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.
The sea breeze returned to St. Margaret's Bay on Thursday providing one of the best days of sailing yet for the 2009 Nautel Laser Masters World Championships. “There were a lot of smiles out there today,” said Gerry Giffin, president…
Neither wind, nor lack of it, deterred the 2009 Nautel Laser Worlds and Master Worlds Championships. After 18 days of competition, the Laser Worlds came to an end Saturday on St. Margaret's Bay with races abandoned because of shifty and…
Chief umpire Bill Edgerton took some time during this morning's briefing to remind the teams that crashing boats is not necessary to secure a penalty against your opponent and that points would be deducted from a teams score if they…
The excitement was visible this morning when the race committee raised the flag signalling to the fleet that they would be sailing on Race Course A today. With a forecast promising a building breeze, the fleet head out of the…
Big rig or small rig? That was the decision some of the players had to make on Day 3 of the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club. Others had no choice. They were…
A 100 foot record setter, a sistership to Emirates Team New Zealand's new boat, and the return of an old friend fondly nicknamed the ‘pink pig'. The race from Auckland to Russell at Labour Weekend in October is going to…
The beautifully restored former America's Cup challenger Gretel II will return to yacht racing this coming Saturday with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on Sydney Harbour. Gretel II will line-up in the competitive Division 1, with a fleet of 106…
The forecasted North wind arrived early but again brought light and tricky conditions for the Tornados. It was not a one way track and lots of possibilities for gains …and losses. The Greek team of Paschalidis and Trigonis won the heat….
2009 sees the introduction of the brand new Octogrip Trainer from Henri Lloyd. The trainer's upper is constructed using lightweight, non absorbing, fast draining mesh panels and feature an injection moulded TPU ‘exo' skeleton and rear footplate for added stability….
Seawind officially announce the launch of the new 41ft Seawind 1250 in development, with plans and images being released for the first time. Following the huge success and world acclaim of the 38ft Seawind 1160, an all new blue water…
The Australian Sailing Team's Jessica Crisp gets her first look at the 2012 London Olympic Games course when the 2009 RS:X World Championship gets underway in Weymouth on Friday. The three-time Olympian finished fifth at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games…
Nicky Souter yesterday survived a scare in the semi-finals to win the compasscard Australian Women's Match Racing Championship on a count back after the finals were abandoned owing to lack of wind. Souter and crew Nina Curtis and Nicole Douglass took home…
The wind returned to St. Margaret's Bay, but it wasn't the sea breeze that has made the Bay famous as one of the best sailing venues in the world. Instead, it was an offshore shifty wind with speeds of six…
The Winnings are, well, winning again, and the 18s ruled the waves of San Francisco Bay in Thursday's traditional Bridge to Bridge Race run in conjunction with the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta, both hosted by the St. Francis…
A picture perfect early spring day greeted competitors on day three of the compasscard Australian Women's Match Racing Championships. The final two flights of round robin two and the sail off for minor placings were conducted. Racing was delayed for over…
It's been another extremely tough day of competitive racing today at the SB3 World Championships in Cascais. Craig Burlton maintains his lead tonight, and has reinstated his margin of 4 points over Roger Hudson and the Spirit of Cape Town…
The twelve teams involved in the St. Moritz Match Race and the quest for the sixth stage of the World Match Racing Tour had a great time today. The conditions were indeed absolutely fabulous, with the sun shining and the…
The light winds – 6-8 knots – did not stop Aussies Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby to open even more their lead. The duo had to fight hard for the line honours on the second race though and stole it on…
Keen boaters are setting a steady course for Port Phillip Bay next February to raise money for special needs and disadvantaged children as part of the third annual Variety Splash. Modelled on the successful road-based fundraising event the Variety Bash,…
By Alan Littlefield Recently a cormorant has taken to sitting on my starboard spreader at daybreak and watching the sunrise. I am partial to do this myself, (watch the sunrise, not sit on the spreader) and I am glad…
By Alan Littlefield Dreamagic (a Bavaria 44) has now successfully completed her voyage from Pittwater in NSW to her new home in Cairns. On the way we managed to fit in the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, a few…
By Alan Littlefield We can't help it can we? Get two boats on the water and they race. I can remember my early days of sailing home in a Cole 23 under the Harbour Bridge. It was a beautiful…
By Anne Wilson A land as old as time itself swathed in the mysteries of the exotic east has expanded to become arguably the world's largest floating warehouse. We crossed the shipping highway between Batam Island Indonesia and the island…
By Chris Radford, Navico I know some of you will be thinking “well he works for Navico, so of course he's going to say it the best thing since sliced bread”, so I'll leave the introduction to Navico's Broadband…
Walking aft to our tower, I saw our Ocky strap bowstring tight and the trolling line singing. Shocked and alarmed I jumped back shouting, “Hey Jude. Oi! Come look. Something huge is hooked up.” We nearly always troll a fishing…
By Jack Binder “Lucky, lucky, lucky,” that's how my sister described it. I should have known better. Tradition says beginning a voyage on a Friday is a bad omen. Fuelling this ominous portent – our last shakedown began Friday the 13th….
Boat-share schemes can be a low-cost way to sail, but making the right decisions for your pocket and sailing preferences are important, reports Jim Murrant. I bumped into an old sailing mate the other day, one I hadn’t seen down…
By Jack Binder Hello seafarers and settee sailors. I thought I'd offer two glimpses from our life that happened while preparing Banyandah for her Southern Ocean crossing When guests of the Fremantle Sailing Club, I awoke feeling a bit old…
OFFSHORE BY DAVID SALTER Our sport of ocean racing may be coming to the crossroads. The potential for a serious parting of the ways is both real and imminent. Competing forces are now so firmly counterpoised that a schism seems…
Sharon and Julian Smallwood enjoy life in the fast-lane (well sort of) when Airlie Beach and Hamilton race weeks come to town. The cruising life follows a different agenda to most, but that doesn't deter us from entering into…
by Sharon Smallwood Leaving Bundaberg at the end of July, I had assumed we'd be a little late in the season to find many other boats, especially this far south. Surely those with any sense would have already escaped the…
PROFILE: GEOFF ROSS Asian life. Taking a calculated risk is nothing new for seasoned yachtsman Geoff Ross and he is confident his latest high performance ocean racer has the edge to carve through the fleet during the 2006 Sydney to…
ARRIVALS Jensen marine radio Jensen Marine's MSR7007 is new to Australia. Unlike many marine electronics products, which are existing units modified to be water-resistant, this Jensen AM/FM/CD stereo unit has been outdoor-proofed during every step of the design process. The…
ARRIVALS Jensen marine radioJensen Marine’s MSR7007 is new to Australia. Unlike many marine electronics products, which are existing units modified to be water-resistant, this Jensen AM/FM/CD stereo unit has been outdoor-proofed during every step of the design process. The unit…
ARRIVALS Slam Racing Evolution rangeSlam apparel is defined by Italian design, quality construction and advanced fabrics. The new oilskin jacket is made from nylon cotoniero and has plenty of storage. The two external vertical pockets have laminated water-repellent zips and…
ARRIVALS RMC Swing ThrusterThe RMC Swing Thruster is aimed at making manoeuvring in marinas an easy process. Controls are via a keypad and joystick. Noise reduction is another feature and it is also designed to have minimal cavitation.As well as…
ARRIVALS How Boats Work – Book For once, a genuinely useful book for sailors. Charlie Wing's practical guide is presented in the easy-to-read, large-format style of a technical manual. The illustrations are simple and clear and feature “exploded” views of…
ARRIVALS RFD ResOFix PLBThe compact new RFD ResQFix PLB features 406MHz satellite technology combined with the speed and accuracy of GPS to deliver a complete safety beacon. Its size suits day sailors and even kayakers as the unit fits easily…
OFFSHORE by DAVID SALTER One of the handiest things about the sport of offshore racing is that almost any judgement you may wish to make about it can be true. Or false. Each contest has so many inter-dependant variables ‘…
By Fiona Harper. Sitting out the cyclone season Cruisers heading north, who find themselves waiting for the cyclone season to finish do have an alternative to sitting out the hot windy summer in Fremantle. There are a number of safe…
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