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

RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Young & Free - CLARE'S New Custodians

"I was just scrolling Facebook one day, and we had been in the market for a timber boat for a little while. And occasionally I would send Holly ridiculous things from boats online or on Facebook. I'd come across this Maurice Griffiths boat, and I sent it to Holly. They were asking 800 bucks"

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Restoration of "Freydis" Sail number J1

The only medieval and primary sources we have of Freydís are the two Vinland sagas; the Grœnlendinga saga and the Eiríks saga rauða. The two sagas offer differing accounts, though in both Freydís appears as a masculine, strong-willed woman who would defy the odds of her society.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

“the Unsung World of Classic Restoration”

The YVONNE project has been an integral part of the life of some of my closest friends for seven years now. So when we heard that the seminal British publication “Classic Boat” had selected her to be on the short list of best “Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft” then it is cause for celebration.

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FLOTSAM Mark Chew FLOTSAM Mark Chew

Never to Float Again

After almost two weeks of uncertainty, and six months' worth of mud drying on the weary paddle wheeler's hull, Longreach tourism company Outback Pioneers revealed the boat would not be able to cruise again.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Holly, Jordy & CLARE

My name is Holly (22 years old) and my husband Jordy (23 years old) and I are the very proud owners of ‘Clare’. She is a Maurice Griffiths, 40 foot ketch planked in 1 1/2 Jarrah, built and launched in 1951 in WA. She is currently out of the water in Hastings VIC and we are currently completing a full restoration.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Deciding What’s Worth Saving

There is of course in the community a finite amount of time, resources and money to go into restoring old boats. Not every craft can be saved. I estimate that of the wooden boats in Australia that are currently “out of commission” perhaps one in ten will ever float again… So what should be the criteria for deciding which craft are worthy of a new lease of life?

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FOR SALE Mark Chew FOR SALE Mark Chew

Jolly Roger-Rani’s Relation

Perhaps before embarking on the new build of a wooden boat, first consider if there is an existing craft that, given a full restoration, would fulfil your needs and dreams as well as one built from scratch.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

Eddy Vinks and the epic restoration of BOONGOWN

I think to myself, isn't it great that we have people in the world, passionate master craftsmen like my good mate Eddy, who put all their love into a project such as Boongown, until it just seeps from every surface and inspires the admiration of everyone who sees it or is lucky enough to climb aboard.

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RESTORATION Sal Balharrie RESTORATION Sal Balharrie

SOS Kalua

In the words of custodian Juha Sironen - “My original plans are not feasible anymore and I am tired. I have brought KALUA home and there she will stay. I will auction her as soon as I get import approval.” The fate of KALUA awaits.

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RESTORATION Mark Chew RESTORATION Mark Chew

The Racing Yacht, TERRA LINNA

In March 1886 the now Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania conducted a race to Port Esperance for 28 footers with a sweepstake prize of 10s. per boat. Entries included F Turner’s SUNBEAM, Mr Calder’s MAGIC, Mr Knight’s TERRA LINNA, Mr Lewis’s MILLY, Mr Cheverton’s MABEL, and Mr Maddock’s MYRINE.

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RESTORATION Sal Balharrie RESTORATION Sal Balharrie

FLIGHT of Fancy

FLIGHT was used as a Patrol Boat on the Tamar River in the last years of the War. Thereafter , she was used as a pleasure craft, the Flag Vessel for the Derwent Sailing Squadron and hosted the Queen and Prince Phillip during the Royal Tour of 1954

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