View from the bridge
It’s a big world. And 71% of it is salt water. But with more than 100,000 ships plying the oceans, it’s not unusual for a small sailboat to find itself in exactly the same piece of water as a “trading…
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.
What not to do on the start line
The start of a sailboat race is a focused test of a crew’s ability across the range of sailing skills: tactics and strategy, boat handling, rules and speed. The last skill of boat speed may not initially seem related to…
Designing sails for the Volvo Ocean Race
What does it take to design sails for the Volvo Open 65? There is no better person to answer that question than North Sails’ Gauiter Sergent, VO65 Designer of Record. Based at the North sails loft in France, Gautier has…
New HH42 is just Simply Fun
I was quite excited to be asked to go for a sail and do a review on the new HH42 Simply Fun. Owned by Phil Coombes, the boat had been attracting quite a lot of attention around Port Phillip. I…
Team Nika holds the lead in RC44s with a day to sail
The 10 competing teams at the RC44 Oman Cup enjoyed a great sailing day on the Gulf of Oman for the penultimate day of the 2014 Championship Tour. Racing started in a seven-knot north-westerly breeze which built steadily throughout the…
Sir Ben Ainslie says his America's Cup budget is bigger than Oracle's.
In an interview with CNBC International in October, Sir Ben Ainslie confirmed his America’s Cup budget is £80 million ($US128 Million), making it bigger than the reported $US100 million budget that defender Oracle Team USA is working with.
Sir Robin “ecstatic” with third place in Route du Rhum
British adventurer and Clipper Race Founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, has finished solo Transatlantic race the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe in third place in the Rhum class. Sir Robin crossed the finish line on his Open 60 Grey…
Ariel wins Morna Cup as Sydney-Hobart entrants warm-up
The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s historic Morna Cup had a distinct Rolex Sydney Hobart Race flavour about it yesterday, with Cup winner Ron Forster’s Ariel an entrant in the blue water classic and runner-up Minerva skippered by the Chairman of…
Andrew Hunn, Amelia Catt receive Tasmanian Sailing Awards
Prominent Farr 40 skipper Andrew Hunn and Rio Olympic Games aspirant Amelia Catt today were named as the Tasmanian Sailors of the Year along with other annual awards. Yachting Tasmania president Ron Bugg announced the awards at the Royal Yacht…
Gotta Love It 7 wins Race 3 of 18 Footer Club Championship
The champion Gotta Love It 7 skiff continued her domination of the Australian 18 Footer League’s 2014-2015 Season with another brilliant victory in Race 3 of the Club Championship on Sydney Harbour today. Usual skipper Seve Jarvin and for’ard hand…
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston locked in battle for podium places
As the bulk of the Class 40 fleet in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe file in to the finish in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe Friday with their stories to tell, the fight for the remaining places in the Rhum Class of the…
Consistency hard to come by at the RC44 Oman Cup
The Oman RC44 Cup delivered another challenging sailing day for the fleet competing in the final event of the 2014 Championship Tour. Consistency was hard to come by and no team managed to stay in the top half of the…
GC32 Racing Tour 2015 – dates and venues announced
For 2015, its third season of racing, the GC32 foiling catamarans are to compete around Europe on a five event circuit known as the GC32 Racing Tour. The GC32 is attracting considerable interest due to its conceptual similarity to the…
Rolex Sydney Hobart winner racing for Morna Cup
Victoire, the overall winner of the 2013 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, will begin her final tune-up for this year’s 70th edition with a sprint race tomorrow, contesting the historic Morna Cup off Sydney Heads. The Morna Cup is the…
Wounded mates to face the Bass Strait together
A new group of serving and former Australian soldiers will take on one of the most gruelling long ocean yacht races in the world as part of their rehabilitation and to raise awareness of the challenges facing young service men…
Treasury in NZ warns against further government investment in the America's Cup
NZ Herald. By Phil Taylor: Treasury has advised against taxpayer backing for Team New Zealand in the next America's Cup, labelling it “poor value for money”. The Government contributed $5 million to Team New Zealand to help retain key staff…
Miranda Merron finishes seventh in Route du Rhum
British solo sailor Miranda Merron crossed the finish line of the 3542 miles La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe solo Transatlantic race off Pointe-a-Pitre this Thursday afternoon at 16:17:25hrs UTC 12:17:25hrs local time in seventh place from a Class 40 field…
New sponsor for Wild Oats in her 10th Sydney-Hobart
While more modifications are being mooted for the champion supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI as part of her preparation for next month’s Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race, a high-profile new member of the team was revealed on Sydney Harbour today….
Slingsby helps Charisma to first win in RC44 Oman Cup
After finishing third in the annual RC44 match race championships, Team Nika seem to have got a taste for the podium. It was a tough day on the water for the start of the fleet racing at the RC44 Oman…
America's Cup venue announcement to be made in New York on Tuesday
We've waited over a year for it, but finally the America's Cup Event Authority has set a firm date to announce whether Bermuda or San Diego will host the 35th America's Cup. I have just received an invitation to the…
ORC announces rule improvements for 2015
Palma de Mallorca, Spain – Amidst a 10% growth report on having issued over 9000 certificates worldwide in 2014, the recent Annual General Meeting of the Offshore Racing Congress is pleased to announces numerous improvements approved for use in the…
Hudson Yachts announce the HH55 performance catamaran
Hudson Yachts, Morrelli & Melvin and HH Catamarans have announced its newest project, the HH55. The yacht is an all carbon affair with rig, hulls and structures offering safety, strength, and weight saving properties. Similar to the HH66, the HH55…
Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Historical Photographic Exhibition at National Maritime Museum
To help celebrate the 70th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race the Australian National Maritime Museum has honoured the CYCA by creating an intimate photographic exhibition in their Tasman Light Gallery. In collaboration with Ian Mainsbridge, Richard Bennett, Daniel…
Unnamed source says Bermuda has been chosen to host America's Cup 2017
America's ABC News: By Bernie Wilson, AP Sports Reporter. The tax haven of Bermuda has been picked over San Diego to host the 2017 America's Cup, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday. The…
Novice yachtie tells of boat sinking off Gladstone
Phillip Atkinson and the Justa Gypsy had just three weeks to get to know each other before they were the subject of a midnight rescue by the Gladstone Volunteer Marine Rescue. Mr Atkinson, 61, bought the yacht and went from…
Synergy crowned RC44 Match Racing Champions in Oman
The RC44 Oman Cup opened with the season’s final day of match racing. Defending champions Team Aqua held a slim one-point lead over Synergy Russian Sailing Team who were fighting for the trophy they last won in 2012. Vladimir Prosikhin’s…
Alex Pella takes out Class40 division in Route du Rhum
While Spain's Alex Pella is riding a wave of sheer happiness after finishing first across the finish line for Class40 in La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, confirming he is setting his sights now firmly on the Vendée Globe, the Class40…
Howling start to Leg 2 of Volvo Ocean Race
This was more like weather to topple over their owners too – and send everything cartwheeling down the Cape Town V&A dockside in the early evening sunshine. Well, nearly. Sailors are hardly the breed to complain about too much breeze…
Kiwis get one back as accountant smashes Spithill
Stuff.co.nz. By Paul Easton: A Kiwi accountant has managed to do what Team New Zealand could not – thrash Aussie sailing ace Jimmy Spithill on the water. Sam Finnigan, 22, yesterday defeated Spithill as the pair took turns to pilot…
Alex Pella closes in on Route du Rhum finish line
Catalan solo skipper Alex Pella passed another mental milestone this afternoon as he seeks to close out victory in Classe40 in La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeluope, but he needs to remain totally focused to avoid any mishaps in the final…
Cyclone season to test Volvo Ocean Race fleet in leg 2
Volvo Ocean Race sailors set out again for the open seas on Wednesday with no piracy activity on their radar, but the threat of cyclones ahead on Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. Sailing conditions in Cape Town…
NOR available for 2015 Farr 40 International Circuit
The 2015 International Circuit NOR has been finalised and posted, please click here to find it. The International Circuit will again be sailed in California, beginning with the Midwinters at San Diego Yacht Club from March 4 – 7 and ending with…
SailTimer wind instrument new mounting options released soon
The wireless, solar-powered SailTimer wind instrument has a number of mounting options. It is supplied with a vertical mounting rod which can be attached to the top of the masthead. The mounting rod is 22.8 centimetres (9″) long and marine-grade…
Tubby crosses the bar – a trip from Tasmania to Queensland
A warm banana bender welcome to all from the pristine waters of sunny southern Queensland. It’s getting on towards the end of May and we are making a final approach to our winter cruising grounds, about to go through the…
Haylee Outteridge and Sarah Cook chase Olympic selection in the 49er FX
The women's skiff is a new class at the 2016 Olympics and competition for the Australian spot at Rio will be fierce. Tess Lloyd and Caitlyn Elks were the best Australian performers at the 2014 Santander Worlds, finishing 11th, while…
How I became part of the NSW Youth Sailing Team
I started sailing four years ago when my mum bought a boat and realised our family didn’t really know how to sail. Not long after, my mum enrolled me in a learn to sail program through Woollahra sailing club on…
Entries are now open for Hong Kong Race Week 2015
Entries are now open for Hong Kong Race Week 2015 which will be hosted by the Hong Kong Sailing Federation (HKSF) and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and sailed out of RHKYC’s Middle Island sailing centre from 12 to…
Team Alvimedica visit children’s hospital in Cape Town
November 17, 2014, Cape Town, South Africa – Team Alvimedica skipper Charlie Enright and crew member Dave Swete made an emotional visit this morning to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. The two Volvo Ocean Race sailors were shown…
RC44 Grand Final Showdown in Oman
The closing event of the 2015 RC44 Championship Tour will play out from the 19th – 23rd of November at the RC44 Oman Cup, Muscat. Hosted by Oman Sail, the season finale promises to be a close one. With both…
Flags and bands at ARC opening ceremony mark one week to the start
With one week to go before the ARC 2014 fleet leave Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia, crews from across the world marched and danced behind their national flags in a stirring parade around Las…
