Northern Ireland Sailing & Boating News
RYA Urges British Boaters To Think Again Before Cancelling Payments & Support Local Networks
31st March 2020 News Update
British boaters are being encouraged to support their local boating networks wherever possible during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As Boating Business reports, the RYA is asking people to think again before cancelling payments to sailing clubs, marinas, class associations and…
Belfast Harbour Marina Closes to Visitors Until Further Notice
25th March 2020 Northern Ireland Waters
In a rapid spread of harbour and marina closures in Northern Irish waters, the next to suffer is Belfast Harbour Marina which is closed to visitors until further notice. The action has been taken in the light of current UK Government…
Vessels May Not Launch: Harsher Restrictions in County Down Harbours
25th March 2020 Northern Ireland Waters
In a ramping up of curbs on the use of some harbours in County Down, Ards and North Down Council have issued a Notice to Berth Holders preventing the launching and mooring of vessels, apart from fishing boats, in its…
Bangor Marina Closes Under UK’s Three-Week Covid-19 Lockdown
24th March 2020 Coronavirus and Boating
Following last night’s announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of a full lockdown in the UK over the next three weeks, Bangor Marina in Northern Ireland has closed and is asking customers to stay away for the duration of the…
Members of Cockle Island Boat Club in Groomsport near Bangor on Belfast Lough have had to cancel indefinitely the lift-in planned for 27th April and organised by Terry Graham, due to restrictions on the size of gatherings in the current…
Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough Falls Victim to Covid-19
23rd March 2020 Coronavirus and Boating
Northern Ireland's biggest sailing event, Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough has been cancelled over Covid 19 concerns. A statement from the organising club, Royal Ulster, says: - “It is with deep regret that the Organising Committee of Bangor Town…
In line with the UK Government's latest advice, and the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) announcement to suspend events in light of Coronavirus (COVID-19), The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has taken the decision to cancel the Easter Challenge which was…
MJM Marine Says Mass Layoffs ‘Unavoidable’ In Newry As Orders Postponed Over Covid-19
18th March 2020 Coronavirus and Boating
Newry ship refurbisher MJM Marine has told its staff that redundancies “in large numbers” are unavoidable after all future orders were postponed indefinitely amid the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. The Belfast Telegraph reports on an internal communication to staff yesterday (Tuesday…
Sea Cadets in Northern Ireland excel at football as well as rowing and sailing, demonstrated by the junior girls' five-a-Side team winning Gold at the National Finals in England recently. The junior team, aged 12 to 15, was made up…
It was just a little more than a week ago that Irish Sailing issued its first statement over the coronavirus outbreak to the effect that ‘all events were going ahead as scheduled’. Then last Thursday (12 March) it cancelled its…
Cruise Liner Bound For Belfast Rerouted From Italian Ports Over Nationwide Covid-19 Lockdown
13th March 2020 Coronavirus and Boating
A cruise liner bound for Belfast in May has had its itinerary changed to avoid two upcoming port calls in Italy, following that country’s extraordinary national lockdown measures to control the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the MSC…
Red Diesel Subsidy Removal “Disappointing” says British Marine
12th March 2020 Northern Ireland Waters
Yesterday the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, delivered his first Budget setting out the UK Government’s fiscal priorities. Speaking to MPs in the House of Commons, he pledged greater funding and resources for the NHS…
Scottish Hunter 707 'Autism on the Water' Gets Free Ferry to Bangor Town Regatta
12th March 2020 Northern Ireland Waters
A charity yachting organisation that was originally planning to sail from Scotland to Northern Ireland to save competition costs at Bangor Town Regatta this June has had its transport costs covered. Murray McDonald, skipper of the Hunter 707 Autism on the…
The Dubarry sponsored UK Women’s Open Keelboat Championship (WOKC) will be hosted on the 13th/14th June from the beautiful location of the Royal Southern Yacht Club. Ireland has previously been successful at the event with Howth Yacht Club helmswoman Laura…
Portaferry’s coastguard rescue team was paged yesterday morning (Saturday 7 March) to a report of multiple kayakers capsized in the water off Killyleagh on Strangford Lough. Portaferry RNLI were also tasked to the incident, recovering four individuals from the water…
Northern Ireland Women on Water Festival Launched for Second Year
6th March 2020 Northern Ireland Waters
The second Women on Water Festival will take place at Carrickfergus Sailing Club with Belfast Lough Sailability on 6 June 2020, bringing together women from right across NI as they take to the water. The first festival was held in…
