The only medieval and primary sources we have of Freydís are the two Vinland sagas; the Grœnlendinga saga and the Eiríks saga rauða. The two sagas offer differing accounts, though in both Freydís appears as a masculine, strong-willed woman who would defy the odds of her society.

The YVONNE project has been an integral part of the life of some of my closest friends for seven years now. So when we heard that the seminal British publication “Classic Boat” had selected her to be on the short list of best “Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft” then it is cause for celebration.

In about twelve days time the oldest yacht in Australia will either have an appointment with a chainsaw or become the subject of one of the bravest rescue missions seen in the last decade. Crazy things have been going on in the wooden boat market recently. Let’s hope it’s the latter!

After almost two weeks of uncertainty, and six months' worth of mud drying on the weary paddle wheeler's hull, Longreach tourism company Outback Pioneers revealed the boat would not be able to cruise again.

So now I’m a little confused!  There are so many good things going on, so many positive stories and no shortage of activity, so why we are not brimming with optimism?

My name is Holly (22 years old) and my husband Jordy (23 years old) and I are the very proud owners of ‘Clare’. She is a Maurice Griffiths, 40 foot ketch planked in 1 1/2 Jarrah, built and launched in 1951 in WA. She is currently out of the water in Hastings VIC and we are currently completing a full restoration.

Like the preservation of our built environment, historical buildings only live on if they are living breathing things that people can engage with. Historic vessels surely the same?

There is of course in the community a finite amount of time, resources and money to go into restoring old boats. Not every craft can be saved. I estimate that of the wooden boats in Australia that are currently “out of commission” perhaps one in ten will ever float again… So what should be the criteria for deciding which craft are worthy of a new lease of life?

But as I stood in the new machine shop and glanced out the window, I saw an unassuming little boat that without a doubt had been drawn by the inimitable Laurent Giles.

The owners of JOLLY ROGER are looking for someone to take her on, gratis. She’s lying afloat, but sad, at Claremont Yacht Club.

Perhaps before embarking on the new build of a wooden boat, first consider if there is an existing craft that, given a full restoration, would fulfil your needs and dreams as well as one built from scratch.

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.

Brendan’s vision was to rebuild her graceful design. And to create a yacht that would be both beautiful and very user friendly for himself and his family

In the words of custodian Juha Sironen - “My original plans are not feasible anymore and I am tired. I have brought KALUA home and there she will stay. I will auction her as soon as I get import approval.” The fate of KALUA awaits.

In March 1886 the now Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania conducted a race to Port Esperance for 28 footers with a sweepstake prize of 10s. per boat. Entries included F Turner’s SUNBEAM, Mr Calder’s MAGIC, Mr Knight’s TERRA LINNA, Mr Lewis’s MILLY, Mr Cheverton’s MABEL, and Mr Maddock’s MYRINE.

The young colonial town of Auckland, built on the isthmus between the Waitemata and Manukau harbours, for centuries traversed by Maori waka, was completely dependent on sea transport.

FLIGHT was used as a Patrol Boat on the Tamar River in the last years of the War. Thereafter , she was used as a pleasure craft, the Flag Vessel for the Derwent Sailing Squadron and hosted the Queen and Prince Phillip during the Royal Tour of 1954

From her early days PISCES worked from Apollo Bay, venturing into Bass Strait for shark fishing and netting. After a stint at a few other Victorian west coast ports, she was eventually taken to Queensland where she was used as a vessel for fishing the black tipped reef shark.

Not one to sit around, Phil was working on her hull that afternoon. Within two days the cabin top and interior fittings were removed, taken to the tip and a bare hull remained.

Last Saturday the 118 year old ALMA DOEPEL was lifted back into the murky waters of the River Yarra after a 10 year restoration. In this film we speak with Ferdi Darley the amazing and articulate head shipwright on the project just four days before the launch.