The latest news from Scottish waters produced by Yachting Life & Afloat.
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…
Royal Irish Yacht Club's Saskia Tidey 'Reconfirmed' for Team GB Tokyo Olympics
15 April 2020 Scottish Waters
The 15 sailors already named to represent Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will remain the same for the rescheduled Games in 2021, the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) have confirmed. The squad…
Surfers Urged To Stay Ashore Amid Pandemic & Avoid Risk To Lifesaving Crews
15 April 2020 Scottish Waters
Aberdeen RNLI has urged surfers to stay ashore during the Covid-19 pandemic to “protect emergency services and save lives”. The call came after the volunteer crew of the station in north-east Scotland were forced to break self-isolation and launch their…
Thinking About Making Changes to Your Boat? IRC Rating Office Offers Discount
6 April 2020 Scottish Waters
The RORC Rating Office team is working remotely and continuing to provide the excellent service expected from owners, clubs and the industry around the world. As all sailors are looking forward to when they’ll be able to get out on…
RYA Welcomes Business Grants & Rates Packages For Sailing Clubs In England
3 April 2020 Scottish Waters
Sailing clubs and centres in England are already beginning to benefit from the £22 billion grant and business rates package recently announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the RYA says. Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure industry, such as…
Exclusion Zone Set Up At Cargo Ship Out Of Drogheda That Ran Aground In Western Scotland
27 March 2020 Scottish Waters
An exclusion zone was set up around a cargo ship out of Drogheda that ran aground in Scotland’s Hebrides earlier this week, as it was battered by persisting storm conditions. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, eight crew were airlifted from…
In the light of the latest UK Government announcement, the British Dragon Association (BDA) along with the Royal Forth Yacht Club (RFYC) has taken the decision to cancel this year's Scottish Dragon Championship and Edinburgh Cup event on the Forth…
Eight crew were rescued from a cargo ship out of Drogheda that ran aground off the Isle of Skye in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides early yesterday morning (Monday 23 March). The MV Kaami had left Drogheda Port on the evening of…
A local Shetland fishing trawler is now safely back in harbour after briefly running aground near Trondra in the early hours of yesterday morning (Saturday 21 March). The 26m whitefish trawler Sedulous had five crew on board when it went ashore around the…
The Scottish Series, Scotland's biggest sailing event scheduled for the Clyde on May 22 is the latest yachting regatta to become a casualty of Coronavirus restrictions. In a letter to competitors issued this morning, the 2020 cancellation stated that the decision…
Tobermory Lifeboat Goes To Aid Fish Farm Support Vessel With Engine Fire
15 March 2020 Scottish Waters
Tobermory RNLI's volunteer crew rushed to the aid of a 23m fish farm support vessel with the misfortune to have an engine fire on the evening of Friday 13 March. After putting out a ‘Pan Pan’ alert, the crew managed…
The route for the 5th Fife Regatta plans to visit historic hidden gems along Scotland's Clyde coast, celebrating the local craftsman William Fife, whose yachts still compete around the world with a number returning to home waters this June. The…
The RNLI lifeboat stationed in Aith in the Shetland Islands is to be led by local man John Robertson. He has been appointed by the lifesaving charity as coxswain of the RNLI Charles Lidbury, the regular lifeboat stationed in the…
Scotland's 'Autism on the Water' Charity Aims for Bangor Town Regatta Entry
1 March 2020 Scottish Waters
Bangor Town Regatta’s Class 3 sports a first-time entrant in Murray McDonald from Port Edgar, who confesses he has never been to the town before. Murray’s debut is in a Hunter 707 which has been raced competitively in the growing…
Royal Irish's Saskia Tidey & Charlotte Dobson Narrowly Miss 49erFX World Title
15 February 2020 Scottish Waters
It was so close yet so far for Scottish-Irish combination Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey who narrowly missed out on winning the World 49erFX championships in Australia today. The pair, who have qualified for Team GB's Tokyo team, had a…
Royal St George Yacht Club's Frank O'Beirne won the Irish Cruising Club's (ICC) Perry Greer Bowl for the 'Best First ICC Log' that describes a cruise from Dun Laoghaire to the Hebrides last Summer, a voyage that has provided the…
British Marine Spring Expo 2020 Closes With Vision of a Thriving Industry
13 February 2020 Scottish Waters
The British Marine Spring Expo 2020 drew to a close last week (5 February) having invigorated the UK industry with an ambitious vision of the future and delivered the valuable platform for learning, networking and business to kick start it…
In the women’s 49erFX World Championships at Geelong, Australia, the Royal Irish Yacht Club's Saskia Tidey from Dun Laoghaire sailing with Charlotte Dobson keeping up their winning moves to be lead boat as the top 25 teams also split off to gold…
Charlotte Dobson teamed with Dublin Bay's Saskia Tidey (who will sail for GBR in Tokyo) won World Championship races one and two in the FXs in Geelong, Australia today then just bailed out of the top 10 to finish fifth…
A new grassroots initiative hopes to consolidate dinghy sailing in Scotland and put it back on the map. Growing out of a Facebook group for Scotland’s dinghy sailing community, the Scottish Dinghy Sailing Development Group first met in December and…
Lerwick Lifeboat Guild Fundraising Volunteer Steps Down After 38 Years
10 February 2020 Scottish Waters
Bella Irvine has retired from the Lerwick Ladies Lifeboat Guild after 38 years service, since first volunteering for the Shetland Islands RNLI unit in 1982. At a gathering at RNLI Lerwick lifeboat station to mark the occasion last Tuesday evening…
The volunteer crew of Oban RNLI’s lifeboat Mora Edith MacDonald faced the gale-force conditions of Storm Ciara on two separate callouts yesterday (Sunday 8 February). At 10:14am, HM Coastguard requested an immediate launch following reports of a group of divers…
Tobermory Lifeboat In Multi-Agency Operation To Evacuate Injured Fish Farm Worker
6 February 2020 Scottish Waters
Tobermory RNLI’s volunteer crew took part in a multi-agency operation to evacuate an injured man from a local fish farm yesterday morning, Wednesday 5 February. Following the report of a crush injury at the fish farm in the Sound of…
Tobermory RNLI’s deputy second mechanic Tony ‘Kiwi’ Spillane has been announced as World Mince and Tatties Champion for 2020. After the All Blacks' disappointing run in the Rugby World Cup last year, the New Zealander made his home country proud…
Two very generous cheques was presented from supporters of Portree and Kyle of Lochalsh lifeboat stations in western Scotland last Friday 17 January. Mr Rodger Harvey-Jamieson made the very generous donation of £10,000 cheque from his family to each station…
A cardiac defibrillator has been installed outside Lerwick RNLI’s lifeboat station, to provide essential lifesaving treatment to anyone suffering from a heart attack. The defibrillator is fitted in a highly visible protective cabinet outside the station door next to the…
Scottish Brothers Set Trio Of Records In Transatlantic Rowing Challenge
20 January 2020 Scottish Waters
Three brothers from Scotland have set a trifecta of world records after rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in just over a month. According to BBC News, Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan MacLean are the first three brothers to row any ocean,…
The wife of a Scottish businessman has appealed for help in finding his whereabouts after his yacht was discovered empty during a 5,000-mile solo trip. Colin Finnie (67) was last in contact with his family six days before his 45ft…
The RYA Youth Sailing National Championships will enter an exciting new era in 2020 with the latest Olympic discipline of wind foiling set to make its debut. Windfoiling, an evolution of windsurfing, will replace the RS:X at the Paris 2024…
It’s been a busy start to the New Year with multiple callouts for Scottish RNLI lifeboat crews at Aberdeen on the east coast and Oban in the west. Aberdeen’s all-weather lifeboat was called for a medevac from an oilfield platform…
Tobermory RNLI’s volunteer crew had their first shout just 12 hours into 2020 when they went to assist a seriously injured casualty on a remote island in Loch Sunart in the western Scottish Highlands. The pagers sounded just before midday…
Miracle Dolphin ‘Spirtle’ Spotted Off Scotland After Her Summer Break In Ireland
19 December 2019 Scottish Waters
Miracle dolphin Spirtle has returned to her home waters in the north-east of Scotland after her summer spent off Ireland’s south-west coast, as BBC News reports. The bottlenose dolphin with a distinctive sunburn scar was spotted with her family group…
The 12th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's RORC Caribbean 600 will start on Monday 24th February 2020 from Antigua. Already the early entries are nudging towards an eclectic mix of 50 boats, with competition expected to be as…
It was a busy weekend for Oban RNLI in Western Scotland, with its lifeboat Mora Edith MacDonald responding to two separate incidents, covering over 120 miles. The first call came Saturday afternoon (7 December) as the lifeboat launched in gale…
Prestigious Awards For Volunteering Go To Scottish Lifeboat Stations
26 November 2019 Scottish Waters
Volunteers at Oban and Tobermory’s RNLI lifeboat stations in eastern Scotland have been recognised for their invaluable service in this year’s Excellence in Volunteering Awards. Oban’s four deputy coxswains — Mark Scott, Finlo Cottier, David Isaac and James Hardie —…
Last week brought success for Britain’s thriving marine equipment sector with UK companies picking up a string of accolades and revelling in a flourish of business opportunities at the world’s largest trade marine equipment exhibition, METSTRADE 2019. The event kicked…
Invergordon Lifeboat Launches To RIB Drifting Towards Cromarty Firth Oil Rigs
24 November 2019 Scottish Waters
Invergordon RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 8.36pm last night (Saturday 23 November) to reports of a vessel with no power drifting towards oil rigs in the Cromarty Firth. The all-weather Trent class lifeboat Douglas Aikman Smith made best speed…
Clyde Marine Planning Partnership Pays Tribute To Late Former Chair Isabel Glasgow
22 November 2019 Scottish Waters
The Clyde Marine Planning Partnership (CMPP) has paid tribute to former chair Isabel Glasgow, who died earlier this month of pancreatic cancer. Isabel, who was also chair of the Clyde 2020 initiative, “contributed so much of her valuable time, expertise…
Stonehaven RNLI Bids Farewell To Last Serving Atlantic 75 Lifeboat In Scotland
22 November 2019 Scottish Waters
It was a sad day this week as Stonehaven RNLI said goodbye to the last Atlantic 75 lifeboat in service in Scotland. The volunteer crew in Aberdeenshire watched as Miss Berry was winched out of the water to be transported…
German 'Electrified' Sailing Club Sets Example Through Electric Coach Boat with Torqeedo Propulsion
21 November 2019 Scottish Waters
From yacht clubs to sailing schools and non-profit associations – sailing organisations around the world are using Torqeedo electric outboard engines to modernise their fleets, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and improving energy efficiency. As a pioneer, Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee…
Largs Yacht Haven in Ayrshire has been awarded the marina industry’s top accreditation, the Five Gold Anchor award, for the fourth time in a row. The Gold Anchor award scheme rates the quality, level of service and overall standard of…
Wins for Spirit & Princess at IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards 2019
21 November 2019 Scottish Waters
British Marine members, Spirit Yachts and Princess Yachts, had a fantastic night at the IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards 2019, which took place on Tuesday (19 November) at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. Spirit Yachts’ innovative manufacturing process and yacht…
Lerwick lifeboat launched late Friday night (15 November) to the aid of a fishing vessel which had grounded on rocks just north of the Shetland Islands harbour. The 26-metre, Inverness-registered trawler was stuck fast and was listing when the Severn-class…
With the majority of boats now docked in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and crews busy making preparations for their 2,700 nm Atlantic ahead of start of the ARC next Sunday - 24th November - it was time to mark…
2019 RORC Season Points Championship Overall Winner is Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep
17 November 2019 Scottish Waters
More than 5,000 sailors from around the world, racing in a dazzling variety of 570 yachts, took part in the 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship. The world's largest offshore racing series comprised 14 testing races and every race had its…
A group of seven men from the North Coast hatched a novel way to carry out some fundraising for the Portrush and Islay RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews recently. As a group of keen sailors and avid supporters of the RNLI…
HM Coastguard rescue teams from Lerwick, Hillswick and Sumburgh, the search and rescue helicopter crew from Sumburgh and staff from the Coastguard Operations Centre in Shetland have been awarded the prestigious UK Department for Transport Rescue Shield by Brian Johnson,…
British Marine Scotland Members Show ‘Optimism & Confidence’ In Their Regional Marine Sector
11 November 2019 Scottish Waters
A recent survey of British Marine members in Scotland “reveals an optimistic, confident sector”, the industry body says. More than half of respondents to the British Marine Scotland survey earlier this year reported increased business, while two thirds declared development…
Animal Secures Back to Back Scottish RC35 Championship Wins After GSS North Clyde Regatta
18 September 2019 Scottish Waters
Jacob VII ends the RC35 season with another regatta victory but it's still not enough to unseat reigning champions Animal from securing back to back Scottish RC35 Championships writes Robin Young. The RC35 fleet, racing in the final round of…
Scotland's Leaky Roof 2 sailed by Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson & Kirsty Robertson from Cove Sailing Club were winners of the Sigma 33 Irish Open Championships sailed as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2019. In fact, Scottish visitors took the top three…
Scottish Crews in Top Three at Sigma 33 Nationals at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta
12 July 2019 Scottish Waters
Scottish crews are in command at the 20-boat Sigma 33 Irish National Championships hosted as part of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta. After four races sailed and one discard, James Miller's Mayrise of Helensburgh Sailing Club leads Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper/Robertson, Eric Robertson &…
After all the crews enjoyed a great night sampling the hospitality of Rothesay it was back to business for Day two of the Luddon Construction RC35 Scottish Championships last weekend. The first race began with a gusty 15 to 20 knots…
The competitive eight boat fleet was treated to glorious conditions in Ascog Bay off the Isle of Bute on day one of the Luddon Construction RC35 Scottish Championships writes Robin Young. Day one of the annual championships held under the burgee…
The Clyde Cruising Club’s Scottish Series has long been a happy hunting ground for Irish boats and crews writes W M Nixon. We remember with particular fondness the great days of the Royal Cork YC’s Corby 36 Antix, with which…
Cork Week Day 2: Scotland's J/122 'El Gran Senor' Takes Class One Lead (Photo Gallery)
17 July 2018 Scottish Waters
100 teams were competing inshore for the second day of Volvo Cork Week today. A long coastal race, in good breeze along the south coast, produced fantastic racing for classes IRC one, two and three. Scroll down for Tim Wright photo…
#VOR - Spanish team MAPFRE shot into the lead of the penultimate Volvo Ocean Race leg as the fleet rocketed round the coast of Scotland on Wednesday (13 June). The painfully light and fickle winds that dogged the seven teams…
