The Shannon Boat Rally is a boating event organised jointly by the Athlone Branch and the Carrick on Shannon Branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland. It is essentially a holiday for all the family on Ireland’s Inland Waterways. There are organised activities and competitions during the day for all ages and there is entertainment each night. There is an emphasis on safety on the water, so it is a great way of learning new skills.
The rally is on for 10 days, it always begins on the last Friday of July and ends on the Sunday night of the August bank holiday.
The Rally is suitable for all ages from new-borns to elderly and everyone in between.
Most of the vessels that take part in the Rally are Cruisers, Sailing Boats or Barges. You can also enter in an Open Boat and are welcome to pitch a tent and camp on the shoreline. We also welcome Hire Boats to join the rally also, there is a hire boat award also.
You do not need a high level of expertise to take part. We encourage learning on the Rally so please feel free to ask a committee member if there is anything you are unsure about.
There are activities on everyday such as Water based Competitions, Swimming, Rowing and Sailing Races, Fishing competition, Line Heaving, Commando, Water Sports, Land Sports, Art Competitions, and many many more. There is entertainment on in the marquee most nights which include a BBQ, Talent Competition, Fancy Dress etc.
During the rally, we run a variety of competitions. These competitions are safety based and are designed to help you and your crew to learn or improve your boating skills. They are not compulsory, but we do advise you to take part in anything you can as you will learn valuable skills. There are 7 “starred” competitions that participants and the crews are invited to compete in during the week. These 7 competitions are Man overboard, Navigation, Mooring, Rescue of a Cruiser, Boat Inspection, First Mate, and Timed Reliability. Participants will be awarded points out of 100 for each competition they enter. The Premier Award is awarded to the boat that receives the most points in these 7 competitions.
Yes, there are many other competitions which will all be listed in your brochure. There are also class awards for Open Boats, Motor Cruisers under 34ft, Motor Cruisers over 34ft, Sailing Cruisers, and Barges. There are environment, newcomer, canal visitor, merit awards, and an award for those who exemplify the rally spirit.
No, the competitions are not compulsory, but we do advise you to take part in anything you can as you will learn valuable skills, you will also have great fun getting involved.
Yes, we make sure all our competitions Judges know that if there is a family on board, they should try to involve the whole family. All ages will be encouraged to take part as children will also gain valuable knowledge that may help them in the future.
All of your crew should have lifejackets, children should wear their lifejackets at all times when they are near the water. All of your crew should wear a lifejacket while taking part in competitions. You should also have a VHF onboard if you are doing competitions. For the boat inspection competition, the judges will ask you to show them a variety of safety items that you have on board, so keep this in mind when packing.
We have a “Newcomers Liaison Officer” who will be in touch with all new ralliers before the rally. You will be sent a list of suggested items to bring, and you will be able to contact that person with any questions you have in advance of the rally. Don’t forget to bring something to wear to the Fancy Dress night (see this years rally theme) and something dressy to wear to the Dinner dance.
You will need a Lifejacket for all your crew. We strongly advise that you have a Smoke Alarm, Gas Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm installed on board. Your ropes should be in good order.
Our harbour masters are happy to accommodate anyone that needs a spot that is easy to access due to mobility issues, or if you have very young children on board. Please let the harbour master know at the start of the rally.
The entry fee for the Rally is €180. You must also be a member of the IWAI, you can join online for €44 for an individual membership of €55 for a family membership. You can join at www.iwai.ie
There is a BBQ during the rally, there will be Adult and Children’s tickets for this available to buy during the rally. There is also a Closing Dinner dance on the final night, tickets for this are available with your Entry or you can purchase them during the week of the rally.
You can enter online on this website by clicking “Entry Form” on the toolbar on the top.
Yes, we always welcome new committee members. There are 4 meetings between February and July to organise the rally, these are held on a Saturday morning in Dunrovin in Athlone. You will be asked what area you would like to get involved in and we will endeavour to give you a role that suits you and your skills. You will not be made do anything you don’t want to do.
We have several Advertising and Sponsorship packages available. You can contact out Treasurer Andy Fitzsimons to discuss options (andyfitz636@gmail.com).