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

FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Australia's highest peak

Five times that great white whale of a mountain tried to kill the first team that sought to reach its summit. Yet in 1964, back they sailed, through the worst seas in the world, to try again, this time with legendary explorer Bill Tilman as their skipper. 

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Wendy Rose-What its all about!

In 1953 the first marine plywood trailable yacht designed for home construction, the Silhouette, emerged in the UK. The idea took off and by 1960 there were over a thousand sailing throughout the world. The concept was adopted by Richard Hartley in New Zealand who designed the Hartley TS16, and her big sisters the TS18 and TS21: a range of trailable multi-chined plywood yachts.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

ASTOR footage - Help needed

Which part of Warner’s custodianship these films cover is unclear. However the word ‘Aloha” hints that it might be about the Trans Pac Race? So what we are hoping to find is an SWS reader with the expertise and technology to transfer these reels into a digital format so that we can share them with our community!

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Two Blokes Build a Boat

The latest edition of “Sailing La Vagabond” had 340,000 views in the first 24 hours, earning its creators around $7000 USD in addition to the income from blatant product spruiking, which make Lou Richards’ Bertocchi Ham promos look genuine. But they have 1.9 million subscribers… so my cynicism is rightly trampled under the feet of the madding crowd.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

SAVAGE WATERS

Regular readers may have noticed that here at SWS our interest in Wharram Catamarans has morphed into a minor obsession over the last year or so. Well how could we not sit up and notice this surfing adventure film released today in the UK.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Dispatches from The Outlaw Ocean

The oceans are typically and correctly viewed as a marine habitat. But they are much more than that. They are a workplace, a metaphor, an escape, a prison, a grocery store, a trash can, a cemetery, a bonanza, a tinderbox, an organ, a highway, a depot, a window, an emergency, and, above all, an opportunity

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

50 Years of Progress???

So where did things go wrong? The first race, held in an era of rudimentary safety, genuine Corinthian (amateur) values, and no rewards apart from a deep inner satisfaction, had 19 entries ranging from 80 to 32 feet

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

“Camel Finds Water”

Presented as if a charming blend of a 1960 American documentary and a contemporary Wes Anderson Film, “Camel Finds Water” reminds us that boat ownership should be about achievement, adventure and friendship rather than Yacht Club Memberships, 15 coats of varnish and “mine is older/longer/prettier/faster than yours”.

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FILM Sal Balharrie FILM Sal Balharrie

‘The Restless Wind’ A 1950’s voyaging film

Although SALMO did not have an engine under Peter’s ownership and equipped only with an AA book (of roadmaps) to navigate by he sailed her to the Clyde. Then in 1956 he voyaged alone to Labrador and laid her up to winter in Canada. He returned to England to marry Jill, and returned to Canada to continue his voyaging to the Panama Canal and on into the Pacific Ocean.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

The Last of the ‘Boat Folk’ Films from the AWBF : TREVASSA

Enjoying a very eventful delivery trip to Sydney in July 1971, when a rogue wave capsized the craft just south of Eden NSW, the crew narrowly avoiding disaster. In true testament to Jock's seaworthy designs, the boat righted again, mast and sails intact and crew in one piece save for a nicked nose from a flying kitchen knife.

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FILM Sal Balharrie FILM Sal Balharrie

FREE OCEAN FILMS (and dogs)

ADVENTURE REELS TV - it’s all in the name - a platform that collects stories about Adventures, Water, Boats and Dogs - the perfect combination in our book.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Winning the Sydney Hobart with a wet well.

Jock liked to remember WESTWARD as the only yacht with a fish well to win a Sydney to Hobart race. Her building virtually marked the start of Muir's Boatyard and her first race and handicap win kicked off Jock Muir's illustrious career as a blue water ocean racer.

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FILM Mark Chew FILM Mark Chew

Wharram Women - then and Now

Sure, the videos still have a slightly annoying millennial sensibility, but by combining some authentic James Wharram footage she makes me think that she would have fitted in well aboard TANGAROA in 1955.

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