Taylor Swift at the Aviva, the All-Ireland Quarter GAA Finals in Croke Park and the Foyle Maritime Festival in Derry, there was plenty…
Antrim Boat Club Concludes Busy Month with Exciting Racing Events
28 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
June at Antrim Boat Club on the north shore of Lough Neagh has been a busy month with the conclusion of the Rolo's Summer Series, the annual regatta and the Interclub event The Cat's Cradle. Unfortunately, the scheduled Races 5…
RNLI Lifeguards Return to Causeway Coast and Co Down Beaches for Peak Summer Period
28 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RNLI lifeguards are returning to their full-time regime patrolling a total of 11 Northern Ireland beaches along the Causeway Coast and in Co Down. The charity along with the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, the National Trust and Newry,…
New Atlantic 85 Class Inshore Lifeboat Goes on Service at Bangor RNLI
28 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A new Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat has officially gone on service at Bangor RNLI in Northern Ireland. The Ruby Robinson arrived at the Co Down station on Tuesday afternoon (25 June) and replaces the Jessie Hillyard, which has been…
Devenish Island’s East Jetty Extension Officially Opened
27 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Waterways Ireland has officially opens the extension of Devenish Island’s east jetty, increasing mooring capacity to facilitate growth in visitor numbers to the island, one of Lough Erne’s premier tourist attractions. Following a £285,000 (€338,000) investment, Devenish Island’s east jetty…
Flying Fifteens British Isles Championships: Competitive Racing and Fair Conditions Prevail at Strangford Lough Yacht Club
27 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A 41-boat fleet of Flying Fifteens assembled at Strangford Lough Yacht Club, Whiterock, this past week to contest the British Isles Championships. This event was last held in these waters in 2018 when the regatta was condensed into three short…
Portaferry Lifeboat Responds to Emergency Beacon Alert
25 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI’s pagers sounded on Sunday afternoon (23 June) after Belfast Coastguard received an ermergency position indication radio beacon (EPIRB) alert close to Portavogie. The inshore lifeboat launched at 1.05pm amid good conditions on Northern Ireland’s Co Down coast, with…
Competitive Spirit Alive in Clyde Cruising Club’s North Channel Race
25 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The North Channel Race is a well established offshore event on the Clyde Cruising Club racing calendar, and it was great to see such strong support from the RC35 fleet, writes Jim Dervin. After an 8pm start off Inverkip Marina…
Royal North's Patterson and Nolan Lying Third at the Squib UK Nationals on the Firth of Forth
19 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland's Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan from the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club are lying third after day three of the Squib UK Nationals at the Royal Forth Yacht Club. This morning (Wednesday) there was absolutely no wind…
Quoile Yacht Club's Mat 1010 Elixir is Ailsa Craig Race Winner
19 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Ailsa Craig race has for 62 years been the highlight of Royal Ulster’s offshore sailing programme. The 80-mile race from Bangor on the north down coast, round the Rock in the Firth of Clyde and back to Bangor, is…
'Largest' Sailing Ship 'Sea Cloud Spirit' Visits Belfast and Dublin
18 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The 'largest sailing ship in the world' and probably one of the largest ships to anchor in Belfast Lough at 138 metres in length arrived in the Norhern Ireland port on Tuesday, (June 18th). She is the youngest of the…
Anglers ‘Fighting Uphill Battle’ Against Pollution of Northern Ireland Rivers
18 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Anglers in Northern Ireland say they are “fighting an uphill battle” against pollution incidents that have resulted in a spate of fish kills throughout the region. As BBC News reports, thousands of fish have been lost in incidents across Northern…
Campaigners Celebrate as Court of Appeal Rules Against ‘Irrational’ Decision to Approve Larne Lough Gas Storage Project
17 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Local campaigners shed “tears of joy”, as Belfast Live reports, after the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that Edwin Poots acted “irrationally” in approving unilaterally a major gas storage project under Larne Lough. Under the banner of No Gas…
Kennedy and Kane are Flying Fifteen Northern Champions at Killyleagh
17 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ten boats lined up on the start line for the Flying Fifteen Northern Championships 2024, held on June 15th and 16th at Killyleagh Yacht Club, on Strangford Lough. The first day of racing began with calm winds and shifting breezes, challenging…
Killyleagh Yacht Club Hosts Annual Fund-raising Charity Event in Aid of RNLI's 200th Anniversary
17 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland's Killyleagh Yacht Club lies on the western shore of Strangford Lough on Cuan Beach, close to the town. On June 29th and 30th, it will host its annual fund-raising charity event. This year, the event will aid the…
Warrenpoint and Kilkeel Libraries Present Celebrating 200 Years of Haulbowline Lighthouse Photo Exhibition
16 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Warrenpoint and Kilkeel libraries in Co Down are set to host a special exhibition that will showcase a collection of photographs featuring the iconic Haulbowline Lighthouse, the scenic Carlingford Lough area and the historic Newry Canal in Northern Ireland. ‘Celebrating…
Ballyholme Sailors Dominate RS Feva Northerns in Challenging Conditions
14 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
It certainly wasn’t champagne sailing last weekend for the Ridgeway RS Feva Northerns at Royal North of Ireland YC in Belfast Lough. The persistent strong on shore winds gusting 29 knots at times didn’t let up on Day 1 so…
Strangford Lough's Portaferry Prepares for Four-Day Festival of Sailing
14 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry on the east shore of the Strangford Narrows at the mouth of Strangford Lough is preparing for a four-day Festival of Sailing, Water activities and Competitions from 5th till 8th July. The Narrows Series is one of the biggest…
Bangor Lifeboat Assists Two on Vessel With Engine Difficulty Near Groomsport
13 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Bangor RNLI launched to the aid of two people on Wednesday evening (12 June) after their boat encountered engine problems near Groomsport. At 8.35pm, Bangor’s RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 class lifeboat Jessie Hillyard following a request from Belfast Coastguard…
Portaferry RNLI Enjoys Joint Training Exercise on Strangford Lough
11 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI joined the Strangford ferry service and Portaferry Coastguard on Sunday morning (9 June) for a planned man-overboard exercise on Strangford Lough. The exercise focused on an alert that one, then two people had fallen overboard. There was a…
Enniskillen Lifeboat Helps Six After Boat Gets Into Difficulty on Lough Erne
10 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
At 10.55pm on Friday evening (7 June), Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat John and Jean Lewis was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard to assess a boat with six people onboard, which had encountered difficulties while making its way from…
Newcastle and Portaferry Lifeboats Come to the Rescue of Dismasted Yacht
9 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The all-weather RNLI lifeboat Leonard Kent from Newcastle was launched early on Saturday to aid a 29-foot yacht with four people on board, approximately 20 miles southeast of Newcastle. The yacht had suffered a dismasting, prompting an urgent response from…
Long-Awaited Action Plan for Lough Neagh to Go Before NI Executive This Week
8 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Belfast Live reports that an eagerly awaited action plan for Lough Neagh is to go before the Northern Ireland Executive in Stormont in the coming days. It follows last week’s questioning of DAERA Minister Andrew Muir by his own department’s…
Young Topper Sailors Navigate Challenges and Celebrate Victories at Donaghadee Sailing Club Event
6 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Donaghadee Sailing Club on the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland recently hosted the third Topper Ireland/ITCA Traveller event of 2024, welcoming young sailors from various clubs for a weekend of friendly competition and skill-building. The event kicked off with a…
Busy Weekend for Carrybridge Lifeboat With Two Launches Within 24 Hours
4 June 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launched on Sunday evening (2 June) at the request of Belfast Coastguard to assess an eight-metre vessel with four people on board which had lost steering south of Crom Castle. Winds were north-westerly Force 2 and…
RYA Northern Ireland Seeks Partnerships Ahead of 50th Anniversary Celebrations in October
29 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
This October, RYA Northern Ireland will host a commemorative dinner at The Harbour Commissioners Office in Belfast to mark its 50th anniversary and celebrate all involved in the sport of sailing in the region over the decades. Ahead of the…
Limbo 6.6 'FA2' Leads as Antrim Boat Club’s Summer Series Gets Underway on Lough Neagh
28 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Antrim Boat Club’s Summer Series returned on 25th May. Eight races, in round-the-can style, are scheduled for Thursday evenings. A good entry of 12 boats will race in the northwest corner of Lough Neagh. As in the Winter Series, the…
North Down's Pickie to Pier Swim Returns With Original Race Route From 1910
24 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
On the North Down coast there are among the many open water swimming groups, the Chunky Dunkers at Donaghadee and the Brompton Beaus and Belles near Carnalea and no doubt some of them plus dozens of other will be part…
Killyleagh Yacht Club Hosts Keelboat Event on Strangford Lough
24 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Last Saturday (18th), thirty turned out in six classes at Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough for the Keelboat event, which incorporates the Crooks Cup and Westward Trophy. A steady Northerly breeze and sunshine made for…
Carrybridge Lifeboat Assists Lone Boater on Vessel That Ran Aground
22 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Carrybridge RNLI’s volunteers were called by Belfast Coastguard on Saturday afternoon (18 May) to assess a 6m vessel with one person on board which had run aground some two miles upstream from the lifeboat station on Upper Lough Erne in…
‘Devastation’ on Co Antrim River as More Than 1,000 Brown Trout Lost in Fish Kill
21 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
More than 1,000 brown trout have been lost in a major fish kill on a Co Antrim river, as BBC News reports. On Friday (17 May), Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed the incident resulting…
RYANI Works With PSNI to Organise Marine Flare Disposal Day
21 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland has been working closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Stephen Dunne, MLA for North Down to arrange a marine flare disposal day for Northern Ireland boaters. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, marine flares…
Carrickfergus Sailing Club Honours Terry Windsor for Decades of Dedicated Service
20 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
For Terry Windsor of Carrickfergus Sailing Club on the north shore of Belfast Lough, awards come in twos. Last year, he received an award from East Antrim Borough Council for Services to Sport in recognition of 28 years of service…
Construction Contract Awarded for Narrow Water Bridge Linking Omeath and Warrenpoint
16 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Work will soon begin on a new road span linking Co Louth and Co Down across the Carlingford Lough narrows after the awarding of the construction contract to BAM Ireland for the Narrow Water Bridge. Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill…
Almost 100 Compete at East Antrim's IODAI Optimist Ulster Championships
16 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Oppie circuit was in full swing last weekend as East Antrim Boat Club hosted almost 100 sailors and their families for the Ulster Championships. The next day, as the sun shone and the craic started to build, the main…
NI Sailors Among Junior Talents Shining at 2024 RYA Eric Twiname Championships
16 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Rutland Sailing Club in England’s East Midlands was a hub of energy over the May Bank Holiday weekend (4-6 May) as some 300 junior sailors — including nine from Northern Ireland — took to the water for the highly anticipated…
Nine Northern Ireland Yachts Heading for Scottish Series 2024
13 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Of the 86 current entries for the Jura Scottish Series which runs from 24th -27th May in Loch Fyne, nine are from Northern Ireland, with most coming from Belfast Lough. Competing in the eight-strong Sigma 33 OOD class will be…
Eels Found in Bangor Park Pond During Dredging Work
11 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Eels in a park pond? About 150 eels were found during de-silting work in the ponds in the 37-acre Ward Park in the centre of Bangor on Belfast Lough. That’s about 5,000 km from their spawning area, the Sargasso Sea…
Donaghadee Sailing Club To Stage Topper Dinghy Ireland Traveller Event
9 May 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The ITCA Topper Ireland Traveller is a well-established series, and Donaghadee Sailing Club on the North Down coast will host an event on 26 May. Stuart Ogg is the event organiser, and he and his team say that the club…
Foyle Port Prepares for Record-Breaking Cruise Season with Six Inaugural Calls
30 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Derry-Londonderry's Foyle Port is gearing up for a busy cruise season, with nine cruise liners expected to visit the port between May and September, including six inaugural calls. The Port is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year and is set…
Encouraging Start For Women Sailing Sigma 33 Elandra at Royal Ulster’s Opening Day at Bangor
29 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Sigma 33 Elandra was out racing for the first time yesterday (27th April) with its mainly all-women crew on Belfast Lough. Victoria and Martin Dews have made Elandra available to encourage women to grab the chance to race or…
O'Tiarnaigh's eXcession is YTC Rating Winner at Royal Ulster Yacht Club Spring Series on Belfast Lough
28 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Inclement weather played havoc with the six-race Royal Ulster Yacht Club Spring Series on Belfast Lough, with Sunday, 7th April, cancelled. However, four races eventually gave overall results. The last outing on 21st April started with little wind, and the…
Northern Irish Finn Sailor Books Congressional Cup Semi Final Place with with Ian Williams in California
28 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Multi-talented Irish Finn Sailor Oisin McClelland from Donaghdee in County Down, who recently joined the 44Cup circuit, is in top match-racing form in America this weekend as part of Great Britain’s Ian Williams Congressional Cup crew, which is through to Sunday's…
Loughs Agency Collaborative Tree-Planting Effort Enhances River Faughan's Biodiversity and Conservation
25 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Loughs Agency, in collaboration with Enagh Seniors Group and volunteers from River Faughan Anglers, recently organised a tree-planting event at Teenaght, situated along the scenic banks of the River Faughan near Claudy. Approximately 150 willow saplings supplied by Enagh Seniors…
Donaghdee RNLI Lifeboat Crew Rescues Fishing Trawler in Difficulty and 'Unsure of Location'
25 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
In the early hours of Thursday 25 April, the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew from Donaghadee lifeboat station received a call from HM Coastguard to launch a rescue mission. A 40ft fishing trawler with one person onboard had contacted the Coastguard…
NI Sailing Community Celebrates at RYA Northern Ireland Annual Awards
24 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Northern Ireland sailing community enjoyed a celebratory evening at Riddel Hall in Belfast last Friday (19 April) as people came together for the RYA Northern Ireland Annual Awards. The evening was “the perfect opportunity to recognise the achievements of…
Harland & Wolff Backed New Ferry Operator for Isles of Scilly Cancels May Start
24 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Scilly Ferries, a division of Harland & Wolff Group, is a new ferry operator that was due to start running in May between the Isles of Scilly and Penzance, Cornwall, but has been delayed. The shipbuilder group announced on Friday that…
All-Female Crew to Compete in Northern Ireland Inshore Points Series on Sigma 33 Elandra
24 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Victoria Dews, the owner of Sigma 33 Elandra based in Belfast Lough, possesses many of the characteristics associated with the name Elandra, such as a strong personality, energy, charisma, and focus. She is a great advocate of Women on Water,…
Dublin Bay Mermaids Set to Make Historic First Visit to Belfast Lough for Ulster Championships
19 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
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
19 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
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…
Erne System: Closure of Enniskillen’s Henry Street Jetty for Angling Event Next Week
19 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
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…
Bob Espey Dominates at Northern Irish Waszp Championships in Harsh Weather Conditions
17 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Despite the Yellow Weather warning for County Down last weekend, six Waszp dinghies did turn up at Ballyholme Yacht Club for the first ever Northern Irish championships section of the Four Nations Cup. But with little respite from the North…
Puffins May Benefit From Closure of Industrial Sand Eel Fishery in North Sea and Scottish Waters
17 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) anticipates that puffins will benefit from the closure last month of the industrial fishery for sand eels in the North Sea and Scottish waters. The closure of the fishery from March…
Dunaverty Ltd Celebrates Successful First Year of Rathlin Island ferry service with expansion plans and sustainability focus.
16 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Dunaverty Ltd, the operators of the ferry service to Rathlin Island off the coast of County Antrim, have successfully completed their first year in business. The company has announced that it has increased its team to 18 and transported thousands…
AC40 Sailing on Belfast Lough is Swedish Challenge Women's and Youth America's Cup in Training
15 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
If you were wondering why an AC40 was sailing in Belfast Lough in the last few days, here is the answer. About a week ago, the AC40 arrived in Belfast for the Swedish Women's and Youth America's Cup teams for…
Erne System: Erne Predator Challenger on Upper Lough Erne This Weekend
12 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterways users on the Erne System that the Upper Lough Erne Predator Challenger boat pike angling competition will take place this Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April. The event will take place from…
Belfast Harbour Invests £1.5m in New Pilot Boat Equipped with Advanced Environmental Features
9 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Belfast Harbour has announced the arrival of its latest pilot boat, the Hibernia, marking a significant investment of £1.5m in its marine fleet. The new vessel will be responsible for ferrying pilots to and from ships at the port, helping…
Northern Ireland Sailors Selected for RORC’s Griffin Project in 2024
8 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland youth sailors Emma McKnight from Strangford Lough Yacht Club and Daniel Corbett from County Antrim Yacht Club are among just 20 across the UK selected for the Griffin Project 2024. The Griffin Project is a Royal Ocean Racing…
Bangor RNLI Launches Mayday Fundraising Campaign to Support Lifesaving Services
8 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Bangor RNLI, the lifesaving charity on Belfast Lough based in Northern Ireland, has launched a Mayday fundraising campaign to support its vital services. The charity has revealed that it was called into action 36 times in 2023, highlighting the importance…
Cockle Island Boat Club Honours Three of its Original Founding Members at Mayor’s Reception
6 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Eagle Wing emigrant ship is reputed to have sailed from Groomsport on the south. shore of Belfast Lough in 1636 with 140 passengers and was the first attempt by Ulster-Scots folks to emigrate to America. At 140 tons, it…
Swan 40 with an Enviable Racing Record Enters June's Bangor Regatta
6 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Racing at Bangor Regatta in June promises to be keener than ever with the appearance in the Coastal IRC and YTC class of not one but two Swans. The Swan 40 Sloop John T is better known outside Northern Ireland…
Applications Open for Active Clubs Grants From RYA Northern Ireland
5 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland has launched its Active Clubs Grants scheme, which offers funding for Northern Ireland clubs aiming to grow and retain their membership. Priority will be given to clubs who are running programmes for women and girls, people with…
Ballycastle to Host Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2024
3 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, is all set to host a leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2024. This July, the global event will witness the world’s best cliff divers competing against each other on the beautiful Causeway Coast.…
Limbo 6.6 'FA 2' is Antrim Boat Club Winter Series Winner
1 April 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
There is not much in the way of shelter when the wind is in the north on Lough Neagh, so the fleet from the Club in the north west corner was greeted for the first race of the second half…
Larne RNLI Celebrates Charity’s 200th Milestone With Gala Ball Raising More Than £4,600
28 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Larne RNLI in Northern Ireland celebrated the RNLI’s 200th anniversary with a gala ball held at Magheramorne Estate raising £4,657.63 to help the station continue to save lives at sea. The event, organised by the volunteer fundraising crew, was held…
Now that the Six Nations Rugby is over, the Waszp class is embarking on its Four Nations Cup. For the first time in Northern Ireland, one of the fixtures will be at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough. The others…
RNLI Lifeguards Returning to Causeway Coast for 2024 Easter Break
26 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The RNLI lifeguard team are returning to patrol seven beaches along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland over the upcoming Easter period. The lifeguard service is also adjusting its operational hours this season from 10am to 6pm each day. From…
RNLI's Carrybridge Lifeboat Crew to be Featured in BBC's Saving Lives at Sea
24 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The RNLI, renowned for its 200 years of lifesaving, is set to feature on the popular maritimeTV show Saving Lives at Sea on BBC Two and iPlayer. The ninth series, which focuses on the lifesaving work of today's lifeboat crews…
Loughs Agency Staff Undergo Swift Water Rescue Training With NIFRS
22 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Loughs Agency staff traded their water testing kits for wetsuits and rescue lines after undergoing vital swift water training with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). The collaboration stemmed from NIFRS seeking information about potential training exercises on…
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Set to Make First Stop in Northern Ireland on Causeway Coast
22 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
For the first time ever, this summer Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast will welcome the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Positioned in the World Series calendar as a major mid-season shake-up, the fourth stop of 2024 from 18-20 July has…
RNLI Red Bay Lifeboat and Sea Shanties on Second RTE Seascapes Special Tonight
22 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A man overboard exercise with Antrim’s Red Bay all-weather lifeboat and the experience of a dog walker rescued by Cork Harbour’s Crosshaven lifeboat are among topics on tonight’s (Fri, March 22) RTÉ Radio 1 special issue of Seascapes. The programme,…
St Patrick’s Day Launch for Portaferry Lifeboat to Assist Ocean Rowing Vessel
21 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI came to the aid of four people on St Patrick’s Day (Sunday 17 March) after their ocean-going rowing boat sustained a broken rudder and developed steering problems. Belfast Coastguard requested the launch of Portaferry RNLI’s inshore lifeboat at…
Dutch Sailing Barge to Embark on Epic Journey for Charity Fundraising from Lough Erne to Inverness
21 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
In May 2024, a 126-year-old Dutch Sailing Barge named Drie Gebroeders will set off on an epic adventure from Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh to the eastern Scottish coast, and back again. The goal is to attend two maritime festivals…
European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club Attracting Sailors from 26 Countries
21 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Since the doors opened for the European ILCA 6 Championships at Ballyholme Yacht Club a few weeks ago, 388 applications for 440 places have been received. The club lies on the north shore of County Down near the mouth of…
19 GP14s Compete in Fifth Weekend of Spring Series at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
20 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
19 GP14s set sail on St Patrick's Day for the fifth weekend of the spring series at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough. The sailors were greeted with a light 4-5 knots from the south, with a…
New Boats Arriving to Compete at June's Bangor Regatta on Belfast Lough
16 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Word on the grapevine is that Jonathan Anderson's Danish-designed X 4.3 will be among the boats new to Royal Ulster’s Bangor Regatta in June. The new boat is still in the factory so brand new. He was the previous owner…
Ireland’s Inland Waterways Assert Their Individuality As IWAI’s 70th Anniversary Arrives
16 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
If you were trying to think of the most utterly rural town in all Ireland, Longford would certainly be among the top ten - maybe tops of all. And our rustic view of it is emphasised by the fact that…
Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club to Host 2026 GP14 Worlds as Championships Returns to Ireland For Second Time in Four Years
15 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ireland will stage the GP14 World Championships for the second time in four years following a decision by the International Committee to relocate the 2026 World Championship from Sri Lanka. Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, Belfast, has agreed to…
Erne System: St Patrick’s Weekend Activities in Enniskillen
13 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Erne System in Northern Ireland that the St Patrick’s Illuminated Flotilla will take place in Enniskillen this Saturday evening 16 March. The event runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, starting at…
Lower Bann: Movanagher Lock Reopens to Navigation After Installation of New Lock Gates
13 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Lower Bann navigation in Northern Ireland that the installation of new lock gates at Movanagher Lock has been completed as of Wednesday 13 March and the navigation is…
Antrim Boat Club's Winter Series Expects Close Finish
10 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
With Antrim Boat Club on the north west corner of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland nearing the end of the second half of its Winter Series it will be a close gallop to the final result. There is little between…
Sign Up Now for RYA Northern Ireland’s Women on Water Festival
8 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland’s Women On Water Festival will take place at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club in Cultra on Sunday 12 May and online sign-ups are now open to women across Northern Ireland and the wider island of…
Northern Ireland's New Minister of Agriculture Visits Loughs Agency to Learn About Environmental Preservation Efforts
8 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland's new Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, recently paid a visit to the Loughs Agency Headquarters in Prehen, gaining first-hand insights into the organisation's essential work. The visit was warmly welcomed by Sharon McMahon, Chief…
'Purple Haze' Arrives on Strangford Lough: Vintage Quarter Tonner Will Contest 2024 ICRA Nationals and IRC Europeans on Dublin Bay
6 March 2024 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Ker 32 Hijacker was a popular competitor owned by Stuart Cranston of Strangford Lough YC at Whiterock and the nearby Down Cruising club, but he was struggling to get enough regular crew (eight) so downsizing was the answer, and…
