The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing woodenboats
in Australia, New Zealand & The South Pacific.

FLOTSAM Mark Chew FLOTSAM Mark Chew

Self Assessment

If you are reading this then the chances are you are part of something that’s bigger than you imagine. The wooden boat world by nature self depreciatory. It’s an admirable characteristic to understate, to play down, in a world where the unjustified hyperbole often drowns out the the quiet achievers.

Read More
FLOTSAM Mark Chew FLOTSAM Mark Chew

A Letter from Nick Atkins

The closure of our current location means the end of The Victorian Wooden Boat Centre as we know it. There will never be another opportunity to recreate what we have here and keep it viable. We will wind down the VWBC until its lease ends, at which point it will close permanently.

Read More
FLOTSAM Mark Chew FLOTSAM Mark Chew

Big Wood Saves a little plastic

We repeatedly emphasized that we were aboard a small 8-meter sailboat, but the response was the same each time: "We are a 50-meter three-masted sailboat, and we offer our assistance in towing you to Paimpol."

Read More
FESTIVALS Mark Chew FESTIVALS Mark Chew

SAWBF-A view from the outside

But we weren’t going to South Australia for art, landscapes and wine, we were going to experience the 17th biennial South Australian Wooden Boat Festival held in Goolwa near the mouth of the Murray. I was looking forward to understanding a little bit about the particular craft of the area and how they relate the idiosyncratic geography of the region.

Read More
FLOTSAM Sal Balharrie FLOTSAM Sal Balharrie

Flotsam #2

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

Read More
RESTORATION Sal Balharrie RESTORATION Sal Balharrie

The Life & Times of Yacht Ida

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.

Read More
FLOTSAM Mark Chew FLOTSAM Mark Chew

Australian Wooden Boat Festival

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.

Read More

SWS IS A SURPRISING SUCCESS STORY

BUT TO CONTINUE, WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Your donation will help us to publish your weekly source of
woodenboat inspiration and grow this unique community.