This fleet has proudly called Docklands home for over 15 years, and now they face a critical moment. The Victorian government plans to hand over the current site to developers on January 1, 2026, leaving the fleet without a suitable home.   This places the vessels, the heritage equipment, the volunteers, the community at risk.This has motivated stakeholders to organise a day of action and protest this Sunday the 7th December.

So the solution to managing the perils of social media is to be strict with the inputs. Regular culling of the feed is cathartic. It’s like putting out the bins on a Thursday evening… a bit of a hassle, but it feels good when its done.

The wind began to howl down from the hills, pummelling the sea into frenzied ripples. “George” had his first taste of front line action holding the tiller down while I lunged forward to disarm the rioting mainsail. The jib strained, I pulled her away and we were away. “Sundance” planed, quickly draining out through the bailer whatever water she’d shipped.

Dozens of canoes have been built in an initiative designed to reconnect Indigenous Kanak people with their maritime heritage. Tikoure says the boats also help the “start of conversation” around ocean rights and environmental policies.

I sailed on Saga for well over 5 years as a crew member with Lindsay out of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. We raced her in the inshore and offshore series and I was onboard in the 1968 Sydney to Hobart. I became very good friends with Lindsay and his family and had some great times on Saga. We also cruised up and down the NSW coast on a regular basis. She is a grand old boat, comfortable, spacious and easily sailed.

We shipped a couple of growlers over the side; she just took it all in her stride draining her cockpit with ease – now added to the mix as we were sailing on in the maelstrom there was a loud bang from behind us resulting in a blow my head and shoulder and wondering what the f… ! With being pooped and other waves crashing over the boat the hydrostatic valve in the inflatable emergency danbuoy fired off! It blew the pouch apart as it sought to break out do its thing - We now had a 3 metre danbuoy sharing the cockpit!

With the theme of the 2027 festival being “Working Boats”, the SWS editors have scoured the listings for half a dozen special boats with industrious origins. Even if you are not in the market… It’s fun to dream!

“I am in the habit of naming and renaming things. I like to personify my possessions—not to lose sight of their eventual worthlessness, but to be playful and in some ways to help me care for them well. I may skip some maintenance on any old Astro van, but I’d never do that to Rupert!”

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This story has got everything. A worthy cause, a wooden sailing boat, a restoration, an adventure, and an on going legacy. It’s beautifully made, and the subject matter is as relevant today as when the idea was first conceived.

“I was shivering, not because of the cold, but because I was frightened at the idea of sailing out alone in this small boat to the Shiants. The halyard was slapping against the mast and the tiny waves clucked as they were caught against the underside of the hull.”

The Runit Dome was never intended as a permanent fix. Engineers knew the porous coral beneath it could allow seawater to move freely, but lining the crater was deemed too costly. The concrete cap was built quickly, designed to contain the waste for perhaps a few decades — not centuries.

While the yacht was planing before the breeze out of control, two shifting wrenches were secured to the remains of the tiller straps and the tiller was made fast to these.

Gradually SANDRA was brought back on her course, but by this time the constant flogging of the storm staysail had caused both forestay hanks to part and the jib sheets to come adrift at the tack of the sail.

This week’s news and events from around Australia New Zealand and the world.

The feeling of anticipation, it passes; tears and disappointment they pass, exaltation and exhilaration they pass, the aching muscles and bruises they certainly pass but two things that never pass are your memories, memories of a great regatta ,and friendship, those of the old friends you have caught up with once again as well as the new friends you have made. This is what the Cup Regatta is all about. No playing for sheep-stations here.

Rope weaves together the fascinating story of one of humanity’s oldest inventions — a simple twist of fibres that literally held the world together. From hauling stones for the pyramids to anchoring ships on daring voyages, rope has been the silent hero behind some of history’s greatest achievements.

He’d always had ambitions to design yachts. One of his proudest possessions was a handwritten letter received from Olin Stephens. As a teenager he had drawn a yacht and sent the plans to the great man for comment. Olin despite being famous and busy, replied, making some critical observations but at no time be condescending to the colonial lad who had presumed to seek advice from the master.

Interestingly when Nossiter raced the boat they stripped all excess weight from her – the head, the bunks and even the engine. They raced her so hard the seams would open up and they’d have to man the pumps. At the end of the racing season everything was put back for the family to cruise the NSW coast.

“A properly functioning bridge team requires that all its members maintain a shared mental model to actively monitor a ship’s progress,” Mr Mitchell said. ”This relies on relevant information being conveyed to all members of the team, and actions that are incorrect being identified, communicated and rectified immediately.”

The boats also floated, to some extent, the economy of the village. They bought material for maintenance, supplies for fishing trips, groceries and the like for their families when they were in port and fuel for the diesel engines which powered the cray boats. The townsfolk all knew each other and were linked socially as well as through the fishing fleet or the little enterprises which supported it.