Welcome to SWS
Finally a place where you’ll find news, information and
discussion around timber sailing boats.
Meet the Team
Mark Chew
Mark Chew lives aboard a 1978 S&S Swan called MATILDA with his wife and co-editor Sal. They are currently based in Valencia. He has been cruising and racing keelboats since the late 1980s and has competed in most of the Australian Blue Water Classics. However, it was when in 2001, they purchased FAIR WINDS. a Philip Rhodes 1956 43footer, that their love of traditional sailing was born. Over the following twenty-three years of their custodianship she crossed the Tasman three times, circumnavigated Tasmania twice and traversed the full length of Eastern seaboard at least four times. In 2024 they sold FAIR WINDS and in 2025 purchased MATILDA as a livaboard. They are currently exploring the quieter corners of the Mediterranean and plan to race in the Rolex Swan Cup in Sardinian in 2026. When not sailing, Mark spends his time working as a photographer and being an active board member of the AWBF
to contact Mark email - helm@southernwoodenboatsailing.com
Sal Balharrie
Sailing for Sal began with windsurfing, a summer pursuit at Queenscliff, far from the farm on which she grew up. At 23 she and Mark bought a tiny boat, took the mast down and motored it through the French canals and sailed in the Med for a year, circumnavigating Corsica and Sardinia. It was around this time they ran out of money and took jobs as Flotilla Leaders based in Corfu with a fleet of 14 boats for which they were responsible. Then children, which meant sailing became holidays on boats - aboard COTTON BLOSSOM and then FAIR WINDS. In 2019, while working in Italy, Sal had the profound desire to buy her own boat, plastic yes, but an incredible venture none the less. NO MAN’S LAND RACING takes place on a Sydney 38 with an all girl crew of novice sailors.
In 2025, Sal and Mark decided there was no time like the present to follow a dream of buying a boat in the Med and sailing her home. And so, enter - another classic MATILDA S&S 47 / 1978 - or if you want to be really specific, MATILDA is an NYYC S&S 48 - designed to be the greatest cruiser-racer on the planet. Watch this space - in 2026 they along with a crew of 10 Aussies and 1 Kiwi - poor bloke - will be racing in the ROLEX SWAN CUP in Sardinia. At time of writing, MATILDA is wintering in Valencia after a first summer of cruising.
And what pays the bills? Outside of SWS, Sal is a writer for film, television and publication. With publisher Harper Collins releasing her first novel in 2026, Sal is working on her second and like all things - her best ideas come to her on a boat.
To contact Sal - sail@southernwoodenboatsailing.com
For over 25 years, the small team behind SWS have been passionate sailors and supporters of wooden boats in Australia and New Zealand.
Throughout this time, we’ve become increasingly aware of a huge grass roots interest in this part of the world for the culture, history and practise of sailing and using these special craft.
While there are plenty of niche organisations doing a wonderful job keeping their particular interests going, there has never been a dedicated place to turn to for all the news information and discussion around timber sailing boats.
SWS aims to be that place.
We are also very conscious that this particular corner of the sailing world is dominated by men, generally in their later years! Our aim is to positively encourage young people, especially women, to sail, work on, study and treasure the wooden boats of Australasia and to join in the conversation.
We invite you to enjoy our stories, podcasts and films and to get involved with our community as it evolves and expands. We hope you will share with us your projects and sailing adventures and join in the discussions via the COMMENTS section at the base of each article, with an open mind and generous heart.
