Going to the cats
Focus on multihulls Why are catamarans becoming so popular? Is it just a simple case of more bang for your buck? Jon Neeves donned his super-sleuth hat to investigate. It was three years ago, on my wife Jo's and my…
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.
The Alchemists
SUPERYACHT PEOPLE Thinking big and fulfilling dreams in the glamorous world of superyachts takes special people as Lynn Fitzpatrick finds out by talking to those with that Midas touch. If anything, Andrew Farkas knows how to build it big. Farkas…
Latitudes of largesse
SUPERYACHTS The gap between superyachts and everything else out on the harbour is as wide as you could imagine, reports Fiona Harper. It could be said that a club racer on Sydney Harbour and superyacht of 100ft plus have commonality…
101 (make that 7) uses for a cruising cat
Focus on multihulls Geoff and Cherylle Stone discover that there are still plenty of fun things to do with their Grainger catamaran, Subzero, in the off-season. 1. FerryAmong our Port Stephens friends there are some female partners who point-blank refuse…
Buying the right boat for you
Focus on the multihull When it comes to buying a multihull some unique factors have to be considered, reports Jo Djubal. Anybody who has purchased a boat of any size or design can attest to the research needed to ensure…
Through the power maze
Practical: Electrics Bruce and Sandy Meldrum lead the way through the maze of upgrading your power system to meet the demands of cruising in the energy-hungry 21st century. Over the years it is our impression that one of the most…
The sharp end
RACE TRAINING Race training not only sharpens your sailing skills but produces an addictive buzz, as Caroline Strainig finds out when she enrols with Eastsail. There were yachts within a few metres of us on both sides and about another…
The First All New Zealand Class 40
BTBoats is a newly established NZ company, aimed to market and distribute a new all NZClass 40 yacht. BTBoats has announced that it has recently commissioned FarrYacht Design Ltd. to design a new Class 40 yacht. The name of this…
Grouparama sustains damage and abandons Jules Verne attempt
It was at 1216 UT on Monday 16th November, that the skipper of Groupama 3, Franck Cammas, called the Jules Verne Trophy team to inform them that an aft beam bulkhead had broken, leading to serious damage to the float….
Bligh's open boat voyage to be recreated
Talisker, the famous single malt whisky distilled on the Isle of Skye today announced its sponsorship of an epic sailing adventure which will be the first to recreate the exact journey of Captain William Bligh's epic 4,000-mile open boat ‘Mutiny…
Kiwis on top, Russians into the semi-final of Louis Vuitton Trophy in Nice
There's one match outstanding to complete the round robin at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Côte d'Azur, but the four semi finalists are confirmed. Emirates Team New Zealand will win the round robin and have the opportunity to select its…
Denis Thompson appointed PRO for Coffs Paradise race
Australia's best-known professional yacht regatta manager, Denis Thompson, has been appointed Race Director for the inaugural Coffs to Paradise and Sail Paradise events, which will be staged by the Gold Coast's Southport Yacht Club in January. Thompson is well recognised…
May 2008: Arrivals
ARRIVALS Conceived by a yacht builder and experienced ocean racer this rectangular frying pan gives maximum cooking area for minimum stove area. It measures 25 cm x 20 cm with deep 4.5 cm vertical sides creating a pan with a…
Ronstan release new swivel head orbit blocks ™
Award winning blocks now available with stainless attachment points Ronstan has expanded their award winning line of Orbit BlocksTM by introducing several new Swivel Head blocks. These blocks are exactly the same as the original Orbit BlocksTM, except the soft…
Grouparama under way again after frustrating winds slowed progress
The calm conditions colouring the past 48 hours are definitively over: with the arrival of a Brazilian depression system the acceleration has been instant and is set to last for several days. Evidence of this comes with the 70 miles…
Russians on cusp of making the finals at Louis Vuitton Trophy in Nice
Synergy skipper Karol Jablonski and tactician Rod Dawson were wearing huge smiles dockside and expressing their pleasure over a job well done when Philippe Mourniac from All4One approached. “Great job, guys. It was awesome to watch on TV,” said Mourniac,…
Technical Committee announces improvements to ORC rating systems
The Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) has accepted and approved all changes made by the International Technical Committee (ITC) to next year's VPP to be used in ORC International and ORC Club rating systems. This is the first year the ITC…
Thurlow Fisher-City wins second consecutive heat of 18 footers
Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas produced another brilliant performance in Thurlow Fisher-City to score their second consecutive victory in Race 2 of the NSW 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today. The trio had to produce their very…
Thornburrow from Hong Kong takes out Queensland Etchells title
The leading contenders fought every mile in the remaining race to go one better on each other. Three teams went into today's racing on equal ten points; Vaughan Prentice, Noel Paterson and Mark Thornburrow. Out of the day came a…
Boxing Kangaroo just pips Chinese into Cape Town in Clipper Race
It could hardly have been closer… after 3,300 miles of ocean racing Spirit of Australia pipped Qingdao to the post to take sixth place in Race 3 of Clipper 09-10. The Boxing Kangaroo landed its knockout punch at 2236 local…
Nick Moloney one of six skippers at Extreme Sailing Series Asia
TWENTY FOUR of the World's top professional sailors will converge on Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong next week for the first round of the new Extreme Sailing Series Asia. The six top teams include the host nation's, China Team, as well…
Quotas for Olympic entries finalised at ISAF meeting
It was decision-time in Busan today as the Council of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) considered the Submissions made to this year's ISAF Annual Conference. The ISAF Council is the final decision-making body of ISAF and today at their meeting…
Funding available for international classes
Limited funding is available to support Australian athletes competing in ISAF International and Recognised Classes World Championships. The grants are paid retrospectively based on Class World Championships held between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010. The purpose of the…
The front in their sights – Groupama 3
Off Salvador de Bahia this Friday afternoon, Groupama 3 is continuing her southward descent in search of a stormy depression system forming over Brazil. At an average speed of over twenty-five knots, Franck Cammas and his crew have a 680…
Clipper 09-10 Race 3: Rio De Janeiro to Cape Town Day 17
* Cork expected at Royal Cape Yacht Club this afternoon* Team Finland and Uniquely Singapore locked in battle for second place* California's crew show they have what it takes – no matter what fate throws at them The first of…
Asian Match Racing Championship – Robertson takes keys to World Match Racing Tour door
In a thrilling series, New Zealand's Phil Robertson and his WAKA Racing Team beat Australian Michael Dunstan and his SLAM Racing Team, to win the Asian Match Racing Championship this afternoon. As a result Robertson will be sailing in the…
Grouparama has crossed the equator on Jules Verne quest
After 5 days 15 hours and 23 minutes, Groupama 3 has crossed the equator, establishing a new reference time over this stretch of the course between Ushant and the line marking the switch of hemispheres. Now sailing close-hauled in a…
Russians score first win at Louis Vuitton in Nice
On a day where the leaders at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Côte d'Azur kept pace with one another, it was the Synergy team of Russia that made the day's headline. Synergy, led by Polish skipper Karol Jablonski, scored an…
Team Finland emerges from stealth mode in good shape in the Clipper race
The latest low pressure system has meant that all the teams are nowspeeding their way towards the finish line in Cape Town. Several of theboats have emerged from Stealth Mode and the fight for the podiumpositions is as tight as…
Phil Robertson (NZL) unbeaten at Asian Match Race Championship
In the 2009 Asian Match Racing Championship, 22 year old Auckland sailor Phil Robertson finished the first round robin with a perfect 6-0 score on the Pulau Duyong basin course in Kuala Terengganu this morning and then went out and…
Torben Grael and Anna Tunnicliffe named Sailors of the Year
Torben Grael and Anna Tunnicliffe joined the sailing world's most prestigious list of winners last night, 10 November, as they were named winners of the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards at a spectacular ceremony held in…
Meet the Australian Sailing team at Sandringham Boat Show this weekend
Australian Sailing's editor, Roger McMillan, and advertising manager, Peter Rendle, will both be at the Australian Sailing stand at Sandringham Boat Show this Saturday. If you're in Victoria and want to look at all the latest boats and gear, come…
Entries building for wooden boat festival in Geelong
Expressions of interest are pouring in which indicates that next year's Wooden Boat Festival will be bigger, better and more beautiful than before! The massive program includes the crowd-pleasing Grand Parade of boats, the Classic Yacht passage race from Melbourne,…
Sailing with the Smallwoods: Cruising across borders
Sharon and Julian Smallwood believe cruisers should not be put off from visiting some states and countries because of bureaucratic red tape and differing rules and regulations. Firstly a big thanks to everyone who commented on the last blog about…
In the wake of Banyandah: Musings on adventure, Jessica Watson and Mother Earth
Jack and Jude Binder ponder the world we live in, from adventure and Jessica Watson's solo voyage to Mother Earth and the pressure the environment is under. Throughout history men and women have gone out seeking adventure, earth's curiosities and…
YA CEO Phil Jones reports to ISAF on Olympic committee's work
At the ISAF Annual Conference today, Phil Jones, Chairman of Olympic Commission, spoke to us about the first year of the Olympic Commission. The Olympic Commission was set up earlier this year to assist the ISAF Executive Committee in ‘developing,…
Seawind 1250 officially launched
On Friday the 30th of October, a crowd of over 130 onlookers watched as the world's newest blue water catamaran was officially launched off the Newport Marine Service's slipway at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Newport north of Sydney,…
Close races and better weather at Louis Vuitton Nice
Seasonal conditions returned today to the Bay of Angels off Nice and allowed race organisers for the Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Côte d'Azur to reel off four flights of races, eight matches overall. The flurry of races has helped give…
Alinghi agrees to Valencia for America's Cup but leaves Australian door open.
Valencia has been confirmed as the venue for the best-of-three 33rd America's Cup Match in February after the defenders and challengers had “cordial” but ultimately unfruitful discussions on a number of issues over the weekend. A stetement from the defenders…
Stealth cards being played as Clipper boats battle for position
With the shearing of the spindle holding their wheel and subsequentreliance on secondary steering, the future was looking uncertain for thecrew of California yesterday. However, morale reamins high on board and22-year-old Emma Bosworth, a student from Great Missingham,Buckinghamshire, has been…
