Dedicated to Cruising the world under sail including destinations, navigation, sailing tips, safety ideas, yacht & multihull reviews along with stories and insights for the sail cruising life in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Back in 1979, all ships used the heavens to navigate. The world had no satellites guiding us every moment day and night, and our maps or what we called charts we're somewhat inaccurate – some had been made by aerial…
The Panama Canal is a milestone for most circumnvigators, and so too was it for Elaine and Chris Kleiss, on their way home after purchasing a boat overseas. This was it! This was the day! The various jobs mostly done…
With thousands of ocean and coastal miles under their keels Dave and Pattie Bowden and Geoff and Cherylle Stone, two couples who own Grainger catamarans, share their thoughts on coping with heavy weather. Article compiled by Cherylle. Keeping This Way…
John Champion takes a tongue-in-cheek look at some of the perplexing things he has come across in his many years around boats of all descriptions. Boom height The scale of these things ranges, and there frequently seems to be no…
Steve Farmer and his family have visited Zoe Bay only three times, but they still count it as one of their favourite desintations. It's hard to start an article on Hinchinbrook Island's Zoe Bay without quoting Alan Lucas in Cruising…
Practical: Maintenance Servicing your own diesel engine is a good way to save money but also an essential skill for any cruiser who plans to cruise off the beaten path. Here Jon Neeves takes us through the process step by…
Destination: Port Stephens John Tylor profiles one of NSW's most popular destinations – Port Stephens, also the gateway to the Myall Lakes. Port Stephens would have to rank high on anyone's list of favourite destinations and mine is no exception,…
cruise in company to Papua New Guinea An experienced cruising yachtsman from Cairns, Guy Chester, has announced plans for a Louisiades Rally later this year. The rally is being organised with the support of the Yorkeys Knob Boating Club and…
Sharon and Julian Smallwood enjoy some fun in the sun when they call in at Airlie for the annual Fun Race and then head out for some whale-watching. Since my last post we've been getting to know the mainland suburb…
Dockside in the land of the white cloud Annette Tuncel checks out some of the best marina facilities for those cruising or planning a charter across the Tasman Sea. New Zealand is an island nation, a nation of people who…
Put to the test Caroline Strainig checks out a trail-blazing course developed specifically for would-be charterers. Okay, so you’ve done a little sailing, and are dreaming of hiring a yacht somewhere. But you’re far from expert, and would love a…
DECKEYE VIEW: RAJA MUDA REGATTA MALAYSIA For racers and cruisers alike, there were as plenty of challenges on the water, and fun off it, reports Herb McCormick. The aroma was unmistakable, and given the circumstances, it was as sweet as…
Destination: NSW Middle Harbour is just about perfect for cruising, Mark Cherrington discovers, as he explores Sydney's pocket playground and enjoys a hot contender for the city's best chocolate brownie. Tucked in between Middle Head and Dobroyd Head is the…
Feature: Chartering in Europe Many a devout sailor has been lured away from the “true” path by Europe's famous canal system. Betty Dack shares her adventure and offers some advice on how to follow in her footsteps. Bob and I…
Practical: Electronics John and Janet Read give the verdict on forward-looking sonar after putting it through its paces on a cruise to SE Asia. Janet looked up from her book. “Looks like a rock coming up, John,” she said. I…
Practical: Moving on board So you're planning liveaboard cruising with kids? Rohsaan McInnes gives the low-down on a subject that many parents approach with trepidation. How do you live on a boat with young children? After some initial modifications, we…
High Seas Two women, alone, as in without men? Tracey Johnstone catches up with two women who have banded together to make their dream of sailing the world become a reality. Two confident single young English women, living their dream…
SAILING LIFESYLES A lifetime's involvement in sailing boats still wasn't enough excitement for some, as Helen Hopcroft found out. People dream of the perfect sea change: a new life of sipping cool drinks on a shady veranda in the tro…
DESTINATIONS: HONG KONG Who better to ask about sailing in Hong Kong than 1997 Sydney – Hobart race winner, owner of the Reichel/Pugh 45 Beau Geste, and president of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation Karl Kwok, which is why I…
Crusing The Whitsundays Mediterranean-style flotilla fun in the sun is catching on in the Whitsundays as a marketing tool, reports Caroline Strainig. “Flotilla.” It's a word more synonymous with the Med than the Whitsundays, but that is set to change…
Cruising The Whitsundays Well here it is 2008 and the world continues to become a different place. We have a new federal government, Britain has a new Prime Minister and the good ol' US of A is looking for a…
Cruising The Whitsundays Want to wine and dine during your holiday, or simply plan your cruise around reprovisioning spots? This handy-at-a-glance guide compiled by John Champion will help you do just that. Peppers Palm Bay Long IslandSwing moorings either inside…
Cruising The Whitsundays What's making the news? Plenty, says John Champion, who details here the latest on-water and on-land developments. On the waterMuddy Bay Marina, officially known as The Port of Airlie, continues to be built. Numerous trucks and excavators…
Destination: South Pacific David Isom discovers a timeless land unspoilt by its increasing popularity when he calls in at the archetypal island paradise that is the Kingdom of Tonga. If you really fancy cruising around Tonga, there are only two…
Laying the anchor: Well done, it's the difference between a good night's sleep at an anchorage or a restless one filled with anxiety.Unlike the tinnie sailor who simply throws the anchor over the side and hopes for the best, the…
Destinations: Thailand Fronting both the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Thailand has over 1700 nautical miles of tropical coastline to entice both racing and cruising sailors, writes Fiona Harper. Whether your interest is sprinting around the buoys, or cruising among the…
JUST CRUISING BY KEITH FLEMING Once you start your cruising life water takes on a new meaning so catching rain can be an important way to keep your tanks full. To design an efficient water catcher you need to look…
DESTINATIONS: ADELAIDE AND PORT LINCOLN Will 2008 really be the ‘last time’ for South Australian yachting legend Dick Fidock’ Richard. H. Fidock AO has sailed in and probably won nearly every keel boat title or event that South Australia has…
Practical: Seating Sick and tired of having an aching back? Bob Couper solves the problem of the lack of back support on many boats with this handy $46 do-it-yourself transportable backrest-cum seat. I find sitting in the cockpit of Spindrift…
High seas With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, David Daniel muses on the problem of finding a reliable tradesman when necessity dictates. Have you played yet? It's the new national pastime and it's called “waiting for a tradesman!”…
Feature: Bluewater sailing Jackie Parry joins a classic thoroughbred for a delivery trip to Hobart. Will West Wind make it? Jackie tells the story. The tangy smell of the salt-laden breeze and the late afternoon muting of colours surrounded the…
Practical: stretching it Coastal and offshore sailing can place unusual stresses and strains on the body, with long periods of inactivity and then sudden periods of intense effort. Maria Grigg outlines the exercise routine she uses to ward off injury….
Destination: Trinidad Jim and Linda Collier take time out from circumnavigating the world to experience one of the world's great events – the Trinidad-Tobago Carnival – and to do some much-needed maintenance. Our 31-day Atlantic crossing astern but still fresh…
Practical: Building a boat When accountant Fraser Petrie told his friends he was going to build a boat, they thought he was crazy, even more so because of his profession. But – as Fraser explains – you can come in…
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…
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,…
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