Crossing:
Irish Sea - North Channel

Route Distance: ~19 nm / 35.2 km
Prevailing direction: W >> E
Record: 2020 - 03:10:58
Solo: 16
Team: 18

Records

David Horkan
K1M03:10:582020
John Willacy
K1M03:25:282011
Tadhg De Barra
K1M04:09:002010
Barry Shaw
K1M05:40:002005
John Chamberlin
Robin Rhodes
Team06:36:071986
Image
Image: North Channel Crossing GPS Track

This route is the shortest crossing of the Irish Sea, on a clear day the destination can be seen for the whole trip. But don't take this route for granted, the complicated tidal flows around the Copeland Islands can make for a few nervous moments, as can the the shipping traffic transiting in or out of the Irish Sea.

Please note there may well be omissions in our dataset. If you think your name should be here then please get in touch!

Send your GPS file (as .gpx or .tcx) to:

PSK FAQs

Crossing: Irish Sea - North Channel

Solo

Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K1MDavid Horkan03:10:5803-Sep-20DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
Yes
2K1MJohn Willacy03:25:2826-Mar-11PortpatrickDonaghadeeRockpool Taran 18
YesPhotos
3K1MBrian Turnbull03:40:2507-Aug-15PortpatrickDonaghadeeRockpool Taran 18
YesGPS
4K1MBrian Turnbull03:49:1508-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
YesSailGPS
5K1MDavid Horkan03:51:4330-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickZegul Sea Rocket
YesBlog
6K1MTadhg De Barra04:09:0016-Jul-10DonaghadeePortpatrickKirton C-Trek
--
7(1)K1WCatriona Woods04:28:0015-Aug-17DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
--
8K1MJohn Willacy04:29:5426-Mar-11DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
YesPhotos
9(2)K1WCatriona Woods04:36:0419-Sep-15DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
10(3)K1WCatriona Woods04:42:0430-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
11(4)K1WCatriona Woods04:53:0005-Jun-13DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
12(5)K1WCatriona Woods04:54:0023-May-19DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
--
13K1MBarry Shaw05:40:0002-Apr-05PortpatrickLarneSKUK Romany
--Link1
14K1M_SkiSebastian Szubski07:19:3116-Jul-25Portmuck
Larne		MachrihanishNordic Kayak Exrcize
YesGB Circ leg
15K1MJohn Willacy07:52:5917-Apr-12LarneDunaverty BayRockpool Taran 18
YesBlog

15 solo paddlers

+ Solo Various

Click column header to sort.
--K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
--K1MMike Conroy05:33:0701-Jun-23PortpatrickGreat Copeland IslandYes

1 solo paddler

Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K2Jessie Brown /
Will Brown		03:54:2930-Aug-17DonaghadeePortpatrick

Yes
2K2Patrick Anderson /
Ben Tolhurst		03:57:2908-Aug-22DonaghadeePortpatrickSeabird Nord L2

--
3TeamIan Kavanagh
Jim Kehoe		04:22:3926-Jun-23DonaghadeePortpatrickPure Composites Garrarus
Pure Composites Garrarus
Yes
4TeamWill Brown
Gary McClure		04:25:0204-Jun-17BallywalterPortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
---
Yes
5K2Patrick Anderson /
Ben Tolhurst		~04:30:0007-Aug-22DonaghadeePortpatrickSeabird Nord L2

--
6TeamGraham Bell
Phil Bolton		04:30:4218-May-25PortpatrickDonaghadeeRockpool Taran 18
Rockpool Taran 18
Yes
7TeamCatriona Woods
Patrick Woods
Elaine Alexander
Desi Law		05:04:0004-Jun-17BallywalterPortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
Rockpool Tarantella
---
---
Yes
8TeamPaul Deering
Brian Deering		05:05:5928-Aug-21DonaghadeePortpatrickVenture Easky 17
Venture Easky 17
Yes
9TeamCathal Bagnall
Catriona Woods		05:30:3218-Jun-16DonaghadeePortpatrickMega ?
---
YesGPS
10TeamJulian Haines
Emer O'Boyle		05:36:2914-Aug-2023DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp Forti
NDK Lattitude
Yes
11TeamJulian Haines
Emer O'Boyle		06:06:5916-Aug-2023PortpatrickDonaghadeeValley Nordkapp Forti
NDK Lattitude
Yes
12TeamJoanne Campbell
Stephen Campbell
Mark Lindsay
A. McClenaghan
H. LLoyd
Terry McQueen
Robert Montgomery		06:30:0530-Aug-20DonaghadeePortpatrickP+H Scorpio LV
P+H Quest LV
Valley Aquanaut LV
Self-built Double

Valley Avocet

Yes
13TeamJohn Chamberlin
Robin Rhodes		06:36:0719-Aug-86LarnePortpatrickP+H Iceflow
Trylon Sea Hawk
--
14TeamJonny Eldridge
Chris Withers		07:32:0023-May-12PortpatrickLarneRockpool Alaw
Valley Nordkapp
--
15Team_K2Brent van der Linde /
Will Richardson
John Niven
Alex Geary-Jones		07:42:4404-May-24PortpatrickBangorNeris Valkure-2 FK
Neris Valkure-2 FK


Yes
16TeamRichard Harpham
Ollie Jay		07:45:0009-Sep-10Port Ellen
Islay		Bull Bay
Rathlin Island		Prijon ?
Prijon ?
--Blog
17TeamMartin McClenaghan
Francie Ross
Stephen Smith
John Vance		10:00:0027-Sep-13Ballintoy HarbourPorth Ellen
Islay		Valley Avocet RM
Valley Avocet RM
P+H Capella RM
---
--Blog
18TeamPhil Clegg
Barry Shaw
Harry Whelan		2005Mull of Kintyre?SKUK Explorer
SKUK Explorer
---
--

18 Teams -- 48 Paddlers

Notes

Phil Clegg / Barry Shaw / Harry Whelan (2005)
Part of GB Circumnavigation
Mike Conroy (01-Jun-23)
Ended crossing on Great Copleand Island.
Richard Harpham / Ollie Jay (09-Sep-10)
Richard and Ollie continued on to complete the crossing, to land on the 'mainland' at Ballycastle the following morning. Paddling as part of the 'Big 5 Challenge'.
Sebastian Szubski (16-Jul-25)
GB Circ leg.
Note: This crossing was undertaken as part of Sebastian's record breaking 37 day circumnav of GB (2025) and consequently was not the shortest route for this crossing.
Brian Turnbull (07-Aug-15)
From Brian:"This was a fantastic day, flat seas if anything a bit hot for the job. Set off with the boiler room working well and on a preplanned course to find my pace was greater than anticipated so a bit of seat of the pants navigation to alter course thinking I was on a better line.....mistake! and lesson learned....trust the calculations! Anyway I ended up covering over 37 km which sort of spoiled what would have been a cracking time, very happy to find a chip shop right next to the steps in Donaghadee though!"
Brian Turnbull (08-Aug-15)
Return Journey 8th August - From Brian:"Overnight bivvy in a grassy hollow to the North of Donaghadee and I woke feeling enthusiastic and eager to go. This was a sail assisted crossing and it was my plan to make the whole crossing with the sail deployed however, the wind had other plans! things all got a bit hectic 2/3 rds over and managing a sail and trying to paddle efficiently with a wind blowing stronger and from a different direction from forecast meant it had to be tucked away! So it was down to paddle power for the last hour and a bit of course recovery into wind and tide, job done though."
John Willacy (26-Mar-11)
Paddled the return journey later the same day.
John Willacy (17-Apr-12)
Day 5 of GB Circumnavigation
Catriona Woods (05-Jun-13)
Catriona's attempt is possibly the first for a solo female crossing.
Brent van der Linde / Will Richardson / John Niven / Alex Geary-Jones (04-May-24)
Possibly the first crossing of the North Channel by folding kayaks?

Summary:

Crossing: Irish Sea - North Channel

Solo paddlers: 16
Team paddlers: 48
Teams: 18

Recorded Start Points:
    • Ballintoy Harbour (1)
    • Ballywalter (2)
    • Donaghadee (18)
    • Larne (2)
    • Port Ellen, Islay (1)
    • Portmuck, Larne (1)
    • Portpatrick (8)

How To Submit A Time/Paddle.

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