The latest insights on racing and cruising yachts, keelboats and dinghies. Plus all of the latest gear, boating accessories, equipment and sailing clothes from Australia and around the world.
Aussie IRC Offshore Cruiser/Racer Winning IRC designs come in all shapes and sizes. Optimizing a design to the IRC rule simply means getting the balance of essential parameters to reflect the proposed type of racing, wind conditions, competition and owner's…
If you thought an autopilot was only good for steering a boat, think again. There are many and varied things you can do with their components when their marine career is over. Presented with a brief to create an ‘industrial’…
BOAT REVIEW: CATALINA 309 Following on from the legendary Catalina 30, the US company had a hard act to follow, reports Caroline Strainig. When the time came for mega US production-boat builder Catalina to launch another smallish boat just over…
DECKSHOES The humble deck shoe is not alone. It has been joined by a host of styles and performance enhancements to suit every kind of sailing, reports Kevin Green. BurkeUnder the Australian Burke label, there is a range of deck…
My boat. Ralph Chant and his wife Cheryle bought their CAL21 as a stop-gap, but have found that she fulfills their requirements admirably. Splash is my wife Cheryl's and my third trailer-sailer. In 2001 we went looking for a TS to…
Gill has added the new Crosswind suit to its thermal line up for sailing in cold conditions and/or overnight races. Using the latest laminate fabric technology, these salopettes provide a soft, low-bulk mid-layer combined with thermal insulation provided by a…
ARRIVALS GME GR9000 The GR9000 series Marine Stereo System has been designed with both the music buff and boat owner in mind. The unit is available in two colours (black or white) and in two discrete configurations, according to vessel…
ARRIVALS The AirDock is a new inflatable dock that is designed to be rigid and stable for many water activities. Its compact and portable design makes it ideal for boaters, campers and cabin owners. The company's AirWeb proprietary design is…
Built to meet the demands of active women on or around the water, Edgewater Sport Zip Water Shoes have lateral support with side mesh vents and neoprene for breathability and easy stretch for a perfect fit. Low water-absorption materials and…
ARRIVALS Tacktick Race Master Wireless instrument maker Tacktick has just released a new model, Tacktick Race Master The solar powered technology is used by GBR Star sailor Ian Percy which rates the instrument's new Start Line function particulary – “‘really…
Two new Dufour models will make their Victorian debut at the 2009 Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Show later this month – the Grand Large 425 and 525. According to Antill Marine (the exclusive importer and distributor of Dufour) director…
My boat. Ross Barnett believes his Arends 33 is the ideal vessel for a couple to cruise the east coast of Australia in. In the late 1980s after 14 years sailing a Boomerang 20 trailer-sailer Sue and I went looking…
Jeanneau’s deck saloon cruising models are becoming increasingly popular in Australia with the 42DS rapidly becoming the biggest selling model in the range. The DS models offer ease of handling, quality finish and the best owners’ cabin of any aft-cockpit…
ARRIVALS SunSignals UV sensors SunSignals are a new innovative, sun smart product designed to help take the guess work out of sun protection and prevent sunburn. SunSignals are UV sensors which are small, water-resistant patches that change colour to alert…
On a fine Friday in Sydney Harbour, 16 Bavaria Yachts jockeyed for position at the start of the annual Bavaria Yachts Sydney Harbour Regatta. The day dawned sunny and with light, cool easterly breezes, a relief following the three preceding…
After being involved in several world championship campaigns, Nick Hutton proffers a handy check list SO you're off to the worlds! Well done. All the hard work has paid off and you have been selected in a team to represent…
The home town of the US Naval Academy is the namesake for Timberland’s latest boat shoe series. An update of their classic boat shoe from 1973, the premium leather Annapolis offers performance on the water and comfort on land. Features…
In October, 2007, Australian sailor Stephen Ainsworth and his crew of fifteen were air-lifted via helicopter off the blustery coast of Sicily after Ainsworth's 60-foot yacht, Loki, lost its rudder during a gale-wracked edition of the 630-mile Middle Sea Race….
The Danish-built X-41 One-Design has taken out the award for ‘Best Crossover’ yacht in the US magazine Sailing World’s annual Boat of the Year awards announced last October. More than 60 X-41s have now been sold worldwide, and the first…
Jensen Marine’s MSR7007 is an AM/FM/CD stereo unit with waterproof protection suitable for heavy sea conditions. The sealed chassis prevents moisture ingress completely, with heat extracted via a heat sink. The unit is MP3/WMA and iPod compatible, and once an…
Lightwave catamaran owners have been out and about proving that these yachts not only look good, but are serious bluewater cruisers. A Lightwave 45 is currently participating in an around-the-world rally and another recently returning from completing the Louisiades Rally….
Since its inception in France in 2005, the Class40 has become one of the fastest growing offshore yacht racing classes in Europe. Its prime objective is to promote affordable and manageable offshore yachts that can be sailed short-handed or fully…
Tactick Maxis offer complete re-display of all on-board info using its Auto-Leg racing function, which changes information automatically depending on which leg of a race you are sailing on. The system also includes Start Line Approach calculations and Start Line…
Arrivals Eflare emergency beaconThe latest Eflare floating emergency beacon is a multi-purpose marine light that uses LED technology. It operates as a regulatory white light, torch and flashing safety beacon; all easily controlled by a three way switch on the…
New from Wichard is Lyf’Safe ready-to-use jacklines, designed to make movement around the decks and operations on board more secure, as crew members attach their safety harness tethers to the jacklines. Lyf’Safe can be tailored to the length of the…
Standard Horizon’s all-in-one package CPV350 incorporates a GPS chartplotter with 7in colour LCD display (12in CPV-550 also available), a commercial grade VHF marine transceiver with ITU Class D DSC, a 30 watt loud hailer and an optional fish finder. It…
ARRIVALS Memory Map is offering a competitively priced PC charting package tailored for leisure marine users. Starting from $249.95, Memory Map is software and charts combined with no further software required. Just load on to your laptop and plug in…
The Eveready Dolphin Lantern has been remodelled in response to consumer demand for a modest return to its original styling. The tough, waterproof and floating attributes have remained constant through five redesigns since the Dolphin’s creation in 1967. The Mark…
DESIGN BRIEF: SWAN 90 Luxury Finnish builder Nautor's Swan will launch a new 90-footer later this year. Nautor's Swan began work on the Swan 90 in October 2005 at its new yard in Pietarsaari, Finland. The model is due for…
Double success for Lightwave Catamaran builder, Lightwave Yachts, is celebrating a double – with the launching of its new Lightwave 45 Grande at the 2009 Sanctuary Cove (May 21-24, 2009) International Boat Show and success on the race track. The…
New arrivals in Seabreeze Industries’ range of marine air-conditioning, refrigeration and sanitation products include the Stowaway Turbo marine air conditioner from Cruisair. An innovation award winner at the international IBEX Marine Tradeshow, The Stowaway Turbo is an optimised design with…
Australian- owned superyacht Cockpit, flybridge and interior The new superyacht Kokomo continues Australian yachtsman Lang Walker's love affair with prestigious boats. The 52m (171- foot) sloop, built by Alloy Yachts, New Zealand, and launched in July after a two- year…
At a gala dinner at Sydney’s Star City Casino with 630 exporters and supporters including guests of honour Nathan Rees MP, NSW Premier, and the Hon Tony Stewart MP, Minister for Small Business, Seawind Catamarans were awarded the title of…
Navico Australia is expanding its distribution network to supply Simrad and Northstar products directly to all Australian dealers and boat-builders from its Sydney logistics centre. Navico Asia Pacific’s chief operations officer John Scott said several factors, including the strengthening Australian…
Boating holiday company Riviera Nautic on the Gippsland Lakes in eastern Victoria is offering a last minute charter deals for their fleet of yachts and motor cruisers. The yachts offer everything from exciting challenge to quiet cruising, for sailors with…
Lowrance has announced an all-new line of marine VHF radios, the fixed-mount LVR-880 and LVR-250 and the handheld LHR-20. The LVR-880 is the first powerful, fixed-mount, DSC-equipped 25/1 watt radio to offer dual VHF and FM radio capabilities. It also…
The Shipmate Pocket Directory, now in its fourth print edition and available free all around Victoria, is also published online at www.shipmate.com.au. Both versions include A-Z listings of marine trades and services by category, plus listings of yacht clubs, marinas,…
McMurdo is introducing a new model in the Smartfind 406MHz EPIRB range called the Smartfind A5. It has been developed and approved in response to Australian government legislation stating that all recreational craft travelling offshore by more than two nautical…
Sunsail Yacht Charters, based at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays has added six new yachts to its Australian fleet: two Sunsail 36is, two 39is, one 49i and a 464 catamaran. The Sunsail 36i has two berths and two showers while…
The new Sydney City Marine maintenance facility is scheduled to open later this year at Rozelle Bay. Facilities will include a 600 tonne shiplift, a 100t shiplift and a 47t submersible trailer ensuring efficient movement of craft out of the…
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