In history
A very brief history of marine rope (cordage)
Welcome to ‘A very brief history of…’ researching the history of everyday marine technology, innovation and events Kiwi...
11 June 2026
John Chapple Part 2: Flamingo wins the Silasec Trophy
Last month I left John Chapple in late 1956 planning and working on his new 12ft Q Class...
10 June 2026
Tubby makes a splash
Kate, the oldest still-sailing boat in Aotearoa New Zealand, a utilitarian Hauraki Gulf trading cutter, built in 1898...
25 May 2026
John Chapple Part 1: Brilliant allrounder
John David Lincoln Chapple died on 26th November 2025. He was a brilliant sailor, yacht designer and human...
11 May 2026
Once were wreckers: Whakatahuri Family Boatbuiders
Whakatahuri in outer Pelorus Sound was once home to a family boatbuilding business and the most remote boat-wrecking...
5 May 2026
Empires end
Despite its modest size, between the 15th and 17th centuries Portugal was one of Europe’s richest nations. The...
21 April 2026
The legend lives on
50 years have passed since the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald—still an unsolved mystery, yet a pivotal...
14 April 2026
Coastal navigation and leadline: how early sailors found their way along the shoreline
Modern boats carry everything. GPS, charts, sounders, radar. It wasn’t always like that. Before instruments, navigation sat in...
7 April 2026
The OK Dinghy: The New Zealand dominance
For nearly 70 years, the OK Dinghy has been one of this country’s most popular international classes. New...
28 March 2026
Loading more articles...