There are about a dozen communities left on earth where people in traditional craft still rely on their sails to carry out meaningful work. They don’t do this for romantic reasons, but because they can’t afford a cheap diesel engine or the fuel to drive it. These working sailing fleets, that were originally responsible for binding humanity into a single ecological and historical system, have, almost by accident, become the last bastion of a disappearing tradition that globalised the human story.

It’s a fascinating concept… Three moments in time for Kiwi boat design spanning a 90 year period. From a vessel ordered to be both fishing boat and farm truck, to a time when the vision of two young sailors was to create a global legacy shaping a generation of cruiser-racing boats, craftspeople and competitive sailors.

Now I’m not a shipwright and I’m certainly not an an academic, so my knowledge of dhows is anecdotal, coming only from talking with the craftsmen and sailors (in broken Swahili/English) and spending a few days, joyously racing on the lateen rigged flying machines.

Boats for Sale, films to watch, people to farewell, festivals to visit. News from around the region this February.

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

“One of the best things about the class, he says, is the people. “I've met a lot of good people and some of them are my best mates now which is pretty amazing. If they aren’t mates they become mates pretty quick.”