Historic Vessels

July 10 - Gipsy Moth IV sailed through The Sydney Heads at 1400hrs on Sunday July 9 amongst a flotilla of yachts under glorious sunshine. Onboard was skipper Richard Baggett, Mate Simon Hay, Project Founder Paul Gelder of Yachting Monthly, James Blake, son of Sir Peter Blake and Elaine Caldwell voyage participant. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0710b.htm

June 29 - Sean Langman is switching from speed to nostalgia by restoring a 1932 built 9.01 metres (29.5 feet) yacht to contest this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 70 years after the boat made its only successful voyage to Hobart - having being wrecked on the first attempt. Media release by Lisa Ratcliff at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0629d.htm

June 29 - Australia II skipper John Bertrand will launch an appeal for $100,000 on June 30 to enable the Australian National Maritime Museum to restore a revolutionary 18-foot skiff that Ben Lexcen conceived, built and sailed in 1959… when he was just 23 years old. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0629.htm

June 21 - The Kiwis have performed a miracle in getting Gipsy Moth IV ready in time to continue with her global voyage. Due to the notoriously unreliable weather in the Tasman Sea at this time of year, the current plan is to ship Gipsy Moth IV as deck cargo to Sydney where a number of Royal engagements await her. Gipsy Moth IV will still sail into Sydney Harbour on Sunday July 9. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0621e.htm

June 16 - Dreamboats & Workboats – the Halvorsen Story. A new exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum from July 1 will celebrate the lives and work of the renowned Halvorsen boatbuilding family. There’s an interactive screen ‘Find a Halvo!’ and a specially designed booth where visitors can record memories of their Halvorsen holidays. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0616.htm

June 12 - A large flotilla of yachts is expected to welcome Sir Francis Chichester's restored Gipsy Moth IV when she sails into Sydney Harbour on Sunday July 9. The 54ft ketch last departed Sydney in January 1967 after the only stop on Chichester's record world circumnavigation. More info at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0612a.htm

May 24 - After the success of the inaugural Classic Yacht Division at Hamilton Island race week in 2004, there were not enough entrants in 2005 to form a Classic Yacht class. Now in 2006 there is a late push to make the Classic Division at Hamilton Island the success it deserves to be. Media release by Mark Chew at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0524.htm

May 23 - The New Zealand tall ship R Tucker Thompson has experienced many sea changes in her life. In 2006 she will undergo another when she is gifted to the people of Northland. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0523f.htm

May 9 - The second biennial Whyte Just & Moore Lawyers Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong, hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club has been set down for the Victorian Labour Day holiday weekend of March 10 - 12, 2007. Media release by Bob Appleton at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0508b.htm

May 6 - Gipsy Moth IV was aground for 6 days at the North West corner of the Rangiroa Atoll, part of the Tuamotu Islands in French Ploynesia. She is now in Tahiti awaiting a surveyor's inspection and will be shipped to Auckland for repairs. Sir Francis Chichester's restored Gypsy Moth IV is on her second circumnavigation of the globe. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0504b.htm

May 1 - Sir James Hardy skippered his historic yacht Nerida to victory in the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club’s 2006 Gaffers Day. Wearing a reefer jacket and peaked cap, Sir James was an example of sartorial elegance afloat at the helm of his 45-foot gaff cutter built for his late father Tom Hardy before World War II. Media release by Peter Campbell at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0501a.htm

April 24 - Sydney Amateur Sailing Club’s National Gaffers Day, Saturday April 29, has attracted more than 60 gaff-rigged vessels ‘that hoist a spar’ and classic Bermudan rigged yachts. Hugh Treharne will be skipper/tactician of a restored 27-foot yawl Killala built about 110 years ago. Preview of some of the boats by Peter Campbell at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0424d.htm

Mar 14 - Editor's Note: Last weekend I went to the Sydney Classic & Wooden Boat Festival at the National Maritime Museum. The Halvorsen display of 19 boats all on one arm of the marina was a wonderful sight with the 65ft Silver Cloud II owned and recently refurbished by Tony MacKay gleaming at the end of the jetty. Ian Kortlang's 1951 sloop Antara is seen racing regularly on the harbour and up close she is even more beautiful with a new mast and all the mod cons below hidden by custom built timber panels. It was a great show with a friendly atmosphere.

Mar 1 - Classic & Wooden Boat Festival, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, March 11 - 12. Fun for everyone… more than 150 boats on display, a vibrant market place selling all things nautical, non-stop live entertainment and lots more. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0301.htm

Feb 7 - Nearly 100 classic wooden yachts gathered off Port Melbourne today for the first of a five race series.  Many of these timber yachts are over 100 years old; elegant racing cutters like Sayonara and Acrospire III who have competed for glory on this very bay in the early 1900’s. Media release by Ewen Bell at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0207.htm

Jan 24 - Dame Pattie, the Australian Challenger for the 1967 America’s Cup is for sale in Canada. The 12 metre yacht was designed by Warwick Hood, skippered by Jock Sturrock and owned by a syndicate from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. More information at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0124.htm

Jan 12 - After an 85 year absence from Melbourne, the 132 year old three masted iron barque James Craig is returning to Williamstown at the invitation of the national Trust of Australia (Victoria) as a major part of this year’s Volvo race stop over celebrations. Guided tours for $5 will be conducted in January / February. For tour dates and times see media release by Mike Sabey at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0112.htm

Jan 11 - Young Australians aged 16 - 23 can now apply to get on board the tall ship Young Endeavour for a sail training program in 2006. Setting sail for 11-days from Mackay, Cairns, Hamilton Island, Bundaberg, Brisbane, Sydney, Burnie and Hobart, berths are available from June – October 2006. Participants do not require any sailing experience. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0111.htm

Jan 13 - If you have read ‘1421: The Year China Discovered the World’ by Gavin Menzies you may be interested to know that an art collector will be showing the Map of 1418 to the press for the first time on January 17 in Hong Kong. The Map of 1418, shows every continent of the world and evidence will be presented to the audience to consider that Columbus, da Gama and Magellan used copies of this map to reach the New World. More information at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news05/0113f.htm

Jan 6 - A new exhibition of ship portraits at Sydney's National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour traces the evolution of Australia’s trading vessels from the graceful age of sail through to steam power. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0106a.htm

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