Down Under Rally publishes 2020 Go West Magazine
With so many of us being “hove to” and waiting for the storm that is Covid 19 to pass it is the hope of the Down Under Rally that all those who are intending to resume cruising the SW Pacific…
All News
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.
RORC cancels Cervantes Trophy, North Sea Race and Vice Admiral's Cup
In line with the continued COVID-19 Government guidance, as well as advice from many of the host finishing clubs in Europe, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has, with regret, had to cancel or change a number of its key…
Thomas Hansson-Mild stays on top of OK Dinghy World Rankings
Thomas Hansson-Mild, from Sweden, stays at the top of the first OK Dinghy World Ranking list of the year, the third list in a row that the 2009 World Champion tops the list, after reaching the number one spot in…
PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race postponed
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) 1,064-nautical-mile PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race, planned to start on 6 June 2020, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The postponement of the Sydney Noumea, the CYCA’s longest ocean race, is…
Bach suggests Tokyo 2020 could be rescheduled before summer as taskforce created to address challenges
Inside the Games. By Liam Morgan International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach opened the door to the possibility of Tokyo 2020 being rescheduled before the summer of 2021 and warned those involved in the moving of the Games would have…
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda forced to cancel May and June regattas
Porto Cervo, 27 March 2020. Due to the implications of the global coronavirus (Covid-19) emergency, which currently sees Italy seriously affected, the regattas organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda scheduled for the months of May and June have been…
Lifeboat crew help man “upside down” in his lazarette
Lymington’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat David Bradley, launched to assist a man in his 60s who was injured and had become trapped on his vessel. The weather conditions were good and there was a fresh NE breeze force 5. The…
Littlehampton RNLI called upon to rescue dismasted yacht drifting at sea
Friday 27 March 2020 Littlehampton RNLI’s B Class lifeboat 'Renee Sherman' launched to rescue a 38 foot yacht with two persons on board which had lost it’s mast five miles south of the harbour. HM Coastguard tasked the RNLI to…
Calshot D-Class Lifeboat assists a small sailing dinghy which had become stuck on deep mud
Monday 23 March 2020 This afternoon the volunteer crew of the Calshot D-Class Lifeboat were requested by HM Coastguard to assist a small sailing dinghy which had become stuck on deep mud near Ashlett Creek, with concerns for two elderly…
All boat ramps and marinas in Palm Beach County to close to recreational boating activities
The idiots do it to the majority once again! In Florida, Palm Beach County has closed marinas and boat ramps to recreational use owing to fools failing to comply with social distancing regulations. If you are going out on your…
Have some spare time? Build some shelves
I would love to have an oven on my boat. However, my otherwise excellent galley lacked convenient storage for regularly used food items. This suggested that the space required for an oven would be more useful as shelving. On my…
Have some spare time? Safety latch your hatches
Any boat venturing outside sheltered waters should be able to survive a knockdown undamaged, with the gear inside still in place rather than strewn all round the boat. Go round the cabin, imagining what it will look like with the…
2020 Newport Ensenada Race race gear clearance sale
Newport Beach, CA – We were unable to race this year, but we can still wear with pride commemorative hats, shirts and fleece embroidered with the logo of the 2020 edition of the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. The…
Postponement of 17th edition of PalmaVela
The extension of the current ‘state of alarm’ decreed by the Spanish government due to the coronavirus pandemic, has led to the organisers of the 17th edition of the PalmaVela regatta opting to postpone the event (originally scheduled 6th –…
Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide Boat Shows cancelled for 2020
The Board and Executive of the BIA is constantly monitoring developments related to COVID-19 in the public domain, in communication with government and in discussion with members. Last week, the BIA took the decision to hold the show dates for…
LIVE: Medal Races | Lanzarote International Regatta 2021
Tokyo Olympics postponed
Today [24 March 2020] the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee issued a joint statement announcing the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Available on the IOC website here, the statement read, “In the present circumstances…
2020 edition of Superyacht Cup Palma cancelled in response to pandemic
Organisers of the Superyacht Cup Palma have cancelled the 2020 regatta scheduled for 17-20 June due to the ongoing global coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and in line with recommendations from the Spanish and Balearic Governments. “This ongoing global crisis has made…
Fremantle to Exmouth Race has been cancelled
When the Fremantle to Bali Race and Rally was postponed for a year owing to concerns about the COVID-19 virus in Indonesia, a substitute event was planned for May 2020 – a race to Exmouth. The Fremantle Sailing Club has…
Queensland taskforce sees a long haul in war on wrecks
Maritime Safety Queensland will continue working to rid Queensland of unsafe and unsightly wrecks after the Minister for Transport and Main Roads gave the green light to explore recommendations made in an interim report to the state government by the War…
On-water speed monitor proves popular at Manly Boat Harbour
Almost anyone who drives a vehicle on our roads has seen those free-standing electronic speed monitors on roadsides displaying ‘grumpy faces’ if you are going too fast, or ‘smiley faces’ if you are doing the right thing. Well, pretty soon…
Storm tactics: back to the science
The attrition rate in the last Golden Globe Race around the world has led to some lively debate about the safety of these old designs compared with modern ocean racers. Those decrying the use of traditional long-keel yachts point out…
America's Cup World Series Portsmouth officially cancelled
It is with great regret that the America’s Cup Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, and local organising authority ORIGIN Sports Group announce the unavoidable cancellation of Emirates ACWS Portsmouth, which was scheduled to take place between June 4-7. Over the…
Yacht runs aground off Waikiki Beach
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard and partners are responding to a report of a 35-foot, double-masted sailing vessel grounded off Waikiki, Saturday evening. Pollution responders are on the scene assessing the situation and surrounding area for impacts. At this time, there are no…
IOC to make final decision on Tokyo 2020 in four weeks with postponement considered
Inside the Games. By Michael Pavitt A final decision on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be reached in four weeks by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with postponement of the Games set to be assessed. An IOC Executive Board meeting took…
Stuck in self-isolation? Do your own laundry
In these crazy times of self-exclusion, maybe it is time to do some of those projects you have had planned. Over the coming weeks we will post up some useful DIY projects that have appeared in Cruising Helmsman. If you…
Simple cockpit table from salvaged stuff
In these crazy times of self-exclusion, maybe it is time to do some of those projects you have had planned. Over the coming weeks we will post up some useful DIY projects that have appeared in Cruising Helmsman. If you…
Why use a laser rescue flare?
A rescue laser flare should be part of your standard safety kit, according to SOS Marine. Not only is it a critical survival device for rescue, it is also useful for locating retro-reflective items such as buoys or man overboard’s…
Tasmania’s summer pennant cancelled – winners decided early
The final race of Hobart’s major summer yachting series, the Combined Clubs Summer Pennant scheduled for today week, Saturday, 28 March, has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 virus spread. Pennants winners will now be decided on eight races, the…
Police search for man missing from a yacht off the Victorian coast
Victorian Search and Rescue Water Police officers are coordinating an air, land and sea search for a yacht missing off Victoria’s east coast. The alarm was raised when the missing yachtsman’s family contacted NSW police concerned for their relative’s welfare…
America's Cup: Auckland can be a winner as World Series sinks in Europe
Auckland will be the big winner if the America's Cup World Series does eventually get under way. The yachting world awaits the first taste of racing in the new 75-foot foiling monohulls but that wait could be quite a while…
Cancellation of Antigua Sailing Week
As a result of national and global measures being taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and the priority being the health and safety of our citizens, competitors, spectators and volunteers, the decision to cancel Antigua Sailing Week is the only viable option. We…
RORC Easter Challenge cancelled
In line with the Government's latest advice, and the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) announcement to suspend events in light of Coronavirus (COVID-19), The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has taken the decision to cancel the Easter Challenge which was due…
BIA gives update on boat show season
The Boating Industry Association Board today discussed the impact of COVID-19 on the boating industry and the 2020 BIA boat show circuit. The Board considered a range of factors with the prosperity of our members and the…
Honda Marine holds narrow lead in JJ Giltinan with two races to go
The defending champion Honda Marine team of David McDiarmid, Matt Steven and Brad Collins hold a narrow points lead over their nearest rival as the fleet goes into the final two races of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney…
America's Cup Arbitration Panel confirms Cagliari is cancelled, not postponed
Cagliari, 18 March 2020 – Following the submission to the America’s Cup Arbitration Panel by the New York Yacht Club / American Magic regarding its participation in the ACWS Sardegna – Cagliari and the subsequent responses of COR 36, the…
Mara Stransky selected to Australian Olympic Team
Queensland’s Mara Stransky has today been named by the Australian Olympic Committee as Australia’s selection for the Laser Radial class at the 2020 Olympic Games. The announcement caps a stunning rise for the 21-year old sailor, as the Tokyo-bound athlete…
Third win in a row for Kiwis in JJ Giltinan 18 Footer World Championship
Defending champion Honda Marine team of David McDiarmid, Matt Steven and Brad Collins took out the third consecutive JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship after another impressive performance in the final two races of the regatta on Sydney Harbour today. Going…
Three races, three different winners in JJ Giltinan 18 Footers
Three windward-return course races staged on Day 3 of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today produced three different winners in the light SE breeze. In the first race of the day (Race 3 of the championship)…
73rd Newport to Ensenada rescheduled for 2021
Newport Beach, CA – In light of the Corvid 19 virus, the Newport Ocean Racing Association’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to reschedule the 73rd annual Newport to Ensenada Yacht International Race until April 23, 2021. “Safety of our volunteers…
