TT Races Track

If you are looking for a way to get from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man for the TT Races then you’ve landed on the right page.

Here’s a link to our TT Races Water Taxi page – TT Water Taxi Information Page 

Below is a little history of our TT Travel experience.

Every year we operate a fast RHIB trip from Ardglass County Down to Peel Harbour Isle of Man during the TT Races.  Our first year operating this service was 2013 with Skipper Tim on RHIB Endurance.  At the time Endurance was an open RHIB with no canopy or roll down sides to protect from wind, rain and splashes.  She had a 250HP Yamaha engine which has recently been replaced with a new 350HP Suzuki.  Endurance is licensed to carry 10 passengers plus Skipper and crew.  Even in this first year we managed to provide travel from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man for the TT races for quite a few people.

Causeway Coastal Trip by Abhainn Cruises Northern Ireland

Do we need to say why we started?  How important road racing is as a sport in Ireland and Northern Ireland and how this love and respect for the sport connects us to the Isle of Man?  No, you probably already understand this if you are looking for a way to get to the TT.

In 2019 Tim was joined by Skipper Ben, his son, and a new RHIB called Stormborn.  Ben had previously crewed for Tim for years but was now a newly qualified commercially endorsed Advanced Powerboat Skipper.  Stormborn is a 10:50 Redbay Stormforce RHIB with two 300HP Yamaha engines.  Stormborn is licensed to carry 12 passengers plus Skipper and crew.  It can be fully enclosed to protect from rain, wind and splashes.  It has ample storage and a heater onboard.  Both boats now run back and forth together from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man.

Over the years Tim and Ben have met many wonderful passengers, some they see year after year and some have even become friends.  The staff at Ardglass Marina have supported this venture from the start and gone out of their way to help Tim and Ben during what is a very busy and challenging event.  Our daily sailings last for about 10 days each year, involve a lot of prep work ensuring the boats are well serviced and ready for the trips.  All our documents including coding, licenses and insurance need to be close at hand for inspection by harbour staff and the MCA.    It is a heavy workload, with early starts (sometimes before 4am) and late nights.  After the last passengers disembark every night, checks are made on the boats and the arduous task of getting large amounts of petrol from the petrol station to the marina and then into the boats needs to be completed.

Checking the weather during this time becomes an obsession.  We always hope for perfect weather and sea state for the crossing and perfect weather for the mountain course on the Isle of Man.  It is an open sea crossing so we are always prepared for it to be a bit rough, even wet and windy.  In the event that the weather is beyond being a bit rough, our Skippers have to take the decision to delay, postpone or cancel.  Safety of our passengers is paramount and we will never take you out in dangerous conditions.  This can be disappointing but unfortunately the weather is beyond our control.

Our Skippers have had many adventures on these trips from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man and could tell a great many stories. There is a huge amount of craic and banter onboard and they love hearing about the races and other shenanigans from our passengers. The only years we have missed since we started are the lost covid years of 2020 and 2021. Never did we think the TT would be cancelled once, never mind two years in a row. 2022 was a very busy TT trip year for us and now we are preparing for 2023. In 2022 our youngest son Odhran (12 years old) made his first day trip to the TT races. In just a few years he may be a Skipper operating this trip as well.

Our first planned sailings for travel from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man are due to start at 10am on Friday 2nd June, running across daily before our last planned return trips on Sunday 11th June.  We can run further trips before and after this if 6 or more passengers are booking.  The total return cost per person is £200.  You can book same day return for a race day or different day return any day.

Click here – More Information on TT Water Taxi

To make enquiries or book your seat please call/text/WhatsApp Lynn on +44(0)7845 370231