We remember what we have heard or seen on the water when any number of situations arise on land, and are likely to say, “It is just like being on a boat.” Sailing is a metaphor for everything.

A flawed attempt to settle Australia’s ‘empty north’ triggered an epic 2,300NM open boat voyage along the unexplored northwest coast, from Van Diemen Gulf down to today’s Geraldton.

The Regatta is open to any yachts that have competed in a Sydney-Hobart race pre 1976 and a few other Classics by special invitation.

Traditional wooden boatbuilding and seafaring are integral to the long history of an archipelago of islands that became Indonesia. This is Australia’s northern neighbour that we sadly ignore except when making a holiday dash to Denpasar.

In 1963 after rounding White Island , we had some fresh headwinds , and after one very noisy crash off a sea , we hove-to for the night , sort of slept. Next morning , we cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast, and in moderated conditions got underway again.

While re-reading Ian Fleming’s oeuvre recently, I seem to remember that my wife remarked… ”This is misogynistic crap” …and she’s probably right.

The wind strength increased all night until in the vicinity of Bustard Head lighthouse it topped 100 knots. Our last remaining canvas, the Spitfire jib was hoisted, and KINTAMA lay ahull. The crew exhausted, replaced the storm boards, piled into the soaked bunks and fell asleep

“Were a settlement to be made at Port Phillip, as doubtless there will be some time hereafter, the entrance could be easily defended. It is capable of receiving and sheltering a larger fleet of ships than ever yet went to sea, and the region has a pleasing and in many parts a fertile appearance.”

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.

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.

"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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.