Many Thanks to all those who have contacted us with messages of support (and condolences!) on our decision to move on from FAIR WINDS. In the meantime we have created a dedicated page on SWS with all the information on her that we can muster.

This summer we spent a month living on board, cruising through Bass Strait and the Southeast coast of Australia. In was another special adventure aboard this extraordinary craft. Anchoring 30 meters off the beach at Erith Island on New Year’s Eve with no other human in sight; sailing 220 miles from Flinders Island to Eden, with the windvane nodding and nudging us back on course as the miles disappeared under our transom. These and hundreds of other memories will never be erased.

“If you’d told me a month ago that we’d place fourth overall at the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta racing FAIR WINDS I’d have said you were dreaming. Perhaps I still am.”

So we continued with the big dog leg left, rain coming down, rolling gunwhale to gunwhale, making 7 knots. We ran watches during the night of one on two off, which just about worked, but you get a lot of practise getting in and out of you wet weather gear, PFD and sea boots!

Sal and Mark - Editors of SWS - walk you through what’s to be undertaken in the 8 weeks prior to departure.

A Photographic Essay-450NM, five friends, a 66 year old boat, a home made tender, a double rip swimmer, a mainsail with 12,000NM on the clock…(time for a new one!)