General Interest
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Attitude is everything: The John Morrison story
Sailor and entrepreneur John Morrison’s story is a real rags-to-riches one. Growing up in Lyttelton in the 1960s, he built a keeler and, aged 22, set ...
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Darwin200: legacy under sail
DARWIN200’s 43,000-mile voyage retraced Darwin’s route, training young leaders and renewing global conservation momentum under sail.
Person
Sam Goodchild: from the anchorage to the atlantic frontline
Raised on a boat and fuelled by solo ambition, the British sailor’s rise through the offshore ranks has been anything but ordinary.
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Discovering the SS Nantes
Divers in the English Channel have finally put a name — and a tragic story — to a Cunard steamship lost at sea in 1888
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Dunkirk’s Little Ships – 85 years on
These small craft (fishing boats, private yachts, ferries, launches and tugs) braved enemy fire and storms to shuttle men from knee-deep surf out to t...
Boat chines: Hull Design 101
In the realm of nautical engineering, the term "chine" refers to the critical juncture where a boat's hull bottom converges with its sides, forming a ...
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Today in history: 2 December 1946 – The formation of the International Whaling Commission
On this day in 1946, representatives from 15 nations signed the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, establishing the International...
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The Scuttling of MV Python: A Tactical Blow in the Battle of the Atlantic
1 December 1813: A Naval Tragedy During the Napoleonic Wars
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Naval Aviation Triumph: The Sinking of U-86 by USS Bogue
On 29 November 1943, the Battle of the Atlantic witnessed another pivotal moment as the U.S. escort carrier USS Bogue (CVE-9), accompanied by her airc...
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Magellan’s landmark voyage through the Strait of Magellan
On 28 November 1520, Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet achieved a groundbreaking milestone in nautical history: they became the first Europeans to navi...
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The Scuttling of the French Fleet at Toulon: A Defiant Act in the Face of War
On 27 November 1942, the French Navy orchestrated one of the most dramatic acts in naval history, scuttling its fleet at Toulon to prevent it from fal...
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Samuel Cunard: The Maritime Pioneer Who Revolutionised Transatlantic Travel
In the annals of maritime history, few names stand as tall as Samuel Cunard’s. This visionary businessman and shipping magnate not only transformed tr...
Murder most foul
Like many war vets, he never spoke about his experience at the hands of his captors – not entirely surprising given the horror of the Behar Massacre.
Praise for the Trailer-Sailer
Club racing? Visiting other lakes? Why not? It’s a versatile bit of kit, and you’ll stand out from the crowd wherever you go – just get that mast-step...
BOP: Remember the rules around the Motiti Protection Area
Under the new rules, no-one can take fish, shellfish, or plants from these areas. These rules apply to everyone equally, including customary, recreati...
Family classic powered up for summer
When Everett and his wife moved back to New Zealand in 2006, they packed the boat into a container and had it shipped back ‘home’.
One out of the box
The concept of carrying cargo in standardised containers was first formulated by US truck driver Malcolm McLean.
The Southern Ocean
In 1953, with the stroke of a pen, the most important ocean on the planet disappeared.
The truth is the Southern Ocean had be...
Cable Ties
You might think hackers-in-hoodies are the most sinister threat to the World Wide Web, but a speedy, efficient internet actually relies on the integr...
Godfather of Coastguard
Alan Haddock’s one of those quiet, self-effacing chaps who’s worked tirelessly behind the scenes at Coastguard for decades helping others. His main c...
Next Generation McMurdo FastFind 220 PLB
The PLB receives coordinates from the new precision satellite network in addition to the tried and tested GPS network and therefore provides ultimate ...
Spirit of Manasoo
The amazingly intact wreck of the 54m steel steamer, Manasoo, lost in a storm on September 15, 1928, has been located in deep water by an internationa...
Remembering the Titanic
For anyone unaware, Titanic was actually one of threesister ships built for the White Star line – the other two being Olympic (slightly older) and Bri...
Divine intervention
Students of WWll will know that the term ‘kamikaze’ relates to a band of suicidal Japanese pilots who flew their explosives-laden planes into US Navy ...
Rodney Russ: Southern Ocean Explorer
Russ has spent more time in this ocean than most and has shown more people its beauty than anyone else I know. To say he is a passionate advocate for ...
Rum racing on the Waitemata
For Mark Roberts, rum racing isn’t just an occasional hobby – it’s a way of life. You might know Roberts by his almost universal nickname of Moulët, a...
Replica Riva Aquarama
Brigitte Bardot had one. So did Sophia Loren. As did Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Prince Rainier and Aristotle Onassis. In fact, the gleaming mahoga...
Boating at night
Boating at night can be a daunting experience – not being able to see your surroundings is nerve-wracking. But it doesn’t have to be stressful. With t...
Tailor your snapper attack
Being aware of the nature of the sea floor terrain – and adjusting your technique accordingly – can have a dramatic impact on your snapper-landing suc...
Sub-Antarctic Shuttle
Not too many boats head south from Bluff, at mainland New Zealand’s southern extremity. But one yacht does so regularly, delivering researchers and sc...
Island transporter: Lloyd Stevenson vaka motu
Easier transportation of people, medical supplies and cargo around the islands of Micronesia took a leap forward with the launch of another Lloyd Stev...
PWCs are catching on
PWCs are more commonly called jet-skis in New Zealand. ‘Jet Ski’ was the brand name given to the original Kawasaki stand-up PWC from 1972 and the na...
NZ Antique and Classic Boat Show
Beattieful – an immaculately-restored wooden clinker runabout built by Jim Beattie and restored in 2010 – won the Jens Hansen Cup for the Best Vessel ...
Solo Tasman rower
When weatherman Bob McDavitt gives the word sometime in April, Kiwi adventurer Scott Donaldson will set off on a second attempt to become the first pe...
Lloyds Register – The Book of Ships
Lloyd’s Register – the world’s largest and most respected database for the classification of ships and yachts – is nearly three centuries old. Bizarre...
Dutch boat quest
After a few twists and turns, a Dutch couple’s quest to find the Kiwi builder of the boat they bought in Spain 15 years ago has a happy ending. Story ...
GO ON, SPOIL YOURSELF
Ownaship – New Zealand’s premier boat share company manager – will be adding the luxurious Maritimo X60 Sport Yacht to its extensive fleet.
With its ...
Sailor-scribes: Adrian Hayter
“My navigation is all to hell. I know nothing of handling a ship and have killed myself trying. My capital is gone, my career’s gone – oh brother, are...
Oskar Speck: the kayaker history forgot
In 1932 a young German kayaker set off from Hamburg on what evolved into a seven-year, 30,000-mile paddle to Australia. It remains the longest-ever ka...
Sail Makers
Dave Giddens Sailmakers has been operating in central Auckland for over forty years. We operate out of our factory in Mt Eden/Morningside – just down the road from Eden Park.
We are a small team o...
NZ Composites
With the widest range of Carbon Fibre Dry Fibre Reinforcements, Vacuum Process Consumables, PET Cores, Woven Cloths/ NCF Stitched Fabrics available from local stock available. Moreover, our offerings...
LATEST NEWS
2023 Challenger 595SE
The 2023 Challenger 595SE delivers a complete, ready-to-go boating solution for Kiwi boaties wanting reliable performance, comfort, and value.
Astender AST 400 Centre Console
Introducing the AST 400, the pinnacle of dinghy tenders. Meticulously designed and crafted, this all-new model, unveiled in 2024, offers unparalleled performance and versatility for the modern boater.