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.
By Alan Littlefield Dreamagic (a Bavaria 44) has now successfully completed her voyage from Pittwater in NSW to her new home in Cairns. On the way we managed to fit in the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, a few…
By Alan Littlefield We can't help it can we? Get two boats on the water and they race. I can remember my early days of sailing home in a Cole 23 under the Harbour Bridge. It was a beautiful…
By Anne Wilson A land as old as time itself swathed in the mysteries of the exotic east has expanded to become arguably the world's largest floating warehouse. We crossed the shipping highway between Batam Island Indonesia and the island…
By Chris Radford, Navico I know some of you will be thinking “well he works for Navico, so of course he's going to say it the best thing since sliced bread”, so I'll leave the introduction to Navico's Broadband…
Walking aft to our tower, I saw our Ocky strap bowstring tight and the trolling line singing. Shocked and alarmed I jumped back shouting, “Hey Jude. Oi! Come look. Something huge is hooked up.” We nearly always troll a fishing…
By Jack Binder “Lucky, lucky, lucky,” that's how my sister described it. I should have known better. Tradition says beginning a voyage on a Friday is a bad omen. Fuelling this ominous portent – our last shakedown began Friday the 13th….
Boat-share schemes can be a low-cost way to sail, but making the right decisions for your pocket and sailing preferences are important, reports Jim Murrant. I bumped into an old sailing mate the other day, one I hadn’t seen down…
By Jack Binder Hello seafarers and settee sailors. I thought I'd offer two glimpses from our life that happened while preparing Banyandah for her Southern Ocean crossing When guests of the Fremantle Sailing Club, I awoke feeling a bit old…
OFFSHORE BY DAVID SALTER Our sport of ocean racing may be coming to the crossroads. The potential for a serious parting of the ways is both real and imminent. Competing forces are now so firmly counterpoised that a schism seems…
Sharon and Julian Smallwood enjoy life in the fast-lane (well sort of) when Airlie Beach and Hamilton race weeks come to town. The cruising life follows a different agenda to most, but that doesn't deter us from entering into…
by Sharon Smallwood Leaving Bundaberg at the end of July, I had assumed we'd be a little late in the season to find many other boats, especially this far south. Surely those with any sense would have already escaped the…
PROFILE: GEOFF ROSS Asian life. Taking a calculated risk is nothing new for seasoned yachtsman Geoff Ross and he is confident his latest high performance ocean racer has the edge to carve through the fleet during the 2006 Sydney to…
ARRIVALS Jensen marine radio Jensen Marine's MSR7007 is new to Australia. Unlike many marine electronics products, which are existing units modified to be water-resistant, this Jensen AM/FM/CD stereo unit has been outdoor-proofed during every step of the design process. The…
ARRIVALS Jensen marine radioJensen Marine’s MSR7007 is new to Australia. Unlike many marine electronics products, which are existing units modified to be water-resistant, this Jensen AM/FM/CD stereo unit has been outdoor-proofed during every step of the design process. The unit…
ARRIVALS Slam Racing Evolution rangeSlam apparel is defined by Italian design, quality construction and advanced fabrics. The new oilskin jacket is made from nylon cotoniero and has plenty of storage. The two external vertical pockets have laminated water-repellent zips and…
ARRIVALS RMC Swing ThrusterThe RMC Swing Thruster is aimed at making manoeuvring in marinas an easy process. Controls are via a keypad and joystick. Noise reduction is another feature and it is also designed to have minimal cavitation.As well as…
ARRIVALS How Boats Work – Book For once, a genuinely useful book for sailors. Charlie Wing's practical guide is presented in the easy-to-read, large-format style of a technical manual. The illustrations are simple and clear and feature “exploded” views of…
ARRIVALS RFD ResOFix PLBThe compact new RFD ResQFix PLB features 406MHz satellite technology combined with the speed and accuracy of GPS to deliver a complete safety beacon. Its size suits day sailors and even kayakers as the unit fits easily…
OFFSHORE by DAVID SALTER One of the handiest things about the sport of offshore racing is that almost any judgement you may wish to make about it can be true. Or false. Each contest has so many inter-dependant variables ‘…
By Fiona Harper. Sitting out the cyclone season Cruisers heading north, who find themselves waiting for the cyclone season to finish do have an alternative to sitting out the hot windy summer in Fremantle. There are a number of safe…
PRACTICALITIES BY ANDREW BRAY Navigation lamps Boat lighting is moving beyond the purely functional, with lifestyle convenience and pleasurable aesthetics becoming an achievable consideration on boats that are by no means in the superyacht class. You only have to scan…
McConaghy's Yard in Sydney is building a 30m maxi yacht for British property developer Mike Slade, reports Kevin Green. The new Leopard3 is the latest in a series of performance maxis for Slade who intends to race the boat in…
CLUB UPDATE Canvas and wood were the predominant features when Kevin Green visited the Balmain Sailing Club's annual regatta. The Balmain Sailing Club nestles into the peninsula at the mouth of Iron Cove, a pleasant walk down the appropriately named…
Alan Littlefield tackles some heady heights on his Bavaria 44, Dreamagic, on the eve of the 2009 Cairns-Louisiades Rally. I am not generally fond of toilet humour. It's not a funny subject, but heads on yachts seem to be a…
The leaseholders of Middle Percy Island south-east of Mackay in Queensland are calling for expressions of interest from cruisers who might be able to help restore an important part of the island's heritage. “We believe that there may be an…
Design and construction The man who liked his boat so much that he bought the company, Leonardo Ferragamo, restored the Finnish yacht builder to a profit-making enterprise. The Italian shoe and apparel entrepreneur persuaded the company to divisionalise and specialise….
Looking for a well appointed performance cruiser? Barry Henson, editor of Australian Yachting, takes a look at the Hanse 430e. If you're looking for a performance cruiser, something that will put you in the rankings at your club and keep…
The inaugural Catalina Owners Group Rendezvous was held in October. Starting from the Catalina Anchorage in Middle Harbour, 12 Catalinas ranging in size from the C28 Brown Eyed Girl to the grand C470 Migaloo owned by Ross and Jan Hetherington…
In an historic ocean racing victory, Ian Kiernan’s classic timber yacht Sanyo Maris today celebrated the 50th anniversary of her launching with an IRC handicap win in the 414 nautical mile Hempel 35th Gosford – Lord Howe Island Race. The…
Peter Hrones, founder and managing director of Windcraft Australia, has a big smile on his face. He is now celebrating a decision made 10 years ago in the small but historically significant boat building town of Greifswald, on Germany's Baltic…
Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi has reminded boat owners a “sea change” in marine safety will come into force early next year when new digital emergency radio beacons (EPIRBs) take over from the old analogue system. From February 1,…
Thirty three Seawind catamarans, valued at around $10 million, competed in the Seawind Pittwater Regatta held over the weekend (17-19 October) on Pittwater near Sydney, being the 10th time this event has been run. With such a strong fleet and…
December's Australasian Yachting will feature new boats for 2009. Many of the big builders are planning exciting boats for next year and we highlight the best. X-Yachts will unveil some new offerings and a particular boat of interest will be…
A US luxury cruising yacht will be flying sails made down under. Julian Plante from North Sails Sydney recently headed to Mackay to meet up with Brian Baker and his wife to outfit their new Spectra Gatorback sails for their…
Racing aboard the newest and flashiest Grand Prix boat at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, the $1.8 million speed machine Secret Mens Business3, is an amazing experience, writes Kevin Green. The custom built Reichel Pugh 47’s sleek grey hull and…
At the club The Sonata Association of Victoria celebrated its 30th birthday with a sail-past, reports president Des Russell, who says the club is still a vibrant and active force. The Sonata Association of Victoria (SYAV) was 30 years old,…
C-MAP® by Jeppesen Cartography Preloaded in New E-Series Widescreen with HybridTouchTM Display Raymarine, Inc., and Jeppesen Marine today announced that C-MAP by Jeppesen cartography will come standard on the new Raymarine E-Series Widescreen with HybridTouch multifunction display. This marks the…
The local Maloja wind was on schedule this morning; it started blowing at 10:30 AM and rapidly rose to 15-20 knots. The conditions were just perfect for the twelve teams involved in the event, allowing them to practice their manoeuvres…
The forecast for Day 2 of the Laser SB3 Worlds in Cascais allowed the Race Officer the option of using either race area. The decision was made to use Race Area B, to the east of the bay. The wind…
It took a little patience, but the famous sea breeze of St. Margaret's Bay didn't disappoint. Competitors got in two races on the first day of racing in the 2009 Nautel Laser Masters World Championship. But with the wind not…
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