The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.
The Bigger the Rig, the Harder it Falls
“It is an unforeseen circumstance. No one trains to have a giant mast break on a schooner. Everyone acted with professionalism. Everyone was doing the best they could with the gifts that they had.”
schooner henrietta
In 1941, the ashes of a master mariner from Massachusetts were scattered at sea over the shipwreck of his schooner in Port Phillip Bay. The site is the mile wide reef extending off Point Cook just 7NM from Williamstown. He had sailed from Cape Cod to Sydney arriving in 1938.
an American schooner on Kangaroo Island
Now, 216 years later, the INDEPENDENCE is again taking shape on the shores of American River and the men involved have had to use as much craftsmanship and ingenuity as the crew of the Union to get it done.
A Death Defying Voyage of Pleasure
Lone sailor Bernard Gilboy’s small boat voyage, in 1882, was perhaps the most daring undertaking on the world’s biggest ocean. Yet, when departing San Francisco, the Customs Certificate read, “starts on a voyage of pleasure for Australia.”
Help Needed! Naming the Schooner
“I have included a photo taken from leeward just after the start with MORNA leading the fleet, SAGA is just to windward of her, but further to leeward and astern of MORNA is a staysail schooner with a wishbone rig on the foremast.”
SWS IS A SURPRISING SUCCESS STORY
BUT TO CONTINUE, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
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