Flotsam & Jetsam 13.02.26
February News from around the Wooden Boat world.
Eight Bells- Peter Mounsey
Peter and Lesley aboard LARAPINTA
Peter died this wek at the age of 98 after a fall. His name may not be the most famous in Australian sailing circle but his achievements were certainly some of the most extraordinary. He was known as ‘The Million Mile Man’ after racking up that many miles and more in yacht deliveries around the world.
He was born in Windsor, New South Wales, with a twin brother Don who is an accomplished artist in England. He went to sea in the merchant marine at age 14 in 1942 during World War II.
He navigated the famous SIANDRA to victory in the 1958 Sydney Hobart, (one of nine S2H trips ) and sailed in the Admirals Cup and other races in U.K. He completed a Melbourne to Osaka two handed race, three solo races from New Zealand, and crossed the the Tasman Sea thirty two times in small boats. And that’s just the start.
In the late 1950’s he circumnavigated with his wife Lesley in a boat called LARAPINTA designed by A.C.Barber.
They steered a course up the east coast of Australia, turned west and sailed across the Indian Ocean.
They made landfalls at Christmas Island, The Cocos Keeling Islands, Rodriguez, Mauritius and Durban, South Africa. From Cape Town they sailed up the Atlantic to Plymouth, stopping at St. Helena, Ascension Island and The Azores.
On their homeward voyage they sailed from England to Portugal, The Canary Islands, Barbados, through the Caribbean and The Virgin Islands to The Panama Canal. Pacific landfalls were made at The Galapagos, The Marquesas, The Tuamotus, Tahiti, The Society Islands, The Cook Islands and Fiji before clearing customs in Newcastle, Australia, in 1961. Becoming the first Australian couple to sail around the world.
Peter was also an avid horseman, car restorer and motorcycle rider, Three years ago he reached 94 miles per hour on his 350cc single cylinder eighty one year old Velocette motorcycle on the salt flats of South Australia. His aim was to crack the ton by the time he reaches 100.
One of the few goals he didn’t quite reach.
You can read more about Peter’s life HERE
NANCY E - A Cray Boat Dinghy
If only I could think of an excuse for owning another boat, I’d definitely buy this one myself!
Martin Bryan, a long time supported of SWS, is selling a classic clinker timber dinghy built 2022 by professional shipwright Vaughan McGillivery from the Wooden Boat Shop in Sorrento :
Her lines are taken from a traditional Tasmanian cray boat dinghy
She has Oregon planking on spotted gum frames, select American oak fitout, all copper fastened with removable western red cedar flooring, a safe stable botany dinghy for a family. Comes with brand new 3 hp Honda outboard 2026 full boat cover & reg road trailer.
Snap it up!
Asking $ 12,000 Contact. Martin HERE
Queenscliffe Matitime Festival 2026
Following last week’s request for information, we received, thanks to Couta Boat sailor, Liam Prescott, the following. Click on the images below for the full and comprehensive program.
Running from 1–9 March 2026, the Festival brings together Maritime History Week, the major centenary celebration of the Lifeboat Queenscliffe and the continuing legacy of volunteer marine rescue, and a vibrant harbour-side weekend, showcasing the stories, skills and traditions that have shaped Queenscliff and Victoria’s coast for generations.
At the heart of the program is Maritime History Week (1–6 March), featuring daily specialist talks, exploring working boat building, shipwrecks, sea Country, rescue, coastal navigation, women’s maritime stories, marine science and the people and vessels of Port Phillip and Bass Strait.
The Alma Doepel will sail from Melbourne to Queenscliff, arriving on Thursday 5 March, offering a rare opportunity for the public to experience one of Australia’s most significant surviving tall ships in an active working harbour.
Chair of the Alma Doepel Trust, Matt McDonald, said the visit reflects the importance of connecting maritime communities through living heritage. A major highlight of the Festival will be the 100th anniversary of the Lifeboat Queenscliffe, marking a century since the launch of the town’s iconic vessel in 1926.
On Friday 6 March 2026, the community will gather in the Museum for a Lifeboat Centenary celebration, honouring the past crews, rescue history and spirit of service that have defined Queenscliff’s lifesaving tradition for generations. The event will be a key moment of reflection and celebration within Maritime History Week, linking past and present through shared stories and community pride.
Alongside talks and on-water events, the Festival will feature Tastes of the Sea, a Maritime Week dining trail encouraging locals and visitors to explore participating restaurants, cafés and hotels across Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale throughout the week.
KIALOA II (for a snip!)
There wouldn’t be too many people up for the challenge of sailing and maintaining this 73ft 1964 S&S aluminium Classic. But if you are in the market for a bit of history, that could race hard and adventure safely to anywhere in the world… and do it all in style… then its hard to go past KIALOA II.
She was one of the first ‘Maxi’ racing yachts designed in 1963 by Sparkman & Stephens and built in lightweight aluminium for the famous yachtsman Jim Kilroy. She was launched in California in 1964 and became one of the most successful yachts of her time.
During her first decade she won most of the major ocean races at least once, including the 1965 Transpac Race. She came 2nd in Fastnet in 1969 and took line honours in the 1971 Sydney-Hobart Race.
She’s currently looking spic and span in Cowes, UK, but Australian tax is paid and she’s ready to “Come Home”
Interestingly you could either choose to pay $825,000AU dollars by purchasing her through this English Brokerage, or $498,000AU via our friends on Pittwater!
Alby Mangels - Sanitising the story?
There was a thirty minute piece on the ABC’s Australian Story last week. I knew of Alby Mangels because as a teenager arriving in Australia during the late 1970’s he was all over the TV set. The world needs outliers. The people who step off the roundabout and do something different. But it’s a fine line… too often, the extroverts flourish at the expense of the people around them, leaving a trail of debt and distain. Digging a little deeper it seems that Alby may have been on the wrong side of that line. The ABC piece doesn’t tell the full story but it hints at it.
And here’s a question for the readers…. What’s the beautiful little boat at the 2 minute 50sec mark? I’m not sure… It’s a bit like a Derwent Class… but its not!
