The latest news from the world of yachting and sailing including yacht & dinghy reviews, cruising and destination information plus the latest boating gear as well as inshore and offshore racing updates and regatta schedules. All things Sailing, Sail Racing, Sailboats and more.
Island honeymoon Heading off into the unknown with a few friends and 50 or so complete strangers on a sailing regatta is perhaps not everyone’s idea of a romantic honeymoon, reports Traci Ayris. Tonga’s Kalia Cup Rally in July suited…
POSTCARD FROM: DUBAI Training base for the mighty America's Cup winning Alinghi team and very likely a venue for some of the Acts in the next Cup, Dubai has a lot to offer the travelling sailor who may want a…
Then and now I hope you’ll forgive me if I wax a little nostalgic. It won’t last long but it is necessary to set the scene for this month’s column. I first arrived in Sydney by ship late in 1947…
Practical: Sail-training Can race training help a cruiser? Caroline Strainig finds out when she enrolls in the Eastsail ready-to-race course. There were yachts within a few metres of us on both sides and about another 20 or so within 200…
Practical: Bluewater cruising Now an old salt after a cruise through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Trish Comer reflects on the things she definitely would not leave home without next time around. The old catch-cry from a…
Practical: People skills Having trouble meeting people, or getting on with them when you do? Or don't quite know how to repel unwanted advances in a way that won't cause offence? Chris Sharpley takes some of the mystery out of…
Practical: Buying a boat Putting your yacht into charter is one way of financing the repayments for that brand-new, you-beaut production yacht you've been dreaming of, says Ross Moncrieff, who did just that with his Hanse 34. In late November…
Deox-C from Permanent Painted Coatings removes rust on any steel, stainless steel and most ferrous materials. The crystalline, 100 per cent active corrosion removal product when dissolved in tap water produces a bath of powerful rust-removing liquid which can remove…
EasyStrike wind and water-proof survival matches have a longer shaft and longer burn time than other matches and a more durable and effective strike plate which is usable even when wet. EasyStrike wind and water-proof survival matches have a longer…
Salt Sportswear, Australasian distributor of SLAM Advanced Technology Sportswear has appointed MarinePlus as its agent for Victoria. SLAM offers innovative technical sailing clothing and a fashion range based on a strong nautical theme. More information: MarinePlus, tel (03) 9521 6789;…
The fewer the fixed weights aboard a performance trailer sailer the better. We all know there are fixtures aboard such as the rigging and centreboard that can't be moved to windward to keep the hull as flat as possible upwind,…
The Australian Sailing Team's Jessica Crisp has finished seventh at the 2009 RS:X World Championship in Weymouth, England, getting an invaluable look at the venue for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Crisp finished seventh in the medal race to end…
Because of the ongoing success of their Anzac Weekend Regatta, Batemans Bay Sailing Club (BBSC) now invites all sailors to participate in the inaugural Lake Coila, Tuross Head Regatta which will be held over the weekend of 31 October –…
Competitors arriving at Sail Newport this morning to prepare for the second day of racing in the 2009 Six Metre World Cup were greeted by whitecaps on Narragansett Bay courtesy of a brisk northeasterly (upwards of 15 knots at 0900)…
The Adelaide-Lincoln record was smashed and the Lincoln regatta remains as enjoyable as ever, by Bob Ross, words and pictures SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S most dedicated offshore campaigner, Geoff Boettcher earned a milestone reward when his Secret Men's Business 3 broke the…
Boat Review: Beneteau First 40 Beneteau's new First 40 follows in the footsteps of the wildly successful 40.7, by Andi Robertson THE new Farr designed First 40 is the follow up to an all-time best seller, the First 40.7. Beneteau's…
Jessica Watson, the 16-year-old girl who has roused divergent opinions regarding her attempt to become the youngest ever solo around-the-world sailor, has damaged her yacht in a collision with a merchant ship off the Queensland coast. She was sailing her yacht 34ft…
New generation of EPIRBsMarine safety product specialist RFD has introduced a new-generation 406 MHz EPIRB onto the Australian market that features a world-first digital display screen and dual-GPS technology. The new GlobalFix iPro EPIRB is a breakthrough safety beacon that…
The radical new Moody 45 DS (deck saloon) was launched at the Sydney International Boat and received plenty of attention. Featuring bulwarks, a walk-in deck saloon and copious amount of cabin space the appeal of this new design will be…
My Boat – July 08 Seerauber: a pocket cruiser You don't have to have a big boat to have big dreams, says Tony Fountain, who had chosen a 7.26m pocket cruiser to fulfil his sailing ambitions. Pocket cruiser.” While that…
Australian catamaran builder Lightwave Yachts is the builder and campaign partner with All Yacht Spars for a new racing class, the Raider One Design. The Raider 302 design has already proved its credentials in offshore multihull racing and has now…
In one week's time Cartagena will host the climax to the 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit, and the conflict in the two different Series, the ten boats who will compete in the TP52 Series, and six for the GP42 Series, is…
Holding onto that “lov'in feeling” can be hard when you are cooped up together for long periods. Rosemary Jilderts interviews cruisers for their tips. Ron and Trish Steineck,Geraldton, WA.Scuttlebug, 11.6m Jensen Coral Sea Catamaran The Steineck family has spent four…
Sailmaker, Ian Short, shares sail trim and rig adjustment tips that will help you sail faster under a range of conditions. It’s a fallacy that only racers need to sail quickly. If you’ve ever been caught out in a gale…
Destination: Brisbane Water The small, land-locked destination of Brisbane Water has a lot to recommend it, despite a bar and bridge, says Alan Lucas, who has made it his land base when not out cruising in Soleares. Brisbane Water is…
New AIS500 transceiver and AIS ‘buddy tracking' feature Raymarine's addition to its AIS (Automatic Identification System) product range, a combined receiver and transmitter, is now available. The AIS500 allows users to both transmit to, and receive, AIS data to and…
The hull is by Farr Yacht Design, and the spacious interior is the work ofNauta Design. The new 35 features the lines and coachroof characteristic of the First 40. The Farr Yacht Design hull is optimized for IRC racing and…
The Oceanis 58 incorporates a more stretched coachroof, much lengthened side windows,fully built-in spray hood/bimini arch and optomised ergonomics. All lines come back to the helm positions for easier sailing and to keep the living areaclear. Plenty of stowage space…
Australia Day regatta Australia Day in Sydney went off with a bang and with glorious weather as many celebrated the occasion on the Harbour. Hundreds of Sydney sailors, their crews, friends and families celebrated as their forebears have done each…
Bavaria sale rumours Reports by the German press rumoured offers to buy Bavaria Yachts are untrue, according to Australian distributor Tony Kirby from North South Yachting. He is in Dusseldorf, Germany and has confirmed with the families who own Bavaria…
Headsails Reefing gear continues to develop so real gains can be had by checking out the latest systems. The greater efficiency of the new technology has allowed systems to be adopted by larger yachts, racing boats and, of course, cruisers….
JUST CRUISING BY KEITH FLEMING. Every cruiser has one and many catamaran owners have three of them. The outboard motor is an essential item for any cruising boat and making the right choice of size and brand can be one…
YA/RYA UPDATE A long engagement rather than a quick marriage between the two associations, seems to be the case, reports Jim Murrant. Almost a year has elapsed since the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) signed what could be called a truce…
PARTYING AT GEELOG Skandia Geelong Race Week is Australia’s oldest and largest keelboat regatta and is renowned for both its on and off water action. With a record 448 yachts entered in the event this year, there was no shortage…
Self-suffciency I suppose you could equate cruising with the original hunter and gatherer, where you have to rely on your wits and be self-sufficient in food. As cruisers, we live on water so our natural element is the water rather…
CLUB SAILOR After a succession of cruising boats, David McLean's latest boat, a nimble X-37, has given him the chance to mix it up with the club racer fraternity. For almost 30 years, I have continued a wondrous voyage of…
DELIVERY TRIP With the aim of increasing his sailing experience, 25-year-old James Gruzman joined a Seawind 1000 delivery trip, and got more than he bargained for, including investigating why Bundaberg rum has a Polar Bear logo. How did it all…
JUST CRUISING BY KEITH FLEMING. Preventing sudden gear failure can be avoided if you identify the problem areas early. OFTEN the first indication of trouble with a boat is catastrophic, like the mast suddenly falling down. Now why the heck…
In a bid to restore links with the beautiful Molluca archipelago, a flotilla of Darwin cruisers set off for the region, reports voyager Cathy Gillett. Our voyage began in July 2006, when 18 boats sailed the 295nm to the Taninbar…
The voyage across the Indian Ocean to the beautiful island of Sri Lanka was well worth the effort, reports cruiser Lynelle Parker. Some of the happiest times on board our yacht Chappie are the first days of a new passage;…
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