The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.

FESTIVALS Mark Chew FESTIVALS Mark Chew

The AWBF 2023 Film

Just in case you are still dreaming of that weekend three weeks ago, the AWBF has put together a three minute video montage covering all the action from in an around the Hobart Waterside.

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OBITUARY Mark Chew OBITUARY Mark Chew

Eight Bells- Doug Jenkin

An upright, quietly spoken gentleman in a captain’s cap introduced himself, and without any hint of self-engrandisment, made it clear that he knew what he was talking about when it came to wooden boats.

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DESIGNERS Mark Chew DESIGNERS Mark Chew

GLORIA-Perfection afloat

The creators of GLORIA were certainly looking for perfection during their 15 year build at Wilson’s in Cygnet. I’m not sure if they achieved contentment but they certainly created one of the most special yachts in Australia.

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SWS SHOP Sal Balharrie SWS SHOP Sal Balharrie

Open for Business

For some time at SWS, we’ve been discussing the need to dip a toe in the pool of offering our readers online products - and here we are launching with three. Welcome to our SHOP! Please come inside!

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Sal Balharrie Sal Balharrie

A National Secret for Falling Asleep

WARNING : Do not watch this video while driving. Just as there are those who prefer wood over plastic, humans can be further divided into good sleeps and poor sleepers. This article is for the later.

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Mark Chew Mark Chew

‘Elements’ and ‘Shelter’

This joint exhibition examines the connection between the ‘Elements’ and ‘Shelter’. At sea amongst it, in an anchorage seeking it and ashore being comforted by it.

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BOOK REVIEWS Mark Chew BOOK REVIEWS Mark Chew

Treasured Possessions.

In today’s world many of us cry out for ways to express our individuality and character. Many of our manufactured possessions are white and precision made from plastic or metal, it is rare for us to give them a name or character.

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DESIGNERS Mark Chew DESIGNERS Mark Chew

Rating rules shaped our boats

The purpose of any rating rule is to enable yachts of different sizes to race together fairly. Without a rating rule there could be no enjoyable racing as, barring unforeseen circumstances, the largest yacht (and the richest owner) would always win.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Eddy Vinks and the epic restoration of BOONGOWN

I think to myself, isn't it great that we have people in the world, passionate master craftsmen like my good mate Eddy, who put all their love into a project such as Boongown, until it just seeps from every surface and inspires the admiration of everyone who sees it or is lucky enough to climb aboard.

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ART Mark Chew ART Mark Chew

Custodian-An Exhibition by Andrew Wilson

So we have Andrew’s interpretation of reality rather than reality itself. His feelings and emotions are woven through these pictures like threads in a tapestry. This is not something a documentary photographer does lightly. It throws your work wide open to judgement.

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FESTIVALS Mark Chew FESTIVALS Mark Chew

Social Fest

The chosen social media platform at SWS is instagram… so here are nine feeds that should be covering the AWBF event if you can’t make it in person. There’s plenty of existing content from their journeys to the festival and hopefully plenty of imagery to come from Hobart

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