The latest news from Scottish and Northern Irish waters produced by Yachting Life & Afloat.
Busy Start to Weekend for Carrybridge Lifeboat Assisting 11 People Across Four Boats in One Evening
14 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard shortly after 6.33pm on Friday evening (12 August) to a vessel which had got into difficulties in shallow water close to Naan Island.…
David Eccles Takes NHCRS Victory at Killyleagh Open Event on Strangford Lough
12 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland was pleased to be able to run its annual keelboat event, which incorporates the Bennett and Crooks Cups last weekend after a forced Covid break for two…
Citizen Sea’s Latest Recruit is Marine Biologist Monica McCard
12 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Citizen Sea’s latest recruit left school at 16 with one GCSE (General Certificate of Education) and now she is a Marine Biologist who has just handed in her PhD on Invasion Ecology. Monica McCard is the new Project Co-ordinator for…
All Change for Northern Ireland Topper Sailors at Weymouth National Championships
10 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
It’s all change at the UK Topper 5.3 Nationals at Weymouth now that the fleet has been split into Gold and Silver. Some of the Northern Ireland sailors who were making quite an impression in the huge fleet haven’t fared…
Just Four Northern Ireland Entries Competing at 200 Boat Irish Optimist Nationals, Dun Laoghaire
9 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Irish National Optimist Championships starting on Thursday 11th August at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay is expected to attract 200 entries but it is understood only four of these are from Northern…
Red Bay Lifeboat Rescues Three From Inflatable Dinghies Swept Out to Sea
3 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Red Bay RNLI has rescued three people this afternoon (Wednesday 3 August) after their inflatable dinghies were swept out to sea off Cushendall on Northern Ireland’s East Antrim coast. The volunteer crew were requested to launch both their all-weather and…
Portaferry Lifeboat Rescues Teenager Drifting Out to Sea on Inflatable Unicorn
3 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI in Northern Ireland rescued a teenager after he drifted more than half a mile out to sea on an inflatable unicorn on Tuesday afternoon (2 August). The volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat promptly at 3.45pm and made…
Royal Yachting Association Reveals New Director of Racing and Performance Director
3 August 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Heralding a new era for RYA Racing, today sees the announcement that Nick Scott will be taking up the Director of Racing position this autumn and Mark Robinson MBE is assuming a new role as Performance Director following the British…
New Lifeboat for Lagan Search and Rescue at Belfast Harbour
30 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Lagan Search and Rescue has a new Class 2 Lifeboat on station. The independent charity is run by volunteers and based at Belfast Harbour Marina on the River Lagan in the City. It covers all types of search and rescue…
Newly Built Traditional Lough Erne Cots Launched at Enniskillen Castle
28 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Lough Erne Landscape Partnership focuses on the conservation and promotion of Lough Erne’s landscape character and unique heritage, and it recently celebrated, along with the Belleek Men’s Shed and West Island Cot Heritage Group, the launch of community-built traditional…
Ballyholme Boy Bobby Driscoll Leads Topper Worlds in Italy
28 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Northern Ireland's Bobby Driscoll shares the lead Topper World Championships on Lake Garda in Italy after winning six of eight races sailed so far in the 5.3 division. The Ballyholme sailor from Belfast Lough has a three-point lead over Leo Yates of…
RNLI Lifeguards Save Four People in Two Incidents on Causeway Coast
26 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RNLI lifeguards in Northern Ireland have saved four people in two separate incidents during a busy week on Causeway Coast beaches. Two teenage girls were rescued after being pulled out to sea in a rip current, and on the same…
More Than 150 Fish Killed in Incident on Ballinagh River in Co Cavan
25 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a recent fish kill incident recorded on the Ballinagh River in Co Cavan. Environmental and fisheries officers from the North-Western River Basin District were alerted to the incident by a member of…
Foyle Maritime Festival Closed Early Due to Torrential Rain on Saturday
24 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Apart from a half hour of torrential rain at midday yesterday, the Foyle Maritime Festival ran smoothly till around 6 pm and then due to Health and Safety concerns had to end its programme of events. A spokesperson for Derry…
Appeal for Anglers to Report Sighting of Pacific Pink Salmon in Foyle and Carlingford Catchments
22 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Loughs Agency has issued an alert requesting that anglers or members of the general public report any sightings of Pacific pink salmon in the Foyle or Carlingford river systems. These migratory species of salmon, also known as ‘humpback’ salmon,…
Two Rescued Across Three Callouts in Two Days for Portaferry Lifeboat
21 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI launched for the third time in two days on Wednesday evening (20 July) to retrieve a kayak that had drifted off Slanes Bay on Northern Ireland’s Arts Peninsula. A member of the public raised the alarm shortly before…
Close Racing for Toppers Dinghies at Lough Erne Yacht Club
20 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
26 competitors, including six from the host club of Lough Erne Yacht Club, competed in the Topper traveller 4 event on Sunday, 17th July. Four races were completed in glorious sunshine and a steady force 2-3 wind on the Lough.…
Nine Rescued by Red Bay RNLI after Vessel Hits Submerged Object Near Fair Head and Takes on Water
17 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Five adults and four children have been rescued by lifeboat crew from Red Bay RNLI after their vessel hit a submerged object this afternoon (Sunday, 17 July) and started taking on water, near Fair Head near Ballycastle. Lifeboat crew from…
Jessika Robson Wins Seaside Revival Pickie to Pier Swim in Bangor, County Down
17 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
From Skippingstone Beach on the west side of Bangor Bay on Belfast Lough to the RNLI slipway in the Harbour is 800 metres and last week 200 swimmers raced that distance in the swim called the 'Pickie to Pier' named…
Eighty Yachts Compete at Strangford's Narrows Series 2022
17 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
This year’s Narrows Series held jointly last week by Strangford Sailing Club, Portaferry Town and Portaferry Sailing Club turned out to be a truly memorable event, blessed with sunshine and a good breeze. The three Regatta Series is traditionally sailed…
Corby 29 Elixir from Carrickfergus Wins IRC One Bar Buoy Race at Strangford
13 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Bar Buoy lies at the mouth of Strangford Lough in the Narrows which is the six mile long fast-flowing and very tidal neck of water between Ballyquinton Point to the east on the Ards Peninsula and Killard Point on…
Larne Regatta Gets Unexpected GB Row Challenge Visitors
12 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Larne Lough Weekend Regatta, held on the first weekend in July, drew visitors from Carrickfergus SC and Ballyholme YC on Belfast Lough, and a surprise visit too when Sea Legs, one of the rowing boats taking part in the GB…
The late Pat Kelly from Antrim Boat Club on Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland was known far and wide in Ireland. His passing last week at the age of 85, less than a year since he last sailed, was acknowledged…
RYA Northern Ireland Announces New Chief Operating Officer
7 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland has announced the appointment of Greg Yarnall as its new chief operating officer. Currently development director with Table Tennis England, he will join the RYANI in September 2022. He succeeds Richard Honeyford, who took up a new…
Belfast Lough's Game Changer is Only Northern Ireland IRC Boat at Cork Week
7 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Cockle Island is a small club in the village of Groomsport on Belfast Lough and members there will be rooting for one of their own who is racing the only Northern entry in this year’s Cork Week, Shaun Douglas in…
Strangford Lough Sailing Clubs Organise Substantial Narrows Series Programme
6 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Last year there were over 140 boats in the long-established Bar Buoy Race and Narrows Series, a four-day bonanza of sail racing in the fast-flowing Strangford Narrows, the six-mile stretch of water that empties and fills the 58 sqm of…
Vintage Dublin Yawl Ainmara Celebrates Centenary+Ten With Return To Ringsend Birthplace
6 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The 36ft yawl Ainmara, designed and built in 1912 by the talented self-taught naval architect John B Kearney in Murphy’s Boatyard beside his family’s home in Ringsend, played a key role in Irish sailing north and south until 2018. She…
Enniskillen Lifeboat Assists Two Stuck on Vessel Run Aground on Lower Lough Erne
5 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Enniskillen RNLI came to the aid of two people on Sunday (3 July) after their boat ran aground on Lower Lough Erne. The lifeboat volunteers were paged by Belfast Coastguard shortly before 1.45pm to rescue the duo at Gull Rock,…
Comfortable Win for MacCarthy and Thompson at GP14 Nationals at Cultra
5 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
In a warm-up for the 12-day long GP14 Worlds in Skerries in early August, a very competitive 40-strong fleet came to the line for the Ridgeway Irish GP14 Championships hosted by the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on the…
Strangford Lough Yacht Club Pair Win Flying Fifteen Northerns at County Antrim
4 July 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane from Strangford Lough YC topped the fourteen-strong fleet of Flying Fifteens at the Northern Championships hosted by County Antrim YC on the north shore of Belfast Lough. Competitors travelled from as far away as Draycote…
Brian Pahlmann Joins RYA Scotland Team as New Regional Development Officer
1 July 2022 Scottish Waters
Brian Pahlmann joins the team at RYA Scotland as the regional development officer (RDO) for the North of Scotland and the Islands. Hailing from the United States and with a strong background in community sports and active lifestyles, Pahlmann is…
RYA Northern Ireland Gears Up for Third Women on Water Festival
28 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland has announced this year’s Women on Water Festival, which is set to be an action-packed day at Donaghadee Sailing Club. This event, which will take place on Saturday 23 July, will be the third festival to run…
Newcastle RNLI Lifeboat Rescue Five GB Row Challenge Rowers in Difficulty off Ardglass
27 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Newcastle RNLI rescued five rowers early yesterday morning (Sunday 26 June) after they got into difficulty in challenging weather conditions 23 nautical miles northeast of Ardglass. The crew from the GB Row Challenge had left Tower Bridge London on 12…
Round-Britain Rowers Rescued by Red Bay Lifeboat Amid ‘Hugely Challenging Conditions’
26 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Six round-Britain rowers have been rescued by Red Bay RNLI amid “hugely challenging conditions” at sea off Northern Ireland. As the Belfast Telegraph reports, the group were part of the GB Endurance team taking part in a coastal rowing challenge…
Carrybridge RNLI Lifeboat Respond to 35 Foot Cruiser on Fire on Upper Lough Erne
22 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
At 8.15pm on Monday 20 June, Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat, Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard, to assess a 35 foot cruiser which was reported by a member of the public to be…
The late Raymond Beattie was a Strangford Lough man through and through, an enthusiastic sailor and member of Killyleagh Yacht Club. He passed away in the Isle of Man on 1st June following a tragic accident. In a fitting tribute…
Sensor to Prevent Bridge Collapse Developed by Queen's University Researcher in Belfast
22 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A new sensor to detect erosion of riverbeds and banks which can cause bridge collapse has been developed by a Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) researcher. The erosion, known as “scour”, is regarded as the leading cause worldwide of major structural…
Simply Blue Group Announce Second Offshore Windfarm in Northern Ireland Waters
22 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Simply Blue Group, a leading Irish Blue economy developer in floating offshore wind, wave energy and low-impact aquaculture, has announced its second offshore wind project for Northern Ireland. The ‘Olympic Offshore Wind’ project is a sister project to ‘Nomadic Offshore…
Foiling Ballyholme Waszp Dinghy Duo Sail to Scotland and Back to Raise Funds for Jodi’s Giants Charity
21 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The North Channel isn’t a very enticing place when you want to sail to Portpatrick on the Mull of Galloway in Scotland in windy conditions in a hydrofoiling Waszp dinghy and even less so when you’re attempting to set a…
Conditions Test Mettle of Scottish Youths and Juniors at Largs Over Weekend
20 June 2022 Scottish Waters
As part of the RYA Regional Junior Championships, RYA Scotland hosted Scottish youth and junior sailors at Largs Sailing Club in testing conditions this past weekend of 18-19 June. High west and northwest winds dominated the weekend, with volunteers and…
Martel's First 40.7 Pippa VI Wins Ailsa Craig Race
19 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The light winds forecast for the Ailsa Craig Race from Royal Ulster on Belfast Lough on Friday night turned out to be at times 17 knots, which for Stuart Cranston’s Ker 32 Hijacker appeared just at the wrong time when…
Two River Rescues as well as two Lough Incidents Keep Lough Neagh Rescue in June
17 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
On Sunday 5th June lifeboats went to the aid of a jet ski with two people on board in difficulties on the River Blackwater which flows into the south western corner of Lough Neagh. It was towed to Maghery where…
Bangor Town Regatta Prepares to Welcome 600 Sailors to Belfast Lough
17 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Excitement is growing on Belfast Lough with the prospect of next week’s Bangor Town Regatta bringing over 600 sailors to that seaside town, now designated ‘City’, for the resurrected event which has been on hold during the pandemic. Chairman Gavin…
Organisers Cancel Scotland’s Boat Show 2022, Citing Increased Costs and Shortage of Boats for Sale
16 June 2022 Scottish Waters
Scotland’s Boat Show has been cancelled for 2022, with organisers citing mounting costs and a shortage of boats for sale, as Marine Industry News reports. The event had been set to take place this October at Kip Marina, Inverclyde —…
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat Assist Speedboat Drifting Out To Sea
14 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat was launched on Sunday 12 June, at the request of Belfast Coastguard to come to the assistance of a small speedboat that had broken down and was drifting out to sea. The volunteer crew were paged and…
Red Bay RNLI Volunteers Save Swimmer Who Gets into Difficulty off Cushendall
14 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Volunteers at Red Bay RNLI saved a swimmer on Monday evening (13 June) after she got into difficulty 200m from the shore at Cushendall in County Antrim. The inshore lifeboat helmed by Emmet Connon and with three crew members onboard,…
Belfast Lough's Simon Brien Lying Fifth at RS Elite Grand Prix in Cowes
11 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Cowes, Isle of Wight: 11th June 2022. Russell Peters and his crew of James Grant and Greg Wells snatched a narrow lead at the end of the third day of the Brewin Dolphin RS Elite International Grand Prix. Northern Ireland…
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat Assists Two Yachts in A Day – One French and One German
10 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat was launched yesterday, Thursday 09 June, to assist a French yacht which had run aground at Ballyferris Point, in County Down. The volunteer crew of Donaghadee Lifeboat were requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard yesterday at 11.56…
Portrush RNLI Congratulates Fundraiser Becoming a Platinum Champion
10 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The teams at Portrush RNLI were delighted to hear that one of their fundraisers, John Martin, has been chosen as one of the 490 Platinum Champions due to his outstanding commitment to volunteering. The Platinum Champion Awards were launched by…
Newcastle Lifeboat Launches to Aid of Seasick RIB Passengers
7 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
In the first of two callouts on Saturday (4 June), Newcastle RNLI’s volunteer crew came to the aid of two people on a RIB some 12 miles offshore. Pagers sounded just after 7.10am on Saturday morning following a report that…
East Antrim Boat Club at Larne Runs Successful Discover Sailing Session
7 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
East Antrim Boat Club at Larne recently ran a very successful Discover Sailing Open Day when 29 people turned up to sample the sport under the guidance of 41 club volunteers. The mastermind behind the effort for what was reportedly…
Portrush Lifeboat Launches to Yacht in Difficulty at Barmouth
6 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portrush RNLI was requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard at 11.10pm last night (Sunday 5 June) to reports of a 31ft yacht without power at the Barmouth near Coleraine. The all-weather lifeboat under coxswain Des Austin launched at 11.35pm into…
Belfast's Lagan Search and Rescue Win Queen’s Award
4 June 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Among the many awards and honours given on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service bestowed on the voluntary independent rescue service, Lagan Search and Rescue. The Award aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer…
Busy Weekend for Portaferry Lifeboat on Strangford Lough
30 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Portaferry RNLI launched to the aid of four people across three callouts on Strangford Lough over the weekend for the Northern Ireland volunteer lifeboat crew. The first call came just after 1am on Saturday morning (28 May) when a spoken-word…
HRH The Duke of Kent Presents Gallantry Award for Portrush RNLI Lifesaving Rescue
30 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A lifeboat mechanic from Portrush RNLI was invited to join His Royal Highness (HRH) The Duke of Kent at St James’s Palace last week (Friday 27 May) to be presented with a Vellum from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)…
Pet Goldfish a Voracious Threat to Biodiversity if Released into the Wild
30 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The harmless-looking goldfish is so voracious that attempting to save its life by releasing it into the wild could be “catastrophic” for native biodiversity, a new study suggests. A study by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) scientists assessed the ecological impact…
Bangor On Belfast Lough Becoming “The City of Bangor” Is Nothing New
28 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
There has been a surprisingly mixed reaction to the news that next weekend, in celebration of the Royal Platinum Jubilee, the sailing-mad town of Bangor on Belfast Lough will be conferred with City Status. Joy has not been unalloyed. Apart…
GP14 Ulster Championships at Lough Foyle Yacht Club Won By Ross Kearney and Andrew Vaughan
26 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ross Kearney and Andrew Vaughan from Royal North YC on Belfast Lough topped the 26 strong GP14 fleet at the Ulster Championships over the third weekend this month. The event was hosted for the first time since 2018 by Lough…
Foyle Anglers Advised Over ‘Limited Number’ of Escaped Farmed Rainbow Trout
24 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Loughs Agency has confirmed the detection of a “limited number” of escaped rainbow trout from an aquaculture facility in the Foyle area. Investigations are being conducted by inland fisheries officials from Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural…
Gamechanger On Form in Royal Ulster Yacht Club's Copeland Islands Race
23 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Copeland Islands lie on the North Down coast just a short distance off Donaghadee but separated from the town by a fast strong tidal sound which provides interesting but necessarily accurate navigation. So to have the Royal Ulster Yacht…
Safer Waters Open Evening Proves a Useful Recruitment Drive at Bangor Marina
23 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Crowds gathered recently at Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough for the second open evening to be held by the charity Safer Waters. Safer Waters is a unique service in Northern Ireland, established in 2020 to provide a Safety Boat service…
Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan Take Squib Northern Victory at Killyleagh Yacht Club
20 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough recently hosted the Squib Northerns and a fleet of 18 enjoyed five races under Race Officer Scott Rogers and his team in challenging conditions over the two days. Overall winners…
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat Helps Yacht Taking On Water, Second Call Out In A Week
20 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat was launched on Thursday 19 May, to assist a yacht taking water onboard approximately 12 miles North East of Bangor, County Down. The volunteer crew of Donaghadee Lifeboat were requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard on Thursday…
First New Lock on Lagan Canal in Over 250 Years Set to Open
16 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Nearly five years after work began, the first new boat lock on the Lagan Canal in more than 250 years is set to open tomorrow, Tuesday 17 May. The new £4+ million Lock Number 1 at Stranmillis is part of…
A win in the final race for the appropriately named Final Call II in Kip Regatta at the weekend clinched an overall first in the RC 35 division for John Minnis’s Archambault 35 from Royal Ulster and Royal North of…
Belfast-Based Sailor Lauren McDowell Awarded Mary Peters Trust Bursary
16 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The first Northern Ireland athlete selected for Mary Peters Trust funding is Belfast-based sailor, Lauren McDowell, who has received a £500 bursary. Each of the ten athletes will be selected by Lady Mary and her Trust to receive a £500 bursary…
RYA Scotland are looking to identify a team of young sailors from Scotland to go to the British Keelboat League Championship Finals in Southampton in September 2022. An online information session on Tuesday 24 May at 7pm will set out…
Scotland's top regatta has been cancelled just 20 days before the first race. The scrubbing of the 'premier regatta' is not due to a lack of entries but a lack of volunteers to run the event on Loch Fyne, according…
James Curran’s Impala 'Beeste' on Top in Quoile Yacht Club IRC Spring Series
11 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The Quoile Yacht Club Spring Series on Northern Ireland waters kicked off the sailing programme on Strangford Lough at the end of April, racing in two fleets, IRC and NHC The club is tucked away in the sheltered southwestern corner…
The Our Isles and Oceans’ group of inexperienced sailors witnessed upwards of 30-knot winds in the Sound of Mull in Scotland today. The Our Isles and Oceans 68-foot Clipper Round the World racing yacht set sail from Tobermory Harbour this…
Bangor Lifeboat Assists Six on Yacht After Engine Failure
10 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Bangor RNLI’s volunteers came to the rescue of six women on a yacht after its engine failed during a passage to Glenarm in Co Antrim. The inshore lifeboat Jessie Hillyard was launched on Monday morning (9 May) from Belfast Lough…
Larne Lifeboat Launches to Aid of Paddle Boarders Caught in Breeze Off East Antrim Coast
10 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Larne RNLI in Northern Ireland launched to the aid of a group of paddle boarders who were caught in an offshore breeze at the weekend. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard at 2.09pm…
Dog Deaths Linked to Lough Neagh Prompt Council Probe
8 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Local authorities are investigating after two dogs died following contact with the water at Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, as BelfastLive reports. In the separate incidents on Thursday (5 May), a five-month old golden retriever and a 15-month-old cocker spaniel…
Life-Changing Opportunity For Young NI Sailors to Have Their Own Boat
8 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Enthusiastic young sailors from across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply to be in with a chance of being awarded their own boat. Through an ongoing partnership between the John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST) and RYA OnBoard, 10 boats…
The eel fishing season on Lough Neagh began last week. And in a conservation measure, the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-Operative Society was involved in helping restock the Lough with "glass eels" (one and a half million of them), the juveniles…
British Team for Youth Sailing World Championships Announced
5 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Sixteen of the UK’s most promising young sailors have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Youth Sailing World Championships. The talented youngsters, all aged 18 or under, will represent the British Youth Sailing (BYS) Team in eight classes…
On Monday, May 2 Lough Neagh Rescue was alerted by Belfast Coastguard to reports of an overturned Jetski in Antrim Bay on the Northeast corner of what is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles and Ireland. Two casualties…
Portrush Raft Race Returns in September to the North Coast
3 May 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The fundraising Portrush Raft Race is something of an institution in the north coast town of the same name, which is blessed with two stunning beaches and tidily in between, a picturesque harbour where the RNLI Severn Class lifeboat the…
RYA Northern Ireland Youth Forum Members Celebrate Another Successful Year
30 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A group of young sailors recently came together to mark another successful year of the RYA Northern Ireland Youth Forum. The celebration event took place at Carrickfergus Sailing Club with guests representing RYA clubs across Northern Ireland in attendance. The…
Big Interest in East Down Yacht Club's 11-boat Impala 28 Fleet
30 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
From two Impalas in the early days at East Down Yacht Club to 11 now is very satisfying progress at the club situated on the western shore of Strangford Lough. This would be the envy of many of the local…
Larne based East Antrim Boat Club members learned recently of the sudden passing of their friend Norman Surplus who was associated with the club for many years. Norman’s love of outdoor pursuits began at college where he discovered windsurfing and…
Ballyholme Bay in Bangor on Belfast Lough is a Jekyll-&-Hyde sort of place. For much of the time, it’s serene, with excellent sailing waters off a neat urban waterfront above a tidy esplanade on its western shoreline, while the eastern…
Ballyholme Topper Sailor Bobby Driscoll is Youth Sailing Champion on Belfast Lough
24 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Five winds from eight races gave local sailor Bobby Driscoll from the hosting Ballyholme Yacht Club a clear overall win ahead of clubmate Emily McAfee in the 51-boat Topper 5.3 event, one of the biggest fleets of the Youth Sailing…
RYA Northern Ireland Appoints New Sailability Coordinator
16 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Ken Curry, secretary of Foyle Sailability, has been appointed as RYA Northern Ireland’s sailability coordinator for the reguon. Curry took up the post this month and says he is looking forward to helping people with disabilities to get out on…
55 Currently Entered for Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough
16 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough are gearing up for an influx of boats for Bangor Town Regatta at the end of June, with 55 currently entered. The event of the same name was first sailed…
Good Showing by Northern Ireland Sailors at the RYA Nationals at Pwllheli
13 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The 190-strong fleet at the RYA Youth Nationals hosted by Pwllheli Sailing Club in North Wales this week should be a good run-up to the Irish Youth Sailing Nationals next week at Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough where around…
Strangford Lough Sailing Calendar 2022 is Published
12 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
There’s certainly a great variety of racing this season in Strangford Lough. The Strangford Lough Racing Calendar has just published its fixtures for 2022 and the very busy months till the end of September kick off with the two-day Quoile…
RNLI Lifeguards Set to Return for Easter as New Data Shows Record Breaking Summer
11 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The RNLI has revealed lifeguard statistics from 2021 which show more people than ever visited a lifeguarded beach in Northern Ireland and needed the help of the charity’s lifesavers. During the season, lifeguard teams located on 11 beaches along the…
Saskia Tidey Disqualified in Last 49erFX Race But Six-Medal Haul in Palma Kickstarts British Sailing Team’s 2022 season
9 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Britain’s elite sailors laid down a marker as the 2022 season got underway at Palma’s iconic Trofeo Princesa Sofia, bringing home medals in six of the ten classes. The British Sailing Team haul included two golds, a silver and three…
Strangford Lough Trials Eco-Friendly Boat Moorings
6 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
At the end of March, the Strangford and Lecale Partnership started a new pilot study of Advanced Mooring Systems in Strangford Lough. It is the first study of its kind in Northern Ireland, and these eco-friendly moorings will avoid or…
Larne Lifeboat Launches to RIB Run Aground on Lough
4 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Larne RNLI on Northern Ireland’s East Antrim coast launched to the aid of a man yesterday (Sunday 3 April) after his boat ran aground. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by Belfast Coastguard following reports that…
Hen Island Raft Race Returns to Strangford Lough
4 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Hen Island lies in Whiterock Bay near Sketrick Island on the west shore of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland and used to be the location for a popular raft race. Now post Lockdown the Strangford Lough Raft Race is back…
Dun Laoghaire Race Officer Con Murphy To Run Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough
4 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Con Murphy from the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour is an internationally known sailor and International Race Officer. So Bangor Town Regatta will be in safe hands as he will be the Principal Race Officer for the event…
Notice to Boaters Over Angling Events on Lough Erne Next Weekend
3 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Waterways Ireland has issued advisories for masters on Lough Erne in Northern Ireland over two angling events in the area taking place next weekend. On Lower Lough Erne, the Ulster Trout Angling Championship will take place on Saturday 9 April.…
RYANI Welcomes Announcement Ireland’s First International Watersport Expo
2 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Northern Ireland has welcomed the announcement that Ireland’s first ever international watersport expo will be held at the EIKON exhibition centre in Lisburn next March. Ireland on the Water Expo will take place on 4-5 March 2023 and is…
Northern Ireland’s New Passenger Ship Sets Sail off Antrim's Ballycastle
2 April 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Marking what it described as a “new dawn”, an Antrim company has launched the province’s largest sightseeing passenger ferry. The new vessel Kintra II marks a £1 million investment by Kintra Boat Tours, and the creation of eight jobs. The…
J109 ‘Jelly Baby’ Heading North for Restoration
27 March 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
Kevin O’Neill’s boat-shed at Kirkistown on the Ards Peninsula in Co Down has seen many boat restorations, the most recent being the MGRS 34, Twenty Twenty for Rex Robinson of Dublin Bay (renamed Debbie R in memory of his late…
Council Delays Dredging of Carrickfergus Marina and Harbour
26 March 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
The programme of dredging Carrickfergus Marina on the north shore of Belfast Lough has suffered delays, apparently due to operational reasons. The original date for completion was this past Thursday 24 March. Meanwhile, the status of dredging operations in the…
Lagan Search and Rescue is looking for new team members. Based out of Belfast Harbour and Lough, Lagan SAR operates an Independent Lifeboat, Type B Flood Team, Quayside Response, and Rescue Swimmer Corps. The crew is made up of dedicated…
Speeding Ferrari Gets Driving Ban for NI Yacht Broker
21 March 2022 Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
A Northern Ireland-based yacht broker has been banned from driving in the Republic after his Ferrari was clocked at nearly 200kmh in Donegal last year. According to the Sunday World, GulfStream Boat Sales boss Niall Heaney was witnessed by gardaí…
