In the middle of the Mornington Peninsula, an hour’s drive southeast of Melbourne, and 10kms from any substantial body of water, there is a block of land that really could only be described as a retirement home for old boats.  A few are receiving some late life attention, but most of them have gone there just to die.  There are the ubiquitous unpainted rusting steel home-made boats with big, hard chimes and protruding welds that look like badly healed scars. 

Here’s a selection three vastly different jobs that peaked my interest. Even if they aren’t actually in your skillset, its hard not to dream of what life might be like if a connection with timber craft meant that money was coming into the bank account, not just going leaving it

Anyone who thought the world had four oceans will now have to think again, after the National Geographic Society announced it would recognise a new Southern Ocean in Antarctica, bringing the global total to five.

A pop up exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Spanning the early days of Auckland membership to dominating the international stage with the America’s Cup.

When Mr Lewin began explaining how cartographers addressed the challenge of portraying what is essentially a three dimensional object - the world - on a two dimensional plane - a piece of paper - my eyes lit up!

I’m Thinking, Is This An April Fools Prank From A Mate Or A Genuine Attempt To Return A Significant Piece Of New Zealand’s Wooden Boat Building History To New Zealand? The fantastic story of TANGAROA by Larry Paul

“While most people know that Bogie and Bacall had a great love affair, probably fewer know about my father’s other great love–sailing. Specifically, it was with his 55-foot sailing yacht, SANTANA. The sea was my father’s sanctuary.” - Stephen Bogart

Grace’s Guide to British Industry says that Arthur Beale was established as a rope maker called John Buckinghams circa 1500. Our Sign says “Established 400 years” but the sign is 60 years old!

Page after page, a story requiring no words. Their looseness, their freedom, their confidence on the page inspired, for me, my career as a designer, as a writer and definitely as a sailor.

When it came to Classic boats on the big screen, the readers of SWS took it to a whole other level - here’s what you had to say!

SWS is 5 months young and as we Grow, we’re also evolving. Our aim is to continually offer our readers rich content and to involve more voices. this week we are delighted to launch a new section - EVENTS.

134 years ago today, on 22 April 1887, a cyclone struck the pearling fleet at Ninety Mile Beach near Broome claiming 140 lives. The storm was unexpected, as it was late into the season, so the fleet had very little warning of the approaching danger.

So here it is, SWS’s TOP 5 ALL TIME CLASSIC MOMENTS AFLOAT! If you have a film featuring a wooden boat of which you are particularly fond, let us know. Preference given to craft of the Southern Hemisphere.  It’s all up for debate and your input.

What John Wilson doesn’t know about Tiwi Culture, the land and sea is not worth knowing. This quiet gentleman is a walking encyclopaedia of local knowledge. John is gifted with smiling eyes that draw you in and leave you wanting to know more, such as the story of Australia’s oldest boat.

If you are perhaps needing motivation to push on with your own restoration or naturally a night owl, it could well be worth registering for The 2021 Classic Boat Awards, an online event that due to it’s location, unfolds in the wee small hours of a Southern Hemisphere morning.

This is the third and final article in Charlie Salter’s series on Architects and Woodenboats.

The second article in Charlie Salter’s series highlighting the  relationship between architects and wooden  boats.

Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect of the Sydney Opera House grew up in a world of boats. Sailing, living and working near the water was a three generational activity for the Utzon family.

“Many of us are driven by the beauty that relates to pursuit of purpose.... boat design across many cultures is an almost perfect study of vernacular.” Australian Architect, Richard LePlastier

it was at sea, aboard the wild rose, that golding could escape the demons of class, inferiority and what we might now call post-traumatic stress that haunted him all his life.