While witnessing these wonderful displays of classic yachts outperforming lighter modern boats with their longer waterlines, “something simply just does not ring true!” How can these classics win off scratch in mixed fleets, often against ‘significantly faster’ boats of more ‘flighty’ proportions and high tech construction and yet be considered slow and outdated.

I think its sometimes ok to just wallow in the sheer majesty of massive, elite, eye-wateringly expensive, restored Classic Yachts.

Of the eighty images in the selection, nine of them relate to classic or wooden craft. This reinforces my belief that while traditional sailing craft may not be at the cutting edge of sailboat racing, they play an important role in upholding the values of authenticity and custodianship throughout the whole of the panoply of sailing.

It’s an eclectic mix of craft, from out and out racing boats from every decade from the 1920’s to the 1970’s, to 90 year old fishing boats, to world girdling cruisers.

We have a seriously diverse, storied and decorated fleet of wooden boats coming to Williamstown on the weekend of 3rd 4th 5th November… A couple of Admiral’s Cup winners, a Newport Bermuda race overall winner, a three of circumnavigators, Victoria’s most successful keelboat, Sayonara Cup challengers and a plethora of Sydney Hobart contestants.

Non of that Gallic rubbish for the Brits! Keep the emotion out of it, tell it as it happened, and for God sake don’t let on that you’re enjoying yourself!

It’s been a month since the announcement of the re-designed and re-energised 2023 CUP REGATTA and the level of interest has been impressive (if a little daunting).

This was a weekend to celebrate the boats and the shipwrights who maintain them. The willingness to share information, answer questions and put in for each other is the way. While we like to sail well, winning races has small interest for this classic community.

It’s hard to believe it, but in England, the Classic Yachting fraternity is slap bang in the middle of its biggest week of the year.

The photographs and article come all the way from Hungary.  The images speak for themselves of family bonds, of patient learning, of persistence and of dreams. This is the story of Eight And A Half.

When it comes to capturing the true nature of boats and the essence of sailing there are few finer than photographer Andrea Francolini. Join us in this exclusive interview.

I refuse to call THE ENDLESS SEA a coffee table book. It’s so much more than what that mildly derisive term implies. Once in a while a beautifully designed book such as this, lands on my desk, and …

The famous Sunstone is for sale in Nelson, New Zealand, and for the right custodian she would be the most rewarding combination of form, function and provenance.

With just a week remaining in this bizarre year, it would have been surprising if there wasn’t a twist in the tail of 2020.

Every week you’ll find snippets of stories from around the globe. This week in Flotsam - The AGE profiles Wyruna.

“When Melbourne went into stage three lock down in July 2020, we lost the opportunity to go sailing in our beautiful wooden boats.”

In the spring of 1895 Charles Bailey Jr and his younger brother Walter, trading as “C. & W. Bailey”, built the 5 rater Ida for their good customers, merchants Jagger brothers and W. Frater Jr. …. The restoration process commenced with cutting off the rotting, cabin top, decking and beams.

it’s good to see that despite the cancellation of the 2021 Australian Wooden Boat Festival, the organisers led by Paul Stephanus, have decided to go ahead with the spectacular biennial Parade of Sail on the Derwent. on Sunday 7th of February 2021.

Every week you’ll find snippets of stories from around the globe. This week in Flotsam - A library book is returned 33 years overdue.

Occasionally, quite unexpectedly, we come across our heroes. An interview aboard with Anna Ingham, the current custodian of a 42ft, cray boat, the OWEN JOHN.