The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.
Survivalists Of The Ocean
This week, we’re not tracking the Fastnet, or the Sydney to Hobart. This week we’re tracking the great classics; the survivalists of the ocean – the Southern Right Whale.
Reimers and Robb
In one season alone Coles made sixteen Channel crossings in COHOE, but her most famous voyage was the 1950 Transatlantic Race from Bermuda to Plymouth.
Auscrew - 50 Years On
"If you can remember it, you weren't there", a phrase often used in connection with Woodstock, but equally applicable to the infamous Auscrew parties of the Admiral's Cup era of offshore racing
“How to Build a Boat”… a must-read
Jonathan, who becomes a father again at the age of 58, realises that he is not going to be around forever for his three-year-old daughter Phoebe. Despite his lack of practical experience, decides to build her a 10ft clinker dinghy in real wood, and in the space of a year. The result is, by turns, moving, funny and perceptive.
“All the symbolism is shit”
No, it’s not a fishing manual or boat survival handbook; it’s more a fable-like story. For the old man, fishing isn’t simply a contest; it has a philosophical meaning.
Delightful, Delicious, Dinosaurs.
It’s amazing that yachts which require so many crew, so much expertise, not to mention so many dollars to run them, have become such a flourishing class in Europe and the USA.
Being a hero is all about timing
With a small sum of money collected by the sale of his belongings and contributions from his family, Speck set off from Hamburg on 13 May 1932, when Hitler was almost unknown. Armed with a kayak, two paddles, a camera, film, clothing, a pistol, he paddled down the Danube towards the Mediterranean.
Who is Knud Reimers?
Most sailors know Knud Reimers’ Tumlaren sailed in Australia since 1937. But it’s just one boat in a huge folio of successful designs over six decades. Here’s a look at Reimers and his boats.
Football was the Easy Part
With the AFL frantically juggling to rearrange fixtures, this second story from Russell Kenery’s Book “Curious Voyages” is perhaps a reminder - in order to live our lives to the full, rather than just exist, we need to accept a certain degree of risk.
YVONNE- A Small syndicate, hands on Restoration
Today we talk with the three most active members of the YVONNE 97 syndicate, about the restoration of Port Phillip’s famous Tumlaren. And like so many of the best wooden boat stories, its not really about the craft, its more about the people, the friendships and the philosophies embedded into the project. Sit back, enjoy, and hopefully be inspired.
A Sailing Revival?
With all the justifiable doom and gloom around this week’s release of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report I thought it would be good to think about what changes could be made in our area of interest.
Ropes, Boots and Adventure.
In the second-hand bookshops I sometimes frequent, I’ve noticed that the “Maritime” section is often very close to the “Mountaineering” books. It’s not an alphabetical thing. I think it’s just that the bookshop owners believe that the two disciplines have a lot in common, (too much fresh air, an element of danger, isolation, fear etc) and so a potential shopper who is interested in one, might well be interested in the other.
Olympic Selection and Gender Politics
The IOC is constantly re-jigging its position on gender that bubbles under the surface of their sporting ideals.
A Trim Centenarian
Historic Workboats Are An Endangered Species, But This Little Tasmanian Has Remained Remarkably Intact For Over 100 Years. I’ve always been attracted to that place in sailing where working boats and sailing “yachts” intersect.
AWBF Boat Folk Episode Two. SAONA
OK, I’ll lay my cards on the table… I’ve got a vested interest in this one! There aren’t many Philip Rhodes Designed boats in Australia.
Dinghy Democracy
in the 50’s &60’s new lightweight inexpensive dinghy classes for kids and teenagers were on drawing boards or being developed in boatbuilders sheds and beachside sailing clubs were starting up all over Australia. This was only made possible by significant technical developments with ply sheet, moulded timber fabrication and resin glues used in aircraft in the 1930’s
A Death Defying Voyage of Pleasure
Lone sailor Bernard Gilboy’s small boat voyage, in 1882, was perhaps the most daring undertaking on the world’s biggest ocean. Yet, when departing San Francisco, the Customs Certificate read, “starts on a voyage of pleasure for Australia.”
Help Needed! Naming the Schooner
“I have included a photo taken from leeward just after the start with MORNA leading the fleet, SAGA is just to windward of her, but further to leeward and astern of MORNA is a staysail schooner with a wishbone rig on the foremast.”
ANNIKI, So Much More than a Movie Star
A historic ship that starred in a blockbuster movie, carried the Olympic flame and set pearl shell records is set to be restored after sinking in Darwin in 2016.
Watching During Lockdown-"Shackleton's Captain”
Shackleton’s Captain uses Hurley’s original footage and embellishes it with a cast of modern actors, experts and graphics to explain how important Frank Worsley, the Endurance’s captain was to the expedition.