Entries closed this week for the 78th Rolex Sydney to Hobart. As we did last year, let’s have a quick scan of the timber vessels that are making the trip south. As far as I can tell there are only four genuinely timber boats… unless I’ve missed something.

As isolated cultures and forgotten societies are infiltrated by thrill seekers wielding the tools of social media, finding truely original and enriching adventures seems harder and harder.

Regular readers may have noticed that here at SWS our interest in Wharram Catamarans has morphed into a minor obsession over the last year or so. Well how could we not sit up and notice this surfing adventure film released today in the UK.

If you love boat building, you’re going to love the third and final instalment of THE BRITISH BOAT BUILDERS 2023 TOUR.

More than 10 years later, the term Frequency Illusion was coined by Stanford linguist Arnold Zwicky. Essentially, the Frequency Illusion is a perception that something you’ve been thinking about, or recently learned, all of a sudden seems much more frequent in your environment than it was before.

Students of dugout sculpting believe that once the tree was felled, it would have been stripped of all its bark, then have its future top and bottom surfaces determined by its curvature, if any.

While not a boating story, it’s boating related in so many ways; Surrounded by Australia’s most recognisable sailing ground, emblematic of the canvas of wind powered craft and designed by people with maritime history running through their veins.

As dawn breaks in Costa Rica, filmmaker ANNIE MEANS is about to settle into a bowl of rice and beans. Meanwhile it’s noon in the UK founder of WOMEN IN BOAT BUILDING, BELINDA JOSLIN wonders where she’ll find another female boatbuilder to meet demand from young female apprentices…SWS grabs them both to discuss women as boatbuilders and why film is a great way to get a positive message out in the world.

Of the eighty images in the selection, nine of them relate to classic or wooden craft. This reinforces my belief that while traditional sailing craft may not be at the cutting edge of sailboat racing, they play an important role in upholding the values of authenticity and custodianship throughout the whole of the panoply of sailing.

Long ago, beyond the mists of history, even before the Hobie Cat, an idea was born. It was found to be good and so it moved upon the face of the waters, at least in Southern California.

WOMEN IN BOATBUILDING along with young filmmaker ANNIE MEANS have just launched EPISODE ONE – THE SOUTH COAST – a three part series of short films about women in the boating industry who simply show up to build boats.

I was sitting on my bunk, looking out the hatch, and then, in a split second, my whole world was turned upside down. My view turned from blue sky to blue water, a huge crashing sound was heard, and Maiwar was capsized like a bath toy. There was no time for fear or even a communicable thought, it all happened so quickly.

This is going to be special! Drinks and food and friends amongst some remarkable restorations. There will be a welcome to the Regatta and brief description of the vessels being worked on in the shed.

“It is an unforeseen circumstance. No one trains to have a giant mast break on a schooner. Everyone acted with professionalism. Everyone was doing the best they could with the gifts that they had.”

Many of those isolated hamlets are most easily accessible by boat rather than car, so in 1959, a group of librarians secured government funding to launch a waterborne library service with a special emphasis on children’s literature.

Delve into the ties Pasifika peoples have with the past, each other and the environment, in this new permanent exhibition. Wansolmoana – meaning One Salt Ocean – reflects the cultural significance of the immense body of water that connects the islands and people across the Pacific region.

Following on from last week’s Article The Lost Loot of Lima we had a wonderful update from Richard Bell, on the ground in Queenscliff. These Documents are part of a Queenscliff Historical Museum project about the Fishermen and Families on Fisherman’s Flat, Queenscliff.

I remember trying to sleep in the forward berth and being “squeezed” as the bow flexed - rather frighteningly as they were built to be very light - perhaps too light, as much strengthening was needed before the next trip in rough weather.

The 25 mile trip down the bay from St Kilda is always a good time for contemplation. The views are not spectacular. There’s no harbour bridge to serenade you on your way, or dramatic cliffs to escape… just a thin diminishing and growing 360 degree strip of land, interrupted by the teeth of the city skyline, and the pimples of the You Yangs and Arthur’s seat.

The Notice of Race has now been published for this years Sydney Hobart Classic Yacht Regatta.