The latest news from Scottish waters produced by Yachting Life & Afloat.
The Glenglassaugh Scottish Traditional Boat Festival returns to Portsoy on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June. The event will offer a variety of water activities for all ages. Festival-goers can enjoy coastal rowing in wooden skiffs, bathtubbing challenges, and coracle…
Unusually poor weather greeted Scotland's Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC) members when the club's Social Sailing Network gathered in Tobermory, Isle of Mull, for the annual Mull Music Festival. Yachts came together on Friday, 25th April, to make use of…
Continuing Ireland’s prolific record of winning the historical regatta’s top overall award, the National Yacht Club’s J/109 Something Else, owned and steered by Brian Hall, lifted the historic Scottish Series Trophy on Monday (26 May) after counting a perfect scoreline…
National Yacht Club's 'Something Else' and 'Valentina' Shine on Day One of 2025 Scottish Series
23 May 2025 Scottish Waters
Dublin Bay yachts lead IRC 1 and Coastal divisions after the opening day of the 2025 Jura Scottish Series on Loch Fyne on Friday, May 23rd. Race organisers made the best of the beneficial wind and weather conditions on Loch…
Competitors at the Jura Scottish Series may not be assured of continued sunshine, the like of which has blessed the north of Britain for the last few weeks, but they should be blessed with breezes which seem set to build…
Hall's 'Something Else' Eyes Scottish Series IRC Title Set to Start on May 23 with Strong Line-up
22 May 2025 Scottish Waters
The National Yacht Club's potent J109 Something Else (Brian Hall) from Dublin Bay starts the Scottish Series on Friday, May 23rd, along with Dun Laoghaire Harbour clubmates Johnny Treanor's J112 Valentina and Pat Hogan's Dehler 30, No Xcuse. Johnny Treanor's…
To say the untimely passing on 24th April of Ayrshire's Alistair 'Storky' McLaughlin, 64, has robbed only the north of Britain of a truly outstanding sailing talent would be to underrepresent the dozens of regattas and championships he won. From…
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will return to Oban, Scotland in the 2025-26 edition. The West Coast town aims to attract global visitors and investors. In the summer of 2026, the Clipper Race fleet of eleven yachts will…
Close Racing Despite Mixed Conditions at RYA Scotland Winter Champs 2024
15 December 2024 Scottish Waters
A mixed bag of wind conditions didn’t hamper any close racing at the RYA Scotland Winter Championships over the weekend of 7-8 December. Forty intrepid young sailors took to the water at Blairvadach Outdoor Centre across six Youth and Junior…
Scotland’s Recreational Boating Sector Rejects Plans to Introduce Fee for Sailing on the Clyde
10 December 2024 Scottish Waters
Scotland’s recreational boating community has united in opposition to Peel Ports Clydeport’s proposal to introduce a conservancy fee for leisure craft operating in the Clydeport area. Concerns have been raised that the fee will restrict freedoms to sail in Scottish…
NI’s Bluefield Houseboats Welcomes New Partnership with Caley Cruisers Delivering M350 Houseboat for Rental in Scottish Highlands
17 November 2024 Scottish Waters
Northern Ireland company Bluefield Houseboats has announced a new partnership with Inverness-based Caley Cruisers Ltd that will see the addition of Bluefield’s M350 houseboat to the family-run marine business’ rental fleet. The M350 is scheduled to arrive in early 2025…
Over the weekend of 2-3 November, RYA Scotland welcomed representatives from different organisations and backgrounds to the Regional Performance Centre in Dundee for a packed weekend, including lots of opportunity to network, ask questions and spark new ideas. The Connected…
RYA Scotland Issues Statement on Proposed Clydeport ‘Conservancy Fee’ For Leisure Boat Owners
26 October 2024 Scottish Waters
RYA Scotland says it is aware of concerns being shared within the Scottish boating community, particularly those in the Clyde area, regarding the proposal from Peel Ports Group for a ‘conservancy fee’ to be levied on leisure boat owners in…
Exciting Finale as Mocking-J Secures Victory at RC35 Scottish Championships
17 June 2024 Scottish Waters
The word of the weekend was “windy” as the seven competitors arrived at the Holy Loch to participate in the 2024 RC35 Championships. With the wind coming out of the west and funnelling over the hill and straight down the…
Largs Yacht Haven Makes Changes to Meet Growing Demand for Larger Vessels
7 June 2024 Scottish Waters
Largs Yacht Haven in western Scotland is increasing its capacity for vessel up to 20 metres in length, according to Marine Industry News. The North Ayrshire marina, which is the largest in Scottish waters and celebrating 40 years in operation,…
Relief for Scotland’s Marine Leisure Sector as Visitor Levy Bill Amended
13 March 2024 Scottish Waters
The Scottish Government’s Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill that would have forced marinas and other mooring providers to charge a levy on visitor accommodation — including mooring and berthing for boats — has now been amended. As previously reported on Afloat.ie,…
Sailing Community Learns and Shares Together at ‘Connected Scotland’ Event
8 March 2024 Scottish Waters
More than 70 representatives from across the boating community came together for RYA Scotland’s ‘Connected Scotland’ forum in Perth last Saturday (2 March) to talk all things around the development of sailing and related and activities. The event also saw…
RNLI On the Lookout for New Beach Lifesavers in Scotland and Northern Ireland
18 February 2024 Scottish Waters
The RNLI is on the lookout for budding lifeguards to launch their lifesaving careers on some of the most popular beaches in Scotland, Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK. Recruitment for this season’s lifeguard team has started nationally in…
Virtual Public Consultation On Floating Wind Farm off Scottish Coast Closes Next Monday
15 February 2024 Scottish Waters
The “virtual” consultation on the Ossian wind farm project off the Scottish coast has included four live question and answer sessions, along with availability of documentation on the project’s website. The Ossian project is a joint venture between SSE Renewables…
Another first for the fiftieth Scottish Series this year will include RS21 keelboats racing on Loch Fyne. The RS21 Association has included the event as one of its 'Official Series', and that will give the class a chance to start…
Marine Tourism Stakeholders Welcome Amendment to Scottish Visitor Levy Plans
20 January 2024 Scottish Waters
The Scottish Government has confirmed that changes will be made to the proposed Visitor Levy Bill, in a move welcomed by marine tourism stakeholders. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the bill had proposed giving powers to local authorities in Scotland…
RYA Scotland has welcomed Philippa Howie to the team as Communication and Engagement Officer. Howie has a longstanding passion for sports, including sailing through her involvement with the Cadets at Solway Yacht Club. Her wider interests led to an education…
Stoura, an old Shetland word for windy and for wide open space, has been selected as the new name for the ESB’s 500MW floating wind farm off the coast of the Scottish islands. Stoura Wind Farm replaces the old name…
RYA Scotland’s 2023 Annual General Meeting was held virtually online on Thursday 26 October with a review of the past 12 months of sailing in Scotland from the board of directors. The diverse work of RYA Scotland covers the planning,…
Five Scottish Race Crew Cross Atlantic Ocean – the first major ocean crossing of the Clipper 2023-24 Race
24 October 2023 Scottish Waters
Five Scottish nationals have successfully completed the first major ocean crossing of the Clipper 2023-24 Race. The group of Race Crew members were part of over 200 participants from across the globe who had gathered in Punta Del Este, Uruguay,…
J109 'Mocking J' Takes RC35 Championship Title in North Clyde Regatta Finale
22 September 2023 Scottish Waters
The RC35 Championship has concluded for 2023, with Ben and Jono Shelley in their J109 'Mocking J' claiming their inaugural Championship victory. The final event, The North Clyde Regatta hosted by Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club, started with Charlie Frize’s…
Yasmin Price has been appointed to the board of RYA Scotland as Youth Director. The voluntary role sets out to represent the voice of young people under the age of 25 in the Scottish boating community and provide support and…
A lease has been secured for the expansion of James Watt Marina on the River Clyde, clearing the way for the development of a new marine trade centre for western Scottish waters, as Marine Industry News reports. Marine services firm…
RYA Highlights Potential Rising Costs for Mooring and Berthing in Scotland
17 August 2023 Scottish Waters
RYA Scotland highlights that the Visitor Levy Bill is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament. The bill, currently at Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament, proposes giving power to local authorities to decide whether to charge a levy on…
Northern Ireland Cruiser-Racers are Competing at 75th Anniversary of Scotland's West Highland Yachting Week
31 July 2023 Scottish Waters
Northern Ireland sailors are showcasing their skills at the 75th Anniversary of West Highland Yachting Week in Scotland. Michael Petticrew's Nicholson 43 Magdaleyne from East Down Yacht Club on Strangford Lough took second place in the Gigha to Craobh Feeder Race,…
A man rescued near Cairnryan in western Scotland after going overboard from a ferry from Belfast Lough on Saturday evening (1 July) has died in hospital, as BelfastLive reports. The Stena Line Superfast VIII ferry’s own rescue craft was deployed…
Scottish J122E 'El Gran Senor' is Sovereign's Cup Coastal Division First Race Winner
21 June 2023 Scottish Waters
Scotland's J122E El Gran Senor has taken the lead of Kinsale Yacht Club's 2023 Simply Blue Sovereign's Cup after the first race of the 17-boat Coastal IRC division. The Clyde Cruising Club entry, which finished fourth overall in 2022's Cork Week…
National Yacht Club J109 'Something Else' Leads IRC 3 of Scottish Series
27 May 2023 Scottish Waters
The Scottish Series 2023 on Saturday was dominated by changeable conditions. Although the wind was always present, it could be classed as extremely variable, which made the race officers' jobs very difficult when it came to setting a course. A…
Pat Kelly’s family crewed J109 Storm from Howth and Rush began this year’s Celtic Cup RC 35 series with a win at Kip Regatta, the first big event of the season. Dad Pat Kelly skippered the very competitive Storm with…
A 19th century Fifie Sailing Herring Drifter and a ‘rare survivor’ of the golden age of sail will make her maiden voyage to return to the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy, Scotland on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd July…
The RC35 Scotland season kicks off in two weeks' time at MS&P Kip Regatta on the 13th and 14th of May. After a very close 2022 season, where the top three places were covered by one point, all the teams…
Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Features in Scotland's RC35 Cruiser Racer Class Calendar
28 April 2023 Scottish Waters
Scotland's RC35 cruiser-racer class has published its 2023 calendar for its 2023 RC35 Series and 2023 Celtic Cup, and Ireland's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta features in both. Although Scottish-based, the class has one ‘away’ event each year. This is usually Volvo…
Ireland’s Leading Creator Of One-Design Racers Was The Very Scottish Alfred Mylne
25 February 2023 Scottish Waters
We’re accustomed to thinking of successful and long-lived local One-Design keelboat classes as being a distinctive feature of Irish sailing. Thus we tend to overlook the fact that one particular Scottish designer created more of these Irish boats than anyone…
The North Sea port of Aberdeen, Scotland is to host the Tall Ships event again, it has been announced. Aberdeen writes BBC News have been chosen for the venue in 2025 having hosted the prestigious event twice, firstly in 1991 and…
Craig Evans has been appointed by the RYA as the Regional Rules Advisor (RRA) for Scotland. With a background in dinghy racing, Evans has been an active racer for over 40 years in several classes. He was appointed as a…
The board of RYA Scotland have appointed James Stuart as interim CEO, which was announced as during the regional sailing and boating body’s virtual AGM last week. “We are very pleased that James was able to step in and welcome…
Colquitt Claims 2022 Ceilidh Cup victory on Breezy Weekend for Scottish Round of RYA Summer Match Racing Series
12 October 2022 Scottish Waters
Alex Colquitt and his team triumphed at the 2022 Ceilidh Cup in Argyll, western Scotland this past weekend, with Thomas Goodman of Strathclyde University taking the Scottish Student Sailing title. It was a windy affair for the annual Ceilidh Cup/Scottish…
The Royal Yachting Association Scotland will hold its AGM on Thursday 27 October. It will be held as a virtual meeting from 6pm on that date. All RYA members domiciled in Scotland and representatives of affiliated clubs, associations in Scotland and…
After nearly eight years as chief executive officer of RYA Scotland, James Allan has decided to leave to pursue the next chapter in his career. His last day in the role was Friday 30 September. The regional body for boating…
Loch Tummel Hosts Youth Sailors at RYA Scotland’s Late Summer Championships 2022
29 September 2022 Scottish Waters
Loch Tummel Sailing Club hosted the RYA Scotland Late Summer Championships aimed at youth and junior pathway classes over the weekend of 24-25 of September. There was close competition in the Optimist, Topper, ILCA, 420, Feva, Techno and iQFOiL classes,…
The 2022 Vantage Health and Life RC35 Championships is a wrap! Another very close season with tight racing in a great variety of locations and conditions. The season started with a great turnout of 10 boats at Kip Regatta, where one…
The RYA Scotland/British Keelboat League Youth Weekend at Port Edgar Yacht Club took place over the weekend of 3-4 September with 54 youth sailors out experiencing 707 keelboat racing on the Forth. “The consensus from everyone involved was that it…
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…
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…
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 —…
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…
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…
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…
Pregnancies in bottlenose dolphins can now be determined from images captured by drone, according to new research. As the Irish Examiner reports, marine scientists from University of Aberdeen and Duke University have flown drones over the Moray Firth Special Area…
Shirley Robertson & Dee Caffari Go Double Handed for the 2022 Offshore Season
6 January 2022 Scottish Waters
Two of Britain's most decorated female sailors will be teaming up for the upcoming 2022 Double Handed Offshore Season. Dee Caffari and Shirley Robertson will be sailing together throughout 2022 in the UK Double Handed Offshore Series, racing a new…
Saskia Tidey’s Tokyo 2020 49erFX Partner Charlotte Dobson Retires From Olympic Sailing
19 December 2021 Scottish Waters
The 49erFX partner of Dun Laoghaire’s Saskia Tidey at Tokyo 2020 has spoken of her fond memories of competing at the highest level as she called time on her Olympic career. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Charlotte Dobson was among…
Firm With Irish HQ Installs Portside Pontoon for Servicing Scotland’s Largest Wind Farm
10 December 2021 Scottish Waters
An Irish company has installed a new pontoon for the servicing of Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, as Marine Industry News reports. Inland and Coastal Marina Systems, which is headquartered in Banagher in Co Offaly, was contracted to provide for…
Royal Ulster’s John Minnis Picks up His Scottish Series Trophy at Clyde Cruising Club’s Annual Prizegiving
30 November 2021 Scottish Waters
The North Rotunda in Glasgow was the swanky venue for the Clyde Cruising Club’s Annual Prizegiving last weekend and there to pick up his prizes won at the Scottish Series way back at the end of May was Royal Ulster’s…
Royal St. George Team Racers Win Millennium Trophy at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
1 November 2021 Scottish Waters
The Royal St. George Yacht Club were the convincing winner after 24 races of the J/80 Millennium Bowl Team Racing event at Dun Laoghaire Harbour at the weekend. Saturday saw Dublin Bay Race Officer Barry O'Neill complete 18 races that…
Artemis Technologies, founded in 2017, is the lead partner in the Belfast Maritime Consortium, a 13-member syndicate working on designing and building zero-emission high-speed ferries in the city through the creation of its unique electric hydrofoiling propulsion system, which is…
Belfast Lough Seal Spotted With Can Stuck on Jaw Rescued in Scotland
19 October 2021 Scottish Waters
A young harbour seal spotted in Belfast Lough earlier this month with an aluminium can stuck on its lower jaw has been rescued by police in Scotland. The Irish News reports that the juvenile marine mammal had swum across the…
Global Marine SubSea Cable Laying in Scottish & Northern Irish Waters
18 October 2021 Scottish Waters
The Essex based subsea engineering company, Global Marine, is planning to install the Scot-NI 3 and Scot-NI 4 Telecommunications cables in Scottish and Northern Irish waters on behalf of British Telecommunications plc, between November 1st and December 20th this year.…
Blustery conditions made for challenging racing for the seven teams competing in the Ceilidh Cup / Scottish Student Sailing (SSS) Match Racing event, hosted at the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club in Rhu, Scotland, on Saturday 9th & Sunday…
Scottish Author's New Books 'Harbouring-My Desire' Raises Funds for the RNLI
28 September 2021 Scottish Waters
My name is Kevin Scott (58) from Newton Mearns, Glasgow. Married, two children. Lockdown for me provided the ideal opportunity to fulfil one of my earliest retirement goals. And that was to complete my journey around the Scottish mainland, once…
Kevin and Debbie Aitken's First 36.7, Animal, has completed a three-peat as Scotia Handling Services Ltd RC35 Class Champions. The season-long championship was completed at the Clyde Cruising Club's GSS Regatta in partnership with CRhu Rigging on the 11th and…
New Scottish Sailing Scheme for Young People Affected by the Pandemic Begins
2 August 2021 Scottish Waters
On Friday last (30th July), a new scheme for young people affected by the pandemic began in Oban on the Argyll and Bute coast in Scotland. The first participants include a cabaret singer, intensive care doctor and a student. Named…
Dun Laoghaire Harbour Crew Saskia Tidey Drops to Fourth in 49erFx Tokyo Battle
30 July 2021 Scottish Waters
Unstoppable and steadier through high-speed manoeuvres in the stronger winds, Charlotte Dobson and her Dun Laoghaire Harbour crew Saskia Tidey have ruled the waves of Sagami Bay this week for Team GB but light winds on Friday dropped the pair…
Royal Irish's Saskia Tidey Consolidates Lead for Team GB in 49erFX with Charlotte Dobson
28 July 2021 Scottish Waters
Dun Laoghaire's Saskia Tidey and Scotland's Charlotte Dobson consolidated their top position in the 49er FX with three top-five finishes in today's racing at the Olympic Regatta in Tokyo. There was sun, plenty of breeze and waves with 14 knots…
Pagers sounded for Largs RNLI’s volunteers yesterday afternoon (Thursday 27 May) after reports over VHF radio of a vessel on fire off Inverkip, on the Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. The inshore lifeboat made best speed to the scene…
Oban RNLI in Western Scotland launched to the aid of a yacht that has dragged its anchor in strong northerly winds on Friday afternoon (23 May). The 30ft yacht with two people on board had run aground in the popular…
Lerwick has been selected for the third time to be a host port for the spectacular Tall Ships Races. Sail Training International, the operator of the Tall Ships Races, has today (Tuesday 11 May) announced the selected host ports for…
Stornoway Port Doubles Yacht Berths in £11m Investment in Newton Basin/Goat Island Development
9 April 2021 Scottish Waters
Stornoway Port Authority, the primary port for the Outer Hebrides on the West coast of Scotland, will significantly increase the number of available berths for visiting leisure craft. As part of the wider £11 million Newton Basin/Goat Island development, the…
After Clyde Cruising Club decided to move the Scottish Series to the Clyde for 2021, the CCC team is working on the race programme. And in a recent communication to those boat owners having registered interest, a 'location survey' asks…
Scottish Series 2021 Moves Venue & Cancels Shoreside Entertainment In Bid to Stage Scotland's Biggest Sailing Event in May
31 January 2021 Scottish Waters
In order to protect the Scottish Series from another year of cancellation, the Clyde Cruising Club has stripped its May regatta right back to a racing event-based over multiple locations on the Clyde. In the face of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions,…
Irish Flying Fifteens Invited to the Clyde for UK National Championships
31 January 2021 Scottish Waters
Scottish club Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club is keen to recruit Irish Flying Fifteen entries for its staging of the UK National Championships from 24th - 27th June 2021. Ireland has a strong tradition of attending the UK event, particularly when…
Support Scheme for Scottish Marine Tourism Businesses Opens for Applications Next Week
28 January 2021 Scottish Waters
A £2.5m fund to help marine tourism businesses in Scotland restart operations in 2021 will be open for applications from next week, according to Marine Industry News. The Marine and Outdoor Tourism Restart Fund is part of an overall £104.3m…
Ongoing Restrictions Means Clyde Cruising Club to Discuss May's 2021 Scottish Series Regatta - 95 Boats Already Entered
27 January 2021 Scottish Waters
Following the earliest ever opening of registration for the Clyde Cruising Club's Scottish Series 2021, ninety-five boats had entered by Monday last for the event scheduled for 28th till 31st May at Tarbert on Loch Fyne in South West Argyll,…
Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Review Advocates Marine Co-operation - But No Mention of Rockall
22 January 2021 Scottish Waters
A newly published Ireland-Scotland bilateral review advocates economic co-operation in areas including the marine and renewable energy. However, the issue of Rockall is not mentioned, although access flared up as an issue in early January when a Donegal vessel was…
Fresh Seafood Deliveries from Scotland to EU Stopped Amid Post-Brexit Backlog
13 January 2021 Scottish Waters
A crisis in Scotland’s fishing industry since the end of the Brexit transition period has only worsened as a leading logistics provider has called a halt to deliveries of fresh seafood to the EU amid a raft of delays. As…
The Scottish shipyard that was contracted to build a pair of duel-fuel ferries, Ferguson Marine is being closed down for a week with immediate effect. Bosses say they have temporarily closed their Port Glasgow yard and Greenock warehouse with immediate effect.…
Scottish Sailing Tourism to Get a Boost from Restart Funding Scheme
29 December 2020 Scottish Waters
Scotland’s struggling aquatic tourism sector is set to be boosted by a £2.5m pandemic support package from the devolved government, as Marine Industry News reports. Sail Scotland and Wild Scotland have secured the £2.5m restart grant scheme aimed at supporting…
HM Coastguard N Ireland and South West Scotland have opened its recruitment window for volunteer 2021 Coastguard Rescue Officer Recruitment. The team of volunteers is made up of people from all backgrounds including other emergency services, government agencies, business owners,…
Jail for Jet Ski Novice Who Broke Isle of Man’s Pandemic Rules After Sea Crossing from Scotland
15 December 2020 Scottish Waters
A man has been jailed for four weeks on the Isle of Man after breaking coronavirus rules by riding a jet ski from Scotland to the island. As Sky News reports, 28-year-old Dale McLaughlan — who had never before used…
Survey Vessel Finds Unexploded World War II Mine Off Western Scotland
5 December 2020 Scottish Waters
A World War II mine found in “remarkable” condition off western Scotland earlier this week contained 350kg of explosives, according to the Royal Navy. The unexploded ordnance was discovered by a Marine Scotland survey vessel in the Firth of Clyde…
Upcoming Webinar Series to Discuss Scotland’s Strategy for Sailing & Adventure Tourism Post-Covid
14 November 2020 Scottish Waters
Scotland’s vast potential for sailing and adventure tourism post-Covid-19 is the focus of a new webinar series next week. Marine Industry News reports on the online inaugural Adventure Tourism Week, an initiative of VisitScotland, Wild Scotland and Sail Scotland. The…
RYA Scotland currently employs 12 staff in a wide range of roles, from performance to training, to development alongside administrators. There are also around 60 volunteers contributing and leading its work for the boating community in Scotland. The organisation is…
As Storm Aiden brought its gale-force winds and driving rain from Ireland to western Scotland, Oban RNLI launched to assist a fishing vessel in distress in Loch Etive. The 22ft fishing boat, with four on board, had broken down west…
The RNLI recorded one of their more unusual launches yesterday evening (Saturday 17 October) after a World War II-era seaplane made a distress call from Loch Ness. It emerged that the aircraft, the PBY Catalina, had experienced engine issues while…
Beaked Whales Coaxed Out Of Scottish Loch Ahead Of Major Military Exercise
2 October 2020 Scottish Waters
Three northern bottlenose whales were the subject of special rescue operation in Western Scotland yesterday (Thursday 1 October) as boats worked to guide them out to sea ahead of a major military exercise. As the Guardian reports, rescue teams led…
Aberdeen’s two RNLI lifeboats launched minutes apart around 9am this morning (Sunday 27 September) to a report of two surfers in danger at the entrance to Aberdeen Harbour in Eastern Scotland. It emerged that the surfers had paddled out beyond…
Northern Ireland Swimmers First To Cross Challenging Sea Route From Scotland To Giant’s Causeway
15 August 2020 Scottish Waters
Members of an open sea swimming team have become the first to complete a challenging route between Scotland and the Giant’s Causeway, as the Greenock Telegraph reports. The Oa Giants set out from Islay last Saturday 8 August and crossed…
Britain’s Coastguard Responds To Record Number Of Incidents At UK Coasts
10 August 2020 Scottish Waters
HM Coastguard dealt with 340 individual incidents across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday (8 August), representing its highest number of call-outs in a single day for well over four years. Packed coastlines and beaches kept coastguard personnel…
Oban RNLI in western Scotland has expressed sadness at the retirement of Dr Colin Wilson as a volunteer crew member. Dr Wilson has served the RNLI in Oban since 1990, first joining when the station had the Brede class lifeboat…
Cruising Association Welcomes Scottish Marking Order For Lobster Pot Buoys
14 July 2020 Scottish Waters
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,…
Daniel Smith (39) and his partner Becky Jeffery (29) were set to be married this Friday the 3rd of July, the day travel restrictions are to be eased and overnight accommodation is allowed in Scotland in the wake of the…
Offaly's Inland & Coastal Marina Systems Complete New Berths in The Hebrides
12 June 2020 Scottish Waters
Later this summer, local and visiting leisure craft to Stornoway Harbour in The Hebrides will be enjoying 75 new marina berths in its Newton Basin – increasing capacity for leisure craft to 155. The new facilities, designed and built by…
An overdue vessel sparked a major search off Skye in western Scotland last night (Saturday 9 May) involving two RNLI stations, multiple coastguard teams and an SAR helicopter. The operation began at 8.40pm after a four-metre RIB, reportedly with two…
Cargo Removed From Vessel That Ran Aground Off Scotland After Sailing From Drogheda
5 May 2020 Scottish Waters
Salvors successfully offloaded the last recoverable cargo from the grounded MV Kaami in western Scotland last Thursday, 30 April. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the MV Kaami ran aground in the Minch between Skye and Lewis on 21 March, just…
The Royal Ocean Racing Club announces further cancellations and changes to some of its key events as the season progresses and the COVID-19 pandemic continues throughout April. The decision comes after continued close monitoring of Government and medical advice, and…
Work Continues To Remove Cargo From Vessel Aground Off Scotland After Sailing From Drogheda
21 April 2020 Scottish Waters
Work continues at pace to remove cargo from the MV Kaami which ran aground off Skye in western Scotland after sailing from Drogheda Port last month. A further 22 skips of cargo were removed yesterday (Monday 20 April), meaning a total…
